AN ANALYSIS OF THE ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS TOWARDS GENERAL STUDIES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
One of the main features of higher education in Nigeria before 1995 was the over compartmentalization of academic field of study. There were no common university courses to all students both at the instructional level and across the country. Cross – fertilization of knowledge between humanities and science students were not there.
In 1975, the newly created commissions over see the Nigeria universities. Nigeria universities commission (NUC) introduced General Studies Education (NUC) programmed. These programmed were of an two categories which is commonly referred to a General Study and the faculty wide category I e. General Studies, which is the main focus of this study, was made compulsory for all undergraduate students of Nigerian higher institutions.
College of Education, Ekiadolor as it is called today was established in Benin City in 1996 at Iyaro, as an advanced teachers college for the training of NCE teachers. The college was formally opened on 15th may 1980 and renamed college of Education, Benin City. An enabling law knows as the College of Education, Benin City law 1981n was enacted from 2nd October 1999. The law was revised in 1988, before the College moved to its permanent site at Ekiadolor about 25 kilometers from Benin City in April 1986.
General Studies Education (GSE) is a compulsory part of the curriculum for all students admitted into the College of Education, Ekiadolor – Benin.
The purpose of this said course is for students to have a broad knowledge need to fit them a going to face after their studies in the College. The course also serve to supplement the specialized knowledge, students acquire in their respective discipline GSE course in college are spread over the three – year NCE programmed. More specifically, the aims of the College of Education, Ekiadolor. General Studies programmed (as it is, many other higher institutions in Nigeria) are:
(1) To develop in all students the skill needed for effective use of English in all communicative situations and for logical reasoning.
(2) To expose students to the cultural feature of their society and to social and moral obligation there of.
(3) To promote health education and encourage actions that will lead to a better health practice.
(4) To give students a good foundation in liberal education by exposing them to some of the foundational questions which philosophers have been concerned with through the ages?
(5) To equip all students with mathematic and computational skill. This has high application not only in scientific and technological skills development, but also in entrepreneur development.
(6) To sharpen the students awareness of the multifarious dimension and significant of science and technology to the modern world.
Specifically, sensitize them to the benefit as well as the danger of science and technology to man and his survival in the universe (N. C Onwueme, 2001).
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
In this college, many studies have shown the negative attitudes, Social Science in Education. (GSE). There is also the tendency for students to think that (GSE) course are of no valve to there than their departmental course, hence, they develop their a negative all attitudes towards such course which are likely to affect their performance in the college. This may be a case of Economic and Social Studies Students in this college.
This project is made to study the attitude of students towards (GSE) course with particular reference to part – time students in the Department of Economic and Social Studies in this college of Education, Ekiadolor.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to give a critical analysis of the attitude of Economic and Social Student part-time student s of Ekiadolor to General Studies Education and low this affect their Performance.
The goal is encourage teachers, students and other stacker holders within the institution to take on the necessary adjustments to that could yield greater interest and better academic performance.
1.4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY
The importance of a board-based knowledge to any individual cannot be over emphasized; each of the GSE courses has its important role to play and something to contribute to the development of the student. For example, the importance of mathematics – based GSE courses can be seen in the fact that they can help to build up necessary skills for further development in the area of science and technology as well as the ability to effectively manage any organization from the home to a private business.
These based skill are needed by all, including Economic/Social Studies Students.
It is fernery hoped that, the result of the study would lead to the development of a more positive attitude on the part of students in the college, so that the aims of general studies programmed will be achieved.
1.5 REPSEARCH QUESTIONS
The following questions were formulatedfor the purpose ofthis study.
1 Do part – time ECO / SOS have a phobia towards mathematic – based GSE courses?
2 Do part – time ECO / SOS students have a preference for Art / Social Studies – based case course compare to mathematics / Science based course.
3 Do part- time ECO/ SOS students perform better Art / Social Science – based GSE course, compared to mathematics / science based courses?
4 Do part- time ECO / SOS have a negative attitude towards GSE?
5 Do the performance of Economic / Social Studies Students in GSE courses vary widely with and among course as a result of varying attitude and commitments.
6 Does the attitude of students affect their performance in General Studies Education?
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study is limited to General Studies Students Education. Attention is also focused only on the part – time Economic/Social Studies Students of the college of the Education, Ekiadolor Benin.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Attitude - This refers to feelings deposition, opinions or purpose regarding anything.
Cross – fertilization- to help something develop in a Positive way by mixing ideas from a different area!
Multifarious Dimension – of many different kinds having great variety.
Mathematic Basic – the students offering mathematics as their care course.
Mathematics problem – A strong unreasonable hatred for mathematics.
Vicious cause – A situation in which one problem causes another problem, which makes the first problem worse.
