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BIOLOGY
TEACHERS’ AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF INNOVATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES
ABSTRACT
The purpose
of this study was to investigate biology teachers’ awareness and utilization of
innovative teaching strategies in Oyo South Senatorial District, Nigeria. The
study found out the effects of the teachers’ variables such as qualification,
teaching experience and gender on their utilization of selected twenty five
(25) innovative teaching strategies. A sample of three hundred (300) Biology
teachers was purposively and randomly selected for the study.
The study
was a descriptive research of the survey type, the instrument used to gather
the data for analyses was a researcher designed questionnaire known as the
Innovative Teaching Strategies Questionnaire (ITSQ). The instrument was
validated for data collection by three experts from the Department of Science
Education, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. The reliability was
determined by test-retest method using Pearson Product Moment Correlation
Coefficient and a reliability index of 0.71 was obtained. Mean and Spearman Rho
Rank Order Statistics were used to answer the research questions while the
hypotheses were tested using t-test and ANOVA all at 0.05 level of
significance.
The findings
revealed that the biology teachers in Oyo South Senatorial District were highly
aware of the selected innovative teaching strategies with the percentage of
awareness being 88.0%. The level of utilization of the strategies was high as
88.0% of the strategies were highly utilized. The utilization of the innovative
teaching strategies significantly differed on the basis of teachers’
qualification (fcal= 7.108, p<0.05) with qualified biology teachers having a
higher utilization of the innovative teaching strategies than the unqualified
biology teachers and teachers’ gender (t=3.042, p< 0.05) with female biology
teachers having a higher utilization of the innovative teaching strategies than
the male biology teachers, but the study revealed that the years of experience
of the biology teachers had no effect on their utilization of the innovative
teaching strategies (t=
908, p> 0.05)
Based on
these findings, it was recommended among others that workshops, seminars and
symposia should be organized for in-service science teachers on the awareness
of the innovative teaching strategies with low level of awareness as each of
the strategies have specific areas where effective and that inservice training
should be organized for teachers on the ways they can effectively put the
innovative teaching strategies to use. Qualified teachers should also be posted
to schools as they are discovered to be less in number (111) compared to the
number of unqualified teachers (189) to give room for effective utilization of
these strategies. Teacher training institutions should include the least and
non-utilized strategies found in this study – specifically CAI, Minimalism,
Socratic Method, Mind Maps, Project Based, Acronym Memory, Vee Mapping,
Constructivism, Field Trip, Checklist, and Analogy into their curricular
packages and make deliberate efforts to get the biology teachers acquitted with
the use of each of the strategies effectively.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Problem
The purpose
of education is not only to make students literate but also to improve their
knowledge, self-sufficiency and their ability to think rationally. In any
society, education is tool for growth and progress because it not only imparts
knowledge, skill and right type of values, but, also builds human capital which
breeds, drives and sets technological innovation and economic growth. Many
advances in science and technology have helped nations to promote efficiency,
self reliance and the overall wellbeing of humanity through
invention/innovation in telecommunication, transportation, health, agriculture
etc.
In Nigeria,
the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004) clearly spells out the objectives
of science teaching from pre-primary to tertiary level. Specifically, at the
Secondary level, it entails equipping students to live effectively in our
modern age of Science and Technology. It is aimed at all ages of learners of
all abilities and interests. Science is a process that helps in the development
of the society. The global change in science curriculum arising from knowledge
explosion and new wave in science and technology development demands for
qualitative science teaching.
From the
range of evidence in the science education literature and studies by Awodi
(1984), Akpan (1996), Madu (2004), Okebukola (2005), it is clear that science
education in Nigeria is faced with numerous problems that need to be addressed.
Such problems include the inability of students to engage in complex problem
solving activities and also the inability of Nigerian Students to apply school
knowledge to real life problems in work place. The problems need to be
addressed so that the goal of equipping students to live efficiently in our
modern ages of science and technology as well as the acquisition of appropriate
skills, mental, physical and social abilities and competences to live in and
contribute to the development of the society, as formulated in the Nigeria
National Policy on Education (FRN, 1981; 1998.) is achieved.
Buseri
(2010) contends that to meet up with the rapid scientific progress in
technology requires the presence of well-trained, efficient, knowledgeable and
skillful teachers who are versatile in discharging their duties and
responsibility. The persistent poor performance of student in science subjects
at School Certificate level and the studies by Achor (2003); Umoren and Ogong
(2007); Ogbeba (2009) has given rise to an assumption that most science
teachers in secondary schools in Nigeria probably do not make use of varying
form of teaching strategies to be able to cope with some specific difficulties
associated with the teaching of science. In order words, it implies that teachers
are knowledgeable in science content but not in pedagogical aspects. Ezeliora
(2004), pointed that most of the time, science is taught to the learners using
descriptive or lecture method instead of hands- on approach.
Biology is
defined as the basic science that deals with the study of living things, it
attempts to understand the teeming diversity of life on earth, a diversity of
level we are all part of (Adegbite, 2005). Life is not a simple concept, which
may be one of the reasons why the teaching of biology is important (Adegbite,
2005). There are two major branches of biology namely; Zoology (the study of
animals) and Botany (the study of plants) and sub-divisions such as ecology,
physiology, histology, mycology, entomology, virology, anatomy, etc. The
teaching of biology is very important because the knowledge of biology helps in
improving the quality of life, as it helps to solve many societal problems
relating to health, poverty, food shortage, crop production and environmental
conservation.
The learning
of biology in real life context is necessary for personal development and also,
the development of scientific and technological world. The use of multiple and
relevant learning and teaching strategies, and assessment practices will
provide a basis for this. In any research work in Biology Education, more
attention is placed on science education; this is because biology is one of the
various subjects that explain science and also in Nigeria, biology is the
general basic science subject. In an attempt to ensure result oriented biology
delivery in
schools,
Akubuilo (2004) suggested the use of activity-oriented strategies such as
guided-inquiry, cooperative learning, demonstration, thinks and do, use of
analogy and many others. Thus, research in Science Education in Nigeria has
continued to seek better ways of teaching biology in order to improve academic
performance of students (Okebukola, 1998).
A teaching
strategy is a carefully designed classroom interaction that could be
meticulously followed to teach a concept, topic or an idea. This brings out the
idea of having numerous strategies. An innovative approach is referred to a
design that is full of new or purposively reconstructed existing ideas. This
explanation means the use of new or reconstructed existing ideas, methods and
equipment or to combine various teaching strategies to develop a new one.
Innovation in science education is increasingly needed in order to foster
greater scientific literacy. Results from science education researches and the
additional technological resources now available are contributing to a change
of views with regard to the content, teaching/learning processes and methods
and the role of teachers in science classes. Challenging new ways of teaching
and learning are becoming available, but can only be implemented when teachers
feel faithful to adopting them.
Innovation,
according to Hornby (2010), is
the introduction of new things,
ideas or a new way of doing things. Ikeobi (1987) defined innovation as the
introduction
of something new at any point in time and that to be innovative is to break new
grounds. Furthermore, Parlett (1979) added that innovation in teaching includes
what might be regarded as evolutionary changes, experiments and applications of
educational technology and that may result entirely to new curricula, or
radically changed course structure.
Innovation
is also defined as the implementation of new and improved knowledge, ideas,
methods, processes, tools,
equipment and machinery, which
leads to new and better products, services and processes (Williams,
1999).
Innovation
in teaching is often about turning an ‘invention’ such as an idea, technology
or technique into a product, process or service that is successful because it
meets the needs of learners. Innovative teaching can be shown to assist
students to develop not just technical skills and a common core of generic
skills, but to support a wider range of capabilities which can assist the
individual in the wider world of work and the community.
In science,
innovative approach to teaching refers to a design full of new or reconstructed
existing ideas. In order words, it implies that the approach does not have to
be new, but it uses in that particular concept or topic may be novel. Roger
(2003), described innovation as an idea, practice, or project that is perceived
as new by an individual or other unit of adoption. He further asserted that an
innovation may have been invented a long time ago, but if individuals perceive
it as new, then it may still be an innovation for them. In biology, like any
other science subject, innovation can be in using new teaching methods,
addition of new ideas in the curriculum content, learning experiences,
introducing new/modern instructional materials as well as adopting a new change
in evaluating the outcomes of biology learning. Innovation in biology is
therefore the introduction of new ideas and methods, accompanied by an equally
new change in the style of evaluating the outcomes of biology learning.
The need for
innovative strategies in teaching biology is borne out of the fact that
different situations-teaching topics, learners’ cognitive readiness, concept
being taught, skills intended to be developed in learners, demands for different
teaching approaches. Therefore a teacher who is not aware of a variety of such
strategies can neither attempt to use them in the first place or use them
accurately. For instance, Achor (2008) considered some teaching modes as
learners centered, interest arousing and activity oriented. These include
conceptual change strategy, concept mapping, field trip, guided discovery,
experimental and demonstration methods. He added that most of these are
regarded as modes as teachers are required to employ a numbers of them while
teaching.
Researchers
have argued that many Nigerian Students do not possess the depth of knowledge
on skills to assure either personal life success or national economic
competence (Akpan, 1996). A major concern of most of these critics is also the
apparent inability of these students to engage in complex problem solving
activities and apply school knowledge to real life problems in work place
settings. Therefore a teacher needs to be aware of different teaching
strategies that are more effective and efficient in the teaching of topics and
concepts. From all indications, it is observed that the present methods used in
teaching science in secondary schools in Nigeria do not produce maximum results
for the acquisition of science process skills by the students; therefore, there
is need for the use of multiple teaching strategies including inquiry teaching
by all teachers to meet the different learning styles in the classroom.
Ukoha
(2008), described the concept of utilization presupposes, that appropriate
instructional materials have not been identified, provided and selected for
instruction, this statement can also be applied to teaching strategies.
According to Blair (1988), many things happen to the student with learning
difficulties when the difficulties remain unsolved. The effect of difficulties
in learning upon students may not be far out of proportion to the apparent
seriousness of the problem, because emotional pressure builds up around
students’ area of weakness, with this type of difficulty students may fall
behind expectation or standard set by teachers, parents and school
administrators but this difficulty can be solved through the utilization of
appropriate innovative strategies.
Awareness of
policies usually forms the backbone of the utilization and productivity level
of any programme (Olumorin, 2008). He further asserted that it is when an
individual is aware of the principles and content policy that such an
individual can cultivate right type of attitude that will result in improved
productivity. In the teachers’ awareness of the innovative strategies, the
decision of the teacher on the utilization of the innovative strategies will be
based on the teachers’ knowledge on the existence of the innovative strategies.
Therefore a teacher who is not aware of the innovative strategies will neither
attempt to use them in the first place or use them correctly and adequately.
The issue of
what the problem is needs to be addressed in Biology Education, various
teaching strategies exist, yet, poor teaching and learning of the subject seems
to continue unabated. Then it is necessary to examine which of these strategies
are learners-centered and which are teachers-centered. There is also the need
to employ scientific method to teach biology at the secondary school level.
Other methods may also have their usefulness if employed at the appropriate
time for relevant purpose, this is only possible if the teacher is aware of
their existence and uses them. Given the diversity and the views expressed by
many lecture rooms and classrooms, the role of teachers needs to be different.
Some
teaching methods involve the learners more than the others; add meaning to
their lives, thereby reflecting in their role in the society which is aimed at
in science.
This point
is stressed by Barbosa, Jofili and Watts (2004), when they said very little of
what science teachers teach will be directly used in these students live. It is
on this basis that they advocated for science teachers to look beyond the
utility argument of the subject to see what aspects of science that are needed
to enrich the lives of the society with the understanding of people. Only the
use of appropriate strategies can bring these into realization.
Teachers are
said to gain extensive experience of successful and unsuccessful performances
throughout their years of teaching, this assumption has generated in-depth
research into how teachers who have been involved in teaching for different
period of time perceive their teaching ( Soodak & Podell, 1997; Fives &
Lisa 2008; Fives, 2010). It has been argued that experience improves teaching
skills while pupils learn better at the hands of teachers who have taught them
continuously over a period of years (Ijaiya, 2000). Teachers’ teaching
qualification is another quality of the teacher. This means that the
qualification of a teacher matters when it comes to effective teaching. The
availability of adequate and qualified science teachers cannot be compromised
for the success of any science programme. It has been commented that, however
well conceived a
programme
is, however valid the theory that underlies it, and whatever the objectives of
the plan are, will be determined by the nature, quality, attitudes, motivation
and convictions of the classroom teacher (Obomanu & Akporehwe, 2011).
The sources
of gender differences in educational outcomes have been the subject of
considerable study and debate. One particularly contentious issue involves the
possible role played by biological differences between males and females. One
hypothesis is that male and female teachers have unique biases with respect to
how they engage boys and girls in the classroom, similarly, cognitive process
theories (Jones & Dindia, 2004), suggest that teachers may subtly
communicate that they have different academic expectations of boys and girls.
On teaching strategies, studies by Olagunju & Abiona (2008) revealed that
male teachers’ perception of utilization of instructional materials in teaching
is higher than that of the female teachers. Khurshid and Zahur (2013)
discovered that female teachers are more aware and utilize innovative teaching
strategies than the male teachers. From these studies, there are no conclusive
statements on the gender and teacher’s teaching experience related issues,
investigated by the researchers and the studies cited above. As such, this
study investigated the effects of teacher’s gender, teacher’s teaching
experience and qualification on the utilization of the innovative teaching
strategies to determine whether their effects had any significant influence or
not.
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