CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
The
term science has to do with nature; it is derived from the latin word scientia
which means knowledge.
It is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes
knowledge in the form of testable explanation and predictions about the
universe. It can equally be defined as the field of study which tries to
describe and understand the nature of the universe in whole or part. According
to Hyacinth (2004) science in its broadest scene refers to all human activities
involving organized knowledge of natural phenomena. It also refers to a system
of acquiring knowledge here system uses observation and experimentation to
describe and explain natural phenomena.
According
to hornby (2002) science is the knowledge about the structure and behavior of
natural and physical world based on facts that can be proved. Science is the
study of natural phenomena and is distinguished from other fields because it
relies on the hypothetical, deductive and experimental approach. Webster’s New
collegisted Dictionary defined science as the knowledge attained through study
or practice, in order word it is a knowledge covering general truths of the
operation of general laws, especially as obtained and tested through scientific
method and concerned with the physical world.Mbajorgu (2003),Ali(2000)perceives
that science is concerned with regards to developing, acquiring and controlling
knowledge, skills, capacity and attitude about natural factors of the
environment. Science according to Onah (2003)
is the bedrock upon which any nation can be built. It is said to be a very
important of man’s life so much that its role in societal development has been
revealed by various civilizations world-wide. Science increasingly associated
with the scientific method itself as a disciplined way to study the natural
world including physics, chemistry, geology and biology.
No country can be
globally recognized without talking about its scientific advancements. This can
be seen in all aspects of life such as medicine, engineering, industries, education
etc.
Science
education has been recognized world-wide as a pre-requisite in science and
technological development. It is that education intended to make every
individual scientifically literate enough to like in this age of science and
technology, and to have those with the intellectual ability productive and
functional members of the society, through training in science based
professions or vocations, Hyacienth(2004). Science education encourages
students to think and act as responsible scientist by providing opportunities
for them to acquire knowledge and understanding of relevant concepts.
According to Hyacienth(2004),science education is
field of study specifically concerned with two basic aims which are as follows
1. The production of a
scientifically interaction society.
2. The development of potential
scientific and technological manpower.
Maduabum
and Azuezuilo(1980), reveals that education through study of science produces
economic benefits and contributes to a country’s future wealth by increasing
the productive capacity of its people.
Science is a great enterprise which
technologically science therefore is receiving much emphasis in education
because of its significant and relevance to life and society.
The
term biology is derived from two Greek words “bios” and “logos” which mean life
and study respectively. Biology therefore means the study of life or study of
living things. According to stone etal (1985), biology as a science is defined
as a scientific study of living organisms. It is therefore a natural science
concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their
structure, function, growth, origin, evolution and taxonomy. It have several
branches; including the two big branches of biology which are botany (the study
of plants) and zoology (the study of animals), morphology (the study if
external structure of living things) physiology (the study of how living things
function), Ecology (the study of relationship between living things and their
environments), Genetics (the study of how living things inherits characters
from their parents) Cell biology (the study of cell structure and functions).
According
to Okeke (2000). Students who did well in biology could have prospects of becoming:
Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, Dentists, Biology teachers, Medical technologist,
Food technologists, Genetic Engineers, Microbiologists, Biochemists, and other
science subject.
Biology
has its origin from Europe but today all the nations of the world accord
priority attention to science and technology in development efforts. The reason
for according such priority attention to science and technology being that it
carries the promises of great economic improvement and equally serve as a gateway
to national development in the age of fast developing technology, has become
necessary for all countries of the world especially the developing ones to
organize and improve the teaching of science throughout the school stage. It is
through science that we get the fundamental bases to develop technology.
Biology
often overlaps with other sciences, for example biochemistry with biology and
chemistry, Astrobiology with biology and astronomy. Social science such as
geography, philosophy, psychology and sociology can also interact with biology,
for example in administration of biological resources, developmental biology
etc. it is a vast subject containing many subdivisions topics which are five
unifying principle that can be said to be fundamental of modern biology.
1. Cells
are the basic unit of life
2. Living
Organisms consumes and transforms energy
3.
Organisms regulate the internal environment to maintain a suitable and constant
condition.
4. Genes
and the basic unit of heredity
5. New
species and inherited characters are the product of evolution.
Sub-discipline
of biology are recognized on the basis of the scale at which organisms are
studied and methods used to study them, Biochemistry examines the rudimentary
chemistry of life, molecular biology studies the complex interactions systems
of biological molecules; then cellular biology examines the basic building
block of all life, which is the cell, physiology examines the physical and
chemical functions of the tissue, organs, organ of facts and presentation of
information about the natural world. The pace of the development of a given
country is always determined by the type of education which operates in that
country. What is needed in biology is students involvement in the exploration
of important ideas of biology.
Effective
teaching of biology is a process by which a biology teacher adopt all the
possible method used in teaching in the classroom to make sure that students
understand biology and be able to respond positively during assessment or to
produce a good result.
Teachers’ effectiveness is exhibited in the teaching
method, classroom managements, the material as well as the way students are
being handled, a good teacher always bear in mind the individual differences of
the students while presenting the lesson and frequently check the student’s
understanding of his or her points to make sure that they are getting of
understanding his lesson. This also includes the ability of the teacher to
answer question asked by the students, having knowledge about his or her
subject matter and ability to show students how to conduct appropriate
research.
Effective
teaching is crucial, in order for students to reach educational success in and
outside classroom setting, therefore, there has been some factors militating
against effective teaching of biology in senior secondary school in Nsukka
Local Government Area, which some of them are as follows:
1.
Unqualified biology teacher: Inappropriate training background of science
teachers especially biology teachers and qualification of biology teachers are
the major factor that militate against effective teaching of biology because
some biology teachers in some senior secondary school did not undergo enough
training to enable them get skills, qualities and enough knowledge of the
subject matter and how to impact the knowledge to the students.
2. Poor
method of teaching biology in senior secondary school: For teaching to be
effectives one must use different methods of teaching. According to Eke (2001),
teaching is effective if only it produces or yields the desired results, the
ability of the teacher to adapt to different situations and produce a desired
result in the classroom is a mark of teaching effectiveness. Vennier and Faith
(2001) are of the opinion that all the teaching activities are supposed to
produce learning, so that test of effective teaching will be amount of learning
that occurs.
When
the following methods are used, teaching of biology can be effective. According
to Bigmen (1999), activity method, inquiry method, and discovery method which
elicit student’s interests and enhance their level of attainment or
comprehension of biology. Activity method the methods that encourage students
to participate actively during the lesion while teaching at the same time.
Oforkansi (2008) defined activity method as a method whereby the students learn
through active involvement rather than being passive or being at the receiving
end.
According
to Ofokansi (2008), discovery means finding out. Exploration, manipulation and
experimentation are components scientific enquiry that help one to discover.
This approach demand that the teacher create the problem and allow the
pupil/students to find answer for themselves. The author also said that enquiry
involve active participation by the student/pupil rather than transmit a
preconceived notion about situations.
3.Inadequte
supply of biology equipment: In some schools, many laboratories equipments like
microscope, glass tube, Beaker, slide, Bones of vertebrates etc. charts of
different animals development, systems, organs, etc, work book for practical
and textbooks are not adequate for the students in learning of biology. Biology
is a science subject which is all about practical and also when combined with
other science subject one will be able to study courses like medicine, nursing,
pharmacy etc in higher institution. Beaty and Woolnough (1990) are of the
opinion that the obsolete and insufficient teaching of biology in senior secondary
schools. They stressed that the teacher may be competent enough and have all
the qualities to impact the knowledge to the students but to the obsolete and
insufficient availability of biological equipment the aim is defeated.
Teachers
attitude towards the teaching of biology: the teachers personalities such as
the way the teacher walks, talks, reacts to issues, his/her code of conduct and
dressing code has become the major factors which leads to the ineffective
teaching of biology. It goes with the saying that the personality of such
teacher affect the effective teaching of biology in a great way. Enwieme(2001)
continuous to stressed that teachers personality invariably affect the
effectiveness of teaching of biology. Oforkansi(2008)opinion that personal
qualities do not only enhance teaching and learning but also promotes the tone
of the school as well as the profession.
In
summary, ineffective of teaching of biology in Nuskka Local Government Area
could be due to the several reasons such as classroom management,
communication, teachers qualification, supply of biology equipment, teachers
personality, negligence of seminars, and workshop by the teachers of biology,
inadequate illustration and practical aspect of biology is another factors,
infrastructural facilities and absences of laboratories etc.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Biology
is one of the core science subjects, which is supposed to be the most
interesting subject to students in senior secondary schools. It has been
discovered that the effective teaching of biology has been very important. But
the rate at which students fails biology in result time’s shows that effective
learning has not been attained by these students. Aganga (2000) observed that
“Many secondary schools, especially the public schools have insufficient
competent teachers as well as biological equipment in their different schools”.
Therefore, there is the need to answer certain questions to re-enforce their
effectiveness in teaching.
1.3 PURPOSE
OF STUDY
The
purpose of the study is to find out the factors that militate against the
effective teaching of biology in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local
Government Area. Specifically the study aims at finding out.
1. The extent to which senior
secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area have qualified biology
teachers.
2. The method of teaching adopted by
teachers in teaching biology in Nsukka Local Government Area.
3. The extent to which senior
secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government have adequate supply of biology
equipment.
4. The extent to which teachers
attitude affect the teaching of biology in Nsukka Local Government Area.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In
the course of this work, specific research questions to be answered are:
1. To
what extent do senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area have
qualified biology teachers?
2. What
method of teaching do biology teachers usually used in teaching biology in
Nsukka Local Government Area?
3. To what
extent do secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area have adequate
supply of biology equipment?
4. To
what extent do the attitude of teachers affect the teaching of biology in
Nsukka Local Government Area?
1.5
SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY
This
research will be beneficial to:
1.
Teachers: The result of this research will enable teachers to use different
teaching methods in teaching biology
2. The
result of this study will enable educational supervisors (government
officials) to check the activities of schools and show that
qualified teachers are used.
3. To
provide adequate information in the availability of the scientific specific
biology equipment in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government Area.
1.6 SCOPE
OF
STUDY
The
following are used for the study: the factors militating against effective
teaching of biology in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government
Area.
1. The
educational qualification of the teacher in senior secondary schools.
2. The
methods used in teaching biology in senior secondary school.
3.
Inadequate supply of biology equipment and
4.
Personalities of the teacher of biology.
According
to PPSMB, there are thirty (30) secondary schools in Nsukka Local Government
Area and the study will cover all the biology teachers in senior secondary
schools in Nsukka Local Government Area.
1.7
DEFINITION OF THE BASIC CONCEPTS
Factors:
Are one of the element contributing to a particular result or situation.
Militate
against: This is a process of making something less likely to happen or
succeed. According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary militate against is
to prevent something or to make it difficult for something to happen or exist.
Teaching:
this means to impart knowledge to or to instruct someone as to do something.
Okonkwo (2005) in Oforkansi (2008) defined teaching as a deliberate effort by a
mature or experienced person to impart information, knowledge, values skills,
norms (standard behavior) more (moral values) attitude language and so on to an
immature or less experienced person through the process that is morally and
pedagogically acceptable.
Effective
teaching: is a process by which a teacher adopt all the possible skills or
method used in teaching in the classroom to make sure that students understand
the lesson and be able to respond positively during evaluation and produce a
good result.
Biology:
Biology is the study of life and living things. It is also a natural science
concerned with the study of life and living organisms including their
structure, function, growth, evolution distribution and taxonomy.
Senior
secondary school: This is a period of study from senior secondary school one to
senior secondary school three.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This
chapter will be discussed under the following headings:
1.
Conceptual framework: It will be discussed under the sub-headings.
-
Teacher’s educational qualification
- Poor
method of teaching
-
Insufficient supply of biology equipment
-
Teachers personality / quality
2.
Empirical studies
TEACHING
EDUCATION QUALIFICATION
According
to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary qualification is the fact of passing an
exam, completing a course of training or reaching the standard necessary to do
a job or take part in a competition or a skill or type of experience that you
need for a particular job or activity.
A teacher
is a matured or experienced person who impact information, knowledge values,
skills, norms, (standard behavior) mores (moral values) attitude, language and
so on to immature or less experienced person through the process that is
morally and pedagogically acceptable. Educational qualifications are those
certificate or course of study that one passed their exam. Successfully, that
enable you to become teacher or to teach which are either Grade II teacher,
NCE, B.Ed, PGDE, PhD in Education.
The below
credit level performance of students in biology examination and aptitude tests
and the importantly of others who are admitted to pursue degrees and diploma in
life science discipline in Nigeria tertiary institutions is on the high side.
This is traceable to the defective teaching of the subject in secondary
schools. Oluwole (2008) declared that only a little above fifty percent (50%)
of secondary school leavers pass (SSCE) biology at credit level and also Adah
(2008) stated that the percentage of school leavers that pass (SSCE) biology at
credit level has never formed a meniscus at seventy five percent (75%) over the
year in the immediate past decade. The average students’ performance in biology
in the senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) and the National
examination council (NECO) is nothing to write home about.
The fact
that some students see biology as a subject discourages them from studying
science at the senior secondary level is no longer news and all these are as a
result of low qualifications of teachers, like teachers with grade 2 certificate,
GCE advanced certificate, NCE and OND.
Lado
(2002) observed that there are great variation among biology teachers with
regard to their qualifications and the time they may devote to the teaching of
biology. Many amongst this biology teachers who teach biology in secondary
school are more of NCE holders which would have been better if they possesses
higher degrees. These unqualified teaches are lift to teach the subject with
the survey little knowledge they have about it. Consequently, some wrong
information and pronunciation is thought or transmitted to the student which
adversely effects their performance in biology and future career.
Obviously,
one foresees the adverse effect of unqualified teachers handling biology in
senior secondary schools.
Owie
(2000), complained that the professional qualify of those who impart the
knowledge of biology is far from standard. He urged professional Association to
take responsibilities to setting standards for prospective and practicing
teachers for all levels and determination of who will become a member the
teaching profession. He further advised the professional to do away with
misfits who view their profession practices as a stumbling block.
Emphasizing
on why they should be eliminated from the teaching profession, he maintained
that those people lack dedication, respect for the values and objectives
pedagogy and hence constitute a dog in the channeling of ideas for authentic
professional development.
POOR
METHOD OF TEACHING
Teaching
according to Okonkwo (2005) is a deliberate effort by a mature or experienced
person to impart information, knowledge, values skills, norms (standard
behaviour) more (moral values) attitude, language and so on to an immature or
less experienced person through the process that is morally and pedagogically
acceptable. According to Oforkansi (2008), method is a way in which you
organize and present learning materials to pupils/student. Method of teaching
has a great role to play in teaching learning process and it contribute a lot
for effective teaching and learning.
Teaching
methods therefore can be defined as the method in which a teacher delivers
his/her subject matter to students, based on pre-determined instructional
objectives in order to promote learning in the students.
Jonassan
D.H. (2006) states that pedagogy is a different way by which a teacher can
teach. Teaching method, therefore is generally refers to strategies of
instruction or style of instruction. The way it is thought is important, is
helping in students acquire basic scientific knowledge, skills and attitude to
solving different problem in life. Biology being a science subject, therefore
involve the teacher using method that will give the students opportunity to be
actively involved. It is a well known fact that no skilled teacher used just
one method of teaching.
Shield
(2002) pointed out that good teachers follow no one methods, instead, he/she
uses whatever method and materials that seem to be best for the particular
combination of individual situation.
The
two basic types of instructional methodology are the teacher – centered and
student centered. Teacher-centered instructional approaches are traditional and
didactic students acquire knowledge by listening to the teacher by reading a
textbook or both. In such an approach, the student is a passive recipient of
information.
In
secondary schools, most common teaching method is lecturing and reading
textbook and when it comes to interaction, teachers only ask closed questions
like yes or no to check whether the students have memorized the textbook
information.
Lecture
method: In
using this method, the teacher reads out his already prepared lesson not, may
or may not explain some technical terms in the note. He
basically will not give the students insights to what is referring
to but gives them write-ups or hands out to read – up (Johnson, 2000). Since
the method involves more taking than doing, the average students that learners
under this method is unable to express himself adequately.
In
using any of the above methods the teacher should bear in mine that science
full of sensational terminologies particularly in biology (Young, 1979) as
cited by (Johnson, 2000) stated that a teacher in training may be fascinated by
these terms for personal pronunciation. The best teacher is not the one who
pronounces all the technical scientific terminologies but one who can explain
the meaning for student to apply them to their daily scientific practice.
Teachers assisting learners to learn is the ultimate goal of any instructional
activity in education. In foestering learning in the classroom, according to
Ukoha and Eneogwe (1996) teacher bring the learner in close contact with the
curriculum contents using appropriate methods and materials. Methods play vital
role in ensuring effective, interesting and stimulating learning. In the same
vein, teaching method may hinder learning. There are is many methods and
techniques of teaching as there are different views of the nature of science.
A
teachers approach to teaching will therefore generally reflect his view of the
subject or how he was thought himself (Stan, 1988), however for good results,
the teacher can begin by avoiding two mistakes. The first is to assume that a
model of teaching is a fixed unadaptive formular for
teaching that should be employed rigidly for best results. Second is to assume
to the characteristics of all his learners. Both mistake usually lead into
undesirable results, learners characteristics a destructive collision in
inevitable (Brue and Marsha, 1990).
Further
more, the quality of teachers and the method teachers used in teaching play
important role towards effective teaching and learning (Endean in
Nwankapa et al, 1997), Taiwo (1973) in his own contribution
inferred that a good science teacher should see scientific method
as a necessary condition in the resolution of scientific
problems emphasizing that appropriate methods, such as a discovery / inquiry
activity, demonstration and project, if judiciously employed by the teacher will
lead to the acquisition of those skill which are the bedrock of scientific
method.
Performance
in biology at secondary school level remain poor and one reason is that the
teaching approach adopted by teachers which is teacher – centered approaches
being pre-dominant.
INSUFFICIENT
SUPPLY OF BIOLOGY EQUIPMENT
Biology
laboratory is a place where theoretical knowledge of biology are being
synthesized into visible facts. It is a place where scientific investigation is
carried out. Biology equipments are those facilities used in teaching and
carrying out experiment in laboratory.
In
a standard laboratory, facilities such as microscopes, hand lens, weighing,
thermometer, prepared slides, test tubes, bell jar, beaker, bursen
burner, measuring cylinder, iodine solution, millions reagent, Sudan
III solution, conical flask, insect jar, dissecting set, photometer, spring
balance filter funnels, filter papers, pipette, microscope slides and cover
slips, dissecting boards, retort standards, wash bottles, specimen jar, test
tubes should be present.
In
view of this, students and teacher do not need to wait or depend on modern
laboratory apparatus before they can carry out practical in biology also many
practical textbook in biology have suggested the use of model specimen charts
for demonstrative learning, also emphasizing the use of field trips in teaching
topics like waste management ecology, growth and development in animals and
live stocks have also been tremendously encouraged (Boja, 2004).
According
to Abiodun, (1983) he explained that the difficulties students experience in
learning the content matter of biology is borne out of students ignorance in
reporting practice work in details, inadequate facilities aids in learning
biology which makes learning crucial concepts more difficult. A learner learns
more if he is given an opportunity to practicalize what he is being taught by
manipulating apparatus, classifying data, designing experiments, hypothesizing
to make inference and verifying results through effective validation process.
Balogun (1982) summarized the effects of the acquisition of practical skill in
learning biology as follows:
a.
Development to problem solving skills and scientific attitude.
b.
Scientific appreciation and renewed interest
c.
Development of functional knowledge and manipulate skills; he further stated
that the acquisition of these skills in learning biology enables the students
to prepare for life.
Practical
works is important because it integrate the theory into elements of practices,
this integration of theory with practical has the advantage to solving problems
in record time, accelerating learning and simplifying theoretical ideas, of
science.
Therefore
teachers should be no longer anticipate that students will pick up scientific
skills from theoretical bases of learning alone but that deliberate efforts
should be made at developing essential practical skills through careful
planning of activity that are essential in experimental works in the teaching
of practical biology in the laboratory (Okonkwo, 2011).
TEACHER’S
PERSONALITY
Teachers
personalities cause a lot of havoc in effective teaching of biology. According
to Genden Allport (2000) one of his definitions of personality follows that
“personality is the unique qualities of the individual and the integration of
physical, mental emotional and social qualities as manifested by the individual
to other people”. Anwana (1989) see personality as the sum total of the
generally characteristics which distinguish an individual from other persons.
Also Hall and Lindsey (1957), described personality as that term which consists
of set of valuables and descriptive variable which are used in describing an
individual. From the about it seems that the emotional state of a teacher can
affects his/her teaching adversely.
The
efficiency of the need of good characters demonstrated by Galen (1999) shared
that “saquine individuals are always cheerful, herartily, outgoing, fearless
and very interested in physical pleasure” if a biology teacher possesses this
type of character there is no doubt that the teacher will achieve the aim of
his lesson with the students he is teaching. As it is said that good teachers
are born and not made. This statement is true to some extent and hinge on the
personality of the teacher.
Research
showed that the following was identified as qualities needed by a teacher:
1.
Coperative and democratic attitude
2.
Kindness and consideration for the individuals’ patience.
3. Wide
interest
4.
Personal appearance
5. Good
disposition consistent behaviour
6.
Flexibility
7. Use of
recognition and praise
8.
Interest in students problem and
9.
Unusually proficiency in teaching particular subject.
According
to Onwuka (2001), “it is they who only determine what actually is to be learned
but alos largely control the learning experience that go on the classroom”. For
this reason teachers who have the personality to teach biology ot students
cannot function with a blank background. They need to have adequate knowledge
about the subject itself. If a biology teacher combines good personality traits
with good teaching methods, students interest achievement will be high.
EMPIRICAL
STUDIES
In
effective teaching and learning is not new in Nigeria educational system. This
however reveals that there are studies done on it. Idoko (2010) carried out a
study on factors militating against effective teaching and learning of
mathematics in senior secondary school in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area
Enugu state. A sample population of 95 students randomly selected from 7
secondary schools in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area was used. It was
observed among others that lack of qualified mathematics teachers. Lack of
instructional materials and insufficient lesion period are the major factor
militating against effective teaching and learning of mathematics in the area.
Urama
2011 carried out a study in Igbo-Eze North Locval Government Area to ascertain
the analysis of factors militating against effective teaching and learning of
chemistry in secondary school in the area. A sample of 8 chemistry teacher and
160 chemistry student were sued for the study.
A
structured questionnaire and frequency and percent were used for the collection
and analysis respectively. This study revealed that bad teaching method, lack
of instructional material, attitude of students towards chemistry and
inadequate fund and others constitute the major factors hindering effective
teaching and learning of chemistry in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area.
From
the empirical studies, the contributions of different scholars with regard to
factors militating against effective teaching and learning in secondary schools
are revealed. Also the empirical studies show that lack of instructional
materials, lack of qualified teaches, bad teaching methods are among the
factors militating against effective teaching and learning. Based on this the
researcher is investigating to find out how students related factors such as
attitude of teacher toward teaching of biology; among others create problems in
the effective teaching and learning of chemistry in senior secondary schools in
Nsukka Local Government Area.
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