AN ASSESSMENT OF METHODS OF TEACHING COMPUTER COURSES TO COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENTS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN POLYTECHNICS

ABSTRACT

The study focuses on the methods of teaching computer courses to computer science major in selected Nigeria polytechnics. It examines the background, methods of teaching, tools and equipments use in teaching computer courses to computer science major. The primary data for the study were generated from well structured question broadcasted to random samples of 70 out of 200 NDII students from federal polytechnic Nekede and Abia State Polytechnic and supported with interviews. Frequency labels, simple proportion percentage ratios, average, ranking, and chi-square (test for goodness of fit) for validation of the some of the some of the findings as distributed. From the data presented and analyzed textbook is the mostly used tool for teaching computer courses to computer science major. Followed by the computer but 20% students said that textbooks, chalkboard and computer are the tools used. It was also established from the study that lecture method, lecture with discussion practical assignment, and class discussions are the methods of teaching computer courses to computer science major.

Therefore the researcher summarized and recommend that the NBTE (National Biand for Technical Education) should improve on the teaching tools by providing enough computers for teaching and learning and the methods of teaching computer courses to computer science major should be maintained and if possible across other departments.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Education is an important sector which cannot be fun with any serious country, state, organization or individual and that is why an individual, organization or government uses every means to make sure a good education is provided for her citizens (Adibe, 2001). One of the means of this provision is the introduction of computer science in polytechnics, as a course of study. Computer science is the study of the design and use of computer systems. One goal of the computer science department is to provide the student with the tools to identify those problem that are best solved by means of a computer and to design and implement effective, economical, and creative solutions. Computer science as an academic discipline systematically includes three domains: Theory, and abstraction, and design. The curriculum’s required courses give the students a strong foundation in both the software and hardware aspects of computing, as well as the mathematics and science that underline the discipline.

The electives in the later years allow the student to study more deeply some particular area of computer science. The department courses and programmes continue to respond to changing g requirements for professional employment in computer science. It is the responsibility of the student to understand and fulfill polytechnic, and Department requirements. These requirements are described is the polytechnic has gone a ling way to keep those individuals (computer operators) in various way: i. To acquire formal education in computer science ii To register fully as members in Nigeria computer society. Iii to reduce non-professionals in the field.

Computer is an electronic device, which is capable of receiving, sorting and retrieving information with tremendous speed, if computer is effectively used, it can help teachers teach computer science students visually in all the computer courses. This study based on the assessment of the methods of teaching computer courses to computer science major in selected Nigerian Polytechnics is trying to find out those teaching methods use in teaching computers courses. According to McCathy (1989) common teaching methods are lecture method, lecture with Discussion, panel of experts, Brainstorming, video tapes, class Discussion, case studies, Role playing, Report-Back sessions, worksheets/surveys, index card exercise, Guest speaker, values clarification exercise. IPSJ Journal (2001), state that the method of teaching computer science in a department of liberal Art is from technique (concretion) to theory (abstraction), of from practices to lecture. In a physical classroom these is a standard, set of equipment and tools, this usually includes audio-visual equipment such as textbook, a chalkboard, video-visual video player and tape recorder.