INNOVATIONS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS EDUCATION IN NIGERIA, Ebele C. Okigbo, Nneka R. Nnorom, Ernest O. Onwukwe [best reads .TXT] 📗

is to enable the learners to apply science process skills outside the classroom as well as inside it, then there is something wrong because outside the classroom, competition for turns is standard procedure.

 

Responses to research question two indicated that in the students’ perceptions, there was a low extent of students’ satisfaction with their biology teachers’ classroom interactions. Findings showed that the students felt worried, bored and lost in their biology classes. Many of them believe that their teacher makes them to feel like not attending biology classes; rather they feel like dropping the subject. This finding indicates that many students have negative feelings about the study of biology. The only aspect where they indicated positive feelings had to do with their learning and being confident that they would do well in biology. Consistent with this general negative attitude to the study of biology to the extent that some students copy notes in other subjects during biology classes, and would prefer that the period used in teaching other subjects. This findings deviates from those of Scott (2003) and Young (2003) who found that most secondary school students in Malaysia and Brunei respectively were highly satisfied with their science teachers’ classroom interactions.

 

In the null hypotheses, the understanding of dissatisfaction was similar for male and female students on one hand and for high and low ability students on the other hand. As Baker (2007) pointed out, unless the students perceive the teacher as initiating satisfactory classroom interactions, their interests, motivation and attainment in the major reason for this negative trend may be because of the students’ perceived unfriendly and strict classroom interaction of the biology teachers. Another reason might be because the students irrespective of gender and ability levels, having been used to admonitions from teachers, become bored and uninterested in biology lessons. One would speculate that if the biology teachers were to be less strict and admonishing, as well as more understanding and helpful, students would be expected to be more satisfied with the biology teachers’ classroom interactions.

 

 

Implications of the findings                

The findings from this study have important implications for biology teaching and learning. Such implications include that biology teachers wishing to facilitate curriculum delivery and enhance students’ satisfaction, should strive to display less scolding and strictness, as well as more helping/friendly, and understanding behaviours.

 

Another implication is that male and female students irrespective of their ability levels held poor perceptions of their biology teachers’ classroom interactions. If this trend continues in the future, these students might not learn much from biology lessons. Where students continue to be dissatisfied with their biology lessons, it would have negative effects on their learning outcomes. If biology teachers were to display leadership, helpful and understanding behaviours, a resultant positive effect on the students’ satisfaction with their biology lessons and their academic achievement would be expected.

 

Recommendations

The following recommendations are made based on the findings:

Biology teachers should apply supportive classroom interactions to stimulate students’ interest and satisfaction towards the subject.

Ministries of Education, Science teachers association of Nigeria and the state Orientation Agencies should intensify campaigns and jingles to change students’ negative feeling towards biology, help them become more satisfied with biology lessons and emphasize the value of biology.

 

 

References                                                                               

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Baker, A.F. (2007): Three decades of research on classroom life: Illuminating the classroom communication lives of America’s at risk students. Review of Research in Education, 26, 71 –83.

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PROBLEMS MILITATING AGAINST THE EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IGBO-EZE NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE.

 

Dr. Doris. I. Ugwude

&

Jennifer. C. Oluwatayo

 

 

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine problems militating against the effective teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The area of the study was Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State. Two research questions guided the study. The population consisted of all the 835 teachers and 40 head teachers in the 40 public primary schools spread across the autonomous communities giving the total population of 875. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample 120 teachers and 20 head teachers giving the total sample of 140 respondents from the 20 public primary schools. Data were collected using a 29-item questionnaire developed by the researchers and titled: “Problems Encountered in Teaching Mathematics (PETM) Questionnaire”. The instrument was face validated by two experts in Childhood Education and one in Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha Formula. A reliability of 0.78 was obtained for the entire instrument. Mean and standard deviation were used to analyze the research questions. The findings revealed that the factors affecting the teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools among others includes; Government not paying attention to what is happening in the schools, child’s home environment, pupils not grounded in mathematics and large class size. Again, the findings of this study revealed that government support through providing free textbooks for pupils, in-service training, employing a committed and competent teacher, use of effective methods of teaching and use of instructional resources among others are the possible solutions to the problems encountered in the teaching and learning of mathematics in primary schools. Based on the findings, the researchers recommended among others that teachers should increase their knowledge in the teaching and learning of mathematics through in-service training and government should provide the necessary infrastructures and facilities that will motivate teaching and learning of mathematics.

 

 

Keywords: Effective teaching, Mathematics, Teachers, Pupils

 

Introduction

The place of mathematics in the development of any nation cannot be overemphasized. Mathematics education is the bed rock of scientific and technological development in any country. According to Betiki (2001), mathematics education has been widely acclaimed to be the index of measuring any nation’s socio-economic and geo-political development. Mathematics refers to the kind of lower-level mathematical skills one may need to use daily, for instance, calculating costs and change in transactions, basic percentages, averages or company weights(Coffey, 2011). Askew, Rhodes, Brown, William and Johnson cited in Machaba (2013) regard mathematics as ability to process, communicate and interpret numerical information in a variety of contexts. Anaduaka and Okafor (2013) states that mathematics is a body of knowledge essential for the achievement of scientific and technological nation. The authors further state that the knowledge of mathematics promotes the habit of accuracy, logical, systematic and orderly arrangements of facts in the affairs of an individual.

Mathematics is of prime importance in our everyday life. It enables us to comprehend number concepts and perform calculations. According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2014), in the National Policy on Education (NPE) the objectives of primary education in Nigeria includes; inculcate permanent literacy, numeracy and ability to communicate effectively; lay a sound basis for scientific, critical and reflective thinking and provide opportunities for the child to develop life manipulative skills that will enable the child function effectively in the society within the limits of the child’s capacity among others. Government statement on the goals of primary education in the NPE included mathematics as one of the curriculum for primary education. The Policy further stated that specialist teachers shall be provided for particular subjects such as Mathematics.

Mathematics is one of the core subjects to be offered by all pupils in the school till the tertiary levels of education. This compulsory nature of mathematics carries with it the assumption that the knowledge of the subject is essential for all members of the society. According to (Harbor-Peters, 2001), majority of Nigerian school children generally dread mathematics. Most of them consider it difficult, complex and abstract. Some primary school pupils develop phobia in the teaching and learning of mathematics. They see it as a difficult subject and do not see any other need for it study. In support of the above, Okafor and Anaduaka (2013) posits that many pupils do not immediately see the use or applicability of the subject to their lives and to the world of work and so wonder why they should be troubled with the study of the subject. Also, some teachers of mathematics are either not convinced themselves or do not consider it needful to let pupils know the benefits that could be derived from the study of mathematics beyond being a necessity for entry into schools.

As important as mathematics is, it is very disappointing to note that the pupils’ performance in the subject in both internal and external examinations has remained poor. This is as a result of the method of teaching, the qualification of teachers and other resources abound that will improve learning effectiveness and promote excellence in mathematics. The National Mathematics Centre (2009) noted that poor performance in public examinations in mathematics has more to do with teachers’ method of teaching rather than the content of mathematics curriculum. Bature and Bature cited in Anaduaka and Okafor (2013) state that children who dislike mathematics have always linked their problems to the method of teaching. Collaborating, Anaduaka