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FACTORS MILITATING AGAINST SCIENCE STUDENT TEACHERS DURING THEIR TEACHING PRACTICE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Problem

The enviable position which Science education system of most countries of the world, including Nigeria occupies is perhaps justifiable. The reason is that Science can exert a dominant, if not decisive influence on the life of individuals as well as on the developmental effort of a nation (Emovon, 2001). The universal recognition of the above submission is responsible for the prime position that has been accorded to science and in particular, Chemistry worldwide. Within the context of science education, Chemistry has been identified as a very important School subject and its’ importance in scientific and technological development of any nation has been widely reported. It was as a result of the recognition given to Chemistry in the development of the individual and the nation that is made a core-subject among the natural Sciences and other Science-related courses in the Nigerian educational system. Its inclusion as a core-subject in Science in the High school calls for the need to teach it effectively. This is because effective Science teaching can lead to the attainment of scientific and technological greatness.

Chemistry teaching can only be effective and result-oriented when students are willing and the teachers are favorably disposed, using the appropriate methods and resources in teaching the students. With the current increase in scientific knowledge all over the world, much demand is placed, and emphasis is laid on the teacher, the learner, the curriculum and the learning environment in the whole process of teaching and learning of Science. Despite the importance of Chemistry to mankind and the efforts of researchers to improve on its teaching and learning, the achievement of students in the subject remains low in Nigeria. Among the factors that have been identified, outcomes in Chemistry are as a result of; poor methods of instruction (Osuafor, 2001) teacher’s attitude (Aghadiuno, 2002), laboratory inadequacy (Adeyegbe, 2005), and poor Science background (Adesoji, 2003).

Papanastasiou (2001) reported that those who have positive attitude toward Science tend to perform better in the subject. The affective behaviors on the classroom and strongly related to achievement, and Science attitudes are learned (George and Kaplan, 2005), the teachers play a significant role during the learning process and they can directly or indirectly influence the student’s attitudes toward Science which in consequence can influence students’ achievement. Teachers are, invariably, role models whose behaviors are easily mimicked by students. What teachers like or dislike, appreciate and how they feel about their learning or studies could have a significant effect on their students. By extension, how teachers teach, how they behave and how they interact with students can be more paramount than what they teach. Student’s attitude toward the learning of Chemistry is a factor that has long attracted attention of researchers. Ojo (2000) and Adesokan (2002) asserted that inspite of realization of the recognition given to Chemistry among the Science subjects, it is evident that students still show negative attitude towards the subject, thereby leading to poor performance and low enrolment.

The achievement of students in Chemistry is also reported to be causally influenced by the previous experience of the students in integrated Science. A student cannot learn Chemistry effectively without passing through some experiences in integrated Science (Oshokoya, 2002). Other factors that may have causal relationships with effective teaching and learning of Science subjects particularly Chemistry include; teacher attendance at Chemistry workshop, laboratory adequacy, class size and School location. One of the fundamental problems facing Science teaching today is the question of how current are the professional teachers. The majority of teachers who have been employed in the past decades have been doing the same thing, the same way all along. They have no knowledge of the current ideas and innovations that have taken place in the educational field in the recent past. What account for this is that teachers have not been given the opportunity for re-training (Ogunbiyi, 2004). He therefore recommended that teachers should be encouraged to go for workshop training in their areas of specialization.

Laboratory inadequacy which is a School environment factor has been reported to affect the performance of students in Chemistry (Raimi, 2002 and Adeyegbe, 2005). Farounbi (2003) argued that students tend to understand and recall what they see more than what they hear as a result of using laboratories in the teaching and learning of Science. The question, “Is small class size better than large class size” continues to be debated among teachers, administrators and parents as well as in the research community. However, Robinson (2001) concluded that research does not support the expectation that classes will of themselves result in greater academic gains for students. He observed that the effects of class size on student learning vary by grade level, learner characteristics, subject areas, teaching methods and other learning interventions. Adeyela (2000) found that large class size is not conducive for serious academic work. Also Afolabi (2002) found no significant relationship among the class size and students’ learning outcomes. The relationship between School location and student academic achievement in Science has been widely reported. Adepoju, (2001) found that students in urban Schools manifest more brilliant performance than their rural counterparts. Also, Ogunleye (2002) reported a significant difference in the achievement of students in urban peri-urban areas. However, Daramola cited in Ogunleye (2002), and Orji (2005) did not find any significant difference in the urban and peri-urban Schools.

The purpose of teaching and learning Chemistry is specifically to produce three kinds of intellectual capital: Scientists and engineers who will continue the research and development that is central to the economic growth of our country; technological proficient workers who are capable of dealing with the demands of a Science-based high Technology workforce and scientifically literate citizens who make intelligent decisions about public policy and who understand the world around them.

Accordingly, effective teaching and learning of Chemistry is critical to enable students to acquire:

1) The deeper intrinsic value of Science and Technologyeducation to shape and define our common life history and culture among others.

2) Appropriate skills; abilities and competences that will enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of the society. And so, there is the need for basic standard of achievement in preparing students for occupations in a highly scientific and technological environment (Encarta, 2005). Moreover, the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) recommended that people should be empowered through education to achieve the 3 goals of – employment generation, poverty eradication and value – orientation (Ajeyalemi, 2006).

The role of Chemistry in the development of the scientific base of a country cannot be overemphasized and Nigeria is not an exception. Yet with the increasing importance of Chemistry to the unfolding world, the performance of Nigerian students in the subject at the High school remains a dismal failure. However it is disappointing to note that the student’s performance in Chemistry at internal and external examination has remained considerably poor despite the relative importance of Chemistry (Saage 2009). Several factors have been advanced to affect student’s poor performance. Korau (2006) reported that such include the student factor, teacher factor, societal factor, the governmental infrastructural problem, language problem examination body related variables, curriculum related variables, test related variables, textbook related variables and home related variables. Saage (2009) identified specific variables such as poor primary School background in Science, lack of incentives for test, lack of interest on the part of students, students not interested in hard work, incompetent teachers in the primary School, large classes, fear of the subject psychologically etc. In Nigeria the pupil‘s home upbringing tends to affect their attitudes to authority. It is one of co-operation and passive submission.

Parents that are too push-up can cause academic maladjustment for learners. Boocock (2002) found that parental dominance tend to discourage the children in School learning. However some parents over-pamper their children too much to the points of spoiling them completely Korau, 2006). Since such parents shun their responsibility to train their children at home such children will develop nonchalant attitude to Chemistry and other courses.  Korau (2006) observed that the Schools population counts in thousands today against the hundreds of the previous years. Schools today are overcrowded in classrooms which make it impossible to talk of an ideal size of a classroom for effective teaching of Chemistry. No effective teaching can take place under a chaotic situation where he cannot handle the large number of students effectively. Based on the background of the variables discussed earlier, this study is premised on investigating some factors militating against the effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State in order to improve the academic performance of students.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The report of Shelter Right Initiative clearly stated that Nigeria trailed behind other West African countries for nine consecutive years in Science especially Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Biology subject’s academic performance (Olubusuyi, 2003). According to Uzoechi (2004), students do not only perform poorly at the cognitive level, they also perform badly at the affective and psychomotor domains respectively. And to the extent that it is difficult to have a good number of candidates with enough credits to secure admission at higher levels of Science, Technology and Mathematics disciplines. Furthermore, Mathematics achievement has never fared better, and has affected subjects like Physics and Chemistry adversely. WAEC (2006) noted that the marks lost by each Physics students as a result of poor knowledge in Mathematics accounts for fifty percentages (50%) of the marks lost for errors in that subject.

Akpan (2000) identified poor knowledge of Mathematics as one of the major problems militating against students’ progress in Chemistry. Accordingly, there is a growing public concern over this unimpressive performance and therefore expedient to understand the problems and challenges facing STM subjects as to suggest appropriate remedies for improved performance. The question however remains, what are the factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Science, Technology and Mathematics subjects especially Chemistry.

Due to the increasing nature of poor academic performance of High school students especially in external examinations like WAEC or JAMB, many educationists says the reason for ineffective teaching and learning of Chemistry or any other Science subject are; the teaching methodology adopted by the teachers and lack of fund from the government to provide quality textbooks, inadequate conducive learning environment, However, other reasons why teaching and learning is ineffective may be student - oriented. It is clear from all indications that most High school students have poor study habit and abysmal attitude towards learning due to some societal factors which might lead to ineffective teaching and learning of Chemistry in any classroom situation. So with respect to the above stated reasons, it was necessary to look into some factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Nigeria a case study of Oriade Local Government Area so that we would have in the country Scientists and engineers who will continue the research and development that is central to the economic growth of our country Nigeria, technological proficient workers who are capable of dealing with the demands of a Science-based high Technology workforce and scientifically literate citizens who make intelligent decisions about public policy and who understand the world around them.

From the foregoing highlighted statement of problem, it is pertinent to investigate some factors militating against the effective teaching and learning of Chemistry, in order to improve the academic performance of students in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to investigate some factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government. Specifically the objectives therefore were to:

1)  Find out whether qualified Chemistry teachers, good learning environment in High schools in Oriade Local Government are adequate or not.

2)  Find out the attitude of students in High schools in Oriade Local Government towards learning Chemistry.

3)  Find out the extent to which societal factors militate against the effectiveness in the teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government.

4)  Find out whether educational facilities provided for High schools in Oriade local Government are adequate or not and if  the teachers are well paid by the government.

1.4 Research Questions

To achieve the objectives of this study, the following research questions were posed:-

1. Are Chemistry teachers in High schools in Oriade Local Government qualified and adequate?

2. What are the students’ attitudes towards learning Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government?

3. To what extent do societal factors contribute to ineffective teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government?

4. Does government provide adequate facilities for the teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government?

1.5 Scope of the Study

The study was centered on some factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in High schools in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State. It was aimed ten High schools in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of the study may be of use to teacher, students, education administrators and other people who may want to know the majors factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Chemistry in Nigerian High schools and other Science and Technology related subjects. Therefore the study will be significant in the following regard;

-       It examines teacher, student, learning environment and society as some of the factors militating against effective teaching and learning of Chemistry which may be useful to people about student’s academic performance in chemistry.

-        It may provide valuable information about the causal effects of the factors considered on the Nigerian education system.

-       It may serve as a source of awareness creation for major stakeholders in the field of education.

-       It may serve as a resource material for others who want to carry out research in related field.

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

Chemistry:  This is the branch of Science that deals with the identification of the substances of which matter is composed; the investigation of their properties and the ways in which they interact, combine and charge; and the use of these processes to form new substances.

Effective Teaching: It refers to the process of imparting knowledge and skills from the teacher to the learner. It encompasses the activities of educating or instructing. It is also an act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character or physical ability of an individual.

Learning: This is the act of acquiring new, modifying and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information.

Learning Environment: Learning environment is a virtual or physical setting in which learning takes place. Learning environments are typically constructionist's in nature. Some examples of good learning environments are Schools, colleges and universities. It also include learning facilities like chairs, tables, laboratory, classroom e.t.c.

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