ABSTRACT
This
research examined the impact of teacher workload and teacher job performance at
selected secondary schools in Education District IV of Lagos State. The objectives of the study were to ascertain
what constitutes teacher workload and teacher job performance. In addition, to
examine the impact of several variables such as number of teaching subjects,
teaching periods, class sizes, teaching and non-teaching activities on
effective classroom teaching as well as establish the impact of teacher
workload on teacher job performance. Eight research questions and research hypotheses
were stated to guide the study. The research design was descriptive survey in
nature where questionnaire was developed for data used for the study. A total
number of 250 teachers were used for the
study. Findings of the research indicated that gender difference did not exist
in the views about teacher workload and job performance among the teachers.
Results also showed that the number of teaching subjects, subject periods,
teaching and non-teaching activities did not impact negatively on the teaching
and learning situation. However, large class sizes negatively affected
teachers’ effective classroom teaching and learning. On a final note, the
finding further showed that teacher workloads have negative impact on teachers’
job performance in school. Recommendations were made following the outcomes of
the research findings. They include the need to train more teachers to handle
specific tasks in secondary schools, and principals in secondary schools should not
overload and on the other hand under load teachers to ensure their optimal use.
Management needs to properly motivate teachers in order to make them feel
satisfied and perform well in their job. Teachers should only be assigned to
teach the subjects they were trained for to avoid sapping their energies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGES
Title Page i
Attestation
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background
to the Study 1
Statement
of the Problem 3
Purpose of the Study 4
Research Questions 5
Research Hypotheses 6
Significance of the
Study 6
Scope of the Study 7
Operational
Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER
TWO: REVIEW OF RELEVANT / RELATED LITERATURE
Concepts
of Teacher Workload and Teacher Job Performance. 9
Empirical
Studies on Workload and Teacher Job Performance. 12
Theoretical
Literature on Workload and Teacher Job Performance. 16
Other
relevant and related areas of a teacher workload and teacher job performance. 17
Appraisal
of Literature Reviewed. 25
CHAPTER
THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOOGY AND PROCEDURES
Research Design 27
The Scope of the Study 27
Population, Sample and Sampling Procedures 27
Research Instruments 27
Validity and Reliability of Research
Instrument 28
Methods of Data Collection 28
Method of Data Analyses 28
Scoring of Research Instruments 28
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSION
Data Presentation 29
Testing of hypotheses 42
Summary of findings 47
Discussion of findings 47
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY, IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION
Summary of the Study 51
Implications of the Findings for Policy and
for Practice 52
Conclusion 52
Contribution to Knowledge 52
Generalizability of Research Findings 53
Suggestion for further Research 53
REFERENCES 54
APPENDIX 59
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1:
Sex Distribution of Respondents 29
Table 2:
Age Distribution of Respondents 30
Table 3:
Education Qualification Distribution of Respondents 31
Table 4:
Years of Teaching Experiences 32
Table 5:
Male and Female Teachers’ Views on what constitutes Teacher Workload 34
Table 6: Male
and Female Teachers’ Views on what constitutes Teacher Job Performance 45
Table 7: Subject Teaching Allocation and
Teacher’s Effective Classroom Teaching and 36
Learning
Table 8:
Subject Teaching Periods and Teacher’s Effective Classroom Teaching and
learning 37
Table 9:
Class Size and Teacher’s Effective Classroom Teaching and Learning 38
Table 10:
Teaching Activities and Teacher’s Effective Classroom Teaching and Learning 39
Table 11:
Non-teaching Activities and Teacher’s Effective Classroom Teaching and Learning 40
Table
12: Teacher workload factors and teacher
job performance 41
Table
13: Testing Hypothesis 1 42
Table
14: Testing Hypothesis 2 43
Table
15: Testing Hypothesis 3 43
Table 16:
Testing Hypothesis 4 44
Table
17: Testing Hypothesis 5 45
Table
18: Testing Hypothesis 6 45
Table
19: Testing Hypothesis 7 46
Table
20: Testing Hypothesis 8 46
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Sex
Distribution of Respondents 29
Figure 2: Age
Distribution of Respondents 30
Figure 3: Education
Qualification Distribution of Respondents 32
Figure 4: Years of
Teaching Experience of Respondents 33
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
The concept of workload
has become a subject of renewed interest for researchers and educationists
alike both nationally and internationally. Researchers have indicated some
definitive concepts with respect to the workload of Nigerian teachers: the
workloads of Nigerian teachers are intensifying, their non-teaching roles are
becoming significantly more extensive, and teachers are being asked to take on
responsibilities for which they are not properly trained (Adu, Titilola and Ifeoma,
2013; Onyene, 2004). Reasons for these are attributed to increase demand for
education that has resulted to increase enrolment in schools.
As aptly noted by
Akinsolu (2011), overpopulated classrooms are considered to be un-conducive for
both teachers and students alike as the burden on teachers with respect to
implementing, marking of scripts and other continuous assessments as well as
the ability to give individualized attention to students needing extra help may
appear to increase teacher workload in schools. On the part of the students, it
has resulted into poor learning and high drop out from schools.
Meanwhile, teacher
workload is viewed as the totality of academic teaching work and committee
workload assigned to a teacher for the attainment of the overall educational
objectives in the school (Adu, Oshati and Ifeoma, 2013). The demands of
teaching can be overwhelming for teachers. Workload has no well-defined limits;
it is essentially open-ended. While contracts with principal or school
management appear to define expectations regarding teacher workload, contract
terms represent minimum requirements. To respond to the needs of every student,
a teacher tends to do far more than is required and some try to do more than
they can physically manage. In Nigeria, research has shown that the demand to
educate the teeming population has brought too much work on the part of
teachers in meeting this education needs. This could be understood from the low
supply of teachers relative to the demand of education.
World over, research
has provided an insight into the teacher workload. A review of existing
literature has shown that many factors have continued
to mitigate and conspire against teachers in carrying out their duties of
imparting knowledge, skills and attitude to students. Such workload variables
include teachers’ preparation time, assessment, reporting, supervision,
attending meetings, class size, the implementation of new programmes without
adequate resources; and scheduling challenges that result in inappropriate and
out-off-field teaching contribute to teacher workload (Dibbon (2004). Also
worthy of mention are government expectations, curriculum requirements, and
professional development requisites.
In line with the
foregoing, it appears that teachers are faced with basically four choices:
taking on the additional responsibilities, teaching part-time, choosing to
resign from the profession, or retiring early. Although research examining
teacher workload in Lagos State and other parts of Nigeria abound, there is a
gap in the literature regarding the teacher workload in Education District IV
of Lagos State in relation to job performance in secondary schools. This
research study will fill the knowledge gap in literature.
Most
arguably, the concern about teacher
productivity is considered crucial because of its apparent direct relationship
with the standard of education and eventual long-term effect on the future
labour force. Literature is replete with teacher workload and how it affects job
performance in secondary schools, few however, are related with the impact of
gender on teacher productivity in public secondary schools. This study therefore,
complements earlier research carried out in this field.
Arguably,
improvement in the productivity of Nigerian teachers has remained the recurrent
themes of many symposia, conferences and workshops. It is a recognized fact
that the teacher is a critical factor in the classroom teaching and learning
situation. Whatever that will impede on the teacher not to achieve the desired
goals should be contended with. There is a need to make teachers to be
responsive to the task of delivering education goals without undue stress. It is
very disturbing that graduates of the different levels know very little of what
they are supposed to have learnt in school. Equally, the poor results of school
certificate examinations over the years have provided justification for the
expressed concerns. Reports by the Examination Body such as the West African
Examination Council reveal that the failure rate for English Language in the
past five years surpassed that of the percentage of credits scored in Senior
School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by it between 2001 and 2005.
While in Mathematics, a fluctuating trend was recorded by the candidates during
this period (WAEC, 2007). Besides, Punch Newspaper (2008) reported that out of a total
of 1,369,142 candidates that sat for the West African Senior School Certificate
Examination (WASSCE) in Nigeria in 2008, only 188,442 representing 13.76%
obtained five credit passes and above in English Language, Mathematics and
three other subjects. While 947,945 candidates representing 83% failed the
examination. The analysis suggests that all is not well with students’ performance in secondary
schools. There is no gainsaying that every poor performance and failure is usually
blamed on the workers by the management. Conversely, this is by no means different
for teachers in secondary schools for job performance related problems. Given
this information above, this research examines the impact of teacher workload
on teacher job performance in secondary schools in Lagos Education District IV.
Statement of the Problem
Over
the years, there has been an expressed concern on the poor results of school
certificate examinations. According to West African Examination Council (WAEC,
2007), the failure rate has been on the increase. This suggests that all is not
well with student’s performance in secondary schools. However, every poor
performance and failure is usually blamed on the workers by the management. This
is not in any way different for teachers in secondary schools for job
performance related problems. Research study has shown that a teacher in his or
her professional garb is loaded with both survival and self-reliant demands
that draw him or her back as member of the wider social economic system
(Adekoya, 2000 in Onyene, 2004). Teachers’ lack of time, collaborative activities,
professional development, non-teaching duties, and out-of-field teaching
assignments have conspired and continue to militate against teachers in
achieving the educational goals. Consequently, a teacher is not meeting the
academic needs of various students, feels dissatisfied with class size and
school composition. Hence, students are not
performing well in their school work; a teacher is resistant to curriculum
change, over-laboured with class size, turnover and attrition. The negative effects
associated with an unrealistic workload are having a considerable impact on
teachers and the quality of their work life as well as on students and their
academic experience. It is against this background information that this study
examines the impact of teacher workload on teacher job performance in secondary
school in Lagos Education District IV where research studies seem to be scanty.
Purpose of the Study
The general objective of this research study
is to examine the impact of teacher workload on
teacher job performance in Secondary Schools in Education District IV, Lagos State.
Specifically, it is set out to:
1.
Examine teacher’s perception and experience of teacher workloads
in secondary schools.
2.
Assess teacher’s
view and experience on teacher job performance in secondary schools.
3.
Determine the
impact of class size on teacher’s effective classroom teaching.
4.
Assess the impact of
teacher workload factors on teacher job performance.
5.
Examine the impact of subject teaching
allocation on teacher’s
effective classroom teaching and learning in secondary schools.
6.
Determine the impact of subject teaching periods on
teacher’s effective classroom teaching and learning in secondary schools.
7.
Examine the impact
of teaching activities like writing lesson note, taking class attendance and
assessing students on teacher’s effective teaching and learning process.
8.
Ascertain the
impact of non-teaching activities like attending meeting and responding to
parents on teacher’s effective
classroom teaching and learning in secondary schools.
Research Questions
The following research questions will guide
this study.
1.
What is the perception and experience of teachers about
teacher workloads in secondary school?
2.
What differences
exist between male and female teachers’ view and experience on teacher job
performance in schools?
3.
What impact does
class size have on teacher’s effective classroom teaching in secondary school?
4.
What impact does
teacher workload factor have on teacher job performance?
5.
What impact do subject teaching allocations have on
teacher’s effective classroom teaching and learning in secondary school?
6.
How do subject teaching periods impact on teacher’s
effective classroom teaching and learning in secondary school?
7.
What impact do
teaching activities like writing lesson note, taking class attendance and
assessing students on teacher’s effective teaching and learning?
8.
How do
non-teaching activities like attending meeting and responding to parents impact
on teacher’s effective classroom
teaching and learning in secondary school?
Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses will guide this
study.
1. Male
and female teachers do not differ significantly in their knowledge of teacher
workload in school.
2.
Male and female
teachers do not differ significantly in their knowledge of teacher job
performance in school.
3.
Subject teaching
allocations have no significant impact on teacher’s effective class room
teaching and learning in school.
4.
Subject teaching periods have no significant impact on
teacher’s effective classroom teaching and learning in school.
5.
Class sizes have
no significant impact on teacher’s effective classroom teaching in school.
6.
Teaching
activities in secondary school have no significant impact on teacher’s
effective teaching and learning.
7.
Non-teaching
activities have no significant impact on teacher’s effective teaching and
learning in secondary school.
8. Teacher workload factors have no significant impact on
student’s academic performance.
Significance
of the Study
This
research has implication for providing a clear picture of how workload
intensification is affecting performance and personal well-being of the secondary
school teachers in Education District IV, Lagos State and what school leaders
can do to balance the workload. The research study focuses upon exploring the
diverse roles (teaching and non-teaching) that these teachers must assume each
day, what their experiences of workload intensification have been, and what
actions, if any, must be taken to improve the working lives of teachers in this
Education District IV. It is interesting to note that teaching quality is the
most important school factor in improving students’ achievements. The results
of this study are important for all the stakeholders in public secondary school
education: the educational districts, commissioners and ministers of education,
Nigerian Teachers’ Union, school supervisors, school administrators, classroom
teachers, and the general public. The results of the research are important to
the education district teachers’ association as it will add to their knowledge
of the perceived workload issues in this Lagos Mainland secondary schools among
which are professional development concerns. Positive educational change in
teachers’ work lives was the ultimate goal of this study. The results of the
study will be shared with the stakeholders in education in an effort to
encourage the policy makers to effect positive changes that will improve not
only secondary school teachers’ work lives but ultimately students’ achievements
in this study area. To improve students’ achievement, it is vital that the Education
District Department of Education recognizes and comprehends the direct relationship
between the quality of teacher performance and student achievement.
Scope of the Study
The
study assesses the impact of teacher workload on teacher job performance in
secondary schools. It concentrates upon secondary school teachers of Education
District IV in Lagos State. The study looks at workload from the point of view
of intensification. Looking at performance, this study examines five
attributes: preparation time, collaborative activities, professional
development, nonteaching duties, and out-of-field teaching assignments. It covers 250 teachers randomly
selected from 10 selected secondary schools in Education District IV, Lagos
State. Also obtaining information from the respondents may pose some
constraints.
Operational Definition of Terms
These following terms are operationally
defined.
Workload: Is the amount of work assigned to or expected
from a worker in a specified time.
It is also the amount of work to be done
especially in a specific time by a person or a machine. Excessive workload may
lead to stress or burn-out of a teacher in a work situation, it will also
reduce productivity.
Teacher: A trained person in the field of education
who helps pupil, students or learners to learn.
Performance: This is the extent to
which an individual execute his or her role with reference to certain specified
standard set by the organization. High performance leads to high level of
effective production.
Teacher Performance: refers to how a
teacher carries out his/her daily diverse tasks, (including teaching and
nonteaching responsibilities), whether they be assigned or self-imposed, to do
the job well. These performance standards include “data-driven planning,
instructional delivery, assessment, learning environment, communication, professionalism,
and student achievement,
Constructivism: involves the learners’ forming knowledge and beliefs;
they ascribe meaning to experiences; involves shared inquiry, reflection, and met
cognition.
Constructivist Paradigm: a research paradigm wherein the researcher “look(s)
for the complexity of views rather than narrowing meanings into a few
categories or ideas; the goal of research is to rely as much as possible on the
participants’ views of the situation being studied”.
Limitation
This
research is only carried out in selected secondary schools in Mainland
Education District IV of Lagos State. The researcher does not have enough
resources to conduct the study using all the education districts in Lagos
State.
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