ABSTRACT
This
study attempted to investigate the challenges of teaching and learning of
Christian religious studies among junior secondary schools in Akure South Local
Government Area in Ondo state. The purpose of the study is to find out the
challenges of teaching and learning of Christian religious studies. A
questionnaire was designed by the researcher to measure the challenges of
teaching and learning of Christian religious studies among junior secondary
school. With the result obtained, the conclusions are that the best teaching
strategies for effective teaching and learning of Christian religious studies
at secondary school education is the activity-based method. The recommendation
is that, policy makers need to recognize that many teachers at the basic level
of education aspire to move up the teaching ladder and that this aspiration may
affect commitment and attitude to teaching at the basic level. The policy
challenge is therefore to make the basic school teaching attractive enough to encourage
greater interest. This study provides rich texture insight into some of the
reasons for this, such as poor status, an ineffective welfare system and a weak
professional organization of the Nigerian Education Service (NES)
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment
iv-vi
Abstract vii-viii
Table
of contents ix-xi
CHAPTER
ONE
Background
to the study 1-2
Statement
of the problem 3-4
Purpose
of the study 4-5
Research
questions 5
Significance
of the study 5-7
Delimitation
of the study 8
Scope
of the study 8
CHAPTER
TWO
Review
of related literature 9-13
Advantages
of the lecture method 13-14
Advantages
of the activity-based method 15-16
Available
Christian religious studies teaching and learning… 17-18
Importance
of materials in Christian religious studies… 19-20
The
needs of Christian religious studies teachers 21-23
CHAPTER
THREE
Methodology 25
Research
Design 25-26
Population
and sampling procedure 25-27
Instrumentation
27-28
Validity
of the main instrument 28
Reliability
of the main instrument 28-29
Data
collection procedure 29-30
CHAPTER
FOUR
Data
analysis and presentation of results 31-47
Details
of additional findings 47-49
CHAPTER
FIVE
Summary,
Conclusion and Recommendation 50
Summary 50-55
Conclusion 55-56
Recommendation 56-59
REFERENCES 60
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Religion can be defined as the
beliefs, attitudes, emotions or behaviour constituting man’s relationship with
the power and principle of the universe especially with a deity or deities. It
is also an object of conscientious devotion or scrupulous care (Lawal, 2002).
Christian religious studies is an
aspect of religion that was first regarded as a sectional religion. It was a
religion of the Jews, then called Judaism or Yahwehism otherwise called Hebrew
(Orebanjo 1992).
Christian religious knowledge is being
practiced in Nigeria till today because it is a boulder of attitude and
morality. Religion cannot be separated from education that is the reason why
religious education is included in the national curriculum of education right
from te primary to the university education (Abioye and Adekunle, 1991).
Despite the importance of Christian
religious studies to the individual and nation in imparting moral values and
behavioural change, it is worthy to note that performance of students in the
subject is diminishing and poor (Lawal, 2002)
Due to the challenges encountered
during teaching and learning of chrtisian religious studies, students thereby
run away from the subject. This alarming rate of performance in Christian
religious studies has generated growing concern from various quarters: the
parents, teachers, schools and the government.
One is also worried because of the
relative importance of the subject to education excellence and moral development.
If care is not taken, the country will be eroded of its moral values and
cultures if trends continue like that.
Challenges for effective teaching and
learning of Christian religious studies s for interest to the researchers in
summary. The present study investigates the challenges for effective teaching
and learning of Christian religious studies in junior secondary school (JSS) in
Akure South Local Government Area.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Over the years, the Christian
religious studies chief examiners reports have revealed that apart from a
relatively low proportion of junior secondary school pupils who perm creditably
in the subject, most of the pupils do not well in it (junior WAEC 2008, 2009,
2010, and 2011).
This trend of low pupil performance in
Christian religious studies has for some times been observed among junior
schools in the Ondo state directorate of Education. Although, concern has been
expressed by parents, teachers and other stakeholders about the abysmal performance
of junior secondary school pupils n Christian religious studies no discernible
efforts have been made to reverse the trend. Consequently there have been low
students enrolments for Christian religious studies elective courses in junior secondary
schools in Akure South Local Government Area.
The need for an intervention into the
situation is urgent in view of the importance of Christian religious studies in
the socio economic development of the nation in general and in the upper east
region in particular. For this reason, this study was designed to determine the
factors which combined effects have resulted in the prevalent poor performance
of junior secondary school students in Christian religious studies in the
research area.
The study will be structured to focus
on pupils’ factors, teachers’ factors, school specific factors and
instructional actors that affect the teaching and learning and pupil
performance in Christian religious studies in the research area.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is
designed to determine:
a. The
teaching strategies, approaches that teachers use in teaching Christian religious
studies lessons of junior secondary school level
b. The
problems encountered by the junior secondary school teachers and pupils during
Christian religious studies lessons
c. The
availability of Christian religious studies materials in the selected schools.
These
are essential so that relative measure can be undertaken to prepare teachers both
in the training and those already in the field to upgrade these methods and strategies
in teaching so as to make learning more real and not abstract. As argued by
Amir (1993), effective in-service training and orientation geared towards
meeting contemporary need and challenges.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
a) What
teaching and learning strategies, approaches are utilized by junior secondary
school Christian religious studies teachers?
b) What
materials are available for Christian religious studies teaching and learning
in he selected schools?
c) How
are the available learning materials used during Christian religious studies
lessons?
d) What
peculiar problems do the junior secondary schools teachers and pupils encounter
during christen religious studies lessons?
e) What
are the training needs of the selected junior secondary school Christian
religious studies teacher?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
For any research to be useful it must
contribute to the volume of existing knowledge of the field under investigation.
In view of this, it is my conclusion that information obtained from this study
will help address some f the challenges that confront the effective teaching
and learning of Christian religious studies at the JSS level of education. It
is t suggest remedies that will make students learning of CRS interesting and
enjoyable.
Teachers on the other hand will
identify the problems with their methods of instruction and effects in the learning
behaviour of their students
It is also to provide information to
the ministry of education, the government and other education stakeholders to
embark on intervention to promote the teaching and learning of Christian
religious studies at the junior secondary school level.
The researcher hopes to help the
regional and district coordinators at the education office in Akure South Local
Government Area to upgrade their teaching and learning materials and evolve more
time, more innovative strategies for the in-service training programme for
Christian religious studies teachers.
Additionally, the finding will augment
the pool of data required by other educational researchers in their body to design
interventions to solve educational problems in the teaching and learning of
Christian religious Studies.
In a nutshell, the findings and
suggestions that will emerge from this study will aid in inexperienced as well
as the reasoned Christian religious studies teacher to meaningfully teach
Christian religious studies.
DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
In order to work successfully within
the limited time and available resource, the study focused on the strategies
utilized by Christian religious studies teachers in selected schools in Akure south
local government area of Ondo state.
Data were also collected from the
Christian religious studies teachers so as to ascertain the effectiveness of teaching
and learning of pupil using the lecture method on one hand and that of the
activity method, on the other hand.
It is however, hoped that although the
study is atomistic it will present a generalized information to all the
stakeholders that are involved in the ongoing professional development, the
opportunity to ensure that teachers of Christian religious studies have
practical experiences that will help them guide students.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Although the target population
comprised junior secondary school and Christian religious studies teacher in
Akure south local government area Ondo state.
There might be possibility of some weaknesses
inherent in the administration if the question aires leading to negative effect
on the work and this may give room for further improvement.
CHAPTER TWO
