AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHING METHODS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centered methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative to student-centered methods. Until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student learning have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research (Hightower et al., 2011). Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in student learning. Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by the majority students is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective teaching methods by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011). Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching methods indicates that the quality of teaching is oen reflected by the achievements of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be eective, Adunola (2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered. As an educator, the researcher has always been fascinated by the relationship between teaching methods and students’ academic performance; especially when it comes to applications in the context of 21st century education.

It seems that there is something in teaching that opens the gate of learning. It is true that successful learning depends on various factors that are not all teacher-related, but the methods that a teacher uses continue to play an important role in student learning and in their academic achievement. The challenges that educators face in the 21st century are so diverse that using better teaching methods is more crucial now than ever before. Gibbs and Jenkins (1992) bring the argument that the context of class and society has changed, but the teaching methods have remained unchanged. Various recent studies attempting to address the issues that aect teaching methods and student learning today include educational technology integration (Abbitt, 2011), teachers’ roles (Webb, 2009), the class environment (Doll et al., 2010), understanding the adult learner (Kisamore, Aldridge, Alexander, & White, 2008), length of the class session (Coskun, 2011), increasing class size in schools (Gibbs & Jenkins, 1992), students’ attitudes (Akkuzu & Akcay, 2011), as well as the increased interdependence of society today (Schul, 2011).

Studies on teaching methods are not something new in educational research. A large number of studies have been done on this area. Pascarella and Trenzini (2005) have written a compendium of research studies conducted in this area over the past three decades. Even before that, Feldman and Newcomb (1973) mentioned decades of similar research studies in the area of teaching methods. These show both increased interest and knowledge in the area of teaching strategies and learning theories. Svinicki (2000) suggests that these studies on teaching methods conducted in the past decades are so overwhelming that it would be impossible to go over them all in detail. For many decades, the search for better teaching methods to provide the best learning has been the goal of education. However, teaching method is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Flexibility is crucial in adapting teaching methods in the class. Since all teachers are different, the strategies they use, and the way they use them will depend on the context and situation of their class (McCornac & Phan Thuy, 2005), as well as their own personality and biases. The effect of teaching methods on students’ learning should be the interest of every teacher and student. In the field of education, there have been various studies done in an attempt to measure teaching methods. Robinson and colleagues (1990) conducted a case study on several teaching methods in schools to explore the reasons for their use, and perceptions of effectiveness. The result of their study suggested that various methods do influence teaching effectiveness.

According to Keene (2008), each student learns best using strategies and objectives that reflect his experiences, abilities, aptitudes and interest. Similarly, there is no standard teaching method. The various teaching methods overlap in definition and application; none being mutually exclusive although researchers often delineate several teaching strategies. Demonstration technique is one of the many teaching learning style under the investigative or activity based. It is a method which is capable of improving learning through its diversity effect activity. It has the prerequisite characteristics for individualized instruction and therefore has high potential for making teaching-learning process challenging and rewarding. There is a radical departure from the direct teaching model in which the teacher engages student to learn. Students are encouraged to ask questions. In short, the student is viewed as an inquirer, a seeker of information and a problem solver. These attributes are crucial to problem-solving and are at the heart of demonstration model of teaching. Consequently, there is now a growing concern for the use of demonstration technique in the teaching of Government in Nigerian secondary schools. In recent times, much research attention has been focused on teaching of government in Nigerian Secondary Schools with a view to ascertaining the adequacy and appropriateness of the teachers’ method of teaching and indeed the effectiveness of instruction. Investigation into the use of demonstration instructional technique in the teaching of government in Nigerian Secondary Schools seem to have focused mainly on teachers’ frequency of the use of this technique and sparingly on the application of important variables influencing its effective use.

In a sense, no research attention has yet been paid to the effectiveness of teaching government using demonstration technique. The use of demonstration instructional technique as an innovative instructional practice can only be effectively implemented if the teachers possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities related to its use in the classroom situation. Competence is learnt attitudes and aptitudes shown as capacities for controlling, actively struggling with and mastering life problems through the use of cognitive, social and scientific skills. Thus, as a learnt characteristic, the amount of it possessed by individuals can be measured and development through appropriate and constant involvements in activities. Skills for the demonstration technique of government consist of the teachers’ awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding demonstration teaching. These include knowledge of questioning, identification of events that are suited to demonstration. Others are how to demonstrate curiosity and independent thoughts in students (Brown, 1999). They also include ability to elicit students’ questions (Kona, 2000). The present concern for Nigerian government teachers with regard to acquisition of these qualities is born out of the fear that since most of these teachers have been used to expository teaching approach and considering the existing inadequacies in teacher education in Nigeria, their awareness, equipment, orientation and willingness to embrace and effectively use the demonstration technique as a mode of teaching are bound to be questionable. This activity technique is at times misconstrued and hence wrongly applied.

This paper attempts to elucidate the concept of activity vis-à-vis demonstration method of teaching, and empirically establish its effectiveness on SS 2 students’ achievement in Secondary School The discussion method has been widely accepted and recommended by some educators as the good method of teaching in secondary schools (Phipps & Osborne, 1988). The discussion method is the method of teaching where the central and essential characteristic is interaction (Binkley and Tulloch, 1981). During discussion session students participate in the learning process by contributing problems, analyzing the factors associated with the problems, developing possible solutions to the problems, placing the solution(s) into action, and evaluating the results of the solution. Nowak, Watt and Walther (2004), articulated this position and present evidence that, demonstration method is generally eective in teaching sciences, mathematics and mechanics as well as subject areas within vocational and technical education. As stated by Gokhale (1996), the professional success of a technologist is directly related to his/her ability to transfer knowledge gained in the academic environment to real-world situations. Much student learning occurs through observing others. A demonstration provides the link between “knowing about” and “being able to do.” Research reveals that demonstrations are most effective when they are accurate, when learners are able to see clearly and understand what is going on, and when brief explanations occur during the demonstration (Saskatchewan, 1988). Since good teaching among other factors play significant role in enhancing performance, this study attempted to find out which method of instruction better facilitate learning in secondary schools by beaming light on the different methods of teaching in secondary schools.