ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOME METHODS OF TEACHING TECHNICAL EDUCATION COURSES ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Technical Education is designed to give training and impart the necessary skills to individuals who shall be self-reliant economically. Trainees completing the Programme in Technical Colleges are expected to secure employment either at the end of the whole course or after completing one or more modules of employable skill. Okoro and Kazeem (2006) opined that Technical Education is that aspect of education which utilises scientific knowledge in the acquisition of practical and applied skills for solving technical problems. Okoro (1993) further maintained that the primary purpose of Technical Education is to prepare persons for gainful employment in a recognised occupation. Education is a light that shows the mankind the right direction to surge. If education fails to inculcate self-discipline and commitment to achieve in the minds of student, it is not their fault. We have to convert education into a sport and learning process has to generate interest in the students and motivate them to stay back in the institution than to run away from it. Education should become a fun and thrill to them rather than burden and boredom. It is an integral part of their growth and helps them become good citizens. Technical Education courses provide students with necessary skills to be self-reliant economically. It is expected as well that they should be able to set up their own business and become self-employed and be able to employ others (FRN, 2004). To fully achieve the foregoing objectives, effective teaching of Electrical Installation could help to furnish the students with saleable skills and competencies to be self-reliant and thus reduce unemployment in the country by opening up self-employment ventures. The teaching and learning of the courses should furnish the students with saleable skills and competencies to enhance their development of self-reliant initiatives.
Research Major Findings from the 2000 NAEP have shown that students’ academic performance is persistently on the decline due to many factors such as teacher factors, student variables and school or environmental factors. Among the school related factors are physical environment, curriculum and teaching methods employed by the teacher in communicating learning experience to the learners (Okoye, 1996). The poor performance of students may be attributed to poor instructional strategies. These teaching problems have led to very vigorous search for appropriate instructional strategies that would best be used to achieve the aims of Technical Education, thereby improving achievement and skills acquisition.
Teaching is the art of unleashing the potentials that are inherent in the recipient, so as to draw out knowledge from the student (Fletcher et al.’s 2012). The ability to do this involves making a choice of the most appropriate pedagogical strategy that would ensure optimal assimilation of the instructive materials from the giver. Studies have of course shown that the degree of assimilation of students correlates to the method of instruction (Rowe et al. 2012). Though two main approaches to teaching; the teacher - centred and student - centred have dominated interaction in classrooms and captures the various methods that students can learn, the important decimal in whatever method of passing knowledge is assimilation by the recipient (Moodie and Curtin, 2010). Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by the majority students is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective teaching methods by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011). Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching methods indicates that the quality of teaching is often reflected by the achievements of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be effective, Adunola (2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered. Instructional strategies are decisions about organising people, materials and ideas to provide learning (Nwachukwu, 2005). Instructional strategies encompass both decisions about instructional goals and the means of achieving those goals with particular students. A collaborative approach to learning between learners and teachers, including an open dialogue to help facilitate independent thinking; learner involvement in setting targets; and ‘teachers drawing on the strengths of learners and treating them fairly (Moodie and Curtin, 2010)’ (Black and Yasukawa, 2013.) Teaching method refers to the ways and means which a teacher adopts to guide the students through teaching and learning activities in order to accomplish the desired goal. (Akinsende, 1998).
There are many teaching methods and techniques available to the teacher. These methods and techniques are designed for communicating with students. Effective teaching and learning takes place when the teacher knows which method or technique to use in a particular situation to meet specific goals. The choice of a method of teaching has multiplied greatly in recent time. The need for vocational and technical education teachers to be motivational in their teaching method cannot be overemphasized; hence the teacher is aware that students come on teaching and learning situation with different traits (Umunadi, 2008). In developing teaching methods and techniques, teachers are faced with the task of placing the students in an educational setting tailored to the students learning. The setting in which services are rendered has a strong influence on the students and teachers.
Some researchers observed that most teachers apply the conventional method of teaching. In this method of teaching mentioned above, most of the students struggle to identify and actually understand the instructional method and technique in different perceptions. In order to address the concept and misconceptions in definition of appropriate teaching methods used by the teachers that can lead to better understanding of the topic and performance of students in the tertiary institution, the researcher has selected two frequently used teaching methods used by vocational and technical education teaches in tertiary institutions. The selected teaching methods are individualized instruction and field trips.
Demonstration teaching strategy links explanation with practice. It is a method of teaching concepts, principles or real things by combining explanation with handling or manipulation of real things, equipment or materials. Ogwo and Oranu (2006) affirmed that demonstration strategy is the most widely used instructional method for the acquisition of practical skills as it involves verbal and practical illustrations of a given procedure. This method is seen to be highly effective because it involves active participation of the students. Research findings by Bayim (2004) on instructional strategies for the teaching of integrated science in tertiary institutions revealed that the performance of students taught with demonstration method was better than those students taught with lecture method. Besides, research findings by Udom (2008) on the effects of teaching strategies on students’ skill acquisition showed that there was a significant difference between the effects of demonstration and lecture instructional strategies on students’ skill acquisition in goat husbandry.
Lecture is a traditional method of teaching which is referred to as the “talk and chalk”. Lecture method involves a verbal presentation of ideas, concepts, generalisations and facts. The practice in this method is that of spoon-feeding the learners with information or facts. The students as learners remain passive and receive information from their teacher (Umoren, 2001). Ekpo (1998) opined that lecture method of teaching should be deemphasised if students are to be properly taught.
Inquiry is a process in which learners use scientific means to investigate and arrive at generalizations (Ikpe, 2005). Inquiry approach results in appropriate cognitive and affective learning simultaneously (Ugwuanyi 1998). He stated further that the inquiry is a successful experience that reinforces appropriate attitude and value. Inquiry learning provides opportunities for students to experience and acquire processes through which they can gather information about the world (Saskatchewan Education, 2009).
Effective teaching requires that the teacher must be skilful in the selection and utilisation of appropriate teaching methods. There is no one best approach to instruction. Teaching effectively demands that the teacher must possess some basic ability to organise, co-ordinate and utilise personal qualities, objectives and competency in lesson preparation, presentation and evaluation. In addition, he must be able to motivate the learners, use appropriate method and facilities in and around the class to promote and enhance efficiency and effectiveness in instructions. Some researchers recommend eclectic method (combination of methods). Competent and experienced teachers are needed to teach courses as a subject in Technical Education. In view of the problem of selection and utilisation of instructional strategies for effective teaching of Technical Education courses in Higher Institutions, this study became necessary. It is expected to fill the gap of determining the effects of instructional strategies on students’ academic performance in Technical Education courses in Higher Institutions and thus make appropriate recommendations on better strategies for teaching it courses.
The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centred methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative to student-centred methods. (Hightower et al., 2011), until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student learning have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research.
Teaching method comprises of the principles and methods used for instructions to be implemented by teachers to achieve a desired learning in students. These are strategies designed to determine partly on the subject matter to be taught and partly by nature of the learner. According to Saskatchewan Education (2002), Instructional skills are the most specific category of teaching behaviours. They are necessary for procedural purposes and for structuring appropriate learning experiences for students. These include such techniques as questioning, discussion, directing giving, explaining and demonstrating. Hence, students learn by doing, making writing designing, creating and solving (Davis, 2003). For a particular teaching method to be appropriate and efficient it has to be in relation with the characteristics of the learner and the type of learning it is supplied to bring about. The design and solution of teaching methods must take into account not only the nature of the subject matter, but also how students learn.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Most students graduate from Technical Education Programme without acquiring the required manipulative and theoretical competencies needed to enable them become self-employed and self-reliant. These students inability to have understood most of the theories and principles of Technical Education led to their poor achievement at the end of the programme in school. The wide spread of low level performances in Technical Education courses have largely been attributed to teaching problem.
When the students cannot easily follow the instructions, the lessons become boring and engender negative attitude and low interest to the students towards the course being taught. This eventually results in low academic performance by the students. It was noted that difference in the performance of students has been attributed to teachers’ methods of lesson presentation Udom (2008).
If Teaching Method in Technical Education is well articulated and delivered, the students’ understanding and performances will become enhanced. Against the background of Ineffective Teaching Methods being used in teaching Technical Education courses which results in low achievement by students, what instructional strategies need be employed to improve learning outcomes in courses taught in Technical Education programme.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The major objective of this study is to determine the
1. Significant impact of teaching methods on Students’ Academic Performance in Technical Education.
2. To ascertain how appropriate teaching method can have effect on Students Academic Performance.
3. To carefully compare Demonstration method of teaching and Inquiry based learning effect on Students Academic Performance.
1.4 Research Questions
1. Does Teaching Method have significant impact on Students Academic Performance?
2. Does appropriate Teaching Method have any positive effect on Students Academic Performance?
3. Do the comparison of Demonstration Method of Teaching and Inquiry Based Learning have significant effect on Students Academic Performance?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to the teachers in that they will be able to select appropriate instructional strategies and materials to suit different lessons for effective teaching of Technical Education Courses in Higher institutions. The teachers and the students will realize that the understanding of lessons in Electrical Installation can be highly improved through demonstrations and class activities rather than the talk and chalk approach.
1.6 Limitations
1. This study is limited to the following institutions. Department of Vocational and Technical Education in Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba (AAUA).
2. Limited based on non availability of sufficient materials to be used.
3. Considerations of the cost of materials to be used.
1.7 Definition of Terms
1. Teaching: - it is the act bringing a fundamental change in the learner through knowledge transmission.
2. Method:- this is said to be an acting technique introduced in way of doing things in a systematic way
3. Teaching Method: - this is the technique or principle and methods of facilitating the process of knowledge transmission.
4. Performance: - An observable and measureable behaviour of a person in a particular situation. Also it can be the act of doing something successfully using knowledge as distinguished from merely possessing it.
5. Academic: - This relates to school, colleges, and universities connected with studying and thinking, not only practical skills but theoretical.
6. Academic Performance: - The measurable or successful result of an individual in a learning institution.
7. Student: - A learner enrolled in an educational institution.
8. Teacher: - A person whose occupation is to transfer knowledge.
9. Technical Education: - A programme designed to give training and impart necessary skills to individuals who shall be self-reliant economically.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Technical Education is designed to give training and impart the necessary skills to individuals who shall be self-reliant economically. Trainees completing the Programme in Technical Colleges are expected to secure employment either at the end of the whole course or after completing one or more modules of employable skill. Okoro and Kazeem (2006) opined that Technical Education is that aspect of education which utilises scientific knowledge in the acquisition of practical and applied skills for solving technical problems. Okoro (1993) further maintained that the primary purpose of Technical Education is to prepare persons for gainful employment in a recognised occupation. Education is a light that shows the mankind the right direction to surge. If education fails to inculcate self-discipline and commitment to achieve in the minds of student, it is not their fault. We have to convert education into a sport and learning process has to generate interest in the students and motivate them to stay back in the institution than to run away from it. Education should become a fun and thrill to them rather than burden and boredom. It is an integral part of their growth and helps them become good citizens. Technical Education courses provide students with necessary skills to be self-reliant economically. It is expected as well that they should be able to set up their own business and become self-employed and be able to employ others (FRN, 2004). To fully achieve the foregoing objectives, effective teaching of Electrical Installation could help to furnish the students with saleable skills and competencies to be self-reliant and thus reduce unemployment in the country by opening up self-employment ventures. The teaching and learning of the courses should furnish the students with saleable skills and competencies to enhance their development of self-reliant initiatives.
Research Major Findings from the 2000 NAEP have shown that students’ academic performance is persistently on the decline due to many factors such as teacher factors, student variables and school or environmental factors. Among the school related factors are physical environment, curriculum and teaching methods employed by the teacher in communicating learning experience to the learners (Okoye, 1996). The poor performance of students may be attributed to poor instructional strategies. These teaching problems have led to very vigorous search for appropriate instructional strategies that would best be used to achieve the aims of Technical Education, thereby improving achievement and skills acquisition.
Teaching is the art of unleashing the potentials that are inherent in the recipient, so as to draw out knowledge from the student (Fletcher et al.’s 2012). The ability to do this involves making a choice of the most appropriate pedagogical strategy that would ensure optimal assimilation of the instructive materials from the giver. Studies have of course shown that the degree of assimilation of students correlates to the method of instruction (Rowe et al. 2012). Though two main approaches to teaching; the teacher - centred and student - centred have dominated interaction in classrooms and captures the various methods that students can learn, the important decimal in whatever method of passing knowledge is assimilation by the recipient (Moodie and Curtin, 2010). Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by the majority students is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective teaching methods by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011). Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching methods indicates that the quality of teaching is often reflected by the achievements of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be effective, Adunola (2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered. Instructional strategies are decisions about organising people, materials and ideas to provide learning (Nwachukwu, 2005). Instructional strategies encompass both decisions about instructional goals and the means of achieving those goals with particular students. A collaborative approach to learning between learners and teachers, including an open dialogue to help facilitate independent thinking; learner involvement in setting targets; and ‘teachers drawing on the strengths of learners and treating them fairly (Moodie and Curtin, 2010)’ (Black and Yasukawa, 2013.) Teaching method refers to the ways and means which a teacher adopts to guide the students through teaching and learning activities in order to accomplish the desired goal. (Akinsende, 1998).
There are many teaching methods and techniques available to the teacher. These methods and techniques are designed for communicating with students. Effective teaching and learning takes place when the teacher knows which method or technique to use in a particular situation to meet specific goals. The choice of a method of teaching has multiplied greatly in recent time. The need for vocational and technical education teachers to be motivational in their teaching method cannot be overemphasized; hence the teacher is aware that students come on teaching and learning situation with different traits (Umunadi, 2008). In developing teaching methods and techniques, teachers are faced with the task of placing the students in an educational setting tailored to the students learning. The setting in which services are rendered has a strong influence on the students and teachers.
Some researchers observed that most teachers apply the conventional method of teaching. In this method of teaching mentioned above, most of the students struggle to identify and actually understand the instructional method and technique in different perceptions. In order to address the concept and misconceptions in definition of appropriate teaching methods used by the teachers that can lead to better understanding of the topic and performance of students in the tertiary institution, the researcher has selected two frequently used teaching methods used by vocational and technical education teaches in tertiary institutions. The selected teaching methods are individualized instruction and field trips.
Demonstration teaching strategy links explanation with practice. It is a method of teaching concepts, principles or real things by combining explanation with handling or manipulation of real things, equipment or materials. Ogwo and Oranu (2006) affirmed that demonstration strategy is the most widely used instructional method for the acquisition of practical skills as it involves verbal and practical illustrations of a given procedure. This method is seen to be highly effective because it involves active participation of the students. Research findings by Bayim (2004) on instructional strategies for the teaching of integrated science in tertiary institutions revealed that the performance of students taught with demonstration method was better than those students taught with lecture method. Besides, research findings by Udom (2008) on the effects of teaching strategies on students’ skill acquisition showed that there was a significant difference between the effects of demonstration and lecture instructional strategies on students’ skill acquisition in goat husbandry.
Lecture is a traditional method of teaching which is referred to as the “talk and chalk”. Lecture method involves a verbal presentation of ideas, concepts, generalisations and facts. The practice in this method is that of spoon-feeding the learners with information or facts. The students as learners remain passive and receive information from their teacher (Umoren, 2001). Ekpo (1998) opined that lecture method of teaching should be deemphasised if students are to be properly taught.
Inquiry is a process in which learners use scientific means to investigate and arrive at generalizations (Ikpe, 2005). Inquiry approach results in appropriate cognitive and affective learning simultaneously (Ugwuanyi 1998). He stated further that the inquiry is a successful experience that reinforces appropriate attitude and value. Inquiry learning provides opportunities for students to experience and acquire processes through which they can gather information about the world (Saskatchewan Education, 2009).
Effective teaching requires that the teacher must be skilful in the selection and utilisation of appropriate teaching methods. There is no one best approach to instruction. Teaching effectively demands that the teacher must possess some basic ability to organise, co-ordinate and utilise personal qualities, objectives and competency in lesson preparation, presentation and evaluation. In addition, he must be able to motivate the learners, use appropriate method and facilities in and around the class to promote and enhance efficiency and effectiveness in instructions. Some researchers recommend eclectic method (combination of methods). Competent and experienced teachers are needed to teach courses as a subject in Technical Education. In view of the problem of selection and utilisation of instructional strategies for effective teaching of Technical Education courses in Higher Institutions, this study became necessary. It is expected to fill the gap of determining the effects of instructional strategies on students’ academic performance in Technical Education courses in Higher Institutions and thus make appropriate recommendations on better strategies for teaching it courses.
The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centred methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative to student-centred methods. (Hightower et al., 2011), until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching methods on student learning have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research.
Teaching method comprises of the principles and methods used for instructions to be implemented by teachers to achieve a desired learning in students. These are strategies designed to determine partly on the subject matter to be taught and partly by nature of the learner. According to Saskatchewan Education (2002), Instructional skills are the most specific category of teaching behaviours. They are necessary for procedural purposes and for structuring appropriate learning experiences for students. These include such techniques as questioning, discussion, directing giving, explaining and demonstrating. Hence, students learn by doing, making writing designing, creating and solving (Davis, 2003). For a particular teaching method to be appropriate and efficient it has to be in relation with the characteristics of the learner and the type of learning it is supplied to bring about. The design and solution of teaching methods must take into account not only the nature of the subject matter, but also how students learn.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Most students graduate from Technical Education Programme without acquiring the required manipulative and theoretical competencies needed to enable them become self-employed and self-reliant. These students inability to have understood most of the theories and principles of Technical Education led to their poor achievement at the end of the programme in school. The wide spread of low level performances in Technical Education courses have largely been attributed to teaching problem.
When the students cannot easily follow the instructions, the lessons become boring and engender negative attitude and low interest to the students towards the course being taught. This eventually results in low academic performance by the students. It was noted that difference in the performance of students has been attributed to teachers’ methods of lesson presentation Udom (2008).
If Teaching Method in Technical Education is well articulated and delivered, the students’ understanding and performances will become enhanced. Against the background of Ineffective Teaching Methods being used in teaching Technical Education courses which results in low achievement by students, what instructional strategies need be employed to improve learning outcomes in courses taught in Technical Education programme.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The major objective of this study is to determine the
1. Significant impact of teaching methods on Students’ Academic Performance in Technical Education.
2. To ascertain how appropriate teaching method can have effect on Students Academic Performance.
3. To carefully compare Demonstration method of teaching and Inquiry based learning effect on Students Academic Performance.
1.4 Research Questions
1. Does Teaching Method have significant impact on Students Academic Performance?
2. Does appropriate Teaching Method have any positive effect on Students Academic Performance?
3. Do the comparison of Demonstration Method of Teaching and Inquiry Based Learning have significant effect on Students Academic Performance?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial to the teachers in that they will be able to select appropriate instructional strategies and materials to suit different lessons for effective teaching of Technical Education Courses in Higher institutions. The teachers and the students will realize that the understanding of lessons in Electrical Installation can be highly improved through demonstrations and class activities rather than the talk and chalk approach.
1.6 Limitations
1. This study is limited to the following institutions. Department of Vocational and Technical Education in Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba (AAUA).
2. Limited based on non availability of sufficient materials to be used.
3. Considerations of the cost of materials to be used.
1.7 Definition of Terms
1. Teaching: - it is the act bringing a fundamental change in the learner through knowledge transmission.
2. Method:- this is said to be an acting technique introduced in way of doing things in a systematic way
3. Teaching Method: - this is the technique or principle and methods of facilitating the process of knowledge transmission.
4. Performance: - An observable and measureable behaviour of a person in a particular situation. Also it can be the act of doing something successfully using knowledge as distinguished from merely possessing it.
5. Academic: - This relates to school, colleges, and universities connected with studying and thinking, not only practical skills but theoretical.
6. Academic Performance: - The measurable or successful result of an individual in a learning institution.
7. Student: - A learner enrolled in an educational institution.
8. Teacher: - A person whose occupation is to transfer knowledge.
9. Technical Education: - A programme designed to give training and impart necessary skills to individuals who shall be self-reliant economically.
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