Factors Militating Against the Teaching and Learning of Science and Technology in Secondary Schools
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study aims at determining the factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools. Specifically, it will address the following:
- To ascertain the attitudes of students to mathematics, sciences and technology and the reasons for the poor performances in mathematics, sciences and technology among secondary school students.
- to ascertain the apparent irrationality on reaction to mathematics, science and technology and the students’ rating of Mathematics, sciences and technology.
- to ascertain the background of mathematics, science and technology teachers as one of the factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Prior to 1960, most schools in Nigeria emphasized arts subjects. At the junior forms of secondary schools, general science was taught. (Akpan, 1999), According to him, science teaching and learning in schools was a privilege enjoyed by a few secondary school students. The attainment of political independence in!960 marked the start of a new era in a number of activities in Nigeria. Modification on the basis of nationalism became a common feature soon after independence. In education, new emphasis was placed on science teaching and learning Akpan (1999). According to STAN document, a number of questions informed the need for the Basic Science curriculum. Some of these questions are: Why do we teach science? Is the science we teach appropriate and relevant to the scientific and educational needs of our children and of our society? There is no doubt that relevance and functionality became the major considerations for teaching and learning basic science (Akpan, 1999). The consequence of this consideration made the association to design a science that would relate the child to the environment and develop in the child, inquisitiveness and skills that relate to the discovery of science concept and their applications (Akpan, 1999). The Basic Science and Technology was both content and process based. Some form of integration was the focus for basic science. The conceptual approach to content selection was adopted (Akpan, 1999). In organizing the content into teaching units, the spiral approach was adopted. By this, topics were to be treated at an elementary level in the first instance and later, develop further as the child’s mind mature and were able to grapple with such scientific process and knowledge. (Akpan, 1999). Simple scientific process aimed at introducing to the child what science is about and how scientists7 works were focused upon at the beginning. Such skills as observing, report organizing, generalizing predicting, designing, using modes and confirming the process of inquiry when new data demands this were listed in the STAN document. The course also prescribed a teaching approach for the basic science. This is the guided discovery method. All the feature of content so far indicated on basic science concern, the subject at the junior forms of secondary schools (which is the last three years of primary education in today’s system of education). As part of the development in basic science and technology at both primary and secondary schools, major revisions were taken between 1979 and 1982 in the publication of the National core curriculum for the subject at both levels. (FME, 1980,1981, FMEST, 1985). The National Core Curriculum for primary science was to harmonize the primary science curriculum in the states and the NERSCs NPSMP was based on this. By November, 1989, a revised national core curriculum for primary science was drafted, approved in 1990.
TEACHING BASIC SCIENCES
The teaching of basic sciences and technology has been with many problems as revealed from series of studies (Legade, 1984, Aminu, 1980, Oyeneyin and Balogun, 1982 and Olarewaju and Balogun, 1984 for example). These studies on basic science have revealed a number of facts (Ivowi, 1983).
- Low level of readability of the instructional materials.
- Most teachers of basic science were not qualified to teach the subject.
- The materials in these books were too much and as such none could be completed within one academic year.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools.
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools. 200 staff of selected secondary schools in Enugu education zone of Enugu state were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools.
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools
Summary
This study aimed at factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology in secondary schools. Three objectives were raised which included; To ascertain the attitudes of students to mathematics, sciences and technology and the reasons for the poor performances in mathematics, sciences and technology among secondary school students, to ascertain the apparent irrationality on reaction to mathematics, science and technology and the students’ rating of Mathematics, sciences and technology, to ascertain the background of mathematics, science and technology teachers as one of the factors militating against the teaching and learning of science and technology
Conclusion
With the large population of vibrant children and youth, Nigeria is a nation of immense promise, given the right environment Nigeria could develop into a significant nation of a happy, united and prosperous people, since the most benevolent nature has provided us with the resources and conditions for economic development. The challenge therefore is that of educating the youth in responsible thoughts, skills and expertise as a starting point to serve as the necessary and inevitable leaven to transform our beleaguered economy, in practically all areas of education, agriculture, industry, society, economy financial market and politics. A relevant education therefore, is the strategic tool needed to ensure that societal goals, values and aspirations are consistent with the nature of man.
Recommendation
- The federal and state Governments should ensure the implementation of section 10 of the national policy on education (1981) on educational services.
- Educational resources centres and audio- visual Aids centres and the various agencies charged with the production of instructional materials should be established to ensure their availability in schools.
- Government should organize short courses workshops, seminars on materials improvisation, production and utilization, for teachers of different subjects.
- To ensure effective utilization of instructional material in schools, the ministry of education should direct every school to set up instructional materials Acquisition/production, utilization and maintenance unit (IMAPUMU)
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