Assessment of the application of instructional methods and strategies by business education teachers in technical schools in taraba state

Thesis Overview

<p> </p><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p><strong>Background<br>of the Study</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Education has been recognized as<br>playing an integral part in the building of a nation. Education<br>is the process of helping to change students’ knowledge and behavior in desired<br>ways. The Saskatchewan Education (1991) observed that one of the<br>purposes of education is to provide children with skills and knowledge needed<br>to function capably as adults. With the world changing rapidly the abilities<br>today in schools need to be reassessed as do the ways in which students are<br>expected to learn.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; One<br>of the basic ways of attaining national objectives is through the provision of<br>vocational and business skills, values and attitudes. This can be acquired<br>through effective teaching. In the view of Bruner cited in Saskatchewan<br>Education (2000), teaching is a broader and more encompassing term, involving<br>any activity on the part of one person intended to facilitate learning on the<br>part of another. However effective teaching occurs when the student is placed<br>at the focus of decisions that are made not only about the curriculum itself<br>but also about the process by which the curriculum is delivered.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Effective<br>curriculum delivery requires many things among which are application of<br>appropriate instructional methods and strategies and the right learning<br>environment. Ngetich and Ndege (2011) observed that for learners to benefit<br>from instruction, teachers need to be careful about the organization of<br>learning experiences so that knowledge could be internalized and retained by<br>the learners and be useful to them. In the same vein, Kochhar (1991) remarked<br>that even the best curriculum and the most perfect syllabus remains dead unless<br>quickened into life by the right methods of teaching and the right teachers.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Instructional<br>methods are critical to teaching and learning process. Instruction refers to<br>those curriculum-related, professionally informed decisions that teachers<br>purposefully enact to enhance learning opportunities for students. Gargne in<br>Saskatchewan (2002) defines instruction as any activity on the part of one<br>person intended to facilitate learning on the part of another. Effective<br>instruction is interactive and designed to accommodate student learning needs<br>and styles through a variety of teaching practices. Instruction and teaching are related<br>activities that scholars use synonymously.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Method<br>refers to procedure or process for attaining a goal or objective. Methods are procedures or ways used to teach<br>material to the students. Used in the<br>context of instruction or teaching, a method is viewed as a well staged<br>procedure to teach a subject. Instructional methods are ways by which information<br>is presented to students. Ngetich and Ndege (2011) conceived instructional<br>methods as mode of delivery systems or teaching and learning methods employed<br>in our educational process with the view of facilitating the attainment of set<br>goals or objectives. For effectiveness<br>of teaching and learning process, methods of instruction must have certain<br>qualities and characteristics. Ngetich<br>et al identified the characteristics of a good teaching method to include; a<br>good teaching method should produce certain changes in terms of knowledge<br>understanding and habits of students. <br>Furthermore, the source stated that good teaching methods should arouse<br>interests on students rather than pressing on facts and figures, and should<br>shift emphasis from verbalism and memorization to learning through purposeful<br>concrete and realistic situation.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Instructional<br>methods are varied and many. Scholars have examined teaching methods from<br>different perspectives. One general view<br>held is that which divides them into two; teacher–centered approaches, and<br>student-centered approaches emphasizing on the paramount role played by teacher<br>or student. Another view considers instructional methods in terms of instructor led, lecture<br>method, demonstration method, practical exercise, controlled practical<br>exercisers, practice method, case study or team practice, coach and pupil and independent (Saskatchewan<br>Education, 2000). The source further<br>classed instructional methods into Direct instruction, Indirect instruction,<br>Experiment learning, Independent study and interactive instruction.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; It<br>has been recognized that there are different types of instructional methods<br>which may be used. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages; some<br>are more suited for certain kinds of instruction than others. Also, each of the<br>different methods requires greater or lesser participation by students.<br>Moreover, the choice of methods depends on what to teach (content), who we are<br>teaching (learner), and the level of competence expected (Obi, 2005). One method, or perhaps a combination of<br>methods, is usually most appropriate for most subject matter and<br>Objectives. In effect based on the<br>subject matter, a teacher will need to determine which instructional methods<br>and strategies that best showcase the information to be taught.</p><p>Strategy is a procedure<br>or technique used by the individual or group at different levels of educational<br>system to attain desired outcome or engineer changes or innovation. According<br>to Glueck (2000), a strategy is a unified, comprehensive, and integrated plan<br>designed to ensure that the basic objectives are achieved. For the purpose of<br>this study, strategy is viewed as all available procedure and techniques used<br>by business teachers at different levels of educational system to attain desired<br>objectives.</p><p>Instructional<br>strategies, according to Brown (1998) involve a formal expectation of a desired<br>teaching content by the teacher. They determine the approach a teacher may take<br>to achieve learning objectives. <br>Instructional strategies can be classed as direct, indirect,<br>interactive, experiential, or independent, (Saskatchewan, 1991). For business teachers to create learning<br>environments and to specify the nature of the activity in business education,<br>effective teaching and the need for appreciable application of instructional<br>methods and strategies are necessary tools for effective teaching and learning<br>of business studies in technical schools. </p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Technical<br>schools are those educational institutions that focused on the study of<br>technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills,<br>attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various<br>sectors of economic and social life (Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), 2004).<br>As contained in the document, technical schools are further understood to be; an<br>integral part of general education; a means of preparing for occupational<br>fields and for effective participation in the world of work; an aspect of<br>lifelong learning arid a preparation for responsible citizenship; and a method<br>of alleviating poverty.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Following<br>the decision of the Federal Government to introduce the 9-year Basic Education<br>Programme and the need to attain the Millennium Development Goals, (MCGs) by<br>2015, and the critical targets of the National Economic Empowerment and<br>Development strategies (NEEDS), the Nigerian Educational Research and<br>Development Council (2007) developed a 9- year Basic Education curricular for<br>use at all levels of education System in Nigeria. Business Studies is one of the subjects identified<br>as an educational strategy for meeting the nation’s vocational and business<br>skills needs. According to Obi (2003) business studies is an integral<br>pre-vocational subject taught at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) level. As a<br>pre-vocational subject, Business Studies exposes students to general business<br>knowledge and gives basic ideas about business (Njoku, 2008). The five components of Business Studies relate specifically<br>to business and distributive operations and they form part of vocational education,<br>which encourages the use of the head, heart and hands in acquiring specific<br>practical training required in business and industry. NERDC (2007) aptly captured the general<br>objectives of Business Studies as follows: provide the orientation and basic<br>skills with which to start an occupation for those who may not have opportunity<br>for further training; provide basic business skills for personal use now and in<br>the future; prepare students for further training in Business Studies; relate<br>the knowledge and skills to the national economy; and develop basic skills in<br>office occupation. The NERDC document also arranged topics under each theme to<br>enable the learner start from simple to complex ideas, adopted the guided<br>discovery method of learning and teaching and prescribed activities for each of<br>the topics to promote learning and skill development.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Business<br>Studies is concerned with the acquisition of knowledge and skills, attitudes,<br>values and problem solving (Obi, 2009). The nature of the content of usiness<br>subjects requires that business teachers effect learning through the use of<br>diverse instructional methods. Osuala (2009) opined that business subjects<br>would be effectively taught using modern instructional methods and strategies<br>because they provide action learning and are individualized or<br>personalized. Some of the identified<br>methods involve; team training discussion, role playing, simulation, and<br>fieldtrips. To attain effective teaching and learning of business subjects,<br>Okwuanaso and Nwozor (2006) identified some of the strategies to be adapted to<br>include: training, cooperative learning, computer assisted programme,<br>instructional films, drill and practice. <br>These modern instructional methods are student-centred and promote<br>learning. The teaching of each of the components of business studies requires<br>special methods and strategies.</p><p>In the learning of<br>office practice which is the connecting link between schools and business,<br>students are expected to be exposed to business practice and procedures,<br>equipment and methods used in office (Harms, Steer and Harris in Osuala,<br>2009). Instructional methods appropriate<br>for teaching office practice include use of visuals aids, simulation,<br>demonstration, case study, role play, field trip and, question and answer<br>(NERDC, 2007).</p><p>Commerce affords learners the knowledge of functions<br>of commercial institutions. Some of the methods appropriate in teaching<br>commerce include: Excursion or Field Trips to industries and commercial<br>organizations. Others are lecture and<br>Guest Speaker’s which promote learning.</p><p>Book keeping relates to keeping and managing of<br>financial Records. Methods relevant in<br>teaching book keeping include developmental approach, teaching and learning by<br>principle approach, the inductive or role discovering/problem solving approach,<br>the facts process approach and lecture. </p><p>Typewriting is the act of printing on paper<br>(Igbinoba, 2008). Teaching methods that<br>could be applied to typing as observed by Njoku (2008) should include;<br>Demonstration, apprenticeship, problem solving and discovery methods.</p><p>Shorthand is a skill subject which involves the use<br>of the head, the heart as well as the hand in quick response to spoken sounds.<br>The sub-skills involved in learning shorthand are listening, reading writing<br>ability to recall what has been heard and language skills. A combination of the<br>following methods could be used to teach shorthand: Inductive or Discovery<br>approach, Reading method, Writing method, Demonstration method, Repetitive<br>approach and &nbsp; Question and Answer.</p><p>In order for the teaching of Business Studies to<br>meet the expected goals of equipping the learner with vocational business<br>skills that will enable him to be useful in the society, it is imperative that<br>business teachers need to be knowledgeable in the subject matter and be able to<br>select the instructional methods and strategies that best suits the subject and<br>enable the learner to internalize, retain and apply what had been learnt. The<br>need for students to acquire the necessary vocational and business skills,<br>values and attitudes has become an issue of serious concern and challenge to<br>business teachers.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Business teachers comprise of<br>teachers and instructors/technologist. Osuala, in Njoku (2008) states that a business<br>education teacher is a person who holds a degree in business education from a<br>recognized University or an NCE (National Certificate of Education). He stated<br>further that holders of NCE from the recognized colleges of education in<br>business education are competent to teach the five components of the JSS Business<br>Studies programme. In the same vein, Njoku (2008) viewed business education<br>teacher is a person who has undergone a 4 year Programme in a reputable<br>university or 3 years programme through NCE and has been certified as competent<br>for the award of a Bachelor’s degree /NCE in business education after meeting<br>the requirements of the institution and the department (Njoku, 2008). Njoku<br>added that any person who has obtained a degree or a professional certification<br>in areas such as accountancy, marketing and office technology and management,<br>and also obtains a post-graduate certificate in educational foundations and<br>pedagogy clearly qualifies as a business education teacher. At the other hand,<br>instructors/technologists are experts equipped for the development and<br>application of devices, machines, and techniques for Business Studies (YiÄŸit,<br>2004). Both business teachers and instructors play very important role in the<br>teaching and learning of Business Studies as they are professionally equipped<br>to impart manipulative skills for employment into the learners.</p><p>In the teaching of<br>Business Studies, teachers and instructors are confronted with myriads of<br>instructional methods to choose from. <br>Each component of business studies requires the application of certain<br>specific or a combination of instructional methods and strategies. And the entire five components of Business<br>Studies are integrated as a conglomerate to be taught as one subject. It is therefore important that the business<br>teacher should be conversant with different instructional methods and<br>strategies. This is because as Joyce, and Weil (1986) indicated that no model<br>of teaching is designed to accomplish all types of learning or to work for all<br>learning styles. This means that no single method of teaching is the best for<br>all situations and with all teachers and pupils.</p><p>The variety of<br>instructional methods and strategies available for application by business<br>teachers indicate that business teachers have preference for certain methods<br>over others. Business teachers’<br>preferences for various instructional methods will also be assessed based on<br>their opinions on how they value the methods frequently use by them in<br>teaching. This study will be anchored on the instructional methods prescribed<br>by National Educational Research and Development Commission (NERDC) (2007) for<br>implementation of the 9-year Basic Education Curriculum Business Studies (JSS 1<br>– 3).</p><p><strong>Statement<br>of the Problem</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The<br>Nigerian National Curriculum for Junior Secondary Schools (2007) recognized<br>Business Studies as one of the basic subjects which shall be given to pupils to<br>enable them acquire prevocational skills for further knowledge and skills. The<br>subject provides practical skills for occupational purposes by enabling<br>students to acquire basic knowledge of business skills, develop basic skills in<br>office occupation and for personal use. <br>Therefore, the subject prepares students for further training in<br>business studies and provides orientation to entrants to a life of work. One of<br>the major requirements for realizing the lofty goals of the National Policy on<br>Education through Basic Education is the effective teaching and learning of the<br>subject components. This requires that teachers have knowledge, understanding<br>and mastery of the subject matter on one hand and the pedagogical skills of<br>transmitting such to their students on the other.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; However, many factors including ineffective and poor<br>teaching methods and strategies adopted by business studies teachers do not<br>worth they sought. Ekunno (1998) states that poor teaching methods used in<br>teaching business studies give rise to inadequacy of the learning of the skills<br>required in business studies. There is also the dearth or disproportionate<br>availability of number of qualified business teachers to implement the<br>curriculum. As a result, schools make do with teachers from other disciplines<br>in the teaching of Business Studies. Alternatively, single subject masters<br>considered allied in the opinion of school administrators are drafted to teach<br>Business Studies. The result and implication of such developments is that such<br>teachers lack the depth of the subject matter and are not likely to meet the<br>expected objectives. Also majority of the teachers so drafted do not posses<br>teaching competence to be effective on their job. This puts the students in a<br>fix thereby affecting students’ performance in public examinations. By this<br>reason hindering the Business Studies curriculum objectives delivery and<br>slowing down the realization of national education goals. As a consequence to<br>these overlaps and negative performance of students, students who are the<br>future business experts are starved through weak or poor background. Conversely, this hinders their advancement in<br>business and deprives the nation of the much needed qualified workforce for our<br>institutions and businesses.</p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; In<br>order for the teaching of Business Studies to meet the expected goals of<br>equipping the learner with vocational business skills that will enable him to<br>be useful in the society, it is imperative that business teachers need to be<br>knowledgeable in the subject matter and be able to select the instructional<br>methods and strategies that best suits the subject and enable the learner to<br>internalize, retain and apply what had been learnt. Only then could the learner<br>productively implement what had been learnt in everyday life.</p><p>In Taraba<br>State Technical schools, the present poor performance of students in Business Studies<br>as reflected in the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE) report<br>by the Chief Examiner on students performance cited in Jalingo Education Zone<br>from 2009 to 2011 sessions is of utmost concern. Based on this, there is need<br>therefore, to find out the extent to which business teachers apply<br>instructional methods and strategies in the teaching and learning of Business Studies<br>in Technical schools in Taraba State.</p><p><strong>Purpose<br>of the Study</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The<br>major purpose of this study is to determine the extent of application of<br>instructional methods and strategies by business teachers in Technical Schools<br>in Taraba State. Specifically, the study<br>will determine:</p><ul><li>the extent to which instructional methods and strategies are applied by business teachers in teaching Office practice;</li><li>the extent to which instructional methods and strategies are applied by business teachers in teaching Commerce.;</li><li>the extent to which instructional methods and strategies are applied by business teachers in teaching Book Keeping;</li><li>the extent to which instructional methods and strategies are applied by business teachers in teaching Type Writing;</li><li>The extent to which instructional methods and strategies are applied by business teachers in teaching Shorthand; and</li><li>business teachers’ preferences for instructional methods and strategies in teaching Business Studies.</li></ul><p><strong>Significance<br>of the study</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The findings from this study will be<br>beneficial to Ministry of Education, teachers,<br>business organizations, students, as well as future researchers. Ministry of Education will benefit from the findings<br>of this study, as it will help to improve on their teaching performance as<br>facilitators in teaching and learning of business studies. </p><p>The findings of this study will also be useful to<br>business teachers, as it will reveal appropriate teaching methods and<br>strategies that could improve teacher effectiveness as well as ways to conduct<br>excursions to various business firms for improving learning of business<br>studies. Business teachers would discover varieties of instructional methods<br>and strategies and imbibe the culture of using them in the teaching and learning<br>process to motivate and arouse students’ interest in learning business studies.<br>In a nutshell, teachers could adapt to the innovations from the study to improve<br>teaching and learning of Business Studies.</p><p>The findings from this study focus on improving the<br>teaching and learning of business studies. When teaching is effectively done it<br>will impact on the knowledge, skills, attitudes acquisition by students which<br>will make them more productive. By extension business organizations who are the<br>recipients of these workers will be assured of better work product and improved<br>productivity.</p><p>Students will benefit from the outcome of this study<br>in the area of improved learning activities. They will acquire relevant<br>manipulative skills if the finding of this study is implemented. This would<br>make them saleable members of the society. It would also build the confidence<br>in them as they contribute their quota in the society thereby making good<br>living from the acquired skills. The students who have acquired such skills would<br>be self-reliant and useful to themselves, industrial sector and the society.<br>The study also will help students become more strategic learners who can take<br>significant responsibility for their learning.</p><p>Finally, the study will serve as source of information<br>for future researchers who may wish to embark on such research from a related<br>perspective. It will equally provide them direction on the guidelines for their<br>studies and indeed serve as additional reference material and base for<br>improving their own knowledge or making more contributions.</p><p><strong>Research<br>Questions</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The<br>following research questions were answered in the study:</p><ul><li>To what extent are the instructional<br>methods and strategies applied in teaching Office Practice?</li><li>To what extent are instructional methods<br>and strategies applied in teaching Commerce?</li><li>To what extent are instructional methods<br>and strategies applied in teaching Book- Keeping?</li><li>To what extent are instructional methods<br>and strategies applied in teaching Type- Writing?</li><li>To what extent are instructional methods<br>and strategies applied in teaching Shorthand?</li><li>What are business teachers’ preferences<br>for the application of instructional methods and strategies in teaching<br>Business Studies?</li></ul><p><strong>Hypotheses</strong></p><p>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The<br>following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of<br>significance:</p><p>H01 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;There is no significant difference<br>between the mean response of teachers and instructors on the application of instructional<br>methods and strategies for Business Studies delivery.</p><p>H02 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;There is no significant difference<br>between the mean responses of teachers with varying years of work experience on<br>the application of instructional methods and strategies in the teaching of<br>Business Studies.</p><p>H03 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;There is no significant difference<br>among the mean responses of teachers with varying educational qualifications on<br>the application of instructional methods and strategies in the teaching of<br>Business Studies.</p><p><strong>Scope of the Study</strong></p><p>&nbsp;This study determines the instructional methods and strategies appropriate for teaching of Business Studies in Technical Schools in Taraba State. The study covers only the five components of Business Studies: Office Practice, Commerce, Book Keeping, Type Writing and Shorthand as prescribed in the Nigerian National Curriculum for Basic Educational Business Studies, taught at Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).</p> <br><p></p>