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

is also a shift to “social development” within the system of education as part of a strategy to address social problems such as poverty. Another shift being made is the emphasis on the needs of what must become a technology-oriented nation. But several studies have indicated that the policy objectives set out in the past have not been achieved to date and that the general public has lost confidence in the system (Abraham, 2014).

 

There are many issues in the Nigerian education system that requires urgent attention. Several major challenges emerged over and over in the literature reviewed. Issues such as access, equity, quality education, human resource needs, problems caused mainly by inadequate financial resources, cut across all sectors of education. There are also issues that are unique to specific sub-sectors. For example, the problem of cultism is specific to higher education and the problem of subject integration in science and technology studies is specific to junior secondary level.

 

Recommendations

Both the government and the private sector should put in more resources towards developing the education sector. The educational system of the country is suffering from decades of underfunding, and is therefore necessary for the government to design a workable plan towards funding education. For example, UNESCO recommended 26% of a nations’ total budget to go to the education sector but since 1991, budgetary allocation to education has never crossed 10%. As efforts intensify to improving the current allocation, there is also need for monitoring how the funds that are currently allocated are being managed. Institutional and strategic approaches should be implored towards promoting Science Education in Nigeria. These include;

1.                 Organizing seminars, workshops and conferences for Science Education teachers for them to be acquainted with the use of science equipment, especially the recent ones.

2.                 Setting up committee on Science Education, comprising the science experts, which their major assignment is to oversee a smooth running of the discipline at the various level of education in the country.

3.                 Provision of equipment to schools in order to enhance the teaching and learning of Science Education.

4.                 Special allowances should be paid to Science Education teachers in order to boost their morale for achieving high productivity.

5.                 Setting of monitoring teams from both Federal and States Ministries of Education for continual monitoring of Science Education programmes implementation.

6.                 Provision of in-service-training for Science Education teachers which will enable them up-grade and up-date their knowledge, skills and acquired required competencies in the teaching of the subject.

7.                 Employment of more teachers in Science Education to match the outrageous number of students in Science Education.

 

 

Reference

 

Abdulahi, M.O. (2015). Government policies in relation to foundation for technological development. Journal of Nigeria Association of Teachers of Technology,10(1);12- 22.

Abraham, N.M. (2014). Some determinant factors in policy formulating and execution in school administration. Journal of Education in Developing Area, 13,107 – 113.

Alebiosu, K. A. and Ifamuyiwa, S. A. (2008).Perspective in provisions for science and technology education in Nigeria: The way forward.

Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004).National Policy on Education. Lagos: NERDC Press.

Gardner, P. L. (1994). An international summary of research findings on students’ interest in science and technology. Paper presented to the 12thinternational symposium, I.M. University of KEL.

Imhanlahimi, E. O. (1993). Science and technology education and national development. Nigeria Journal of Curriculum and Instruction, 7 (1); 65-70.

Kola, A. J. (2003).Importance of science education to national development. American Journal of Educational Research, 1(7); 225-229.

Mameke, C. O. (2007). Effects of the learning cycle and expository instructional approaches on students’ learning outcome in secondary Biology. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, University of Benin, Benin.

Mckeonth, R. (2002). Environment, society, economy education for sustainable development Tookitversio ttp:..wwww.esdtoolkit.org (accessed July 4, 2016)

Naomi, O. (1995). Towards an integrated view of human rights. Hunger Teach net, 6(3);6-7.

Ololube, N. P. (2006a). Appraising the relationship between ICT usage and integration and the standard of teacher education programs in a developing economy, International Journal of Education and Development Using ICT, 2(3); 70-85.

Ololube, N. P.(2006b). The impact of professional and non-professional teachers’ ICT competencies in secondary schools in Nigeria, Journal of Information Technology Impact, 6(2); 101-118.

Ololube,N. P. (2013). Evaluating the usage and integration of ITs and ISs in teacher education programs in a sprouting nation.Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 4(16); 63-72.

Rogan, J. M. (2003) Curriculum implementation with particular reference to science education in developing countries. International Journal of Science Education, 25(10); 1171-1204.

Tolu, L. & Abe, D. (2011). National development in Nigeria: Issues, challenges and prospects. Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research,3(9); 237-241.

Wilcocks, A.B. (2013). Technology growth and social changes achieving Modernization. London: Kegan Publishers.

World Bank Completion Report (1997). Nigeria – Federal universities development sector. Information from the World Bank Website on January 11, 2000.

 

 

IMPROVING THE EMPLOYABILITY SKILL OF CHEMISTRY GRADUATES USING LEARNER-CENTRED INSTRUCTION APPROACH

 

Chidebe C. Uwaleke

Prof. Josephine N. Okoli

&

Oluchi Esther-Jane Uwaleke

 

Abstract

 

Acquisition of employability skills by chemistry graduates is more important than the grades they acquire in their certificate. The acquisition of employability skills by chemistry graduates does not manifest without a process. This process starts from the foundation given to them by their lecturers which has to do with promoting of quality teaching and learning. The teaching and learning process that will improve the employability skill of graduates has become a global issue of great concern in the education sector. Although this problem has been properly addressed by developed countries of the world, it has however remained a great challenge to Nigerian education sector, resulting from teachers/lecturers continuous use of teachers centered instruction approach (TCIA) which sees students as passive receiver of knowledge, instead of learner centered instruction approach (LCIA) that gives students/learners the opportunity to be active and acquire the requisite employability skills during teaching and learning. This necessitates the demand for chemistry lecturers’ in Nigerian higher institutions to always adopt LCIA during teaching and learning process, which enhances learners’ active participation and helps to inculcate in them employability skills they will need to become employable upon graduation. However it is sad to note that some higher institutions in Nigeria seems not to be improving the employability skills of their chemistry graduates do to none compliance with the adoption of LCIA by their teachers/lecturers. Hence this paper examined the way of improving the employability skill of chemistry graduates using LCIA. Drawing upon the debate in the literature, this paper argues that tertiary institution is the highest educational institution in Nigeria, saddled with the responsibility of inculcating its citizens the requisite skills that will make them employable. Improving the employability skill of chemistry graduates using learner-centred instruction approach is very significant. LCIA is a better approach to use towards developing necessary competence for employability, especially for Chemistry learners/graduates. It is observed that if the tertiary institutions in Nigeria are encouraged with the necessary resources for the effective application and implementation of LCIA, our graduates will be better fortified and equipped to be self-reliant and employers of labor without waiting for the government or private organizations to provide them with a job. Recommendations were made. Amongst the recommendations is that, conscientiously the teacher must of necessity provide enabling environment and other resources necessary for implementation of LCIA. Also entrepreneurial/activity-oriented lessons should be embarked upon by chemistry lecturers so as to fully engage their students in a bid to maximally explore their potentials thereby enhancing their employability skills.

 

Keywords: Employability skill, chemistry graduates, learner centered, instruction approach

Introduction

The number of candidates seeking to study chemistry in Nigerian tertiary institutions has been on increase for some years now. This is as a result of the fact that chemistry has become a worthwhile area of interest, and because the major source of Nigerians revenue is from manufacturing and production industries, oil and gas, health, agriculture, information and communication technology, petroleum and petrochemical products which requires some good knowledge of chemistry, hence offering great chances for employment. Irrespective of the value of chemistry in Nigeria as a developing nation, in recent time, chemistry education has failed to develop graduates for fruitful professions worldwide. Consequently, employers have pleaded with all the institutions of learning especially tertiary institutions to put in their best by ensuring that they inculcate their learners with the requisite skills that will make them function effectively in work place.

Tertiary institutions need to help students acquire skills that go beyond technical competence in their discipline, especially now that the demands of globalization are intense. Learner-centred instruction approach (LCIA)is a groundbreaking approach aimed at making the learner to be actively involved in the teaching and learning process. LCIA is a teaching and learning approach that inhibits the learner from being only a note taker during teaching and learning process. Using this approach, learners are motivated to learn and no longer remain passive during the teaching process in a flexible learning environment that actively engages them.

The teachers job when LCIA is involved is only to organize and offer learners with some innovative knowledge that will give them the understanding to rearrange, predict, manipulate object, pose questions, research, investigate, imagine and even get to the solution of problems themselves. By bringing preceding ideas and knowledge to present tasks, learners acquire cognitive and none technical skills such as critical thinking, appraisal, communication, negotiation, teamwork, interpersonal, as well as problem solving skills. Graduates of chemistry need to acquire these skills to meet with the complex demands of the innovative and technological advancement existing within our society and globally. Thus, this chapter discusses, among other things, skill, employability skills, the need for employability skills in chemistry education, the meaning of learner centered instruction approach and its benefits and challenges of using LCIA in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Skill

Skill is the capacity to do something well. It is defined as an ability to perform an activity in a competent manner. Skill is the ability to carry out a task with determined result often within a given period of time, energy, or both. It is an ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills). Egolum, Njelita and Ezeokeke (2014) described skill as the ability to use one’s knowledge effectively, dexterity or coordination especially in the execution of learned physical tasks, a learned power of doing something competently. Skills are usually acquired or learned, as opposed to ability, which are often thought of innate. Therefore skill is the expertise or talent to do a job or task. Skill according to Okeke (2015) is an ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carry out complex activities or job functions involving ideas.

Skill as defined by Hornby (2010) is the competency and ability to do something well. It is also the ability needed by someone or group of people to perform a task practically. Skill can also be described as the ability to do an activity or job well, especially if you have practiced it. There are many kinds of skills which include: communication, manipulative, analytical, ability to work under pressure, decision making, time management, self-motivation, conflict resolution, leadership and adaptability. All these skills can be useful for job/employment, life and personal skills. This paper focused on employability skill.

Employability Skill

Employability skills are those transferable skills needed by an individual to make them employable. Along with good technical understanding and subject knowledge, employers often outline a set of skills they want from an employee. They are the skills or soft skills; they are the key to the success of any workplace. It is a group of essential abilities that involve the development of a knowledge base, expertise level and mindset that is increasingly necessary for success in modern workplace (Eison, 2010). Employability skills are typically considered essential qualifications for many job positions and hence have become necessary for an individual’s employment success at just about any level within a business environment.

 

Employers are often looking for skills that go beyond qualifications and experience. Your education and experience may make you eligible to apply for a job but, to be successful in most roles; you will need skills that you are likely