International Journal of Education Research and Reviews

International Journal of Education Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 6 (6), pp. 001-009, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of project, inquiry and lecture-demonstration teaching methods on senior secondary students’ achievement in separation of mixtures practical test

Agboola Omowunmi Sola* and  Oloyede Ezekiel Ojo

¹Institute of Education, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile–Ife 220005, Nigeria.

²Department of Special Education and Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo Universty, Ile-Ife 220005, Nigeria.

Accepted 09 April, 2018

Abstract

This study assessed and compared the relative effectiveness of three methods for teaching and conducting experiments in separation of mixtures in chemistry. A pre-test, post–test experimental design with a control group was used. Two hundred and thirty three randomly selected Senior Secondary School I (SSS I) chemistry students were drawn from four Local Governments Areas of Osun State, Nigeria. The research instruments developed were a twenty-five item supply/select response questions used for the pre-test and post-test tagged Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT). Students were divided into three experimental and one control groups. Students in the three experimental groups were subjected to treatment using project, inquiry or lecture-demonstration method respectively while students in the control group were taught using the traditional method of teaching. The pre-test was administered to students in all the four groups before teaching commenced and after the teaching and the experiment, a post-test was then administered. The data was analyzed using t-test analysis, one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe post–hoc analysis. The results of ANOVA of the difference in the scores of the post-test of the project, inquiry, lecture-demonstration methods and control group showed a significant difference between the groups (F_c= 327.258 > F_t = 2.60 at þ < 0.05, df  = (3,229)). Students taught with project method performed better in the Chemistry Achievement Test (CAT) than the students taught with lecture-demonstration method (t_c = 5.60 > t_t = 1.64 at þ < 0.05, df = 127), while those students taught with the lecture-demonstration method performed better than those taught with inquiry method (t_c = 6.39 > t_t = 1.64 at þ<0.05, df = 122). Students taught with project method performed better than students taught with inquiry method (t_c = 9.22 > t_t = 1.64 at þ < 0.05, df = 133). The study concluded that the project method enhanced better performance in Chemistry practical better than either inquiry or lecture-demonstration method.

Key words: Lecture-demonstration, inquiry, project, chemistry practical, chemistry, chemistry achievement test, separation of mixtures.

International Journal of Education Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 6 (6), pp. 001-008, June, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The Use of Management Information Systems (MIS) In Decision Making In The South-West Nigerian Universities

Ajayi, I. A. and Omirin, Fadekemi F.

¹Department OF Educational Foundations and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

²Department of Educational Foundations and Management, Faculty of Education, University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria

Accepted 11 March, 2018

Abstract

This study investigated the use of Management Information Systems (MIS) in decision-making on long-term planning, short- term planning and budgeting in the South-West Nigerian Universities. The study used the descriptive research design of the survey type. Data were collected from a sample of 600 subjects consisting of 400 academic staff holding administrative staff positions and 200 senior administrative staff heading units using stratified random sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test statistics. The three hypotheses generated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that MIS was not adequately used in decision making process on long-term planning, short-term planning and budgeting. There was no significant difference between Federal and State universities in terms of the use of MIS for decision making on both long and short term planning. There was significant difference in the use of MIS for decision making on budgeting between Federal and State universities in favour of the Federal universities. It was recommended that the MIS units should be adequately financed and maintained to ensure a free flow of information and adequate use of MIS in decision-making on short-term and long-term planning as well as budgeting.

Key words: The Use, Management Information Systems (MIS), Decision Making, South-West Nigerian Universities

International Journal of Education Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Academic staff research productivity: a study of Universities in South-South Zone of Nigeria

Bassey Usang¹*, Akuegwu Basil¹, Udida Lucy¹ and Udey Franca .U.²

¹Department of Educational Administration and Planning, University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria.

²Department of Educational Foundations and Administration, Guidance and Counseling, Cross River State University of Technology, Calabar, Nigeria

Accepted 13 December, 2017

Abstract

This study examined academic staff research productivity in Universities in South-South zone of Nigeria. Ex post facto design was adopted for this study. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide this study. The sample size comprised of 480 academic staff drawn from a population of 3120. Data collection was carried out using a researcher – constructed instrument called Academic Staff Research Productivity Inventory (A.S.R.P.I.), which was validated and pilot tested. The data obtained were treated statistically using Independent t -test and contingency Chi-square (X²) analyses. Results indicated that male and female academic staff differed significantly in their research productivity; married and single academic staff differed significantly in their research productivity and there is a significant influence of areas of specialization on academic staff research productivity. It was recommended that academic staff in universities should be encouraged to carry out research work irrespective of their gender, marital status and areas of specialization.

Key words: Academic staff, research productivity, South South zone, Nigerian Universities.

International Journal of Education Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 001-010, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A science–technology–society paradigm and Cross River State secondary school students’ scientific literacy: problem solving and decision making

Grace Umoren

Department of Curriculum and Teaching, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 21 January, 2018

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Science-Technology-Society (STS) curriculum on students’ scientific literacy, problem solving and decision making. Four hundred and eighty (480) Senior Secondary two science and non-science students were randomly selected from intact classes in six secondary schools in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State. The experimental and control groups each comprised 120 science and 120 non science majors randomly assigned to them. The experimental group was exposed to researcher designed and validated Curriculum in Science-Technology-Society (COSTS) for 24 weeks at 2 h per week. The control group followed the normal existing science curriculum. A quasi experimental factorial design was used to identify the effect of COSTS if any scientific literacy, problem solving and decision making ability in coping with socio-scientific issues. The Test on Science-Technology-Society (TOSTS) was administered to both experi-mental and control groups. The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using covariance and the result emerged that students taught using the COSTS performed significantly better in scien-tific literacy, problem solving, and decision making than students who were not exposed to COSTS materials. This study highlights the need for an alternative science curriculum that will make students to be scientifically literate, problem solvers, and rational decision makers in a society riddled with science and technological problems.

Key words: Curriculum, scientific literacy, problem solving and decision making.

International Journal of Education Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 6 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Primary teacher’s perceptions of classroom assessment practices as means of providing quality primary/basic education by Botswana and Nigeria

H. J. Nenty¹, O. O. Adedoyin², John N. Odili³ and T. E. Major¹

¹University of Botswana, Gaborone.

²Molepolelo College of Education, Botswana.

³Delta State University, Nigeria.

Accepted 04 March, 2017

Abstract

More than any other of its aspects, assessment plays a central role in determining the quality of education. Quality of primary/basic education (QoE) can be viewed as the extent to which the process of education at the primary education level maximizes desirable outcomes in terms of cognitive, affective and psychomotor behaviour of the learners. Given human resources demand for development in the society some cognitive skills are more desirable than others. Hence education, to meet the skill demand of the society must ensure the development of such desirable skills among learners. Since teachers are the key executors in the processes of ensuring the development of these skills, their perception as to the level to which each of such skills differ in enhancing quality of primary/basic education, and the level to which current assessment practices ensure the development of each of these skills are important in any attempt to contribute solution to the problem of quality in basic education in Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which primary school teachers in Botswana and Nigeria perceive the six levels of Bloom’s cognitive behaviour as being different in the extent to which they enhance quality in basic education and the level to which their current classroom assessment practices involve items that measure each of these levels of cognitive behaviour. Survey data from 191 primary school teachers from Gaborone district in Botswana, and 300 similar teachers from Delta State in Nigeria were analysed using repeated measure ANOVA to test related hypotheses. The main finding was that there is a significant discrepancy between the level to which, in the perception of the teachers, each of Bloom’s level of cognitive behaviour enhances quality of education and the level to which their classroom assessment practices are able to provide for the development of such behaviour among learners. The results were discussed and recommendations made on how to enhance quality in primary/basic education through classroom assessment practices.

Key words: Primary/basic education, assessment, quality of education, Bloom taxonomy of human cognitive behaviour.