Full Project – COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

Click here to Get this Complete Project Chapter 1-5

ABSTRACT

This study was carried to evaluate Comparative Analysis of Academic Performance in Christian Religious Studies in Junior Secondary School with a particular reference to Air Force Secondary School. Three hundred and fifty respondents were randomly selected from the junior secondary school II class students for the study. Achievement tests, four research questions, questionnaire with two hypotheses formulated to guide the researcher were used, with 25 items on a 4-point rating scoring. Spearman Brown was used to test for reliability and T-test statistical method at 0.05 significant level was employed to analyze the data collected for the study. The findings revealed that there is a significant difference between the use of discussion method of teaching on students’ academic achievement in junior secondary school in Kaduna North, Local Government and there is a significant difference between the use of demonstration method on students’ academic achievement in junior secondary school in Kaduna North, Local Government. The study concluded with some recommendations that teachers should create an atmosphere conducive to learning in order to enhance the development of students’ learning experiences.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Academic performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has attained their short or long-term educational goals. Completion of educational benchmarks such as secondary school diplomas and bachelor’s degrees represent academic achievement. A teaching method comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning. These strategies are determined partly on subject matter to be taught and partly by the nature of the learner. For a particular teaching method to be appropriate and efficient it has to be in relation with the characteristic of the learner and the type of learning it is supposed to bring about. Suggestions are there to design and selection of teaching methods must take into account not only the nature of the subject matter but also how students learn (Westwood, 2008). In today’s school the trend is that it encourages a lot of creativity. It is a known fact that human advancement comes through reasoning. This reasoning and original thought enhances creativity.

Teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner (Tebabal and Kahssay, 2011). To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers are to apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level of outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teacher-centered methods to impact knowledge to the learners compared to student-centered methods. Research on teaching and learning constantly endeavours to examine the extent to which different teaching methods enhance growth in student learning (Hightower, 2011).

The relationship between teaching methods and academic performance of students in Christian Religious Studies has always been fascinated. It is likely true that successful learning depends on various factors other than that of the teacher. The methods that a teacher uses continue to play an important role in students’ 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.

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 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 in the classroom.

The approaches for teaching can be broadly classified into teacher centered and student centered. In Teacher-Centered Approach to Learning, teachers are the main authority figure in this model. Students are viewed as “empty vessels” whose primary role is to passively receive information (via lectures and direct instruction) with an end goal of testing and assessment. It is the primary role of teachers to pass knowledge and information onto their students. In this model, teaching and assessment are viewed as two separate entities. Student learning is measured through objectively scored tests and assessments (Petrina, 2007). In Student-Centered Approach to Learning, while teachers are the authority figure in this model, teachers and students play an equally active role in the learning process. The teacher’s primary role is to coach and facilitate student learning and overall comprehension of material. Student learning is measured through both formal and informal forms of assessment, including group projects, student portfolios, and class participation. Teaching and assessments are connected; student learning is continuously measured during teacher instruction (Petrina, 2007). Commonly used teaching methods may include class participation, demonstration, recitation, memorization, or combinations of these.

 

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

        Recent times, questions about the teaching methods on students’ academic performance have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research. Teachers have the greatest potential to influence the students’ education, while a student achievement is related to teachers’ competence in using different methods of teaching. Thus, students achieve more when teachers employ systematic teaching procedures that make teaching and learning processes easier. Excellent academic performance by the students is not only attainable but could also be sustained through teacher’s method of teaching.

The incidence of ineffective teaching of Christian Religious Studies in junior secondary school has resulted to poor achievement in both internal and external examinations. Most teacher while teaching do not involve the learners, learners merely absorb what is given to them, this makes them passive and less receptive, it does not encourage investigation and verification of facts, students’ knowledge is limited to what their teacher teach them. Teachers must stimulate, encourage and maintain active participation of students through the selection of appropriate teaching method.

Students’ negative attitudes towards learning may be related to methods of teaching used. Varying factors ranging from socio-economic background, intelligence, attitudes of students to teaching methods employed by teachers have been attributed to poor achievement. Every teachers’ desire is to make sure that teaching-learning process take place positively in the classroom, this depend on his/her approach towards learning situations. The teacher does not teach the most relevant, meaningful and useful materials for specific students, he must recognize and adopt a good and well-researched method of teaching that guarantees better understanding and also stimulates and motivate the students.

Should teachers fail to use teaching methods that encourages students centered activities for reasoning, a lot of problems can affect the students such as cheating in the examination which in-turn destroy the image of the students. Most students cannot reason or think for themselves because of lack of interest to study, low skills and knowledge level among many students.

Most teachers do not use instructional materials while teaching, as the materials makes teaching easy, makes the lesson real. Secondary education is a turning state; therefore, effective teaching method is to be adopted according to the needs of the students so that proper guidance can be given.

 

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate Comparative Analysis of Academic Performance in Christian Religious Studies in Junior Secondary School. This study intend to:

1. To assess the difference between the use of discussion method of teaching on students’ academic achievement in junior secondary school.
2. To examine the difference between the use of demonstration method on students’ academic achievement in junior secondary school.
3. To determine the relationship between the use of questioning method on students’ academic achievement in       junior secondary school.
4. To ascertain the difference between the use of assignment method on students’ academic achievement in junior      secondary school.

 

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the difference between the use of discussion method of teaching on students’ academic achievement in       junior secondary schools?
2. What is the difference between the use of demonstration method on students’ academic achievement in junior      secondary school?
3. What is the difference between the use of questioning method on students’ academic achievement in junior    secondary school?
4. What is the difference between the use of assignment method on students’ academic achievement in junior    secondary schools?

 

1.5   RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following research hypotheses were formulated to guide this study:

Hypothesis 1

H₀:    There is no significant difference between the use of      discussion method of teaching on students’ academic    achievement in junior secondary schools in Kaduna North,       Local Government.

Hypothesis 2

H₀:    There is no difference between the use of demonstration        method on students’ academic achievement in junior      secondary school in Kaduna North, Local Government.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is expected that the findings of this study will be of immense benefit not only to the researcher but also to numerous people in the society and in the educational sector. The findings will be of great importance to students, in that; they will be well informed about the evaluation of students academic performance in Christian Religious Studies.

Findings will be of great importance to educationist both private and public stakeholders, teachers. It will help increase awareness and understanding the use of the most of the teaching methods and provide feedback on the teaching competences in most commonly used teaching methods as a basis for improvement in instructional practice to enhance achievement.

Curriculum designers, educational planner’s policy makers as well as government need empirical data on the overall teaching method and activity teaching competence of government teachers in junior secondary schools to facilitate proper curriculum policies and programmes for effective teaching and learning.

Findings of his study will be of great benefit to school counsellors for proper guidance on effective teaching method to be adopted according to the needs of the students that could positively influence teaching and learning.

 

1.7   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is concerns about Comparative Analysis of Academic Performance in Christian Religious Studies in Junior Secondary School with a particular reference to Air Force Secondary School.

 

1.8   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

There is no study undertaken by a researcher that is perfect. The imperfection of any research is always due to some factors negatively affecting a researcher in the course of carrying out research.  Therefore, time constraint has shown no mercy to the researcher. The limited time has to be shared among many alternative uses, which includes reading, attending lectures and writing of this research, also distance and its attendant costs of travelling to obtain information which may enhance the writing of this study was a major limitation.

Get the Complete Project

This is a premium project material and the complete research project plus questionnaires and references can be gotten at an affordable rate of N3,000 for Nigerian clients and $8 for International clients.

Click here to Get this Complete Project Chapter 1-5

 

Full Project – COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL