FACTORS THAT MILITATE AGAINST EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF BIOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS


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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