PERSPECTIVES OF CHEMISTRY TEACHERS/STUDENTS ON MODERN CHEMISTRY TEACHING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL
ABSTRACT
The main concern in the education sector is how modern teaching strategies affect student performance. This study investigated the impact of modern teaching strategies on student performance in public secondary schools (O-level) in Nigeria, using Owerri municipal in Imo state as a case study.
Three specific goals guided the research: Identifying modern teaching strategies used in chemistry instruction in public secondary school, assessing students’ perceptions of the appropriateness of modern teaching strategies used in teaching in public secondary school, and determining the level of relationship between modern teaching strategies and students’ performance in public secondary schools in Owerri municipal, Imo state.
The study used a descriptive research design with a qualitative and quantitative approach. An in-depth interview and questionnaire were used to survey 78 teachers, 129 students, and 9 inspectors. SPSS was used to analyze qualitative data descriptively, while thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data.
The study findings revealed that the most effective modern teaching strategies were demonstration, followed by question and answer, and then brainstorming. Teachers should understand the value and impact of different modern teaching strategies, and regular training/workshops on modern teaching strategies should be conducted. The study advised against using traditional methods such as lectures.
The study also suggested additional areas for further research, such as conducting the same study in another district before generalization, and conducting similar research in private schools to learn about teaching conditions.
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 STUDY BACKGROUND
Modern teaching strategies are used to teach students; they are the means by which the teacher attempts to impart the desired learning or experience (Ndirangu, 2007). The teacher’s selection of a particular method of teaching is determined by a number of factors, including the content to be taught, the objectives that the teacher hopes to achieve, the availability of teaching and learning resources, and the teacher’s ability and willingness to improvise if conventional teaching aids are not available, evaluation and follow-up activities, and individual learner differences (Ndirangu, 2007).
The methods used in teaching differ from country to country, depending on the information or skills being taught, as well as the student’s aptitude and enthusiasm. Several studies on modern teaching strategies have been conducted, for example, Asikhia (2010) discovered that teacher qualifications and students’ environmental factors do not influence students’ poor academic performance, but teachers’ methods of teaching do.
Furthermore, the medium of instruction dictates the method of instruction; for example, where English is used, the method of instruction must be more interactive rather than passive (Pillar and Skilling, 2005). It also argued that classroom teachers must learn more about effective strategies for teaching English learners as soon as possible (Thompson, 2004). The most common modern teaching strategies, particularly in developing countries, are teacher-centered (Guloba, Wokodola, and Bategeka, 2010), and are viewed as somewhat ineffective in knowledge transmission.
Other countries no longer use these methods. Problem-solving learning is becoming more popular in educational institutions as a tool to address the shortcomings of modern teaching strategies, which do not encourage students to participate in the learning process (Teo and Wong, 2000).
However, there has recently been a push in the education industry to adopt a learner-centered paradigm shift (Ndirangu, 2007), while other schools of thought advocate participatory teaching methods (Sajjad, 2011).
Despite the variety of modern teaching strategies advocated in literature, there is no universally accepted method. The question remains as to which of these modern teaching strategies contributes to the failure or success of students’ performance, particularly in developing countries such as Nigeria, where the causes of poor secondary school performance are not well understood.
1.2 THEORY OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
Students’ performance in Nigerian secondary schools has been poor, with one reason cited being the type of learning-teaching methods used. In Nigerian education, particularly in community (ward) secondary schools, the majority of students failed or did not perform well in summative examination results (Laddunuri 2012). According to Marikinyo (2003), the decline in academic performance can be attributed to teachers’ failure to use the verbal reinforcement strategy.
Several studies have been conducted on the effects of modern teaching strategies in secondary schools on student performance in many parts of the world, including the United States (Haas 2002), Pakistan (Sajjad 2011), Nigeria (Barneka 2012), Asikhia 2010), Uganda (Guloba, Wokadala, and Bategeka, 2010), and Kenya (Njoroge et al., 2014). These studies found that teachers’ use of modern teaching strategies has an effect on students’ performance.
Most studies conducted in Nigeria focused on factors influencing student performance and policy making rather than how modern teaching strategies influence student performance, for example (Laddunuri 2012), (Kkairuki, 2009), and (Kat ram, 2007).
Mruma (2019) conducted another study on teacher motivation in secondary schools. None of these studies specifically examined the impact of modern teaching strategies on student performance. This study bridges the gap by investigating the effects of modern teaching strategies on student performance in Nigerian educational institutions in public secondary schools in Owerri municipal, Imo state, Nigeria.
1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVES
1.3.1 OVERALL OBJECTIVE
The study’s overarching goal is to investigate the impact of modern teaching strategies on student performance in Nigerian education in public secondary schools in Owerri municipal-Imo state, Nigeria.
1.3.2 PARTICULAR OBJECTIVES
The following were the specific objectives that guided this study:
To identify modern teaching strategies used in chemistry instruction in public secondary schools in Owerri, Imo state.
To assess students’ perceptions of the appropriateness of modern teaching strategies used in public secondary schools in Owerri, Imo state.
To ascertain the extent to which modern teaching strategies influence student performance in public secondary schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State.
1.3.3 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH
The study provided answers to the following questions:
What are the modern teaching strategies used in chemistry in public secondary schools?
What are students’ perspectives on the appropriateness of modern teaching strategies used to teach Science in Owerri municipal public secondary schools?
To what extent do modern teaching strategies influence student performance in Owerri municipal public secondary schools?
1.4 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is worthy of academic investigation for the following reasons:
First, the study was expected to reveal the impact of modern teaching strategies on secondary school students’ performance in chemistry and contribute to the body of knowledge. Second, the study is expected to lay the groundwork for future researchers on the topic of the effects of modern teaching strategies on student performance in science subjects in secondary schools.
Third, the study findings are expected to be useful to policymakers, particularly the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, in developing policies that would greatly encourage equitable resource distribution in public institutions in order to achieve better results.
Fourth, the findings are expected to benefit secondary school teachers in Owerri municipal because they provided ideas for the most appropriate modern teaching strategies for use in chemistry. Finally, the findings of this study are expected to contribute to the body of knowledge on modern teaching strategies and to serve as a foundation for future research.
1.5 SCOPE AND DELIVERY LIMITATIONS
The study focused on modern teaching strategies and their impact on students’ chemistry performance in public secondary schools in Owerri municipal. Students enrolled in chemistry for at least one year were the intended audience. Because there are so many modern teaching strategies, the study only focused on seven of them: citation, brainstorming, discussion, demonstration, lecture, presentation, and seminar.
1.6 DEFINITIONS OF KEY WORDS
A modern teaching strategy is defined as a method of carrying out actual teaching in the classroom (Ndirangu 2007). The term “teaching method” refers to the various ways in which a learning task is managed in order to facilitate the learning process (Kimweri 2004). Participatory methods are those that allow students to actively participate in the learning process, either individually or in groups (Musuko 2010).
The teacher-centered method of teaching is a communication process in which there is little or no room for active participation of learners (Kimweri 2004). The degree to which individuals achieve job or organizational goals with effectiveness and efficiency is referred to as performance. (Utuoh & Mowo, 2000)
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PERSPECTIVES OF CHEMISTRY TEACHERS/STUDENTS ON MODERN CHEMISTRY TEACHING STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN OWERRI MUNICIPAL