Impact Of Teaching Methods On Students’ Academic Performance In Biology In Secondary Schools

Impact Of Teaching Methods On Students’ Academic Performance In Biology In Secondary Schools

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            Background to the Study

                   Teaching at any level of education is to bring about a fundamental change that will facilitate the process of knowledge transmission in the learners. At this instance, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that would best suit specific objectives and outcomes. In the traditional era where teaching and learning gained much development, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centered methods to impart knowledge to learners rather than student-centered methods. Until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student academic performance have consistently raised considerable interest in the field of educational research. Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in students learning Ekanem (2016).

Teaching involves bringing about or at least facilitating desirable changes in learners. However, effective teaching requires the teacher to step out of the realm of personal experience and step into the world of the learners. It is the learner who must be engaged for learning to occur, the learner is the one who must take the commitment to learn.

A skillful and competent teacher uses as many methods and techniques as possible because, there is no single method which is regarded as the best for every teaching situation-Bassey (2015). In a single lesson therefore, the teacher can employ more than one method to facilitate learning. The success of every method depends on the caliber of the teacher and his professional experience in the field of teaching. Studies have shown that appropriate instructional materials coupled with right choice of methods facilitate learning achievement to a large extent Ndirangu (2012). This applies at all levels of education and particularly secondary school which deals with foundation of learning and development.

There are many definitions of teaching method by different authors. Kimweri (2012), defined teaching method as a practical application of teaching principles based on the nature of learner, the nature of the subject and the learning needs of the pupils/students. According to Oyekan (2014), teaching methodology is concerned with what method techniques or approach, individuals or group of teachers select and use in actual classroom situation. The success of teaching always lies mainly on the know-how of the subject involved and the use of appropriate method(s) that is required per time during the process of transfer of knowledge. A successful teaching is a product of effective and efficient teaching process. Vin-Mbah,Achio, Ameko, Kutsanedzie, Alhassan&Ganaa(2012) as cited in South and Laslett (2013) described teaching as an all-purpose profession engaged in human resource development for individual and economic growth. Teaching is the process of helping someone to acquire skill, attitude, knowledge, idea or appreciation. In other words, the teacher’s task is to create or influence desirable changes in behaviour, or in tendencies toward behaviour in his students. Effective teaching involves informing and explaining stimulating, directing, guiding, administrating, identifying what to learn, method of learning, problems, evaluating, reporting, recording, classroom management, socialization and school-community relationship among others.

It is of a necessity that a skillful teacher needs to be conversant with various teaching strategies which may be applied to subjects at different class situations. Adufe (2008) affirms that many methods of teaching exist in education and these methods are meant to make teachers succeed in their bid to impact knowledge. Also, the impact of any teaching method is not only limited to the conditions surrounding the teaching but also the advantages and the disadvantages of a particular method in a particular situation should not be left out. According to Ckenzie, et al (2010) in Adesanya (2016) argues that the objectives of the teacher should also be considered before the selection of any method. This implies that what the teacher intends to achieve at the end of the lesson should be in line with the selected method. In the light of all these, the study therefore sought to find out the influence of teaching methods and students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Many methods of teaching exist in education. All the methods are meant to make teachers succeed in their bid to impact knowledge. However, little attention is considered by the teachers when selecting the methods to be used in their lesson delivery. Also, there are complaints by the teachers, parents and educational stakeholders that the methods used by teachers in teaching the students are not effective and these have negated students’ academic performance.  It is also observed that some teaching methods adopted by teachers have made students not to follow instructions in class easily and this make lessons to become dull and boring.It also engender negative attitude, low interest and poor performance among students. The researcher therefore deemed it necessary to reexamine various teaching methods that may be appropriate in the teaching and learning of Biology in secondary schools. Other problem of this study is to identify the teaching methods used by teachers in teaching Biology and its effect on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

1.3     Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study was to find out the impact of teaching methods on students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area. Specifically, the study intended to;

i.                   determine the difference between demonstration teaching method and students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

ii.                 examine the difference between cooperative teaching method and students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

iii.              find out  the difference between discussion  teaching method and students’ academic performance in Biology in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

1.4     Significance of the Study

The findings of the study will be of great benefits to the following people in the following ways:

i.                   It will provide firsthand information to teachers on most useful methods to facilitate teaching and learning process at secondary school level.

ii.                 Findings of this study will be useful to the in-service secondary school teachers in pedagogy application and as well contribute to knowledge of pre-service teachers.

iii.               The findings will serve as feedback to educational stakeholders, proprietors/proprietresses, government and the education sector particularly supervisors of education and school heads on the methods most applicable to secondary school level.

iv.              The study will provide basis for further investigation by future researchers for scaling up and generalizing.

1.4     Research Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses were posed to guide the study;

i.                        There is no significant difference between in the mean score of students taught Biology using conventional and demonstration teaching methods in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

ii.                        There is no significant difference between in the mean score of students taught Biology using conventional and cooperative teaching methods in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

iii.                        There is no significant difference between in the mean score of students taught Biology using conventional and discussion teaching methods in secondary schools in Eket Local Government Area.