EFFECT OF TEACHER EDUCATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF PHYSICS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
ABSTRACT
The study examined the effect of
teacher education in teaching and learning of physics in senior secondary
school physics in Ikere – Ekiti. The
purpose was to determine whether the status of the teacher has any impact on
the performance of the students in physics.
the survey type of descriptive research design was adopted. The sample for the study consisted of 100
senior secondary school physics students in Ekiti State
and the teachers that prepared and presented the students in each school for
2009/2010 West African School Certificate Examination. The year’s result summary for each school was
collated with the bio – data of their respective physics teachers. Four hypothesis were postulated and tested at
0.05 significance level. The data
collated were analyzed using inferential statistics. The result revealed that students taught by
teachers with higher qualification performed better than those taught by
teachers with lower qualification. It
was also showed that teacher’s gender has no effect on their ability to impact
knowledge on the students, much as he/she is a skilled teacher in that field of
study. However, the experience of the
teachers is significant at impacting the students’ performance in physics. Based on the findings, it was recommended
that experienced teachers with professional qualification in higher level
should teach physics at the certificate class.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
Table of Content
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background of the study
Statement of Problem
Research Questions
Research Hypotheses
Purpose of the study
Scope of the study
Significance of the study
Limitation of the study
Assumption
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO
Literature Review
Teacher Qualification
Teacher Experience
Teacher Self – Efficacy
Teacher Attitude
Teacher Gender
CHAPTER THREE
Research Method
Research Design
Population of study
Sample
Sampling Procedure
Instrumentation
Validity and Reliability of
Instrument
Procedure of Data Collection
Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Result and Discussion
Research Question I
Research Question II
Research Question III
Teachers with H.N.D Qualification
Summary of the Finding
Discussion
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary, Conclusion and
Recommendations
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendations
Suggestions for further research work
Implication of Findings
REFERENCES
QUESTIONNAIRE
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Education, being the greatest hope a
nation especially for a developing country like Nigeria, cannot just be left in the
hands of mediocre.
Hence, the transmission of knowledge
and information from one generation to another requires the service of someone
adequately trained and skilled in the field.
The person is teacher. The
teacher is considered as a veritable tool in nation building, better human
relationship, technological and social awareness and at the same time producing
balanced and well equipped school products (student).
For the successful implantation of
education programs, there is the need for qualified and diligent teachers to be
employed. It is however very important
to consider the qualification of her teachers.
Therefore, a subject like physics needs to be handled by professional
qualified teachers. Thus, profession is
an occupation based on a specialized intellectual study and training the
purpose of which is to supply skilled services to others for a definite fee and
salary.
The performance of students in
science generally is a major concern to science educators. Agheneku in Sakiyo and Sofeme (2008), noted
that students’ performance in science subject is low in both national and state
examinations. A number of reason can be
identified to be accountable for the poor performance of students in
science. These include the science
curricula, teachers’ method of teaching, parents, government, lack of science
facilities and others (Ahiakwo, 2003). Survey from schools (Ajayi, 2007)
revealed that inadequacy of good instructional materials, equipment and
laboratory facilities in the schools also affect negatively the effective
learning of physics in the schools.
According to Ango (1990), students
poor performance in physics globally is basically due to lack of involving the
student in the teaching learning activities right from the beginning of any new
concept to be taught, lack of qualified teachers as well as experience in
teaching and unavailability and/or insufficiency of material in the
laboratories.
The impact of the teachers in the performance
of the student is germane. The teachers
are the facilitators who are to impact into the student the concept expected to
be learnt. However, Olarewaju and Nwagbo
were of the opinion that ignorant of the teachers or neglect of
activities. Oriented method by the
teacher grossly contributed to students’ low performance in physics.
When considering growth in
technology, the development of human capital is paramount (Fajonyemi,
2007). This was in line with the view of
Ogbazi (1987) who noted that problem of industrial development in Nigeria is that
of inadequacy of sufficiently trained human resources and this has been a major
constraint on the rate of technological and economic development of the
country. The teacher is the major
manpower saddled with the responsibility of impacting the concepts considered
fundamental to technology through the teaching of these basic concept from the
secondary school. This was why Adeniyi
(1993) noted that a country’s manpower development depends on the quantity of her
well – qualified teachers. As stipulated
in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2004), physics teaching at the
secondary school is meant to develop essential scientific skill in the learners
so as to prepare them for technological application in order to stimulate and
enhance creatively in them. This
laudable objective would not be realize when the student are taught by
incompetent teachers. Such teachers
would not be able to properly and adequately disseminate the concept to the
students. Physics, being one of the
pivotal subject in technological, its effective teaching must be handled with
all seriousness. The competence of the
physics teachers in this regards would be of immeasurable value. One thing is to be well grounded in the
conceptual understanding of a subject; another thing is to be well acquitted
with the best method to pass the concepts across to the learners for proper
compression. A professional teacher
would be desirable in this regard.
The issue of professionalism in
teaching has been on course, for quite some decades ago. Scholars argued the necessity of skilled
teachers for effective learning. Ngada
in Fajonyemi (2007) emphasized that the success or failure of any educational
programme rests majorly on the adequate availability of qualified
(professionals), competent and dedicated teachers. Seweje and Jegede (2005) noted that the
ability of a teacher to teach is not derived only from one’s academic
background but it is based upon outstanding pedagogical skill acquired. The realization of the national growth in
technology as highlighted in the Nigeria National Policy on Education hinges
(among others) largely on the quality of the physics teachers. This view is supported by Nkwodimah’s (2003)
submission that the teachers quality will inevitably be seen in the citizens to
morrow. Okebukola in Ngada (2008), while
remarking on teachers’ quality, observed that over 80% of respondent in a
survey research were of the view that teachers are carriers of weaknesses. These weaknesses include, among others,
inadequate exposure to teaching practice, poor classroom management and
control, shallow subject matter of and lack of professionalism. From Ajayi’s (2009) point of view, the
professional qualities of a teachers have to do with the following.
·
Mastery
of the subject matter
·
Sense
of organization
·
Ability
of clarify ideas
·
Ability
to motivate students
·
Good
imagination
·
Ability
to involve the students in meaningful activities throughout the period of
teaching
·
Management
of the detail of learning
·
Frequent
monitoring of students progress through tests, formal and informal, written and
oral quizzes.
The availability of professional
teachers in our schools is low (Ngada, 2008), the reason may not be
farfetched. Teaching is seen as a
dumping ground for any unemployed schools learners, irrespective of their area
of specialization. This group of able
bodied young men and women thus handle the job as a bye – pass venture to their
desired ends. Consequently, their input
on the job would be very low since it lacks the dedication lack the technical
know how of teaching since they were never trained on the job. The resultant effect on the students’
performance is catastrophic. The major
evil done by this is half – backed and shallow – knowledge students who often
perform poorly in their examination.
This eventually culminates to a decline in the national technological
growth.
The issue of gender differences is
paramount to educational researcher nowadays.
There had been divergent views and reports as to the comparative ability
of male and female in human endeavours, especially in education. A survey conducted by Ogbonnaya and Okunmiri
(2008) on administrative effectiveness of male and female principals in Imo –
State, Nigeria revealed that female principals are more effective than their
male counterparts in the management of instructional programmes, staff
personnel administration, student personnel administration, management of
finance and management of physical resources while the male principals are
better in school – community relationships.
Fauth (1984) also noted that women have been found to be more concerned
than men about the academic achievement of student and participate more in
professional growth activities. Adebayo
(1997) however observed that regardless of school gender type, male students
did better than female students in all science subjects.
Statement of Problem
The minimum teaching qualification is
to be National curriculum conference of 1969; the conference recommended that holders
of NCE certificate are to be limited to the JSS classes. This by implication means that Holder
National Diploma (HND), and Bachelor in Science B.sc (Hons) certificates is to
teach in the senior secondary school.
That is those with or without educational qualification are to teach in
either of the two levels, also as it was speculated that teachers qualification
h as significant effect on the overall performance of students in their senior
secondary examination.
This study intends to find out the extent
to which student taught by professional qualified teachers and non –
professional qualified teachers would perform.
Secondly, it will determine that
effect of teachers qualification on the academic performance of student in
physics.
Research Questions
The following research questions are
raised for the study;
·
What
are the qualification of teachers teaching physics in senior secondary schools
in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State?
·
How
many qualified professional teachers are available to teach physics in the
schools?
·
Would
students taught by professional qualified teachers perform better than these
taught by non – professional qualified teachers?
Research Hypotheses
The
following hypotheses were generated for this study;
Ho1: There is significant
difference in the mean performance of students taught by NCE teachers and their
counterpart B.Sc. (ED) degree holder in physics.
Ho2: There is
significant performance difference in the mean performance of students taught
by B.Sc (ED) and B.Sc. (ED) and B.Sc. (Hons) holders in physics.
Ho3: There is significant
difference in the mean performance of student taught by professional qualified
teachers NCE and B.Sc. (ED) and non – professional qualified (OND, HND and B.Sc
(Hons)) holders in physics.
Purposes of the Study
The purpose of the study was to
investigate how the qualification of physics teachers affect the academic
achievement of students in physics examinations in the senior secondary schools
in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Beside it will also find out whether student taught by NCE certificate
holders would perform better than those taught by B.Sc (ED) certificates
holder. Also to find out the effect of
professional qualified teachers on teaching and learning, and the academic
performance of students in senior secondary school physics.
Scope of the Study
Geographically, this study covered
some schools in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Significance of the Study
This study is significant because
apart from self relevance policy of the nation; it wants individual to be
academically progressive so as to increase her social economic scientific and
technological aspiration through the introduction of trained specialists in
physics.
This research will be help the
government and policy maker to adjust properly in order to achieve her aim for
introducing the subject into the school curriculum. It will equally help the ministry of
Education to embark upon more inspection and employing of professional
qualified teachers to handle the subject (physics) to ensure effective
teaching/learning that will results in better academic performance of students
in physics examinations. More so,
students will develop interest in the subject and as a result to improve their
logical reasoning and better academic performance both at the senior secondary
and other higher educational levels.
The researcher will be able to offer
suggestion that will promote effective teaching/learning which in turn will
result in excellent academic achievement of students’ physics at senior
secondary school examination.
Limitation of the Study
This study would have covered a large
area but due to the fact that most villages in area under study have bad roads
and also time factor is very limited more so, the damages on the bridges
linking these villages.
Assumption
This study assumed that teacher’s
qualifications were related to better academic performance of students in
senior secondary school physics examination.
Also higher professional teaching qualification believed to have exposed
the teacher to have sufficient subject matter knowledge and teaching skills to
be effective teachers which in turn affect the academic performance level of
students in physics as a core academics subject in the senior secondary school.
Definition of Terms
Professional Qualifications: Means of any teaching qualifications.
Qualified Teachers: Someone having necessary professional certification to teach (a well
trained teacher).
Unqualified Teachers: Someone who does not posses the professional certification.
Non – Professional Qualification: Any non – teaching qualification.
