Instructional Strategies and Academic Performance in Economics

Instructional Strategies and Academic Performance in Economics

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1           Background to the Study

            In the contemporary world today, attention is focused on education as an instrument of launching nations into the world of science and technology and with consequential hope of human advancement, in terms of living conditions and development of the environment. This is because in the life of a nation, education is the live-wire of its industries; it is the foundation of moral regeneration and revival of its people. Education is the bedrock of any nation’s defense. Education is that process that helps to develop the whole man physically, mentally, socially and technologically to enable him to function effectively in an environment in which he may find himself (FRN, 2009). Therefore no nation can afford to pay lip service to the education of its people.

            A nation that thinks lightly of education does so at its own peril. In this regard, Ogundele (2000) maintained that no nation rises above the level of its education and no educational system out-grows the quality and status of its teachers. This is so because the teacher is at the center of the teaching-learning process. Hence, the success or otherwise of the process is attributed to him. Accordingly, teaching is an objective and activity driven exercise. It involves the passage or transfer of knowledge or ideas by the teachers to the learners.

            Teaching and learning does not happen by chance, it takes processes methods and strategies. As the teacher sets out to implement the curriculum contents at the classroom level, he uses a number of methods and strategies that will facilitate the learners’ understanding of instruction given. It is, however, incontestable that realization of the objectives of any teaching-learning the encounter will be an illusion if the teacher fails to use appropriate strategies. As the teacher sets out to implement the curriculum contents at the classroom level, he uses a number of instructional strategies that will facilitate the learners’ understanding of instruction given. It is, however, incontestable that realization of the objectives of any teaching-learning the encounter will be an illusion if the teacher fails to use appropriate instructional strategies in explaining the subject matter to the students. Therefore, the role of teacher’s instructional strategies in the success of the teaching – the learning process cannot be overemphasized. Instructional strategies are used in the presentation of the lesson to help the students learn by ensuring the smooth delivery of the instruction. The availability of qualified and experienced teachers only does not guarantee the success of the teaching-learning process, but also the strategies adopted by teachers and their application (Dyer, 2005). In organizing for the lesson, the teacher should be more concern about what to teach, how to teach and when to teach his/ her learners.  He should adopt a good strategy of instructions that will guarantee a better understanding of what he intends to teach his learners. Students’ negative attitude towards some school subjects might not be unconnected with the teachers’ strategies of instruction vis-à-vis his method. Not fully appreciated by most teachers is the importance of instructional strategies in the teaching-learning process. Although there are teachers with good subject matter mastery, the learners' ability to comprehend the knowledge imparted by a teacher depends to a greater extent on the strategies applied by the teacher. According to Foster (2008), several methods of instruction have been employed by teachers to facilitate students’ understanding of instruction but not much success has need recorded due to their wrong application by the teachers. Towari (2006) observed that teaching strategy that encourages students’ centered activities are conspicuously lacking among teachers. Instructional strategies are techniques teachers use to help students become independent, strategic learners. These strategies become learning strategies when students independently select the appropriate ones and use them effectively to accomplish tasks or meet goals. Effective instructional and learning strategies can be used across grade levels and subject areas, and can accommodate a range of student differences O’Connor(2007).

             Hence, for effective teaching to take place, the teacher should stimulate, encourage and maintain active participation of the learners through the selection of appropriate instructional strategies.     This will ensure a balance between what is taught and how it is taught. Thus, there is no gainsaying in the fact that successful instruction does not depend only on the teachers’ mastery of the subject matter but also the instructional strategies employed.

1.2              Statement of the problem

            It is an indisputable fact that one of the challenges facing the teaching-learning process in schools over the years is the dwindling academic performance of students both in internal and external examinations. The poor academic performance of students in school has become an intractable problem in our the educational system and it is fast becoming a recurring decimal especially in public examinations.

            This ugly development has been a subject of concern to stakeholders in education. Worried by the continuous decline in student’s academic performance in school, parents have put the blame on the teachers for their low level of commitment on the discharge of their professional duties while teachers in turn point accusing fingers at the government for the falling standard of education in the country. True as this accusation may be one cannot rule out the fact teachers occupy an important position in the teaching-learning process.  Hence, the success or failure of students in schools center on them. However, it has been observed among scholars that most teachers in schools have been using uninspiring and inappropriate strategies of instruction to impart knowledge to their students. They rely on strategies that are easy but mostly inappropriate to the instructional process. There is no gainsaying that the realization of the dream of improving the academic performance of students at all levels of education will remain a Herculean task if teachers fail to adopt instructional strategies most suitable to a particular subject matter which will equally facilitate students understanding of what is taught. It is against this background, therefore, that this study “Instructional Strategies and  Academic Performance in Economics among secondary school Students’ in Ini  Local Government Area” becomes imperative.

1.3              Objectives of the study.

            The main objective of this study will be to examine Instructional Strategies and Academic Performance in Economics among Secondary School Students’ in Ini  Local Government Area.

The specific objectives include:

i.                 To examine the academic performance of students taught using demonstration instructional strategies and those taught using lecture Instructional strategies in Economics in Secondary Schools in In Local Government Area.

ii.                  To examine the academic performance of students taught using the activity instructional strategy and those taught using the discussion Instructional strategy in Economics in Secondary Schools in Ini Local Government Area.

1.4 Significance of the study

            

It is anticipated that the findings of this study will be of immense benefits to all and sundry in the educational sector. Particularly, teachers, school administrators, educational planners and policy makers, students, parents and the government at large in the following ways:

-                It will make known the instructional methods adopted by Business Studies teachers in the study area.

-                It will bring into focus the instructional methods that best guarantee an improvement in students’ understanding of instructional and their academic performance.

-                 It will  add to the body of existing literature on instructional methods in relation to students’ academic performance.

-                Finally, the findings of this study will serve as reference material for further research on instructional strategies in relation to students’ academic performance but other subject areas.

1.5 Research hypotheses

            The following null hypotheses are formulated to guide the study in line with the specific objectives.

iii.             There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students taught using demonstration instructional strategies and those taught using lecture Instructional strategies in Economics in Secondary Schools in Ini Local Government Area.

i.                    There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students taught using activity instructional strategy and those taught using the discussion Instructional strategy in Economics in Secondary Schools in Ini Local Government Area.

1.6 Delimitation of the study

           

The study would be delimited to Instructional Strategies and Academic Performance in Economics among Secondary School Students’ in Ini  Local Government Area. The analysis was on Senior Secondary School two (SS2) students in the study area.

1.7 Limitation of the study

             

The major factors that limit the scope of this study to Ini Local Government Area were insufficient to fund, time frame for the completion of the study and the researcher’s academic work-load among others.

1.8 Definition of the terms

The following terms used in this the study were operationalized be the researcher as explained below:

Instructional strategies: Instructional strategies are techniques teachers use to help students become independent, strategic learners.

Academic performance: The performance of students in tests and examinations given on lessons taught to them.

Demonstration method: A method of teaching which involves the act of showing or explaining how something works or is done.

Lecture method: A method of teaching where the teacher does all or most of the talking with the students hardly participating in class discussion.

Activity method: A method of teaching where the teacher provides an avenue for the students to carry out some activities under the supervision and guidance of the teacher.

Discussion method: A method of teaching which involves interaction between the teacher and the students.