Teaching Methods and Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students In Agriculture

Teaching Methods and Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students In Agriculture

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the effect of teaching methods on academic performance of secondary school students in agriculture in Abak Local Government Area. Two null hypothesis was formulated to guided the sturdy whole a quasi-experimental research design was adopted the total population of the study consisted of 10,500 agriculture students two out of the ten secondary schools in the study area were randomly selected of constituted a sample size of 100 students.

A Agriculture Achievement Test (AAT) was the instrument for data collection. An independent t-test statistical technique was used to analyze the null hypothesis. Findings reveal that demonstrated method of teaching lead to improve academic performance of students, when compared to the use of lecture method. Finding was also revealed that, students who are taught agriculture with discovery method of teaching without discovery method of teaching performed significantly better than those taught without discovery method of teaching.

Major recommendation made are, secondary school teachers should use demonstration method in teaching. Major recommendation made are, secondary school teachers should use demonstration method teaching in order to achieve better performance in learning , also government should encourage secondary school teachers to take active part in every discovery enquiring that take active place in class during teaching and learning process.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring about a fundamental change in the learner Tebabal and Kahassay(2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission teachers should apply appropriated teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level outcomes.  In the traditional epoch, many teaching method impact knowledge to learners comparative to student-centered methods.

Until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching method on student learning have consistently raise consideration interest in the thematic field of educational research (Hightower et al, 2011).  Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in student’s learning.

Quite remarkable, 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 involved bringing about desirable changes in learning 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 concept to be covered.

Furthermore, instructional procedures must include appropriate methods and techniques. Often, teachers have misconceived the difference between methods and techniques. According to Aina et al (2000), a method is a way of doing something, it is an approach or a stand, which a teacher adopts to, explains a subject matter to a group of students or a student. On the one hand, methodology is the study and practice of various methods of teaching.

The Nigeria certification in education/distance learning system course book defines a teaching method as a process of selecting, directing, controlling and evaluating the experiences of the child to achieve desirable outcomes. A teaching method may also be regarded as a broads and consistent manner of teaching that is guided by certain basic beliefs. The strategies can be used individually or collectively to achieve educational objectives. According to Akinboye (2005), teaching method has been group in many ways. All early teaching methods are classified as traditional methods. The groups are; traditional teaching method such as the lecture, direct and other telling methods, heuristic teaching methods, creativity teaching methods, indirect teaching methods and behavioral teaching methods.

Teaching Methods and Academic Performance Of Secondary School Students In Agriculture

More so, teaching method comprises the principles and methods used for instruction to be implemented by teachers to achieve the desired learning or memorization by students. These strategies are determined partly on subject matters to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. 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 supposed to bring about.

Davis (2007) suggests that the desire and the selection of teaching method must take into account not only the nature of the subject matter but also show students how learn. In today’s school the trend is that it encourages a lot of creativity. It is the known fact that human advancement comes through reasoning. This reasoning and original thought enhances creativity.

There are different types of teaching methods which can be categories into three broad types. These are teacher-centered methods, content focused method and interactive/participative methods.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

The academic performance of students in Agriculture in various secondary schools (urban and rural) at both the federal and the state level is on the decline. This is obvious, as glances through examination results reveal that the performance of students during internal and even external examinations have not been so impressive. Also, suboptimal academic performance by the majority of student at secondary schools level even at higher education level have largely been cited to be the result of ineffective teaching methods by teachers.

Generally, there is an outcry from the public about poor performance in Agriculture among student and teachers are accused by the public as being responsible for the poor performance by student and some people related this problem to certain factors like wrong teaching method used in teaching therefore, this study seeks to found out how teaching methods affects the academic performance of students in Agriculture with the view of proffering the effective to be used in teaching Agriculture.

1.3 Purpose of Study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of teaching methods on academic performance of secondary school students in agriculture in Abak local government area.

Specifically, the study seeks to;

1. Determine the academic performance of agriculture students when demonstration and lecture methods are used in teaching.
2. Assess the academic performance of agriculture students when they are taught with and without discovery method.

1.4 Research Hypotheses

The two null research hypotheses are formulated to guide the study;

1. There is no significance difference in academic performance of students between those who are taught agriculture with demonstration methods and those who are taught with lecture method
2. There is no significance difference in academic performance of students between who are taught agriculture with discovery method and those without discovery method.

1.5 Significance of the Study

The result of this study will provide insights on the differential effectives diverse teaching methods have on student’s academic performance.

• It will assist teachers and practicing teachers in the acquisition of adequate knowledge about teaching methods.
• It will enable the teachers and the practicing teachers to identify the proper teaching method suitable for specific topics and concepts vis-à-vis when to apply them.
• It will serve as a source of references material to those who will undertake the study of this nature in the years ahead.

1.6 Delimitation of the Study

The study was restricted to teaching methods and academic performance of secondary school students in agriculture in Abak local government area. Only senior secondary two students (ss2) in public secondary school in the study area were involved in the study.

1.7 Limitation of the Study

The factors that limited the study are as follows;

• financial constraints
• time factors and some bad road in the rural areas

1.8 Definition of Terms

The following are defined as they are related to their usage in the study; Academic performance: it is the outcome of education, the extent to which a student, teachers or institution has achieves their educational goals.

Teaching method: it is a systematic way in which a teacher uses to transfer or receives or share information.

Teaching: it is the act, practice, occupation or profession of a teacher.

Method: it is a procedure, technique or way of doing something especially in academic with a definite plan.