Impact of Teacher Quality on the Academic Performance of Junior Secondary School Students in Social Studies in Katsina State
Chapter One
Objective of the Study
The research study aimed to investigate the impact of teacher quality as variables on the academic performance of Junior Secondary School students in social studies in Katsina State. The present study sets out to achieve the following objectives:
- To find out whether teachers‟ qualification affects Junior Secondary Schoolacademic performance in Katsina
- Whether teachers‟ experience in teaching affects Junior Secondary students academic performance in Social Studies, in Katsina state
- Whether teacher attending workshops, seminars and conferences affect Junior Secondary School Students‟ academic performance in Social Studies in the
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This Study will focus on the impact of teacher quality as variables. In this chapter, an attempt will be made to review the related literature on the followings:
Meaning of social studies, Nature of social studies and
Scope of social studies teacher evaluation, resource materials and attitudes. It will also focus on the qualification, attendance of workshops, seminars and conferences and experience of social studies teachers as well as review of related empirical studies and summary.
Theoretical Framework
Concept of Social Studies
Like all other social sciences, social studies was defined differently by different scholars. Social studies is the course that realizes that man is confronted with problems in all his life experiences and how to manipulate and how to find solutions to their problems. The concept of social studies as a subject of study that has been variously defined by different scholars and educational bodies. The United States of America commission on the rehabilitation of secondary education defined social studies as “Subject matter that is related to the organization and development of the human society and man as a member of social groups”. (Nwanna Nzewunwa, Girigiri and Okoh, (2007).
While National Teachers Institute (2002) Conceptualized social studies as a subject that deals with man‟s interaction with his environment in order to acquire the relevant skills, knowledge, Attitudes and values that will make him live harmoniously with his environment.
Akinlanye (2003) sees social studies education as the study of man in his environment. To him every society has its own peculiar problem/ problems which make it necessary to introduce social studies to help them solved their problems.
Kissock in Mbaba, (2007) defined social studies as “a programme of study which a society uses to instill in students or learners the knowledge, skills, attitudes and action it consider important concerning the relationship human being have with each other, their world and themselves”. Therefore the above definition suggested that social studies is a vehicle through which desired culture, values and norms of the society, could be transformed.
Tikumah (2009) conceives social studies as the types of leaning that aims at creating a free society of responsible and responsive citizen by imbibing them with desirable attitudes and values as appropriate mental and physical skills and abilities for meaningful living and interaction.
Kadiri (2002) wrote that “social studies is wholistic subject that is interested on the social, physical and emotional characteristics of man. This means it is a broad based curriculum that de-emphasizes subject boundary rather emphasized inter disciplinary approach to the study of human activities. In social studies, man and his activities are investigated as a whole not parts”.
Therefore social studies is based on the foundation of different fields of study. It draws its contents from social sciences subjects such as history, political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and geography.
According to Galadinci (2007), social studies is defined as an integrated study of the social science and humanities to promote civil competence with the aim of helping good as origins of the culturally diverse democratic society in an independent world.
Also Ololobou (2002), define social studies as‟‟ the integrated study of man as he battles for survival in the environment both physical and social‟‟. He also added that social studies promotes awareness, appreciation and understanding of the reciprocal relationship between man and his environment.
Despite the view about what social studies is, there are some areas of agreement, that social studies is the studies of society, that it is concerned with the relationship within the society and the central concern or focus of social studies is “man.” Furthermore, Olabode, (2009) defined social studies as the study that follows man in time (History), in exploitation of resources (economics), in leadership (government), in space (geography), in graphs (Anthropology) and in response to stimuli (psychology).
Nature of Social Studies
According to mini chambers dictionary, 5th Edition, “is the quality means what make a thing, person, animal, what it is or he is.” Therefore the nature of Social Studies is the quality that makes Social Studies what it is. What is therefore the nature of social studies?
Social studies is a corrective study, this is because it aimed at studying the man in his day to day activities within his environment because social studies teaches members to live
with the other people within the society, how to interacts, communicate with other people in the community. It also focuses on the importance of man and his environments. For example, in Nigeria there are people who are farmers, some are businessmen, some are fishermen, while some are cattle rearers, because of their different environments. Therefore man is the focus of study and his activities are studied in relation to his various environments. The new national policy on education (2004) emphasis more values on the junior secondary school programme. It made social studies as a core subject in the school curriculum. The reason for that arrangement was that in Nigeria, most of the students education stop at junior secondary school level.
For that the Universal Basic Education (2004) Arrange that, “every child or learner who has gone, through nine years of basic education should have acquired appropriate levels of literacy, numeracy, manipulative, cumulative and lifelong skills. As well as ethical, moral and civil values needed for laying a solid foundation for long learning as the basis for scientific and reflective thinking”. In this case therefore teaching quality has a significant effect on the academic performance of junior secondary school students in the study area.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter discussed the methodology of the research. It also discusses the research design employed, the population sample and sampling techniques, instrumentation and the statistical methods of data analysis.
Research Design
The design of this research was survey methods. The performance of the social studies students under this study was tested using questionnaire because of large number of the respondents.
Population of the Study
The population of this study consisted of all Junior Secondary School III Social Studies Students in Katsina State. There are a total of two hundred and seventeen (217) Junior Secondary School in Katsina State as at the time of this study. Only Junior secondary school three students were involved in this study, the population of Junior Secondary School three students was sixty eight thousand, nine hundred and forty four (68,944). The reason for choosing Junior Secondary III students in this research was because they were the best representatives of junior secondary school students. This is because they have covered more Social Studies content; they are more exposed to education generally and are more experienced than Junior Secondary I and II students (KTSMOE, 2012). This gave a figure of sixty eight thousand, nine hundred and fort four (68,944) (Katsina State Ministry of Education, 2011).
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
This chapter dealt extensively with the analysis and interpretation of the information gathered from the field. The data collected were represented in form of tabulation and percentages and t-test statistic was used in testing the hypothesis. The researcher used questionnaire in gathering information which was divided into students and teacher questions.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
The important of social studies education in all spheres of the society and its prospect on the impact of teacher quality in the teaching and learning of social studies cannot be overemphasized. Its full benefits are yet to be lapped. In addition, teacher quality has not being given its rightful position in the helm of things as far as social studies is concerned in the whole country. The society needs to come to terms with the fact that there is need for the stakeholders in education on how we can work together to achieve available teaching and learning of social studies through the recruiting qualified social studies teacher for better understanding of social studies. This chapter aimed at presenting the summary of all the major findings of this study. The conclusion drawn and the recommendations as to which steps will be taken to better situation were also given. Finally, further research indices were suggested for further research endeavours of this nature.
Summary of the Finding
The Focal point of this research was to asses teacher quality on the academic performance of the junior Secondary school students in Katsina State.
After a thorough analysis of data obtained through the questionnaire and the achievement test, which are the major instruments for this study, the researcher discovered that the teaching and learning of social studies education as a school discipline is an indispensable tools if teacher was given due considerations for the improvement of teaching and learning of social studies in Nigeria. This means that social studies as a problems solving and integrative school discipline cannot be separated from the institutionalization of an effective use of teacher qualification, teacher experiences and teachers, attendance of workshops, seminars and conferences; i.e. in-service training.
Going by this study it was quite revealing that teacher quality has great potentialities that can help in salvaging the Nigerian Society from the various ills it currently saddled with. This is because the campaign comes with the desired methods through various Medias to effectively educate and mobilize Nigerian to live peacefully with each other.
In the course of this study, the research also discovered that the teaching and learning of social studies education serves as major component of information to those occupied large area in improving the standard of living peacefully.
Conclusions
Social studies education is a pervading discipline that affects all aspects of human life. Teaching and learning of social studies education serves as an effective and efficient instrument for the enhancement of the people. It avails both social studies experts and scholars to avail themselves with relevance information thereby promoting their knowledge of uniting the ethics of the country through its teaching and learning, since these processes and procedures change from time to time.
Since the primary concern of this study is to highlight the importance of the teacher qualification and experiences in teaching and learning of social studies education on the different levels in our Junior Secondary Schools in Katsina state and to advance modalities that may enhance the taping of its full benefits for the teaching and learning system in Nigeria as a whole. Therefore the desired success to be achieved in galvanizing the advantage of incorporating the teaching and learning of social studies education into then activities of students, it is therefore becomes pertinent that the student and the society to understand the composition, structure and the socio-cultural orientation of every locality in the state as well as the country at large.
Recommendation
The above submission boils to the simple fact that, despite the shortcoming associated with the teacher, his quality, qualification and experiences over years; it can still be operatively for the achievement of its fall potentials and benefits, if appropriate steps are taken by the authorities concerned.
With the above narrated recommendations in mind therefore, the following recommendation are made. The issue of proper enlightenment and understanding of the relevant authorities which is being encouraged the social studies teachers to go for in-service training so that to boast their profession in the teaching of social studies. This is important so as to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the total transformation of the Nigerians socio-culturally, educationally and economically.
- The teacher qualities are the tools or system towards achieving its laudablegoals and objectives in teaching social studies education in Katsina state and Nigeria in general. However, through the teaching of social studies students or the society will know the importance of peaceful coexistence, the peace that will continue to marginalized the haves from the have not. The types of peace people desired, similarity and stability that will continue to breed and sustain social vices in the society
- Government should provide adequate funding for the social studies programmers and activities, and provide the necessary materials enough and qualified manpower for social studies in the state and the country in general. Give enough time and encouragement to social studies teacher in allowing them to attend conferences, seminars and workshops organized by social studies association of Nigeria and other conference organized in educational sector.
- Government should encourage the get together in an occasion where differentethnic groups gathered, interact with others in sharing ideas, discourage the tribalistic attitudes share al the responsibilities equally.
- Since social studies was recognized in the Nigeria policy of education to betaught at primary school level, Junior secondary one to three (JSS I-III) and to be taught up to tertiary level is a very good plan and it is a very great achievement but up till now the course was not recognized at Senior Secondary School (SSS) level. Therefore what remain now is to insert the subject into the Senior Secondary School level syllabus so that to be taught from primary to tertiary level of education
- Aswe all know social studies deals with man directly and study man wherever he is, social studies is a corrective subject to human society if effectively oriented ethnically, religiously or other sentiment would This will facilitate the emergence of visionary, honesty and transparence citizen.
Suggestion for further Studies
Research in the area of social studies education and teacher quality is a pervading phenomenon, even though the outcome of the research shows that general opinion on the roles of social studies in promoting effective teaching and learning of social studies in Katsina state. However if the same situation is applicable to other state of the federation, since Nigeria is currently made-up of thirty-six (36) state with different ethnic groups, different languages more especially from south west, south east and south south, it will therefore be interesting if similar studies are carried out in other state of the Federation for the purpose of assessing the effectiveness of social studies education in ensuring great concern of the teacher and his qualities in such state. Other suggested areas for further research include the followings:
Impact of teacher quality, qualification and experiences on the academic performance of junior secondary school student in Nigeria
The influence of social studies education on teacher variables in students‟ academic performance in Nigeria universities
Comparison of variables in teaching and learning of social studies in Nigeria, the role of teacher quality on the academic performance of Junior Secondary School students should be emphasized.
Impact of social studies education towards creating an avenue on teacher quality on electoral principles of the electoral empire in Nigeria
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