Effects of Instructional Strategies and Gender on Junior Secondary School Students’ Achievement in Business Studies in Rivers State, Nigeria (Published)
Business Studies is offered in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) as a subject meant to expose learners to commerce, office management, trade and book keeping. In spite of its importance, performance in the subject is below expectation in Rivers State. Previous studies revealed that brainstorming and field trip will improve learning outcomes but they are rarely used while teaching Business Studies. This study, therefore, determined the effects of brainstorming (BTM), field trip (FTTM), and conventional teaching methods (CM) and gender on secondary school students’ achievement in Business Studies. All the JSS 2 students (467) in the selected schools participated in the study. The treatment lasted for seven weeks. The instrument used was Business Studies Achievement Test (r=0.82), Data collected was analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. There was a significant main effect of treatment on students’ achievement in Business Studies [F(2,131)=26.70, partial η2=0.29]. Participants in FTTM had the highest mean (35.79), followed by BTM (35.71) and CM (27.54). Results revealed that gender did not have a significant main effect on students’ achievement in business studies [F(1,131) =.315, P> .05]. Brainstorming and Field trip teaching methods influenced learning outcomes of students in Business studies in Rivers state but Field trip method was better. It is therefore suggested that teachers should use both methods during Business studies classes.
Keywords: Achievement, Gender, Instructional Strategies, Junior Secondary School Students, Nigeria, Rivers State, business studies
Educating Children in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) Camps through Blended Learning: Prospects and Challenges (Published)
Education occupies a central place in human rights. It is essential and indispensable for the exercise of all other human rights and for general societal development. Internally displaced people (IDPs) are considered as most vulnerable due to the increased demands of IDPs for essential public services and livelihoods. The children in these camps also face a lot of hardship with little or no education because of overcrowding and influx of people, especially in the North East of Nigeria. Blended Learning is a hybrid of face-to-face (F-T-F) and computer mediated form of instruction. As an instructional strategy it harnesses the better of the two methods to improve the instructional process especially of the children in IDP camp Schools which are usually over crowded with on the spot recruited teachers. Some challenges envisaged were inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, ready computer literate teachers and specialized manpower for the e-learning platform. It was recommended that educating displaced children in IDP camps should be given more concerted effort by more NGOs, Humanitarian organization, Philanthropists and not left for the host government alone. This is because the children are at the heritage of the future and investing in them educationally is vital for a healthy society for today and tomorrow.
Keywords: : Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Instructional Strategies, blended learning, children
Effect of Instructional Strategies on the Teaching and Acquisition of Listening Skills in Kiswahili Language (Published)
The research investigated the influence of the instructional process on the teaching and acquisition of listening skills in Kiswahili language. Informed by the study, this paper explores how the instructional strategies used influence the teaching and acquisition of listening skills in Kiswahili language in Kenyan secondary schools. The study used a sample of 13 secondary schools purposively selected from a total of 41 secondary schools in Wareng’ District, Kenya. Thirteen (13) teachers of Kiswahili and 130 Form Two learners of Kiswahili formed the respondents. The research was a descriptive survey since it set out to discover, describe and interpret existing conditions focusing on secondary school teachers of Kiswahili and Form Two learners. To collect data an interview schedule and an observation schedule were used. The 13 teachers were interviewed, the 130 learners participated in a Focus Group Discussion while 13 Kiswahili lessons were observed and tape-recorded. Analysed data was presented using frequency tables, percentages, graphs and charts. The study found that poor teaching strategies used in the teaching of listening in Kiswahili language is one of the main causes of the poor levels of language acquisition. In view of the findings, this study recommends that teachers of Kiswahili should build into their classrooms listening activities that have as much of the characteristics of real life listening as possible. One of the research implication of this study is that a study should be conducted in teacher training institutions to determine the effectiveness of teacher education programs in preparing teachers of Kiswahili in the teaching of listening skills.
Keywords: Acquisition Listening Skills, Effect, Instructional Strategies, Kenya, Kiswahili language, Secondary Schools, Teaching