THE ASSESSMENT OF THE COMPETENCE OF TEACHERS TEACHING INTEGRATED SCIENCE SUBJECT IN SECONDARY SCHOOL
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Education is viewed as the process of inviting truth and possibility. It is the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life(Dewey, 1938).Learning is both a process and an outcome. As a process it is part of living in the world, part of the way our bodies work. As an outcome it is a new understanding or appreciation of something.
The low level of performance of many students in science subject requires a more effective educational supervision to ensure that teachers are carrying out their job functions effectively in line with recommended curriculum and time frame. Since teaching is a creative act, greater responsibility is placed on the teacher to effectively teach the people. Consequently, the basic psychological problems underlying supervision is to ensure that teaching is improved through effective supervisory techniques which seek to integrate teaching practice with sound principles of education. The concept of Supervision is to guide and stimulate the activities of others to greater improvement. It develops instructional programmes which are needed to meet the educational requirement of modem democratic society and also to provide materials and methods of teaching to enable the people learn easily and effectively. The study seeks to proffer an assessment of the competence of teachers teaching integrated science subject in secondary school.
1.2 STATEMENTOF THE PROBLEM
The effectiveness of teaching is expected to reflect on the performance of the students in both internal and external examinations. Teachers should be able to identify the point of students’ deficiencies and offer proper teaching assistance to remedy. Consequently, it is believed that good performances are also the effective of teaching carried out by the teachers. Therefore, science teachers should be concerned to know when their students are making progress or not. This requires a thorough knowledge of assessment and evaluation technique. Teacher should possess certain required competencies. The problem confronting the study is to proffer an assessment of the competence of teachers teaching integrated science subject in secondary school.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The Main Objective of the study is to proffer an assessment of the competence of teachers teaching integrated science subject in secondary school; The specific objectives include:
i) To investigate the level of educational qualifications of Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State.
ii) To examine the different challenges faced by Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State for effective teaching and learning.
iii) To proffer solutions to the different challenges faced by Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State for effective teaching and learning.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
i. What is the level of qualification of integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state?
ii. What are the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom Local government area of AkwaIbom state for effective teaching and learning?
iii. What are the solutions to the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state?
1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESES
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between educational qualification of teachers and the quality of education the students received.
Ho2: There is no significant correlation between challenges facing teachers and their ability to teach effectively.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study investigates the competence of teachers teaching integrated science subject in secondary school. It provides relevant data for the effective formulation and implementation of policies to enhance the realization of envisaged objective.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The study was confronted with logistics and geographical factors.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
TEACHING DEFINED
Teaching constitute the process of attending to people’s needs, experiences and feelings, and intervening so that they learn particular things, and go beyond the given.
EDUCATIONAL SUPERVISION DEFINED
Educational Supervision consist of all effort involving school officials directed at t providing leadership to educational workers or teachers to enhance an improved educational system and institution. The process involves the deployment of human and material resources
EDUCATION DEFINED
Education is viewed as the process of inviting truth and possibility. It is the wise, hopeful and respectful cultivation of learning undertaken in the belief that all should have the chance to share in life.
REFERENCES
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and Education. New York: Collier Books. (Collier edition first published 1963). In this book Dewey seeks to move beyond dualities such as progressive / traditional – and to outline a philosophy of experience and its relation to education.
Thomas, G. (2013). Education: A very short introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Simply the best contemporary introduction to thinking about schooling and education.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
This study focused on the assessment of the competence of teachers teaching Integrated Science subject in secondary schools a case study of IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state, Nigeria. The study was set to address three research objectives which include:
i) To investigate the level of educational qualifications of Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State.
ii) To examine the different challenges faced by Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State for effective teaching and learning.
iii) To proffer solutions to the different challenges faced by Integrated Science teachers in Secondary School in IbionoIbom Local Government Area of AkwaIbom State for effective teaching and learning.
Based on the above stated objectives and the study carried out, the following findings were made:
i. that the level of qualification of Integrated Science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state.
ii. that the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state for effective teaching and learning include that lack of appropriate instructional materials; poor funding; lack of well-equipped laboratories; lack of interest on the part of students and poor teachers motivations and remunerations.
iii. that the solution to the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government Area of AkwaIbom state which include the provision of appropriate instructional material; regular training and re-training of teachers; improvement in funding to education; provision of appropriate equipped laboratory and students re-orientation.
5.2Conclusion
The main purpose of this study is to study the competence of teachers teaching Integrated Science subject in secondary schools a case study of IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state, Nigeria, Nigeria. Three research questions and one research hypotheses guided the study.
In this study, a survey research design was adopted, the population comprises all the Integrated Science teachers in IbonoIbom LGA, AkwaIbom state, a simple random sampling technique was used to select 28 respondents for the study and a questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. Relevant literatures were reviewed which guided the objectives and methodology of this study. As result of the field study and analysis of results, the following findings were made:
i. that the level of qualification of Integrated Science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state.
ii. that the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government area of AkwaIbom state for effective teaching and learning include that lack of appropriate instructional materials; poor funding; lack of well-equipped laboratories; lack of interest on the part of students and poor teachers motivations and remunerations.
iii. that the solution to the different challenges faced by Integrated science teachers in secondary schools in IbionoIbom local government Area of AkwaIbom state which include the provision of appropriate instructional material; regular training and re-training of teachers; improvement in funding to education; provision of appropriate equipped laboratory and students re-orientation.
5.3 Recommendations
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:
i. The state government should ensure that only qualified teachers are allowed to teach in secondary schools.
ii. There should be an increased funding to education in the state.
iii. Government should create more awareness on the need for improved study of science subjects.
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