ABSTRACT
This
project work is undertaking with a view of improving student’ performance in
Economics in senior secondary Schools. Three research questions were formulated
to guide the study to enhance efficient and effective of this work, literatures
on the causes of poor performance by various scholars, journals, articles and
other writers’ view were reviewed. Questionnaires were also administered to
Economics teachers in some selected secondary schools in Orile Agege Local
Development Council Area of Lagos State. The statistical tools employed to
analyses the data collected was simple percentage. The mean findings off the
study shows in item 1 that class size plays an important roles in teaching and
learning of Economics with the highest percentage of 44.8%. Also percentage of 54.05 shows that
there is direct effect of instructional planning (instructional materials,
textbooks, curricula etc.) on teaching and learning of Economics. In research
question three the percentage score was 89.1% which shows the level of
students’ performance in Senior school Certificate Examination in economics.
Based on these findings, it was recommended that the relevant authorities
(school management and government agencies) should implement the measures to
enforce the use of instructional materials in the teaching of Economics.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
1.3 Purpose
of the Study
1.4 Research
Questions
1.5 Significance
of the Study
1.6 Scope
of the Study
1.7 Operational
Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.1.1 Concept of Instructional Planning
2.1.2 The Instructional Process
2.2 Importance of Instructional Planning
2.2.1 Empirical Review of Literature on
Instructional Planning
2.3 Concept of Class Size
2.3.1 Historical Approaches to Class Size
2.3.2 Defining
a Small Class
2.3.3 Benefit
of Small Classes
2.4 Empirical
Review on Class Size
2.4.1 Small Classes for Students in the Early Grades
2.5 Economics Education in Nigeria Secondary
Schools
2.6 Appraisal of Literature
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Population of the Study
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique
3.4 Instrumentation
3.5 Method of Data Collection
3.6 Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Research Question 1
4.2 Research Question 2
4.3 Research Question 3
4.4 Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE:
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Educational Implication
of the Findings
5.2 Summary
5.3 Recommendation
5.4 Limitation of Study
5.5 Suggestion for Further Research
5.6 Conclusion
References
Appendixes
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Backgrounds to the Study
Education is an instrument for national
development. This is because it is the instrument used in developing the
citizens who in turn contribute to the development of the nation.
According to Afolabi (2010), the
quality of a nation’s education determines the quality of the products of its
education system and by extension the quality and quantity, pace and level of
its development. This is probably why every nation tends to invest more in
getting their populace educated. However, the integrity of the entire
educational system depends to a large extent on the quality of its assessment
practices.
Economics, as science concerned with
how individuals, businessmen and government make use of limited resources at
their disposal (Chudi, 2013), plays a key role in the future progress of human
kind. As a subject, economics enables students acquire knowledge for the
practical solution of the economic problems of society and make them effective
member of the community.
With reference to secondary school
economics, there exists consistent poor performance/achievement of most
secondary school leavers in May/June examinations conducted by West African
Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO), (Adu,
Ojelabi & Hammed 2009). Of all the economics candidates who sat for the
2005, 2008 and 2009 May/June SSCE, only 36%, 49% and 45% respectively had credit
and above (A1 – C6) (Bello, 2010). The impact of instructional planning on the candidates’
future performance should be a cause for concern for the country’s leaders,
stakeholders in the education industry and the nation as a whole. A focus of
the subject is how economics agents behave or interact and how economics work.
Consistent with this, a primary textbook distinction is between micro economics
and macro economics. Micro-economics examines the behaviour of basic elements
in the economy, including individual agents (such as households and firms or as
buyers and sellers) and markets and their interactions. Macro-economics
analyzes the entire economy and issues affecting it, including unemployment,
inflation, economic growth and monetary and fiscal policy.
Trend
of Candidates’ Entry for the May/ June
This illustrates the trends of entries
in WASSCE in four of the WAEC member countries for the subjects between 2006
and 2010. However, Ghana did not present candidates for the examination in
2010.
Trends
of Candidates’ performance in May/June 2006 to 2010 WASSCE in Economics.
|
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
|
Nigeria
|
49.44
|
39.03
|
49.22
|
45.44
|
56.26
|
|
Ghana
|
35.58
|
47.84
|
37.3
|
49.2
|
|
|
S/Leone
|
7.79
|
1.89
|
3.84
|
3.21
|
9.7
|
|
The Gambia
|
9.88
|
7.72
|
7.33
|
12.45
|
9.82
|
Figure shows that less than 57% of the
candidates had credit and above (A1 – C6) in Economics in all the countries
during the period under consideration. The trend of performance fluctuated in
all countries throughout the period. Trends of candidates’ performance in
May/June 2006 to 2010 WASSCE in Economics.
Researchers (NCTE Secondary section, 1990)
have identified the following encouraging results from reducing class size and
improving instructional planning.
·
Small
classes result in increased teacher – student contact.
·
Students
in smaller classes shows more appreciation for one another and more desire to
participate in classroom activities.
·
Smaller
classes result in higher teacher morale and reduced stress.
·
In
smaller classes, more learning activities take place
·
Smaller
classes foster greater interaction among students, helping them understand one
another and increasing their desire to assist one another.
Instructional planning is a process of
the teacher using appropriate curricula, instructional strategies, and
resources during the planning, and process to address the diverse needs of
students. Poor academic achievement in Economics could be attributed to many
factors among which teachers strategy itself was considered as an important
factor. This implies that the mastery of Economics concepts might not be fully
achieved without adequate instructional planning may certainly result in poor
academic achievement. Planning is preparation for action. To improve practices,
one needs to have prior thought and planning, ongoing review, and continuous
adjustment as the plan unfolds in practice, and finally, reflection on what
worked, what didn’t, and how to improve. Indeed, planning is an essential tool
for effective teaching. Teaching is a complex activity that involves careful
preparation and planning, both for short term learning purposes or long-term learning
purposes. Misulis commented “regardless of the teaching model and methods used,
effective instruction begins with careful, thorough, and organized planning on
the part of the teacher”. A solid planning process is integral to a teacher’s
efforts in identifying appropriate curriculum, instructional strategies and
resources to address the needs of all students. Furthermore, teacher’s planning
influences the content of instruction, the sequence and cognitive demands of
subject topics, learning activities and students’ opportunities to learn, and
the pacing and allocation of instructional time.
In, most third world countries,
enrolment exceed provision for secondary education in terms of adequate
furnished classrooms. Hence, the perennial problem of classroom congestion, the
poverty level and low classroom utilization rates in these countries worsen the
situation. Nigeria is a third world country where the situation is not
different. Secondary education in the country is poorly funded; hence most of
the secondary schools experience classroom congestion, low students-classroom
space and low classroom utilization rates. These situations may likely affect
secondary school students’ academic performance adversely.
The National policy on Education
prescribed a maximum of 30 students in a class, but in most secondary schools
in the state average class size exceeds 50. The situation has negative impact
on the average classroom space per student. Yet, these students need to learn
in comfort.
As school population increases class sizes
also increase, the performances of students become an issue. According to Dior
(1995), class size has become a phenomenon often mentioned in the educational
literature as an influence on pupil’s feelings and achievement, on
administration, quality and school budgets. In his words he noted, that class
size is almost an administrative decision over which teachers have little or no
control.
1.2 Statement of Problem
In spite of the desire for educational
development, couple with the fact that Economics is a very vital subject for
educational development and as such, the use of instructional materials, the
class size as well as students’ performance in Economics have become a source
of concerns to all stakeholders. It is on the premise study sought to
investigate the effects of using improvised instructional materials and class
size on the achievement of secondary school students in Economics.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
1. To investigate the level of students’
performance in senior school certificate Examination in Economics.
2. To investigate the impact of class size
on students’ performance in Economics as a subject.
3. The study is also designed to investigate
effective use of instructional planning to improve students’ performance in Economics.
1.4 Research
Questions
To further understand the study under
investigation, the following pertinent questions were raised:
1. Does class – size have any impact on the
performance of students in Economics?
2. Does instructional planning have any
impact on students’ performance in Economics.
3. What is level of students’ performance
in Senior School Certificate Examination in Economics?
1.5 Significance
of the Study
The results of the study is hoped to
assist planning and manage the class size in some ways enough to arouse the
interest of the students.
§ It would be of good assistance to
teachers to create a habit that they would improve on the obsolete teaching
methods, use adequate, modern and relevant instructional materials, methods of
teaching, mastering of the subject at their disposal to the fullest.
§ The Students would be alerted on both
the positive and negative effects, their interest, perception toward their
performance in Economics.
§ It would also be of benefit to teachers
and other stakeholders like government and school owners in making proper
planning for students’ population and potential growth.
1.6 Scope
of the Study
For the purpose of this study the scope
shall be limited to secondary schools in Orile Agege Local Government in Lagos
State.
1.7 Operational
Definition of Terms
Ancopss:
All Nigeria conference of principals of
secondary schools
Impact: A forceful consequence; a strong
effect
Economics: is
a science that is concerned with how individuals, businessmen and government
make use of limited resources at their disposals.
Stakeholders: Someone entrusted to hold the stakes
for two or more persons betting against one another; must deliver the stakes to
the winner.
Planning: is the act or process of making or
carrying out plans.
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