AN ASSESSMENT OF
METHOD OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE TO SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION STUDENT IN
SELECTED NIGERIA INSTITUTIONS
CHAPTER ONE
This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem,
objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitations of
the study. It also gives the conceptual framework and definition of key terms.
Teaching strategies are used to impart knowledge to Student they are the
means by which the teacher attempts to impart the desired learning or
experience (Ndirangu, 2007). The choice of a particular method of teaching by
the teacher determined by number of factors which includes the content to be
taught, the objectives which the teacher plans to achieve availability of
teaching and learning resources and the ability and willingness of the teacher
to improvise if convectional teaching aids are not available, evaluation and
follow-up activities and Individual learner differences (Ndirangu, 2007).
The strategies used in teaching vary from one country to another,
depending on the information or skills that is being taught and also be
influenced by the aptitude and enthusiasm of the student. Various studies had
been conducted concerning teaching strategies, for example Asikhia (2010),
found that, qualification of teachers and Student’ environment factors do not
influence Student and attitude but teachers’ strategies of teaching influence
poor academic attitude. Furthermore, the strategies of teaching are dictated by
the medium of instruction for example, where English is used, the method of
instruction has to be more interactive than passive (Pillar and Skilling,
2005). It also argued that classroom teachers
urgently need to know more about effective strategies for teaching English
learners (Thompson, 2004). The commonly used teaching strategies especially in
developing countries are teacher centered (Guloba, Wokodola, and Bategeka,
2010), which are viewed to be somewhat ineffective in the impartation of
knowledge.
These strategies are no longer used in other counties. Problem-life
learning as a teaching method is
becoming increasing popular in education institutions as a tool to address the
inadequacies of tradition teaching strategies since its approaches do not
encourage student to participate in the learning process (Teo and Wong, 2000).
However, more recently there is an argument in education industry to adopt a
learner- centered paradigm shift (Ndirangu, 2007), while other schools of
thought are advocating participatory strategies of teaching (Sajjad, 2011).
Despite these arrays of teaching strategies being advocated in literature
there is no one universally accepted method. The question still remains is
which of these teaching strategies contribute to failure or success of Student’
attitude especially in developing countries like Nigeria where the causes of
poor attitude in Universities is not well understood.
Student’ attitude in Nigerian Universities has been poor, and one of the
reason cited is the type of strategies of learning-teaching used. Education in Nigeria especially in adult
education, the majorities of Student have failed or have not shown good attitude
in the examination results in summative evaluation (Laddunuri 2012). Marikinyo
(2003), believes that the falling level of academic performance is attributed
to teachers non-use of verbal reinforcement strategy. Several studies have been
conducted about teaching strategies in Universities in many parts of the world
on Student’ attitude, for example in USA (Haas 2002), Pakistan (Sajjad 2011),
Nigeria (Barneka 2012), (Asikhia 2010), Uganda (Guloba, Wokadala and Bategeka, 2010) and Nigeria (Njoroge et
al., 2014). These studies indicated that
the type of teaching strategies used by teachers have an impact on Student’
attitude.
Most of the studies conducted in Nigeria concentrated on factors
affecting Student attitude and policy making rather than how teaching strategies
influence the Student’ attitude example (Laddunuri 2012), (Kkairuki, 2009) and
(Kat ram, 2007). Another study by Mruma (2013) examined motivation of teachers
in Universities. None of these studies have specifically examined the effect of
teaching strategies on student attitude. This study bridges the gap and it
examined effects of teaching strategies on Student’ in Social studies education
in in public universities in –Bayelsa, Nigeria.
The general objective of the study is to examine the effect of teaching strategies
on student attitude in Social studies education Nigerian education in public
adult school in -Bayelsa, Nigeria.
The specific objectives guided this study were as follows;
(i)
To identify teaching
strategies used in instruction of Social studies education in public Universities in Bayelsa.
(ii)
To assess Student’
perception of the appropriateness of teaching strategies used in teaching in public universities in Bayelsa.
(iii)
To determine the
extent to which teaching strategies impact on Student’ attitude in public universities in Bayelsa.
The study answered the following questions
(i)
What are teaching strategies
used in Social studies education in public
adult school?
(ii)
What are Student’
perceptions on the appropriateness of teaching strategies use to teach Science subject in public adult school?
(iii)
To what extent teaching
strategies impact on Student’ attitude in public universities in ?
The study is worth of academic research on the following grounds:
First, the study was expected to reveal the impact of teaching strategies
on Student’ attitude in Universities and contributes to the body of knowledge.
Second, the study expected to provide a foundation for future researchers on
literature for the topic of effects of teaching strategies on student attitude
in Social studies education science subject in Universities. Third, the study
findings expected to beneficial to policy makers especially the Ministry of
education and vocational training to put forward policies that would greatly
encourage fair distribution of resources in public institutions if better
results are to be obtained. Fourth, the
findings also expected to benefit teachers of Universities in since it gave the ideas of most suitable teaching
strategies for use in Social studies education. Finally, the findings of this
research expected to add the body of knowledge on teaching strategies and also
basis for future research.
The study was focused on teaching strategies used and their effect on Student
attitude in public universities in . The targeted population was Student taking
Social studies education for at least one year. Two other categories are
science teachers and school inspectors. Since teaching strategies are so many
in numbers the study was only concentrated on 7 of them which are citation,
brainstorming, discussion, demonstration, lecture, presentation and seminar.
Teaching strategies is defined as a way of carrying actual teaching in
the classroom (Ndirangu 2007).
Teaching method refers to the variety of ways in which a learning
task is managed to facilitate the learning process (Kimweri 2004).
Participatory strategies are strategies which enable learners to be active
involve in the learning process either as individual or group (Musuko 2010).
Teacher
–centered method of teaching is the
process of communication where very little or no room for active participation
of learners (Kimweri 2004).
