The Problems of Teaching Practical Biology in Senior Secondary Schools in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area Enugu State (a Case Study of Ss III Students)
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
Based on the background and problems of this study, the main purpose underlying the project is to investigate the problem at teaching biology practical in senior secondary schools (SSIII) In Igbo Etiti local government area in Enugu state. The study specifically seeks to determine the problems of teaching practical biology in senior secondary in Igbo Etiti local government area, of Enugu state. We believe that the result of the research will be of significance with the current reforms in biology education.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The literature review for this study is carried out and presented under the following sub-headings; biology practical and effective teaching, Biology practicals, effective of gender on biology practicals and effect of Environment in students achievement in practical Biology. The review is based on the work other researchers had done in relation to he topic.
BIOLOGY PRACTICALS
As defined by Opuh (2008), Biology practical is the scientific study of the life and structure of plants and animals and their relative environment sin real or experimental set-up, rather than dwelling on theory and ideas. UNESCO (2005), stated that in making observations, proposing hypotheses, designing and carrying out their own experiments, students are most likely to learn abut the nature of science. Similarly, Onah, (2002), believed that if the progress of experimental science has demonstrated anything, it is that there is nothing better than genuine knowledge and fruitful understanding. This is the lesson of the laboratory and the lesson which all educators have to learn. A Chinese proverb was cited in Emmanuela and Eze (2007) as fomous and Adape states that what we hear, we forget; what we see, we remember; what we take part in doing, we understand. Exploring further, they said that in biology practical or lesson, students have to take part in doing and on the course of doing (practicals) students learn more. Lunette (2008), explained that the laboratory has been given a central distinct role in science education, and science educators have suggested that there are rich benefits in learning, using laboratory activities.
UNESCO (2005) reported that;
Conducting set experiments, building models or undertaking other practical task provide opportunities for developing many of the Essential learning which include; understanding and appreciating the need to change on the basic of new evidence, discovering new knowledge from work in the present which can be applied inbuilding new scenarious; transferring knowledge and understanding to new situation; contributing to creation of a culture of learning in a community; working effectively as a member of a team to achieve individual and shared goal etc.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODLOLOGY/METHOD
INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the design of the study area of this study, population of the study, sample and sampling techniques, instrument for data collection, validation of the instrument and method of data analysis.
DESIGN OF THE STUDY
This type of study is a Quasi experimental research, (2004). Advance and Okolo, 2008. This is because the study describes the effect of identified variables on the samples’ academic achievement, as determined by the statistics of the test scores.
AREA OF STUDY
This study was carried out in Igbo Etiti local Government Area, Enugu sate. Igbo Etiti Local Government Area is in Enugu East Senatorial District of Enugu State, Nigeria. The area is predominantly rural settlement with few urban communities in the area, as stated earlier in chapter two (2) of this study.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this study consisted SSIII Biology students in all government owned senior secondary school in Igbo Etiti local government area of Enugu state. SSIII students was chosen because the contents of its scheme of work entail a lot of practical works. Also, they represent the intermediate between the entry and terminal point of senior secondary school system in Nigeria. The populating included both the staff and students in the area.
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter is concerned with the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data collected.
The x (mean) was obtained by multiplying he frequency (f) by the assigned scones (x) and divided by the total number of samples selected from the population.
Table I: Indicate that the respondents agreed with items 1 and 4, the respondents disagreed with 2,3,and 5 with the respective means of 3.2, 1.7, 2-1, 3-2, and 2.1. items 1 and 4 has the equal highest means of 3-2 and items 3 and 5 has equal lower means of 2-1 and item 2 have 1-7 as mean.
In Igbo Etiti local government area senior secondary schools according to the table shows that the females students dislike biology practical while the males are more reliable in the biology practicals.
CHAPTER FIVE
FINDINGS, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
FINDINGS:
- Inadequate equipments in the senior secondary schools was observed to be a filtrating against the growth and development of biology practicals in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area.
- Based on our findings, it was equally seen that due to lack of early exposure of students to biology practicals, some of them shy away from biology practicals without actually knowing the importance and value of it.
- Another limited problems which was observed is poor funds in secondary schools in Igbo Etiti Local Government Area in biology practicals has been affecting the academic performance in Biology practical.
- We observed that the biology students in the urban senior secondary schools are performing more better than the rural once due to the maximum supports given by the government.
- It was equally observed that the teachers carry male students along during the practical than the female students.
- Lastly but not the list, we observed that majority of the biology teachers are so lazy to carry their students along often and on Biology practicals.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIOIN
The researchers in this study have carryout a study on the problems of teaching Biology practicals in senior secondary schools (SSIII) in Igbo Etiti, Local Government Area of Enugu state was taken as a course of study and data were collected from the various five secondary schools, their students and also their teachers.
The Data were analyzed and findings were in line with the main purpose of the study. And, it was observed that the problems of teaching Biology practicals which occupied a greater portion on every science schools even in the tertiary level.
From the findings on this study it is equally observed that the Biology practicals will encourage the students and even the staffs in order to guarantee a self-reliant and better scientific otherwise.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations have being made;
- There should be students re-orientation on the importance and value of Biology practicals in the schools.
- There should be workshop both the students and the teachers whereby may be going for practicing the practicals.
- The government should make effort in order for them to employ well-trained teachers that will lead students on how to carry-out practical work in the laboratory.
- Government should improve the laboratory by providing those equipments necessary for practical work.
- They should also build a good laboratory that will accommodate the number of the students that participating in the practical work.
- Teachers should make out time to ensure that practical work is done according to how it suppose to be.
REFERENCES
- Abugu E.C. (2008)Research Methodology, Law Publishers, Enugu- Nigeria.
- Abugu E.C. (2009), Penultimate Biology Methods CH – N – CHI PUBLISHERS LTD, Enugu, Nigeria
- Agu Okogbuo .O. (2002), Teacher Education in Nigeria – HRV Publisher, Enugu, Nigeria.
- Ajaelu in Opuh et al (2008) Expressed the view that a Science Teachers should possess a Good Professional Training and Biology Teachers are not Exceptions.
- Attan .J. Rob .R. and Jonathan .W. (2000) Practical skills in Biology-longman limited. England.
- Chukwu C.N. (2000), Comparative study of male and female performance in senior secondary day school examination in Enugu Education zone. B. Sc thesis; Enugu state University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
- Cunningham S.C., Mc Near –B, Pearlman R.S and Learn S.E. (2006), An Toqurry based Laboratory Exercise with vitual Adaptation CBE-Life Science Education, Vol. 5, 281-286.
- Emmanuel .P. and Eze .P. (2007) An investigation to the qualification of Biology laboratory assists and its effect on their performance in laboratory work in our secondary school to 1st –Uzo Local Government Area, Enugu State HCE thesis, Federal College of education (FCE) Eha –Amufu.
- Herzog H.A. (2007), Gender differences to Human animal Interactions: Antherozoous, 20 (1) 7-21.
- Hofstein .A. and Lunette .V. (2003), The Laboratory to Science Education. Foundation for the twenty-first century Science Education, 88 (1) 28-54.
