VIEWS OF TEACHERS ON PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEACHING OF BIOLOGY IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA M.Ed. INTERIM REPORT BY JIBRIL, Basira Abdulrahim 10/680N001 DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN, ILORIN NIGERIA SUPERVISOR: PROF. I.O. ABIMBOLA

BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM -Science is instrumental to the development of any nation, that is why it is incorporated into the secondary school curriculum. -Ogunleye (2001) observed that the level of technological development of a society is measure of the level of scientific literacy in that society. -Biology is one of the core subjects in Nigeria secondary schools, Sorajini (2001) defines Biology as the study of living things interacting with their non-living components.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM -Repeated reports of consistent poor performance in Biology at the Senior school Certificate Examination have attracted a lot of concern from science educators. -The science educators have continued to seek better ways of teaching Biology in order to maximize meaningful learning (Obe, 1998). -The focus of this study is to find out the views of teachers on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in Secondary Schools in Kwara State

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of this study was to find out the views of teachers on problems associated with the teaching of biology Specially this study investigated 1.If the views of Biology teachers vary on problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary school based on gender. 2.If the views of Biology Teachers vary on views on problems associated with the teaching of Biology base on qualifications. 3.If the views of Biology Teachers vary on problems associated with the teaching of Biology base on experience. 4.If there are differences in the views of Biology Teachers in Public and private secondary schools on problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS In this study answers were sought to the following research questions: 1.What are the views of Biology Teachers on problems associated with the teaching of biology? 2.Is there any difference between the views of male and female Biology teachers on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in Kwara State? 3.Is there any difference between the views of qualified and unqualified Biology teachers on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in Kwara State? 4. Is there any difference between the views of experienced and less experienced Biology teachers on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in Kwara State? 5. Is there any difference between the views of Biology Teachers in public and private secondary schools on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in Kwara State?

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES 1.There is no significant difference between the views of male and female Biology teachers on the problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State. 2.There is no significant difference between the views of qualified and unqualified Biology teachers on the problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State. 3.There is no significant difference between of experienced and less experienced Biology teachers on the problems associated with biology teaching in secondary schools in Kwara State. 4.There is no significant difference between the views of Biology teachers in public and private secondary school on the problems associated with the teaching of biology secondary schools in Kwara State.

SCOPE OF STUDY -The study involved all Biology Teachers in secondary schools in Kwara State. -The researcher sampled all Biology teachers in both public and private secondary schools from the three senatorial districts in Kwara State.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The findings may be of significance to the following: 1.Biology teachers 2.Learners 3.Curriculum developer 4.Teacher educators 5.Educational researchers 6.Educational policy makers.

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE Relevant literatures reviewed under the following sub-headings: 1.Objectives and contents of senior secondary school biology curriculum. 2.Teacher – related factors 3.Student related factors 4.School types, class size and class control influence on the teaching science. 5.Influence of languages on effective teaching and learning. 6.Influence of facilities in effective teaching. 7.Gender and students’ academic performances. 8.Methodology and strategies for effective teaching. 9.Influence of teachers’ curriculum sequences in teaching. 10.Influence of school location, in effective teaching. 11.Appraisal of the literature Reviewed.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Descriptive research, using survey method.

SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES - The study sampled all senior secondary school Biology Teachers in Kwara State. -A stratified sampling technique was used to select the secondary schools from the three senatorial districts in kwara state. -Simple random sampling was used to select 270 biology teachers from the target population -.

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT A research designed questionnaire was used for the study

VALIDATION OF INSTRUMENT The research instruments was validated through the help of the researchers’ supervisor,a science education experts from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin and lecture from biology department Kwara State College of Education

PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION The researcher and assistants administered the copies of questionnaire.

DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (freq-count and percentages) and inferential statistics (chi-square).

CHAPTER FOUR This chapter presented the analyses and result of the research work. Out of the 290 copies of questionnaire distributed to the respondents, 265 were retrieved and were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages and chi-square.

GenderFrequencyPercentage Male Female Total Table 2: Frequency Count and Percentages of Respondents based on Gender

TeachersFrequencyPercentage Public School Teachers Private School Teachers Total Table 3: Frequency Count and Percentages of Biology Teachers based on School Types

VariableFrequencyPercentage Qualified Teachers Unqualified Teachers Total Table 4: Frequency Count and Percentages of Teachers based on Qualifications

VariableFrequencyPercentage Experienced Less Experienced Total Table 5: Frequency Count and Percentages of Respondents based on Years of Experience

Research Question 1: What are the views of Biology Teachers on the problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State? Table 6 showed the percentages of the respondents views who agreed and disagreed to the stated problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State irrespective of gender, school types, qualifications and years of experience. Item 2,3,7,11,14,15,16,19,20,21,23,25,26,28,29,30.36, 42,46,47,48,51,52,53,54,56 and 57 have respondents above 50% that agreed to the stated problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State.

While respondents that agreed on items 1,4,5,6,8,9,10,12,13,17,18,22,24,27, 31,32,33,34,35,37,38,39,40,41,43,4 4,45,49,50 are, less than 50%.This means that items with 50% and above that agreed to the statements are problems viewed associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara state.

Hypothesis 1:There is no significant difference between the views of male and female Biology Teachers on the problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State.

SAADSD GenderObserved Responses (Expected)TotalX2df Table Value Remark Male46(47.7)54(52.5)37(39.2)23(20.5)160 Female33(31.3)33(34.5)28(25.8)11(13.5) NS Total Table 8: Chi-Square analysis of average overall of male and female biology teachers’ responses on problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State.

Hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference between the views of qualified and unqualified Biology Teachers on the problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State. Table 9 showed the item analysis of the respondents views based on Qualifications. The item analysis showed that there is a significant difference on the respondents’ views on items 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,16,18,20,28,29,31,32,34,35,38, 39,40,42,46,47,48,49,50,51,54 and 56

Qualificati on SAADSDTotal 2 dfTotalRemark Qualified47(56.3)69(62.0)49(46.4)24(24.2)189 Unqualified32(22.7)18(25.0)16(18.6)10(9.8) S Total Table 10: Chi-square analysis of average overall of teachers responses on problem associated with the teaching of biology based on qualifications.

Hypothesis 3: There is no significant difference between the views of experienced and less experienced Biology teachers on problems associated with the Teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State. Table 11 showed the item-by-item analysis of the responses; the analysis showed that there is a significant difference on the respondents’ views on items 1,9,11,12,13,14,16,17,20,23,29,30,35,37,4 3,49,50,51 based on years of Experience.

SAADSD ExperienceObserved Responses (ExpectedTotal 2 df Table Value Remark Experience Less Experience 49.( (17.5 ) 69(67.0) 21(19.3) 40(41.6) 17(15.2) 46(48.5) 9(9.0) NS Table Table: 12 Chi-square analysis of average overall of the teachers’ responses of experienced and less experienced on problems associated with the teaching of Biology in secondary schools in Kwara State.

Hypothesis 4: There is no significant difference between the views of Biology Teachers in public and private school on problems associated with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State. Table 13 showed the item-by-item analysis of the responses; the analysis showed that there is a significant difference on the respondents’ views on items 1,4,5,6,9,13,14,15,16,17,23,26,27,31,33,34,3 7,40,42,44,47,51,52,54,55,56. based school types

SAADSD School Type Observed (Expected)Total 2 dfTotal ValueRemark Public School Private School 66(69.5) 47(43.5) 51(51.1) 32(31.9) 35(34.4) 21(21.6) 11(8.0) 2(5.0) NS Total Table 14: Chi-square analysis of average overall of teachers responses in public and private schools on problem associate with the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Kwara State

Summary of the Major Findings The results presented in this chapter indicate the following major findings. Categories A, on teacher characteristic revealed that most of the respondents agreed that: i.Graduate teachers from colleges of education are sometime employed in some secondary schools to teach biology. ii. Some of the biology teachers are not professional, iii.Teachers most time give few examples and no assignment to students in biology lessons. Iv.SomeTeachers do not to assess students at the end of each topic taught. V.someTeachers are not flexible with methods of teach biology. Vi.No room for individual differences due to time constrained, vii.Teacher inappropriate use of teaching aids, no field/trips to enhance biology lessons and evaluation of students is difficult at the end of each lesson due to large population

Category B on student characteristics revealed that most of the respondents agreed that: Students’ attitudes and interests are problems associated with biology teaching, student regard biology as a “simple” subject compare to other sciences like physics and chemistry. Students sometimes do not take practical in biology serious. Lack of biology textbooks on part of the students. Category C that was based on infrastructural facilities revealed that most of the respondents agreed that: There is no separate biology laboratory. Ii.Inadequately equipment /facilities in the laboratory iii. Lack of biological garden to enhance biology teaching in most secondary schools. Category D on instructional facilities, most of the respondents agreed that: I.Some schools do not provide for improvisation when required. Ii.Teachers do not always teach from simple to complex and sometimes do not cover the curriculum. Category E on school/Administrative factors, respondents’ views revealed that: Biology Teachers are not motivated and remunerations are not attractive to encourage teaching. Category F on the size of class, most of the respondents agreed that large class size affect biology teaching, increases Biology Teachers workload and class control.

CHAPTER FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the findings the following recommendations are made: Teachers should be flexible and organized in the use of methods, methods relevant to each biology topics should be adopted in order to increase students ’ interest. They should encourage students ’ active participations and involvement in the lessons. Also workshops and seminars should be organized for biology teachers at least annually to keep them abreast of innovation as well as what it takes to be an effective teachers. Both public and private secondary school biology teachers should be motivated through awards, salaries etc. by the authorities/government.

Since teachers ’ efficiency could be greatly impaired by inadequacy of facilities and instructional resources both private and public secondary schools must be adequately equipped. Separate adequately equipped biology laboratory, biological garden for fieldwork should be made available. Professionally qualified Biology teachers should only be employed, and unqualified Biology teacher who have interest in teaching should be made to go for further study in the field of education. Experienced Biology teachers should be used as mentor to train, and supervise the teaching of less experience biology teachers; this will enhance effective teaching of biology.

Suggestion for Further Studies Based on the findings of this study, the following suggestions are for future researchers to focus on: Secondary school biology students’ perceptions of problems associated with the teaching of Biology could also be investigated Study could be replicated in other states of the country in Nigeria

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