Evaluation of facilities and materials for teaching ceramics in some selected colleges of education in north – east geo- political zone of nigeria

Thesis Overview

<p> Introduction<br>1.1 Background to the Study<br>In every teaching and learning institution, facilities, instruments, materials, equipment and<br>manpower for instruction are very important for the effective teaching and learning process.<br>Famwang (2003) stated that the search for aids to make teaching and learning easy and effective<br>has been long among educators. The teacher needs to know which instructional materials and<br>pieces of equipment are appropriate and relevant for the teaching– learning situation. Owen<br>(1973) stated that instructional materials are an educator’s tools. They are used in classrooms or<br>studios throughout the world to improve teaching and effect learning. Everything should be done<br>to get the educational institutions to fulfill their potentials, not by providing the schools with<br>endless – but in the end trivial -options, but by supplying effective alternative for individual<br>learners.<br>The National Policy on Education (NPE) (2000) stated that the minimum qualification for<br>entry into the teaching profession shall be the Nigeria certificate in Education (NCE). However,<br>according to Ewule (2004) investigations of current ceramic teaching in Nigerian schools and<br>colleges has been found to be unscientific, poor and not organized to produce sound knowledge<br>ceramic teachers. This could be due to the lack of modem equipment and adequate materials in<br>the Colleges of Education for proper foundations of teaching and learning.<br>Colleges of Education would play a vital role if they are adequately equipped with<br>equipment and materials for teaching and learning. Some of these equipment and materials<br>according to Alasa (2005) include kilns, potter’s wheels, glazes, modeling tools, clays, and so on.<br>These he stated are inevitable aids that enhance and facilitate the teaching and production<br>2<br>processes in ceramics. The use of equipment and materials in the Colleges of Education is<br>however hampered by some factors. These factors according to Ewule (2006) are unavailability<br>of basic equipment, high cost of production of the materials and exorbitant prices of available<br>pieces of equipment. Ajayi and Chindo (2005) also pointed out that many higher institutions<br>responsible for the training of graduates in the country lack even the basic training aids such as<br>kilns, throwing wheels and so forth. Other problems identified by Idowii (2006) include lack of<br>fund to carry out necessary research especially in higher institutions of learning of which he<br>advised the government at various levels to make enough funds available to carry out the<br>necessary research that can lead the advancement of the profession. Training of Teachers<br>(minimum) seems to be underrated and students do not appear to be adequately sponsored. Most<br>students offer the course as a stepping stone to other professions such as Banking, Law, etc. Lack<br>of Resource Centers where research materials laboratory for research and research pieces of<br>equipment such as high temperature kiln are available is yet another challenge.<br>Ajayi and Chindo (Ibid) also identified the shortfall in skilled manpower and modern<br>technology, research and development as well as inadequate and reliable ceramic infrastructure.<br>According to them the present curricula operated in ceramic training institutions in the country<br>are too shallow, narrow and lack contents for the development for ceramic technology. This to<br>them is a misnomer and portrays the course more of art and design, which is meant to beautify<br>the physical environment. They concluded that this has made educationist and policy makers in<br>education to see and misconstrue ceramics as nothing different from the art of beautifying the<br>physical environment Whereas Chaffers (1965) and Arayela (2006) pointed out that<br>3<br>pottery/ceramics is the mother of all art. The development of pottery/ceramics was a milestone in<br>human history.<br>According to Ahuwan (2003) Nigeria that aspires to industrialization is over-burdened by<br>the paradox, where they adore ceramics ware on their alls, toilets, roofs and tables but do not<br>appreciate their child studying ceramics in Universities, Polytechnics or Colleges of Education.<br>This study evaluates the availability, adequacy, functionality and maintenance of the ceramic<br>equipment and materials in Colleges of Education in the North-East Geo-Political zone of<br>Nigeria.<br>1.2 Statement of the problem<br>The lack of adequate facilities, equipment and materials is one of the problems affecting<br>the teaching of ceramic education in most of the Colleges of Education today. According to<br>Gukas (2005) colleges are supposed to have adequate basic ceramic equipment and materials for<br>effective teaching and learning in the colleges.<br>1.3 Research Questions<br>The following research questions were developed to guide this study:<br>i. Are there available facilities, equipment and materials for teaching ceramics?<br>ii. Are the equipment and materials adequate?<br>iii. Are the equipment and materials functioning properly?<br>iv. What are the major problems associated with the use and maintenance of equipment and<br>sourcing of materials in the colleges of education?<br>4<br>1.4 Basic Assumptions<br>For the purpose of this study, the following assumptions were made:<br>i. The Colleges of Education had facilities, pieces of equipment and materials for teaching<br>ceramics<br>ii. The pieces of equipment and materials are adequate<br>iii. The pieces of equipment are functioning properly<br>iv. The maintenance of the pieces of equipment is effective.<br>1.5 Hypothesis<br>Major Hypothesis:<br>There is no significant difference between the opinions of respondents on the availability,<br>adequacy, functionality and maintenance of facilities, equipment and materials for teaching<br>ceramics among the Colleges of Education in the North-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>Sub Hypothesis:<br>1. There is no significant difference in the opinions of the respondents on the availability of<br>facilities, equipment and materials in the Colleges of Education.<br>2. There is no significant difference in the opinions of the respondents on the adequacy of<br>existing facilities, equipment and materials.<br>3. There is no significant difference in the opinions of the respondents towards the proper<br>functioning of the existing facilities, equipment and materials.<br>4. There is no significant difference in the opinions of the respondents on the maintenance<br>and use of existing facilities, equipment and materials.<br>1.6 Objectives of the Study<br>5<br>The objectives of the study are:<br>i. To ascertain the availability of facilities, equipment and materials in the Colleges of<br>Education in the North-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>ii. To determine the adequacy of the existing equipment and facilities in the College of<br>Education in the North-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>iii. To find out if the equipment and materials are functioning properly in the Colleges of<br>Education in the North-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>iv. To identify the major problems associated with the use and maintenance of these<br>equipment and materials in the Colleges of Education in the North-East Geo-political<br>zone of Nigeria.<br>1.7 Scope and Limitation of the Study<br>This study was limited to assessing ceramic facilities, equipment and materials in the four<br>selected Colleges of Education in the North-East Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>These include College of Education, Gashua, Yobe State; College of Education, Hong,<br>Adamawa State, Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri, Borno State and Federal<br>College of Education (Technical) Potiskum, Yobe State.<br>1.8 Purpose of the Study<br>The purpose of the study is to find out the availability, adequacy, functionality and maintenance<br>stance of the equipment and materials in some selected Colleges of Education in North-East<br>Geo-political zone of Nigeria.<br>1.9 Significance of the Study<br>6<br>The outcome of the study may provide data on the status of ceramic educational facilities, pieces<br>of equipment and materials in the North-East Geo-political zone. The bulk of (lie thesis will<br>equally be a reference material for educational administrators, planners, teachers and parents,<br>colleges of education, resources persons, state and federal government. This will in no small way<br>assist them in the proper planning of the Ceramic Education Programme. It may also assist<br>planners in education to formulate strategies that may ensure that the adequate provision of<br>facilities, equipment, and materials and to find out the reasons for the dearth of facilities in order<br>to avert them These contributions will help the individuals, organizations and nation grow<br>healthy, economically, socially and educationally sound. It also creates room for decision<br>making. It will help to strengthen the foundation of students all over the nation and in the world<br>at large.<br>The result of the study could be used to develop possible solutions and suggestions that<br>can contribute to making teaching and learning to be effective.<br>7 <br></p>