EFFECT OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND ADVANCE ORGANIZERS ON STUDENTS’ INTEREST AND ACHIEVEMENT IN CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Christian Religious Studies is one of the subjects categorized under humanities in the National Policy on Education by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2013) and taught in Nigerian schools at various levels, from the primary to secondary and even in the tertiary institutions. The content delivery of the subject, however, differs at the various levels of education in Nigeria. The subject is vertically organized to ensure that the contents are slightly deeper and more complex at the various levels of education in Nigeria namely; Pre-Primary education, Basic education and Senior Secondary education (Federal Ministry of Education, 2007a; 2007b; 2009; 2012). The diversity and complexity in content delivery is more pronounced at the tertiary institution level as the subject is given a discipline status and it is consequently offered by students who intend to be specialists in the field (Akpan, 2020). In view of the perceived importance of the subject, it is believed that the study of Christian Religious Studies and its relevance to life could have effect on the behaviour of the recipients (students).

According to Akpan and Akpan (2020) the teaching of Christian Religious Studies will not only impart the content of the Bible but also moral lessons and instructions. This is buttressed by Akpan (2021) who opined that Christian Religious Studies is intended to teach and help the youths to improve their attitude to God, to their fellowmen and women, to their work as well as improve themselves so that they can give dedicated services to the nation generally. It is assumed that when the content of the subject as stipulated in the curriculum is properly delivered, it would provide students the opportunity to have adequate knowledge about God and grow in the application of the concept of religion to life situation. Furthermore, a good grasp of religious knowledge could help students apply the teaching and example of Christ to their lives and also help develop and foster in them the Christian attitude and values such as respect for life, respect for men, selfless service to God and humanity among others. Notably, Christian Religious Studies is paramount in building of attitude and morality that is why it is included in the National Curriculum of Education at the various cadre of learning (Akpan, 2014).

            The rationale for teaching Christian Religious Studies is summed up by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, FRN (2013) in the National Policy on Education. Accordingly, it is the belief of the Nigerian government that the quality of instruction in Christian Religious Studies at all levels has to be oriented toward inculcating moral and spiritual principles in inter-personal and human relations (Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN, 2013). This is in line with the objectives of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (2017), which maintained that the study of Christian Religious Studies could help students acquire the knowledge and understanding of the tenets of the Christian faith as contained in the Bible. It is also aimed at interpreting biblical teachings and themes as well as the application of biblical teachings and tenets of life in the society. The above objectives are in support of the opinion of Lawal (2002), who opines that the importance of Christian Religious Studies to the individual and nation is the imparting of moral values and behavioural change.

            Christian Religious Studies is, therefore, designed to induct each new generation into the attitudes, beliefs, as well as the practices of the Christian religion or faith in a view to promote the religion and at the same time provide for the individual a unifying center for his life. Christian Religious Studies plays a prominent role in the moral, ethical, emotional, social and academic life of a child. For instance, Christian Religious Studies teaches a child to cultivate proper attitude to life. The society however, is faced with a lot of problems ranging from rape, cultism, alcoholism, child abuse and trafficking, unfaithfulness, teenage pregnancy, sexual immorality, divorce in marriage, indecent dressing, drug abuse, armed robbery, corruption among others. These problems would have been reduced to the bearest minimum if all individuals imbibe the tenets of Christian Religious Studies. This forms the essence why Christian Religious Studies has been inculcated in the youths through schools but it is unfortunate that this objective has not been adequately achieved.

Christian Religious Studies does not only serve as a builder of moral values and attitude, it is also one of the prerequisites for admission into the faculties of Arts/Humanities, Law and Education since at least a credit pass in the Senior School Certificate Examination is required before students can be admitted into related disciplines in the aforementioned faculties. The poor academic achievement and interest of students in the subject however, is detrimental to the admission process of students into the discipline in Colleges of Education and Universities. This also accounted for the dearth of teachers and specialists in the discipline as compared to other subjects. Consequently, Lawal (2002) noted that the achievement in the subject is diminishing. This posit by Lawal (2002) is buttressed by the Chief Examiners’ report of West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE)(2015). This indicated that Christian Religious Studies was one of the subjects that the performance of the students was poorer (West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, WASSCE, 2015).

In 2017 the Chief Examiners for Christian Religious Studies observed that most candidates exhibited poor command of the English Language; bad grammar, poor tenses coupled with bad spellings. The Chief Examiners for Christian Religious Studies also reported of deviations by some of the candidates as well as points raised without explanation (WASSCE, 2017). Furthermore, candidates were reported to have introduced a lot of irrelevant points into their answers as well as exhibited total lack of knowledge of the subject matter they were dealing with. The recent report is in support of Lawal (2002) opinion, that poor performance in Christian Religious Studies occurs yearly, thereby causing more students to lose interest and run away from the subject while those who are offering the subject often absent themselves from classes and even examination. The alarming rate of poor performance in the subject and students’ poor attitude towards the subject has generated growing concern from various quarters: the parents, teachers, schools and the government. There are also expressed worries because of the relative importance of the subject to education excellence and moral development.

Many reasons have been postulated for students’ poor performance and lack of interest in the subject which include: lack of conducive environment for learning, inadequate materials for the teaching of the subject, insufficiency of professional teachers in the subject, parenting styles, school administrative style, parental educational background and students’ co-curricular activities among others. However, the thrust of this study is on the teaching methods adopted by the teachers in contents delivery because it is believed that the teaching methods adopted by the teachers in contents delivery have the potentials of enhancing the academic achievement and interest of the learners in a school system (Unachukwu & Nwosu, 2018).

            Teaching methods which sometimes can be conceptualized by the utilization of different terminologies refer to the strategy, approach or even technique that a teacher employs to deliver the content of a lesson (Anangabor & Odu, 2021). Nwafor (2017) conceptualize it as the representation of a pattern in which a lesson is to be presented. According to Uya and Akpan (2019) teaching methods are those strategies which a teacher uses to effect learning. Furthermore, teaching methods refer to the diversity of approaches utilized by the teacher to ensure effective interactions between teachers, students and the learning tasks. Accordingly, a variety of teaching methods are common in schools, but some methods are more effective and appropriate than others. The effectiveness and appropriateness of teaching methods most especially depends on the particular subject to be taught. This implies that the subject among other factors should be considered before a particular teaching method is adjudged to be appropriate for implementing a certain curriculum content. Educationists believed that learning is dependent on the teaching methods teachers use in the classroom (Umoren, 2001; Duru, 2011; Etuk, Udosen, Emah, Edem & Afangideh, 2015). Consequently, if the learning experiences result from the teacher’s teaching methods, then the effectiveness of these experiences depend largely on the appropriateness of the teaching methods the teacher has used. To this end, if the teacher adopted the ‘wrong’ teaching method then it is likely to result in an inappropriate experience for the learners.

            Many teaching methods have been adopted over the years in teaching Christian Religious Studies. As noted by Akpan (2021), teaching methods such as discussion, storytelling and questioning have been used as conventional methods in teaching Christian Religious Studies. These methods despite its merits seem to be teacher-centered. The cotemporary trend of teaching and learning has shifted from teacher-centered teaching methods to learners-centered teaching methods. Recently, there have been calls for reforming instructional strategies by considering more innovative teaching methods, often rooted in constructivist theory, to promote learners’ conceptual understanding (Chang, 2011; Mokhtar, Tarmizi, Ayub & Tarmizi, 2010). In this regards, the contemporary trend of teaching and learning is entrenched in the application of constructivism learning techniques in a view to promote learners-centered classroom interactions.

            Constructivism learning technique is a model of learning that has been proposed as an alternative to the transmission model implicit in all behaviourist and some cognitive approaches (Etuk, 2014). In this model, learning is viewed as being based on the belief that knowledge is not a thing that can be simply given by the teacher at the front of the classroom to learners on their desks. Rather, knowledge is constructed by the learners through active and mental process of development. Consequently, learners are the builders and creators of meaning and knowledge (Young & Collins, 2004). Constructivism’s central idea is that human learning is constructed, that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning (Phillips, 2005). Constructivism by its very nature and structure is, therefore, an omnibus as well as robust teaching/learning technique which encourages knowledge construction, creativity and human relations.

            This view of learning sharply contrasts hydraulic theory of education by Davies (1969) which holds that knowledge is a kind of liquid which resides copiously in teacher and books as in great vessels and hardly at all anywhere else. Particularly, it is scarce in the small vessels known as students. The purpose of education then is to transfer this liquid from the lager to the smaller vessels. Fortunately, this liquid has certain peculiar and mysterious properties that facilitate the process of transfer (Davies, 1969). The hydraulic theory of education apparently conflicts with the psychology of education notion that students are not vessels or bottles to be filled but lamps to be lit. By the foregoing, hydraulic theory is an anti-constructivist philosophy. The hydraulic theory of education has become obsolete by the passage of time and revolutions in theory and practice of education.

            Two important notions orbit the simple idea of constructed knowledge. The first is that learners construct new understanding using what they already know. Children are no tabula rasa (empty brain), for this would imply that the child is empty in the classroom and so the teacher is the only one to teach the child and force him/her to acquire knowledge whereas in constructivism, it is not so. In constructivism, the teacher makes the child build on what he/she already knows to become a better learner and therefore knowledge is etched. Learners come to learning situations with knowledge gained from previous experience, and that prior knowledge influences what new or modified knowledge they will construct from new learning experiences (Doolittle & Camp, 2002). The second notion is that learning is active rather than passive. Learners confront their understanding in the light of what they encounter in the new learning situation. If what learners encounter is inconsistent with their current understanding, their understanding can change to accommodate new experiences.

            Learners remain active throughout the learning process. They apply current understanding, note relevant elements in the new learning experiences, judge the consistency of prior and emerging knowledge, and based on that judgment, they can modify knowledge (Nwagbo & Obiekwe, 2010). Accordingly, the constructivist’s view of learning points to a number of different teaching practices, but generally means encouraging students to use active techniques such cooperative learning and advance organizers among others.

Cooperative learning technique is a generic term for small group interactive instructional procedures. According to David (2018) cooperative learning is an instructional strategy that provides a learning environment that allows active participation of students in the learning process and makes it possible for the students to have control over their learning, which may lead to improvement in their academic achievement. In this procedure, students work together on academic tasks in small groups to help themselves and their team mates together. In general, cooperative learning technique ensures that students are positively independent (Etuk, 2014). As noted by Barkley, Cross and Major (2005) in cooperative learning, students’ activities are structured so that students need each other to accomplish their common tasks or learning activities.

Educationists believe that students seek information and understanding through mental search. Cooperative learning therefore helps in the mental search by helping students clarify concepts and ideas through discussions and debates. Furthermore, cooperative learning involves students’ participation in group learning that emphasizes positive independent interactions with different levels of abilities and engaged in learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject matter, expose the students to the mainstream of the subject matter and draw their undivided attention to the topic of discussion and participation for a good result (Enwereuzoh & Ukegbu, 2017; Olayinka, Ayanda & Adeoye, 2020). Consequently, cooperative learning emphasizes social learning by assuming that learning takes place better in a social learning situation and group environment rather than in isolation.

Advance organizer is conceived as information that is presented prior to learning that can be used by the learner to organize and interpret new incoming material (Mayer, 2003). In the opinion of Woolfolk (2001), advance organizer is a visual organization practice which can be used at the beginning of a class or a new unit of study to present new information to students. It can also set the stage for building on existing knowledge from prior learning. The use of Advance Organizer to ensure effective teaching as well as learning in education was advocated by Ausubel (1960) in his advance organizer learning theory. Ausubel (1960) defined an advance organizer as a cognitive instructional strategy used to promote the learning and retention of new information. Advance organizer therefore, helps the students to prepare for class by providing an overview of what will be discussed and then provide more detailed insight into the material as it is taught. It also helps in facilitating the ability of students to make connections between the main ideas and supplementary content throughout each class period or unit of study.

According to Adebola (2011), advance organizers prepare the learners for the materials they are set to learn and are equally the means of strengthening the cognitive structure and enhancing the retention of new information. They also provide concept and principles to the students themselves as they help students to develop intellectual skills to raise reasonable questions, concerning the problems for finding out answers. The advantages of advance organizer, among others, include providing anchorage or links and avoidance of rote memorization by students. Consequently, students taught using advance organizer perform better in achievement test than those taught in a conventional way (Araoye, 2009).

Interest is another factor that is likely to influence the participation of students in Christian Religious Studies and by extension in the cooperative and advance organizer learning techniques. Nekang (2004) viewed interest as an emotionally oriented behavior trait, which determines students’ energy and enthusiasm in tackling educational programmes or other activities. Okoye (1998) looked at interest as a kind of feeling which one has for something which is valuable and beneficial. The interest in a particular thing is a feeling manifested in an activity. Interest is a tendency to become absorbed in an experience and to continue in it. It is the zeal or willingness to participate in an activity from which one derives some pleasure.

Interest according to Uroko (2010) is a necessary ingredient before learning can take place; for a child is bound to pay attention as a lesson goes on if such a child is interested in the particular subject. However, Uroko (2010) reported high failure rate and relatively small proportion of students’ interest in subjects that required reading for comprehension. Students could be more comfortable when they interact with peers than when they are threatened by the presence of a teacher or an adult. Working cooperatively with peers may generate interest among students; therefore, it is important to determine the extent cooperative and advance organizer learning techniques, which are learner-centered instructional strategies, can affect students’ interest in Christian Religious Studies. 

The influence of gender on students’ academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies is of interest in this study. Gender influences students’ academic achievement and therefore a variable that plays an important role in learning and education in general. Gender refers to the varied socially and culturally constructed roles, qualities and behavior that are ascribed to women and men of different societies (Olawale, 2019). Eryilmaz in Owenvbiugie and Iyoha (2017) observed that gender contributes to poor achievement of students in educational institutions. Ishaq in Ibrahim and Wunba (2018) maintained that boys outperformed girls in Christian Religious Studies at external examination. Also WAEC Chief Examiners’ report (2016) indicated that only 9.8% female students passed Christian Religious Studies at credit level. Uroko (2010) also found that gender has no significant influence on academic achievement, self-efficacy and interest of students based in reciprocal peer tutoring. With these scholastic postulations, it can be assumed that students’ interest and achievement can be enhanced or marred by the teaching method adopted by the teachers in content delivery. In this study, the effect of cooperative learning and advance organizers on students’ interest and achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Akwa Ibom State is the focus.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Christian Religious Studies (CRS) is included in the National Curriculum of Education right from the primary to the tertiary level of learning and it is taught with dual functions; development of intellectual ability and moral character. In addition to building of attitude and morality, the subject is categorized among the five subjects that students must score at least a credit pass before being offered admission in certain disciplines in the faculties of Art/Humanities, Law and Education as indicated earlier. Despite the importance of the subject to the individuals and nation in imparting moral values and behavioural change, the performance of students in the subject is deteriorating and the situation affects not only their performance in the terminal/promotion examinations but also their overall performances in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. The poor performance in the subject has resulted in lack of interest in the subject by those students who consequently have a negative perception about the subject. All these perhaps lead to students absconding from the subject, while others do it as an additional subject to complete the number of subjects required in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Still some students claim they do it because they are Christians. The poor academic performance and lack of interest is of concern to researchers, who are interested in identifying the cause of poor performance in the subject.

            There seems to be limited or no available literature on works done on the application of constructivist approach in the implementation of Christian Religious Studies. Specifically, there is no research evidence regarding the comparative effects of cooperative learning and advance organizers learning techniques on students’ achievement in Christian Religious Studies examinations that served as the focal point of the problem for this investigation. This study therefore addresses the problem of whether or not there is an effect of constructivism techniques of cooperative learning and advance organizers on students’ interest and achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Akwa Ibom State.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

            The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of cooperative learning and advance organizers on students’ interest and achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Akwa Ibom State. Specifically, the study sought to:

1.         determine the mean interest scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizers strategy and those taught using lecture method.

2.         determine the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning.

3.         find out the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizer strategy.

4.         find out the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on the mean interest scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies.

5.         examine the mean achievement scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizers strategy and those taught using lecture method.

6.         examine the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning.

7.         determine the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizers strategy.

8.         determine the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on the mean achievement scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

            The findings of the study may be of benefit to Christian Religious Studies students, teachers, education administrators, supervisors, curriculum planners, and researchers.

Specifically, the students would be availed of the privilege to be taught with cooperative learning and advance organizers methods which in turn will develop their interest in Christian Religious Studies. In addition, students when taught with cooperative learning and advance organizers will learn better and will understand the contents of the subject. This may in turn enhance their academic achievement in Christian Religious Studies.

The findings of this study may increase the teaching methods of Christian Religious Studies teachers as they will be exposed to choice of appropriate methods of Christian Religious Studies contents delivery. The findings of this investigation may also assist Christian Religious Studies teachers in effective preparation of students for improved performance in examinations.

            The findings of this investigation may likely constitute useful contents on which education administrators can rely upon. Supervisors may also draw some insights from the finding of this study. They may base their seminars and workshops for up-skilling of Christian Religious Studies teachers.

Curriculum planners and experts may find this study relevant as it may be helpful in the improvement of the instructional content and strategies of Christian Religious Studies curriculum. The introduction of constructivism techniques of cooperative learning and advance organizers would perhaps add to the various strategies curriculum planners advance for the furtherance of knowledge. The findings of this study would add to the plan to offset the robust structure of constructivism (cooperative learning and advance organizers) and perhaps contribute to the increase of students’ resourcefulness, creativity, adaptive skills and learning efficiency.

The findings of this investigation might likely contribute towards filling the existing gaps in the literature resource with respect to new and related information in Christian Religious Studies. Researchers may find the instrument employed in this study apt and relevant to their future study. They may thus, wish to adopt or adapt the instrument for their own future research.

1.5       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

            The following research questions were posed to guide the study:

1.         What are the mean interest scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizers strategy and those taught using lecture method?

2.         What are the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning?

3.         What are the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizer strategy?

4.         What are the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on the mean interest scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies?

5.         What are the mean achievement scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizers strategy and those taught using lecture method?

6.         What are the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning?

7.         What are the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizers strategy?

8.         What are the interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on the mean achievement scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies?

1.6       HYPOTHESES

The following null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance were formulated to guide the study:

1.         There is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizer strategy and those taught using lecture method.

2.         There is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning.

3.         There is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizer strategy.

4.         The interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on Senior Secondary II students’ interest in Christian Religious Studies is not significant.

5.         There is no significant difference among the mean achievement scores of Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning, advance organizers strategy and those taught using lecture method.

6.         There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using cooperative learning.

7.         There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of male and female Senior Secondary II students taught Christian Religious Studies using advance organizers strategy.

8.         The interaction effect of gender and teaching strategies on Senior Secondary II students’ achievement in Christian Religious Studies is not significant.

1.7       SCOPE OF THE STUDY

            The study was delimited to Senior Secondary II students offering Christian Religious Studies in the public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State. The investigation was also delimited to five topics selected from Christian Religious Studies curriculum for Senior Secondary Two in the concurrent term scheme of work (second term). The selected topics were; submission to the will of God, making decisions as a Christian, the supremacy of God, Elijah at Mount Carmel and greed and its effects. The study was also delimited to two experimental methods (cooperative learning and advance organizers) and a conventional method (lecture method). The thrust was to determine the effect of cooperative learning and advance organizers on students’ interest and achievement in Christian Religious Studies in Akwa Ibom State.

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