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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Zimbabwe has an adult literacy rate of approximately 89% which is among the highest in Africa (EFA Global
Monitoring Report, 2007). However, this has been declining considering it was once 92% in the early 90‟s. This
makes Zimbabweans insightful when it comes to issues concerning education. The recent years has many adults
pursuing further education to improve different productive skills and credentials that are needed in the shrinking
job market. In an attempt to acquire these skills many adults attend evening classes. Some want to acquire basic
education, for example, General Certificate Education Ordinary level. The General Certificate Education
Ordinary Level has the grading A, B, C, D, E, with C being the lowest pass and A being the highest pass. The
Zimbabwean requirements for a full certificate is five ‟O‟ Levels, which include English Language. The recent
years have seen a pass in Mathematics also made compulsory. This has led to many adults who do not have a
full certificate going back to school. In order to cater for these needs the Ministry of Education Sports and
Culture in Zimbabwe has set a programme in public schools where „O‟ Level is being taught after normal
working hours. These students are called private candidates. It has been observed that the pass rate of private
candidates is low compared to those attending conventional school. Their results show that some candidates
register but do not write the examination.
Lemmer and Dekker (1993) clearly state that no factor is more important for positive school outcomes than the
children‟s perception of the teacher‟s attitude toward them and expectations. They claim that when students
believe that their teachers care about them, see them as competent, respect their views and desire their success,
they tend to work toward fulfilling those high expectations. Teachers‟ expectations of pupils‟ performance and
abilities can operate as a self-fulfilling prophecy within a classroom (Lemmer and Dekker, 1993). There are
tendencies for the performance of the pupils to conform to the expectations declared by the teacher. According
to Shalveson and Marsh (1986), students‟ attitude towards their ability to influence their academic outcome does
affect their performance. Schneider et al. (2012) argues that students‟ feelings, attitudes, and perceptions they
hold about their academic ability that is, academic self-concept, does affect their performance. When students
have low academic self-concept they shift to self-handicapping. This method shifts blame away from the
individual, and allows them to have excuses for failure. Students are more likely to achieve high marks when
they believe in their own capacities and do not feel anxious about the learning process, (Schneider et al., 2012).
Shalveson and Marsh (1986) also states that Self-efficacy in mathematics affects students‟ willingness to take on
challenging tasks and the amount of effort and persistence. Bandura (1994) cites that students were asked to
what extent they believe in their own ability to handle learning situations in mathematics effectively, overcoming
difficulties tackling them. Results showed that self-efficacy and self-concept did affect performance and was
also a key impact on motivation.
Adult literacy center is a place where adults are taught how to read and write. The goal of the Adult Literacy
Center (ALC) is to improve literacy in adults, resulting in enhanced self-esteem, daily living, and life-long
learning. Utilizing volunteers and new technologies, the ALC improves the quality of adults' lives by helping them learn to read, write and comprehend. Adult literacy center was created to help uneducated people in Ado
Odo Ota local government area, Ogun state.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Adults are faced with various difficulties in their learning. Age has a lot to do with educational performance, it is
easy for young people to understand and assimilate fast than adults. Therefore, there is need to develop
instructional teaching aids for easy teaching of Adult learners in adult literacy centers in Ado Odo Ota local
government area, Ogun state. This is expected to improve positive learning attitude among students, and
performance of adult learners in Ado odo ota local government area, Ogun state.
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to research the effect of the use of instructional teaching aids on learning
attitudes of adult learners in adult literacy centers, Ado Odo Ota local government area, Ogun state.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.
1. What is the meaning of adult learning?
2. What is the meaning of learning attitude?
3. What is the attitudes of adult learners towards learning in Adult literacy centers?
4. How can adult learning be improved?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will affect teachers of adult learners in adult literacy centers, to identify the effects of instructional
teaching aids on learning and performance of their students. This study will also improve the learning attitudes
of adult learners positively in adult literacy centers, Ado Odo Ota local government area, Ogun state.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study focus on the effect of the use of instructional teaching aids on the performance of adult learners in
adult literacy centers, Ado Odo Ota local government area, Ogun state.
REFERENCES.
Alhassan A.M. (2012). Factors affecting adult learning and their persistence. A theoretical approach (accessed
7th October, 2013). European journal of business and social science: 1(6): 150-168.
Bandura A. (1992). Self efficacy in Ramachaudran(Ed). Encyclopedia of human behaviour: New York:
Academics press, 4(1): 71-81.
EFA Global monitoring Report (2007). Education for all by 2015- will make it? Oxford: Oxford University.
Lemmer E. and Dekker E. (1993). Critical issues in modern education. Durban: Butterworth
Precious Ndlovu and Wisdom Moyo (2013). Factors affecting performance of adults in adult and continuing
education in Nkulumane - Emganwini.
Schneider F.N., Gruman J.A. and Courts L.M. (2012). Applied Social psychology understanding and addressing
social and practical problems. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage publications, Inc.
Shalveson R.J. and Marsh H.W. (1986). On the structure of self- concept in Schwarzer (ed). Anxiety and
Cognitions. Hillside N.J : Erlbaum.
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