TEACHING METHODS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL

harrilibrary.blogspot.com

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      Background to the Study

Teaching methods are different principles, techniques and/or ways that are used to instruct students in a learning environment. The methods adopted by a teacher will depend on the skills or information the teacher would like to convey to the students, some of the most common methods used daily by teachers are role-playing, case study method, group project, problem-solving and discussion methods. While these methods are used daily, it is necessary that a skillful teacher needs to be conversant with various teaching strategies which may be applied to subject at different classifications. Adage (2008) affirms that many methods of teaching exist in education and these methods are meant to make teacher succeed in their bid to disseminate knowledge. The teacher, therefore, has the freedom to choose which method he considers appropriate in teaching a particular subject or lesson. The learners rely on the resourcefulness of the teacher to perform.

Ekah (2006) opined that method is a procedure adopted to reach an expected goal; it expresses how a thing is done and the way to do it. The author explained further that method embodies the approach or various approaches utilized by the teacher to get his learners to achieve an expected result. Methods adopted by teachers can either make or mar the learners, according to Ekah (2006), while a good method adopted by the teacher may end up changing a bad learner to a good learner, bad teaching methods can turn a good learner to a bad learner.

Teaching is one of the most challenging and crucial professions in the world. Teachers are critical in facilitating learning and in making it more efficient and effective, they hold the key to the success of any educational system and they are accountable for successful human development. Afe in Okorie (2004) opined that even with the best educational policy, design and expenditure of colossal sum of money for education, the ultimate realization of any set of arms for education depends on the teachers as he/she will ultimately be responsible for translating policy into action and principle into practice and in his interaction with the  student.

The teacher’s role as an instructional agent is, therefore, a complex one as he/she must master various instructional strategies and their applicability as it affects his/her area of specialization. Odunola (2011) and Ubeda (2012) identified teaching methods that are commonly adopted by teachers in a lesson class. These include; discussion, demonstration and lecture method. However, Eddie (2006) in an earlier study added that project method, discovery method, and field trip are crucial to the teaching process particularly in science and technology, that two or more of these methods could be appropriately combined in a particular lesson to create the effect. Effective teaching and learning is a function of the method used by the teacher.

1.2      Statement of the Problem

Over the years, there have been the poor academic performance of secondary school students in both internal and external examination and have become a concern not only to teachers but also to parents and the society at large. Hence, teaching methods could contribute to the decline of academic Performance of physical and health education students.

Based on this report, this research intends to find out to what extent do methods used by teachers in teaching Physical and Health Education in secondary schools influence the academic achievement of students.

1.3      Purpose of the Study

The study investigated into teaching methods and academic performance of secondary school students in Physical and Health Education in Etinan Local Government Area. Specifically the study:

1.       Examine the effect of a discovery method in student academic performance in Physical and Health Education.

2.       Assess the effect of discussion method on the academic performance of secondary school students in Physical and Health Education.

3.       Investigate the effect of lecture method on the academic performance of secondary school students in Physical and Health Education.      

1.4      Research Hypotheses

The following hypothesis was formulated to guide this study.

i.        There is no significant difference in academic performance in Physical and Health Education between students taught with discovery method and those taught with lecture method.

ii.       There is no significant difference in academic performance in Physical and Health Education between student taught with discussion method and those taught with discovery method.

iii.       There is no significant difference in academic performance in Physical and Health Education between students taught with discussion method and those taught with lecture method.

1.5      Significance of the Study

          Findings obtained on the research will;

1.       Guide teachers on the choice of appropriate methods for teaching.    

2.       Serve as a source of reference materials to those who will undertake the study of this nature in the future.

3.       Help government educational administrators when making policy statements concerning teacher training and provision of facilities for secondary schools.

1.6      Limitation of the Study 

The researcher was confronted by two major factors

Firstly, the researcher was faced with financial constraint as financial contributions of her parents alone was scarcely sufficient for this research work.

Secondly, there was a time constraint.

1.7      Delimitation of the Study

The study was restricted to investigate the teaching methods on the academic performance of students in Physical and Health Education in Etinan Local Government Area. The study was for Junior secondary two (JS2) in the study area. The concepts taught was physical fitness.

1.8      Definition of Terms

Teaching Method: This is the process of selecting, directing, controlling and conducting the experiences of the learner so that learning can take place.

Lecture Method: This is a teaching method in which the teacher does most of the talking while the students do most of the listening.

Discussion Method: This method involves the participation of teachers and learners in the process of teaching.

Discovery Method: This is one of the instructional strategies through scientific or laboratory experiments.

Academic Performance: This refers to the formative evaluation of students ability in a particular subject or summative assessment of students activities in the entire school.