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

the respondents whose score ranged between 8 and 24.5 indicated that poor attitude/habits is not a marital dysfunction risk factor of the public servants.

 

Discussion

The result of the study revealed that greater number of public servants in tertiary educational and health institutions have lack of intimacy as marital dysfunction risk factor. This implies that many of the spouses have low intimate relationship in their marriage. This could be as a result of not coming home from their work place, not caring for each other and not having sexual intercourse as well as not spending time together among others. The implication of low intimacy in marriage is that dysfunction exists and this can manifest as divorce or other forms of separation. In marriage, love, care and trust are the keywords in preventing dysfunction and promoting stability. This finding is in line with the findings of Arowolo (2014) who revealed that there is a relationship between sexual satisfaction and marital stability. The result also supported the findings of Umezulike and Olagoke (2014), Ogundokum and Olaranti (2014) who portrayed that communication gap, lack of love and incompatibility between couples are among the major factors that threaten family security.

 

The study also indicated that large number of married public servants have poor attitude or poor habits as marital dysfunction risk factors. This means that a great number of public servants have some poor habits which affect their marriage. some of such undesirable attitudes which spouses form that could affect their marriage adversely include such things as taking much alcohol, preference to eating outside, inability to control emotions, frequent nagging, going to native doctors to make charms or juju etc. These habits could affect the marriage negatively and bring in dysfunction in the marriage. This finding is in line with that of Meyer (2011) who revealed that undesirable and poor habits are among the variable that contribute to marital dysfunction risk factors.

 

From the result obtained it is obvious that public servants in Anambra State, lack intimacy in their marriage they also form some attitude that negatively affect their marriage.The implications is that something must be done less their marriage will collapse.

 

Implications

The finding of the study which determined level of intimacy and attitude/habit as a marital dysfunction risk factor among public servants in Anambra State have implications for families in general and public servants in particular. Some of the implications include the following.

 

The high level of lack of intimacy and poor attitude existing in homes of married public servants in Anambra State suggest that instability is real in their marriage. Where spouses have no intimacy, doing things for their own selfish interest, everyone on his/her own way. Where irresponsibility is high i.e. spouses are not playing their role to each other. There is danger either that the family will break off in due cause or that there will be cold war and this will affect the children and the family. Where there is no intimacy in the homes, the performance of all the spouses in their offices will be adversely affected due to poor concentration, negative thoughts and feelings among others, the children would be neglected and this might cause them to become deviants. Spouses could develop all kinds of psychosomatic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcer, depression etc. In some cases, some may even abandon their family without any communication of his or her where about.  

 

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, public servants in Anambra State experience low intimacy and poor attitude/habit in their marriages  

 

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, these recommendations were made,

Marriage counsellors should carry out enlightenment programmes for public servants in particular through radio, television talks and panel discussion by experts to educate these public servants on the dimension of dysfunctional risk factors that threaten their marriage cohesion and stability, this should be addressed urgently by learning and using appropriate adjustment strategies so as to curtail dysfunction in their marriage.  

Marriage counsellors should also organize workshop where they can help public servants understand the adverse consequences which marital dysfunctional behaviours such as poor attitude and lack of intimacy among couples generates for children and society at large.  

Other stakeholders in education as well as in the life of citizens such as the church, the government and media can all be involved in this campaign against dysfunction and instilled supports to the school through parents’ teachers’ association meetings to educate parents on the importance of preventing dysfunctional attitude amongst spouses and the use of appropriate adjustment strategies at least for the sake of the children, the future generation.

 

References

Agha, N. E. & Obika, J. A. (2007). Marital stability as perceived by educated spouses in Onistah Urban in Anambra State. Unpublished undergraduate project, Department of Educational Foundations, University of Nigeria, Nuskka.

Akuezuilo, J. A. (2018). Marital dysfunction, risk factors and adjustment strategies among public servants in Anambra State. Unpublished dissertation, Department of Guidance and Counselling, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Charlin, R. (2005). American marriage in early twenty-first century. The Future of Children, 15(2); 33 – 35.

Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN (2011). The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with Amendment 2011. Retrieved April, 2017.

George, I. N. (2002). Marital role adjustment and satisfaction among Ibibio workers in Akwa Ibom State.Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,Faculty of Education, University of Calabar.

Ibe, U. O. & Obidoa, M. A. & Uzoechina, G. O. (2013). Marital disharmony: Causes and resolution strategies among couples in Enugu State. Research on Humanities Social Sciences. Retrieved from www.iiste.org.

Iffih & Ezeah (2004). Sociology of the family. John and Jocob Classic Publishers Limited: Enugu Nigeria.

Odemelam, A., Chima, I, Justin, J., Ikpeazu, V. & Igboanusi, V. (2003). Reviewing the Joy of Marriage. Owerri: Joe Nwankpa Publisher.

Onwuasonya, P. N. & Okeke, N. U. (2004). Family counselling for management skills and marital stability among literate couples in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Conference Proceedings for 34th Annual National Conference of the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) 42-48.

Orji, C. C. (2013). Family instability: Causes and consequences. Doublegist.com. Retrieved Sept 2015.

 

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE UNDERGRADUATE SCIENCE STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE IMPACT OF MATHEMATICS TO NATIONAL SECURITY

 

Chika Cordelia Menkiti

&

Philomina Onwuka

 

 

Abstract

This study investigated the perceptions of 94 undergraduate science students of Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe Anambra State about the impact of mathematics on national security. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The sampling was purposive from volunteer science education students in 100 to 300 levels offering any of biology, physics, chemistry, integrated science or computer science as their area of specialization. Three research questions guided this study .A four –point scale researcher- designed 20 itemed questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. The questionnaire was classified based on four dimensions of national security thus: political security, economic and financial security, computer security and food security. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions .The instrument was validated by three (3) science educators in Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe and its reliability established using splits half reliability coefficient of 0.96.A face-to-face mode of administration was adopted. It was perceived that mathematics have impacted the national security greatly; gender and area of specialization have no influence on the perception of the sampled students on impact of mathematics on national security. It was recommended, that the mathematics teachers should be equipped with the innovative training skills required to present mathematics as real life learning and not an abstract learning so that phobia and anxiety will be eradicated in the learners.

Keywords: Mathematics, National Security, Undergraduate College Students

 

Introduction

Mathematics is described as the language of science and technology (Ugbebor, 2009). It is also an effective tool for solving crime and security problems (Otunu-Ogbisi & Ukpebor, 2009). Farrer (2002) emphasized the need for critical skills in mathematics, engineering, information and communication technology to enable the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) United States (U.S) to  exploit digital evidence and the technologies thatcollect, convey or process digital information about the nations security. Also in the state of the union address held in 2006 by the former U.S President Bush, stressed the importance of mathematics education as the foundation of the natural sciences and a tool for tackling the national security problems in the U.S. To this end, he proposed the following for the U.S:

training of 70,000 high school teachers to lead advanced placement courses in mathematics and sciences

bringing of 30000 mathematics and science professionals to teach in classrooms ,and give early help to students who struggle with mathematics it is no coincidence ,that Sir Isaac Newton ,the man who formulated the law of gravitational attraction that revolutionized our understanding of the universe ,was also the man who popularized the calculus. And the natural sciences ,however pure ,are what give us airplanes, cable TV and the Internet (https://cisac.fsi.stanford.edu)

According to Chronicle (2006) in his work: mathematics education a matter of national security, opined that, to achieve national security there is need to equip the citizens with basic mathematical skills. Basic mathematics skills are defined as those skills that the majority of high school graduates would be able to perform successful after exposure to the typical mathematics curriculum (Trombley & Weiss in Charles –Ogan,2014). They went further to remarked that mathematical skills is a multi-faceted construct that in general, reflects the ability to do quantitative thinking, or more specifically, be able to discover, manipulate and evaluate relationships.  According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics NCTM (2011), basic skills of mathematics must not be limited to routine computation at the expense of understanding, application and problem solving.  The council through the help of National Council of Mathematics Supervisors (NCMS) developed ten basic skills of mathematics, they are:

 1. Problem solving: The principal reason for studying mathematics; posing questions, analyzing, translating and illustrating results, drawing diagrams, using trials and error, applying rules of logic, recognizing relevant facts and subjecting conclusion to scrutiny.

 2. Apply-mathematics to everyday situation: Inter-related with all computational activities. Use everyday situations, translate them into mathematics expressions, solve and interpret results in the light of initial situation.

3. Alertness to reasonableness of result-calculating devices in society makes this skill essential.

4.                Estimation and approximation: Technique for estimating quantity, length, distance, weight, etc; know when result is précised enough for purpose at hand.

5.                 Appreciate computational skills: Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with the whole numbers,  decimals and simple fractions; complicated computations will usually be done with a calculator. Knowledge of simple digit number facts and mental arithmetic; use of percents should be developed and maintained.

6.                 Geometry-concepts of points, line plane, parallel, perpendicular, basic properties of simple geometric figure with emphasis on measurement on problem solving; recognize similarities and differences among objects.

 7. Measurement: Minimally; measure distance, weight, time capacity, temperature and angles; calculate simple areas, volumes; use both metric and customary system with appropriate tools.

 8. Reading, interpreting and constructing tables, charts and graphs: Considering information into manageable/meaningful terms and use conclusion with simple tables, maps, charts and graphs.

9.  Using mathematics to predict: Elementary notions of probability to determine likelihood of future events and identify immediate past experience that does not affect the likelihood of future events: use mathematics to help make predictions.

10. Computer literacy: Understanding what computer can/cannot do

 

The concept of national security was developed mostly in the United States after world war

 

11. Initially it focused on military might, now encompasses a broad range of facets, all of which impinges on the non –military or economic security of the nation and the values espoused by the national society (Isiaka, 2005)

 

National security simply means the safety of a nation against threats such as terrorism, war or espionage. The most important role of the federal government is protecting the citizens from national security threat. The main threats to national security are terrorism, espionage, cyber threat and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. No wonder McNamara in Isiaka (2005), opined that

                                                “In a modernizing society Security means development,

security is not military force though it may involves it,

security is not traditional military activity, though it

may encompass