AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

TEACHING METHODS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

BY

UMAR SAMINU
umarsaminukankia@gmail.com

BSC. EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

200 LEVEL

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND

MANAGEMENT

A TERM PAPER WRITE-UP

AND RESENTATION

SUBMITTED
TO

JOIN PROFESSIONALS TRAINING AND SUPPORT

INTERNATIONAL
KANKIA STUDY CENTRE, KATSINA STATE

JULY, 2021
 ABSTRACT

This paper is on an investigation into the relationship between teaching methods

and academic performance of secondary school students in Nigeria. The aim of
the paper is to assess the relationship between the use of discussion method and
academic performance of students, to examine the relationship between the use
of demonstration method and academic performance of students, to ascertain
the relationship between the use of lecture method and academic performance of
students and to determine the relationship between the use of questioning
method and the academic performance of students. The paper of immense
significance as it will help to increase the teachers’ level of awareness and
understanding of the use of most of the instructional technique. Findings may
also provide the teachers with a feedback on the teaching competences in most
commonly used teaching methods as a basis for improvement in their
instructional practice so that they can enhance performance. The concept of
teaching and learning where extensively discussed in the paper and lastly some
recommendations where proffered in order to improve students’ learning.

ii
 TABLE OF CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

1.2 Statement of problem

1.3 Objective of the study

1.4 Significance of the study

1.5 Scope and limitation of the study

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Literature Review

3. CONCLUSION

4. RECOMMENDATION

5. REFERENCES

iii
 CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a

fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal & Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate

the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate

teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes.

In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-

centered methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative to student-

centered methods. Until today, questions about the effectiveness of teaching

methods on student learning have consistently raised considerable interest in

the thematic field of educational research (Hightower et-al., 2011).

Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to

examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in

student learning. Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by

the majority students is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective

teaching methods by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola,

2011). Substantial research on the effectiveness of teaching methods

indicates that the quality of teaching is often reflected by the achievements

1
of learners. According to Ayeni (2011), teaching is a process that involves

bringing about desirable changes in learners so as to achieve specific

outcomes. In order for the method used for teaching to be effective, Adunola

(2011) maintains that teachers need to be conversant with numerous

teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of

the concepts to be covered. As an educator, the researcher has always been

fascinated by the relationship between teaching methods and students'

academic performance; especially when it comes to applications in the

context of 21st century education. It seems that there is something in

teaching that opens the gate of learning. It is true that successful learning

depends on various factors that are not all teacher-related, but the methods

that a teacher uses continue to play an important role in student learning and

in their academic achievement. The challenges that educators face in the

21st century are so diverse that using better teaching methods is more crucial

now than ever before. Gibbs and Jenkins (1992) bring the argument that the

context of class and society has changed, but the teaching methods have

remained unchanged. Various recent studies attempting to address the issues

that affect teaching methods and student learning today include educational

technology integration (Abbitt, 2011), teachers’ roles (Webb, 2009), the

class environment (Doll et al., 2010), understanding the adult learner

2
(Kisamore, Aldridge, Alexander, & White, 2008), length of the class session

(Coskun, 2011), increasing class size in schools (Gibbs & Jenkins, 1992),

students’ attitudes (Akkuzu & Akcay, 2011), as well as the increased

interdependence of society today (Schul, 2011).

Studies on teaching methods are not something new in educational research.

A large number of studies have been done on this area. Pascarella and

Trenzini (2005) have written a compendium of research studies conducted in

this area over the past three decades. Even before that, Feldman and

Newcomb (1973) mentioned decades of similar research studies in the area

of teaching methods. These show both increased interest and knowledge in

the area of teaching strategies and learning theories. Svinicki (2000)

suggests that these studies on teaching methods conducted in the past

decades are so overwhelming that it would be impossible to go over them all

in detail. For many decades, the search for better teaching methods to

provide the best learning has been the goal of education. However, teaching

method is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Flexibility is crucial in adapting

teaching methods in the class. Since all teachers are different, the strategies

they use, and the way they use them will depend on the context and situation

of their class (McCornac & PhanThuy, 2005), as well as their own

personality and biases. The effect of teaching methods on students’ learning

3
should be the interest of every teacher and student. In the field of education,

there have been various studies done in an attempt to measure teaching

methods. Robinson and colleagues (1990) conducted a case study on several

teaching methods in schools to explore the reasons for their use, and

perceptions of effectiveness. The result of their study suggested that various

methods do influence teaching effectiveness. According to Keene (2008),

each student learns best using strategies and objectives that reflect his

experiences, abilities, aptitudes and interest. Similarly, there is no standard

teaching method. The various teaching methods overlap in definition and

application; none being mutually exclusive although researchers often

delineate several teaching strategies. Demonstration technique is one of the

many teaching learning style under the investigative or activity based. It is a

method which is capable of improving learning through its diversity effect

activity. It has the prerequisite characteristics for individualized instruction

and therefore has high potential for making teaching-learning process

challenging and rewarding. There is a radical departure from the direct

teaching model in which the teacher engages student to learn. Students are

encouraged to ask questions. In short, the student is viewed as an inquirer, a

seeker of information and a problem-solver. These attributes are crucial to

problem-solving and are at the heart of demonstration model of teaching.

4
Consequently, there is now a growing concern for the use of demonstration

technique in the teaching of Government in Nigerian secondary schools.

In recent times, much research attention has been focused on teaching of

government in Nigerian Secondary Schools with a view to ascertaining the

adequacy and appropriateness of the teachers’ method of teaching and

indeed the effectiveness of instruction. Investigation into the use of

demonstration instructional technique in the teaching of government in

Nigerian Secondary Schools seem to have focused mainly on teachers’

frequency of the use of this technique and sparingly on the application of

important variables influencing its effective use. In a sense, no research

attention has yet been paid to the effectiveness of teaching government using

demonstration technique. The use of demonstration instructional technique

as an innovative instructional practice can only be effectively implemented

if the teachers possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities related

to its use in the classroom situation. Competence is learnt attitudes and

aptitudes shown as capacities for controlling, actively struggling with and

mastering life problems through the use of cognitive, social and scientific

skills. Thus, as a learnt characteristic, the amount of it possessed by

individuals can be measured and development through appropriate and

constant involvements in activities. Skills for the demonstration technique of

5
government consist of the teachers’ awareness and understanding of the

issues surrounding demonstration teaching. These include knowledge of

questioning, identification of events that are suited to demonstration. Others

are how to demonstrate curiosity and independent thoughts in students

(Brown, 1999). They also include ability to elicit students’ questions (Kona,

2000). The present concern for Nigerian government teachers with regard to

acquisition of these qualities is born out of the fear that since most of these

teachers have been used to expository teaching approach and considering the

existing inadequacies in teacher education in Nigeria, their awareness,

equipment, orientation and willingness to embrace and effectively use the

demonstration technique as a mode of teaching are bound to be questionable.

This activity technique is at times misconstrued and hence wrongly applied.

This paper attempts to elucidate the concept of activity vis-à-vis

demonstration method of teaching, and empirically establish its effectiveness

on SS 2 students’ achievement in Secondary School. The discussion method

has been widely accepted and recommended by some educators as the good

method of teaching in secondary schools (Phipps & Osborne, 1988). The

discussion method is the method of teaching where the central and essential

characteristic is interaction (Binkley and Tulloch, 1981). During discussion

session students participate in the learning process by contributing problems,

6
analyzing the factors associated with the problems, developing possible

solutions to the problems, placing the solution(s) into action, and evaluating

the results of the solution.

Nowak, Watt and Walther (2004), articulated this position and present

evidence that, demonstration method is generally effective in teaching

sciences, mathematics and mechanics as well as subject areas within

vocational and technical education. As stated by Gokhale (1996), the

professional success of a technologist is directly related to his/her ability to

transfer knowledge gained in the academic environment to real-world

situations. Much student learning occurs through observing others. A

demonstration provides the link between "knowing about" and "being able to

do." Research reveals that demonstrations are most effective when they are

accurate, when learners are able to see clearly and understand what is going

on, and when brief explanations occur during the demonstration

(Saskatchewan, 1988). Since good teaching among other factors play

significant role in enhancing performance, this study attempted to find out

which method of instruction better facilitate learning in secondary schools

by beaming light on the different methods of teaching in secondary schools.

7
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Given the high value placed on government at the Nigerian Senior

Secondary School Curriculum, and the nature of the subject, the need to

teach it effectively through an effective method is indisputable. A few of the

problems affecting the teaching and learning of government are the

meaningfulness of the content, the sustainability of the methods and

probably, the teacher who handles both the content and method. There is

scarcity of published works on the use of demonstration in teaching

government particularly in Kankia Local Government Area of Katsina State

where this study is carried out that is known to the researcher. The incidence

of ineffective teaching of government in Senior Secondary School has

resulted in poor achievement in examination. This necessitated the need for

a more effective and result-oriented.

What a teacher does in the classroom depends to some degree upon his

approach to learning situations. However, students' negative attitudes toward

learning may be related to the method of instruction (Dyer, 1995). Though

teachers with high morale, motivation and a mastery of knowledge, learner

difficulties and capacity to facilitate learning are important (Zadra, 2000),

correct use of an appropriate teaching method is critical to successful

teaching and learning. Knowledge of how teaching methods affect students'

8
learning may help educators to select methods that improve teaching quality,

effectiveness, and accountability to learners and the public. It may also help

them keep up with information technology, globalization and to avoid the

status quo (Foster, Pinkest and Husman, 1991). Organizing for effective

teaching in vocational education is centered on certain factors such as what

to teach, when to teach and how to teach. The teacher does not only teach

the most relevant, meaningful and useful materials for specific students, he

must also recognize and adopt a good and well-researched method of

teaching that guarantees better understanding and also stimulates and

motivate the students. Several methods of instruction have been employed

for students' interest depending on the situation. Varying factors ranging

from socio-economic background, intelligence, attitude of students to

teaching methods employed by teachers have been attributed to this poor

achievement. Tawari (1986) observed that teaching methods that encourages

students centered activities for developing reasoning and process slides

through scientific approach are conspicuously lacking. For effective teaching

to take place, the teacher must stimulate, encourage and maintain active

participation of the students, through the selection of appropriate teaching

methods. This would require a balance between what is taught and how it is

taught. Thus, successful teaching in vocational education does not depend

9
only on the teachers' mastery of the subject matter but also the teaching

method employed. Hence, Ogbonna (2000) opines that one of the most

influential factors in teaching is the teacher's method of teaching.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objectives of the paper are;

1. To assess the relationship between the use of discussion method and

academic performance of students.

2. To examine the relationship between the use of demonstration method

and academic performance of students

3. To ascertain the relationship between the use of lecture method and

academic performance of students

4. To determine the relationship between the use of questioning method

and the academic performance of students.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study may be considered significant in a number of ways: it will help to

increase the teachers’ level of awareness and understanding of the use of

most of the instructional technique. Findings may also provide the teachers

with a feedback on the teaching competences in most commonly used

teaching methods as a basis for improvement in their instructional practice

10
so that they can enhance performance. Curriculum planners and educators as

well as government and educational administrators need empirical data on

the overall teaching method and activity teaching competence of government

teachers in Senior Secondary Schools to facilitate proper curricular policies

and programmes for effective teaching and learning.

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The focus of this research is on the effect of activity techniques (i.e.

discussion, demonstration, lecture and questioning approach) of teaching on

Senior Secondary School Students performance in government. The

educational level of focus is SS 2 students. It is believed that these groups of

students have been exposed to the knowledge, attitude and skills of the

subject. The work covers performance using all the commonly used method

of teaching .The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the

scope of the study;

a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research

material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider

coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and

examinations with the study.

11
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 CONCEPT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is a concept central to education and any academic setting. There

are various definitions of teaching as well as many activities that are

involved in the teaching and learning process. Nzeribe (2002) defined

teaching as the conscious and deliberate effort by a mature or experiences

person to impact information, knowledge, skills and so on to an immature or

less experienced person, with the intention that the latter will learn or come

to believe what is taught‘. On the other hand Wikipedia-free encyclopedia

(2011) explained teaching to mean ‗the various types of principles and

methods of educating or instruction that is used to impact knowledge and

skills on students by an instructor‘. While Tharp and Gallimor (1991)

defined teaching as assisted performance beyond the zone of proximal

development‘ (assisting learners to perform beyond their current capacity).

In view of the above assertions, teaching can be defined as a systematic

activity designed by a teacher or instructor to facilitate learning in order to

enable learners construct worthwhile knowledge and skills . Teaching is an

academic process that involves two groups of people: the teacher/instructor

and students/learners and information which include knowledge and like that

are transmitted. Due to these activities involved in teaching the concept of

12
teaching are preferably discussed as teaching and learning. According to

Sawa (2002) teaching and learning are considered as two sides of a coin,

because teaching is meaningless without learning. Hence, teaching without

learning is considered mere talking, for teaching to be meaningful it must be

effective in promoting knowledge skills and values. In view of this, a

document by Shawnee State University (2001) stated that the accepted

criterion for measuring good teaching is the amount of learning outcomes

demonstrated by the school age learners and also through the perspective of

learners‘ engagement in the teaching and learning process. Shawnee State

University (2001) therefore characterized effective teaching as: (a) teaching

for understanding – teaching in ways that help learners understand ideas and

perform proficiently and (b) diversified – teaching in ways that would help

diverse learners to find productive path to knowledge and constructively

also. Borich (2008) stated that an effective teaching and learning should:

(1) Be inquiry-based: teachers should build the subject program around

inquiry process by (a) selecting content and adapting curricula to address

students learning needs, interests and prior knowledge. (b) Developing

activities and assessments that promote students‘ depth of understanding (c)

working together as colleague across disciplines and class levels

13
(2) Facilitate learning: Teachers should guide and facilitate learning with a

variety of strategies such as (a) Helping students focus their inquiries and

ideas (b) orchestrating student discuss (c) requiring students to share

responsibility for their own learning (d) modeling curiosity, skepticism and

the skills of inquiry.

(3) Provide learning environment: Teachers should create and manage

learning environments that (a) provide enough time for extended inquiries
(b) are safe but flexible and supportive of students activities and actions (c)
features materials and tools for doing and use of resources outside school.

(4) Create classroom community: Teachers should develop communities of

learner in which all members (a) respect the ideas and diverse experience of
others (b) collaborate and make decisions about the contents and context of
their work (c) adopt the intellectual rigor and attitudes that make learning
possible (d) engage in on-going formal and informal discussion.

(5) Be ongoing assessment: Teachers should engage in ongoing, assessment

of instruction and learning by (a) using multiple methods to determine
students understandings (b) guiding students in self assessment (c) using
assessment information to guide their teaching and improve their practice.
From the above assertions an effective pedagogy is that which engages
students actively in the teaching and learning process and guides students
successfully through exploration to become creative and critical thinkers as
well as problem solvers. Effective teaching encourages students to grapple
with the ideas which they need to develop their own understandings and
construct meaningful knowledge. Pedagogy with these inherent qualities

14
includes inquiry method of teaching among the innovative teaching methods
Inquiry as an effective method for teaching biology encourages questioning
or seeking for information about phenomena; it fosters and encourages
scientific process such as: Observation – Observing matters or phenomena
Measurement – Quantitative description of objects and phenomena
Experimentation – Testing Questions and ideas Communication –
Communicating results to the scientific community and the public. Inquiry
involves mental process – such as inductive reasoning, formulating
hypothesis and theories, deductive reasoning, analogy, extrapolation,
synthesis and evaluation which are needed in various activities in the
teaching and learning of biological concepts. The secondary school biology
curriculum involves a wide range of inquiry activities which may need
guided or unguided inquiry methods. This study therefore intends to
determine the effectiveness of guided and unguided inquiry methods on
students‘ achievement and interest in biology specifically in the content of
Animal Nutrition

2.2 METHOD OF TEACHING

Teaching is a process of impacting knowledge which involves many

activities on the part of the teacher and the learners (students). Teaching

methods therefore includes these various means and activities of the teacher

and learner in the learning process geared towards acquiring ideas,

knowledge, skills and values that are built within the educational aims and

objectives. According to O‘Bannon (2002) teaching methods describes

various ways information is presented to the students specifying the nature

15
of the activities in which the teacher and the learner will be involved during

the teaching and learning process. Sawa (2002) from another perspective

defined teaching methods as the framework on which what learners need to

learn is conveyed to them by the teacher. In view of these definitions

teaching methods can be asserted as primarily the description of learning

objective oriented activities and the flow of information between teacher and

students in the teaching and learning processes. Teaching methods involve

different activities of the teacher and the learner such as questioning,

explanations, demonstration or directions. The activities can be referred to as

skills or techniques. Thus teaching methods involves different techniques.

The use of these techniques vary with different teaching methods and

depend on many factors such as type of learning objectives, nature of

subject, age of students, number of students among others. Hence, there are

different types of teaching methods: Lecture/expository method, discussion,

demonstration, recitation, lecture/discussion, Games and simulations,

problem-solving, Role-play, scaffolding, inquiry learning among others.

These different teaching methods are grouped by some educators (Shawnee,

State University, 2001; Sawa, 2002); O‘Bannon, 2002 and Campbell, 2006)

into two approaches: teacher-centered and student-centered

Teacher-centered Approach

16
Teacher-centered approach includes all the teaching methods that the teacher

dominates in the lesson procedure and takes the lead in coordinating the

classroom activities as regards to what to be done. O‘Bannon (2002) stated

that teacher-centered approach includes all the teaching methods grounded

in behaviourism such as Lecture, demonstration, discussion and recitation

etc. Teacher-centered classroom is thus rigidly structured and only factual

information is conveyed to learners. For instance in the lecture method, the

instructor presents fact and principles orally. In view of this, the lecture

method has been criticized to be a poor method of teaching hand-on skills in

sciences including Biology although it provides for the effective use of time

and manpower especially in presenting ideas to a large group of people.

Considering other teacher—centered approaches O‘Bannon (2002)

described demonstration ‗as a teaching method that involves the teacher

showing students a process or procedure involved in a learning process. The

demonstration method has some advantages over the lecture method in skill

acquisition, the disadvantage remains that the learners follow the rigidly

prescribed probed procedure by the teacher and this makes it not effective

for science teaching. Then the discussion method among other teacher-

centered approach is a more advanced teacher-centered approach in which

an issue in the learning content is posed as a question by the teacher and

17
each of the students chips in different ideas etc. The discussion method also

has its prone and cones with some degrees of student-centeredness as the

teacher decide what is to be discussed. However, in all the mentioned

teaching methods the teacher determines the content and the questions and

takes upper control in the flow of information or knowledge hence they are

considered as teacher-centered approach to teaching The term teacher-

centered approach therefore comes from the roles of the teacher in the

traditional classroom as possessor of knowledge and decision maker and

decides know knowledge should be transferred to learners in the teaching

and learning process. Ibe (2004) noted that the traditional teaching methods

stress transmission of knowledge in a manner that emphasize and encourage

memorization. In line with this view, Guisti (2008) described the approach

as one fact laden text consisting of assign, recite, test and then discuss the

text procedure. From the foregoing it indicates that teacher-centered

approach includes teaching methods that involves only unidirectional flow

of information from the teacher to students and does not permit exchange of

ideas that makes teaching and learning process active. In view of these

shortcomings Isiugo – Abanihe et al. (2010) characterized the traditional

methods as poor methods of teaching sciences because it limits science skill

acquisition and hands on activities that characterize science teaching and

18
learning especially biology. The persistent use of traditional/conventional

teaching methods has been reported to account for poor student performance

Biology

Student-centered Approach

Student-centered approach include all teaching methods that underscore the

teacher as a decision maker and problem solver in the classroom but rather

see teachers as guides, facilitators, mentors, coach or consultants in the

teaching and learning process. In the educational sector the term ‗student-

centered‘, child centered‘ or learner-centered‘ are interchangeably used to

refer to teaching methods that allow students to share some degree of

responsibility and decision making in the classroom. The student-centered

approach is opposed to the teacher centered approach that characterizes the

traditional teaching methods which rests classroom decisions solely on the

teachers. According to O‘Bannon (2002) student-centered approach is

grounded in constructivism, with the epistemological view that learners are

the architects of their own idiosyncratic meanings of concepts and natural

phenomena. In view of this student-centered approach is based on

constructivists‘ principles and ideas. However Campbell (2006) inferred that

the cognitive learning theory also advocate for student-centered idea. Thus

student-centered approach is based on the constructivists as well as cognitive

19
theories with the educational applications linked to the works of Dewey and

Piaget among others. In discussing student centered teaching methods, such

terms like constructivism, inquiry and discovery learning are often

interchangeably used. Kirshner (2006) noted although these terms share

some commonalities experts in each field observe some important

differences. Nevertheless, in today‘s educational discussions the term

student-centered approach is a broad term that includes all innovative

teaching methods that are usually activity oriented, where learners are

expected to observe, analyze, synthesize and evaluate ideas or phenomena

using materials or previous knowledge. Teaching methods emphasizing this

approach include discovery, constructivism-related method (concept

mapping, co-operative learning), problem solving, graphic organizers, know

what to learn (KWL), role play, simulations and games and inquiry method

etc. Educational Broadcasting Corporation (2004) noted that the principles

of student-centered approach are linked to the philosophy of Rousseau‘ work

‗Emile‘ which stressed on the intuitive nature of children to investigation

and learning naturally from the environmental experience. The student-

centered approach is relevant to Biology teaching because in biology

teaching, creating an environment that will encourage students to interact

with materials and specimens enables students to construct meaningful

20
knowledge and learn Biology first hand. In view of the relevance of student-

centered approach to teaching and learning of Biology many researches in

biology education: (Ibe and Nwosu,2003; Ibe,2004; Nwagbo,2006 and

Opara (2011) recommend for a shift from the use of traditional teaching

methods (teacher centered approach) of teaching biology to a

modern/innovative teaching methods (student-centered approach) such as

inquiry method. Evidences from the above studies also indicated that the

inquiry method of teaching is superior to the traditional teacher-centered

approach in improving academic achievement, acquisition of process skills

and in promoting scientific literacy among biology students. Nevertheless

these studies did not investigate the effects of different methods of inquiry

on students‘ interest which is another objective of this study

2.4 INQUIRY METHODS OF TEACHING

Inquiry is a term often used in science classroom to express student centered

approach due to the fact that it employs the scientific process in the search

and construction of knowledge (Guisti, 2008). Biology is inquiry in nature

and should be studied through inquiry method using scientific process and

habit if students are to achieve highly. Nevertheless, in the traditional

classroom biology is taught mainly through teacher-centered approaches

such as lecture//expository, demonstration methods etc. These traditional

21
methods have been reported to be responsible for students‘ poor

achievement in Biology hence the inquiry teaching method is recommended

and designed to turn the traditional ‗cook book‘ approach to science

teaching into hands-on minds-on which actively involve students in the

teaching and learning process and promote their reasoning abilities. Inquiry

teaching method is variously defined by many educators: MartinHansen

(2002) defined inquiry as ‗the work scientists do when they study natural

world, proposing explanations that include evidence gathered from the world

around them and the activities of students-such as posing questions, planning

investigation and reviewing what is already known in the light of

experimental evidence‘, on the other hand, Education Broadcasting

Corporation (2002) simply defined inquiry as ‗seeking for truth, information

or knowledge by questioning‘ while Bybee (2011) defined inquiry as an

outcome of science teaching characterized by knowledge and understanding

of the processes and methods of science‘. Onan (2012) in another

perspective defined inquiry as student-learning approach that encourages

students to create personal knowledge by questioning and use of

investigation process. From the above assertions, basic elements of inquiry

method include questioning and investigation, Hence inquiry simply means

teaching method that encourages investigation through questioning. In

22
inquiry teaching; students ask questions and use investigations (scientific

process) to discover or construct knowledge as scientist do. Inquiry teaching

method is therefore recommended for teaching Biology because it provides

students with the opportunity to explore the world of things around them

through the scientific process. Many researchers Ibe (2004) Chukwuemeka

(2005) Nwagbo (2006) and Opara (2011) recommend the use of inquiry

method for biology teaching because it promotes process skill development

which is needed for scientific investigations. Similarly, Orlich, Haders,

Collohan, Trevisan and Abbie (1998) identified inquiry as a better method

of teaching biology because it encourages active interaction between

students, teachers, materials and environment and allows both the students

and the teachers to become persistent askers, seekers, interrogators,

questioners and ponders and combines all the learning processes that

encourage knowledge discovery and construction. Educational Broadcasting

Corporation (2004) noted that inquiry process starts from birth and continue

till death; it begins with gathering of information and data through the

application and use of human senses, to formulating questions that arouse

the thinking process towards knowledge construction and problem solving.

In support of the above view, Onan (2012) outlined the following inquiry

process:

23
  Identification and selection of problems and conducting research

 Introducing process and problems and problem presentation

 Gathering data

 Developing theory and verifying theory

 Analyzing process and

 Evaluation

In science teaching and learning there is no authentic investigation or

meaningful learning if there is no inquiry process because it provides

motivation for activity, increases interest, generates curiosity make

connections to prior knowledge and intensifying learning objectives and

criteria for success in teaching. Martin-Hansen (2002) noted that although

inquiry can be applied to other disciplines that it is more appropriate to

teaching of sciences, hence it is effective for biology teaching and learning

since Biology is inquiry in nature Jensen (2008) stated that inquiry method

promotes learning and achievement more in science encourages team-spirit

which is an attribute of science. To achieve a successful teaching through

inquiry method, certain procedures are considered, these procedures are

what Saskatchewan (2010) called inquiry approaches;

The teacher should present the followings:

24
 Present a problem or a puzzling event or situation which stimulates

interest.

 Ensure that the students understand the problem, event of situation.

 Either structure the lesson, to develop specific predetermined

generalization, thereby limiting the number of generalizations

developed (guided inquiry) or

 Identify general problems or questions but not specific

generalizations to be developed, thereby allowing unlimited number

of generalizations to be developed, thereby allowing unlimited

number of generalizations (unguided inquiry).

 Provide and structure appropriate materials, equipment, data,

classroom and environment etc. Provide instruction about whether

students work alone or in groups.

 Either act as class leader throughout the lesson and ask questions and

suggest activities which will lead students to desired generalizations

(guided inquiry) or ask only initial questions.

 Students interact with materials and with each other without further

teacher‘s guidance (unguided inquiry).

 Elicit observation and generalizations in whole class discussion or

encourage individual or small groups sharing.

25
  Observe and listen to students throughout the lesson: note students

activities, questions and hypotheses, note process which lead students

to specific conclusions

The above approaches include both guided and unguided inquiry. The

teacher may decide on which type of inquiry to apply. However, whether

guided or unguided inquiry teaching method has many benefits in teaching

and learning. Okwor (2007) noted that the following educational benefits

would be achieve by learners through inquiry teaching method (guided or

unguided)

2.5 TEACHERS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS ASSISTANCE

Lecturer attitude is the consistent tendency by the teacher to react in a

particular way towards students in terms of assistance in academic matter

(Eggen & Kauchak, 2001). Such attitude reflects both cognitive and

emotional components which strongly influence the manner in which a

teacher thinks and responses to specific problems of students (Fazio &

Roskes (1994). Research work (Eggen & Kauchak, 2001) found out that

positive teachers’ attitudes are fundamental to effective teaching and

students’ academic achievements. Further study warrants that there are a

number of elements that constitute teachers’ attitudes that will facilitate a

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caring and supportive classroom environment, and these elements include

caring, enthusiasm, teaching efficacy, democratic practices to promote

students’ responsibility, effective use of lesson, constructive interaction with

learners and high expectation to promote learners’ motivation (Brunning et

al. 1999).

3. CONCLUSION

In light of the fact that learning is a process that involves investigating,

formulating, reasoning and using appropriate strategies to solve problems,

teachers should realize that it becomes more effective if the students are

tasked to perform rather than just asked to remember some information. A

typical learning environment with a presentation from the course teacher

accompanied by a lecture neither promotes learners’ participation nor build

the required level of reasoning among students. Students build a better

understanding of the main concepts more effectively when they are engaged

to solve problems during class activities.

4. RECOMMENDATION

McWhorter & Hudson-Ross (1996) found that without new approaches to

instruction that connect to the learning needs of students, many will perform

27
poorly and are likely to drop out of studies. Research evidence from

previous studies indicates that a student-centered learning environment

seems to produce higher-level learning outcomes more efficiently than a

traditional teacher-centered environment (Tynjala, 1998). Hence, bias in

selection of teaching methods by teachers in areas in which they possess

exclusive monopoly knowledge should be avoided to improve students’

academic performance (Adunola, 2011). Therefore, teachers should create

an atmosphere conducive to learning in order to enhance the development of

students’ learning experiences. Moreover, teachers should also increase their

knowledge of various instructional strategies in order to keep students

engaged and motivated throughout the learning process

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