TEACHERS’ VARIABLES AND EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF BIOLOGY PRACTICAL IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background to the Study

          Teachers have been identified as the heart of the educational process and the main determinant of quality and effectiveness of its results. According to Awake (2011), the main bottleneck to the improvement of students’ academic performance is the recruitment of experienced and qualified teachers. He noted that teachers’ behavior is not only influenced by their belief, but also by their attitude towards teaching. And that attitude is defined as internal believes that influence personal action and learning directly through one’s experiences and exposure. Teacher variable toward teaching includes work value, teaching method, teacher’s qualification and teacher’s commitment among others. Dada (2007) Submitted that teachers are more likely to exhibit more enthusiasm in preparation and presentation of the lesson when they are affectionate towards learners than when they are apathetic or indifferent towards students (learners). It is crystal clear that the presence of financial and material resources alone cannot get things done effectively except human beings are available with the necessary participation to make use of money and machine. In the school setting, goals and objectives are achieved through the efforts of the people. Knowledge could be imparted if human resources are not available or adequate. It is also pertinent to say that teachers are indispensable human resources in the educational system. This is so because teachers interpret the aims and objective of education to ensure that the children are educated in accordance with them since quality outputs depend on quality inputs, the success and quality of education depend on effective teachers (Obadara, 2009). The concept of teachers’ behavioural trait, teachers’ productivity, and teaching effectiveness are multi-dimensional. This involved interplay of various elements in the workforce.

          Biology as a branch of science is very important particularly in health, nutrition and agricultural science and therefore should be effectively taught and learns in schools from another perspective. Effective teaching of this subject, particularly in secondary school level, has to continue to raise the questions considering the abysmal performances of secondary school students over the years, especially in biology practical in Etinan Local Government Area

1.2            Statement of the Problem

          Science teaching, especially Biology, at the secondary school level has been the concern of government and parent. Stakeholders in the education blame students for general unpreparedness to examination as one of the major causes of students’ poor academic performance. The teachers are also blamed for lack of dedication to their duties which has inadvertently affected the academic performance of students. Whoever is culpable, the general view is that teachers are indispensable in the teaching and learning process.

1.3            Purpose Of The Study

          The general purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of teachers’ variables on effective teaching of Biology practical in secondary schools in Etinan Local Government Area

          Specifically, the study intends to:

i.                   examine the relationship between teacher’s years of service and effective teaching of Biology practical in secondary schools in Etinan Government Area

ii.                 determine the relationship between teachers’ qualification and effective teaching of Biology practical in a secondary school in Etinan local Government Area

iii.              assess the relationship between teachers’ knowledge of the subject matter and effective teaching of biology Practical in Etinan Local Government Area

1.4            Significance of the Study

The study will be significant in the following ways:

i.                   It will serve as reference materials to the students and researcher in the same or similar topic.

ii.                 It will help to sensitize teachers on the need to examine their effectiveness towards the teaching and learning of Biology.

iii.              It will help keep government abreast of the need to provide adequate instructional materials for the teaching and learning of the subject.

1.5     Research Hypotheses

          The following research hypotheses were generated to guide the study:

i.       There is no significant relationship between teachers’ years of service and effective teaching of Biology practical in secondary schools.

ii.     There is no significant relationship between teachers’ qualification and effective teaching of Biology practical in secondary schools.

1.6     Limitation of the Study

          In the course of conducting the research, the researcher was faced with certain challenges which were formidable to the success of the study and prominent among them included finance and shortness of time to carry out the study and then report on it.

1.7     Delimitation of the Study

               This research work focused on the influence of teachers’ variables and effective teaching of biology practical in secondary schools in Etinan Local government Area of Akwa Ibom State. It covers only public secondary schools and Biology teachers selected from public secondary schools in the area.

1.8     Definition of Terms

Teachers’ Variables: This refers to as the qualities that can be measured with tests or derived from the academic records or there are elements that are liable to vary such as teachers’ attitudes qualification, teaching skills, years of experiences and enthusiasm, etc.

Teachers’ Qualification: this refers to the level of education; knowledge or skill that a teacher has that matches his eligibility for classroom duty.

Experience: it is the knowledge or mastery of a subject gained through involvement in or exposure to it.