ABSTRACT
This study examined learning environment and
efficiency of teachers in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area
of Rivers State. The objectives were to investigate the extent to which
learning environment affect the efficiency of teachers. Data were sourced
through questionnaire administered to the sample size. 10 secondary schools
were selected from 58 secondary schools in the Local Government Area. Two
hundred and fifty (250) respondents were selected from 58 secondary schools in
the Local Government Area using random sampling technique. Simple percentages
and Chi-Square method with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS) were used as data analysis techniques. Findings revealed that
computerized learning environment, adequacy of instructional material,
student-teachers ratio, learning policies and teacher’s welfare have positive
and significant impact on the efficiency of teachers in the secondary schools,
this findings confirm the expectation of the results. Based on this, the study
recommends that stakeholders in the academic environment should make policies
that will enhance the learning environment for greater teacher’s efficiency in
secondary schools. the Federal, State, Local governments and private school
owners should ensure that the school environment be made Computerize and
Information and Communication Technology driven environment to enhance the
performance of teachers, student and increase teachers efficiency; provision of
instructional materials should be integrated in the annual education policies
of the government to avoid lack of instructional material that will affect
negatively teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools; learning policies should
be integrated with the teachers teaching objectives and teachers should be
consulted to make input that will enhance of efficiency, performance of
teachers and students; there is need to examine the teachers-students ratio and
employee more competent teachers to reduce teachers-student ratio for better
performance and increase efficiency of the teachers and teachers welfare should
be considered paramount and existing policies should be overhauled to remove
demotivating factors to enhance teachers’ performance in the secondary schools.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
PAGES
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgment iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background of the
Study 1
Statement of the
Problem 4
Purpose of the
Study 5
Research Questions 6
Research Hypotheses 6
Significance of the
Study 7
Scope of the Study 7
Limitation of the
Study 8
Definition of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction 10
Transformative
Learning Theory 10
Motivational Theories: Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Theory 12
Motivational Strategies 19
Teachers Motivation and its Challenges 25
Measures of Teacher efficiency 27
Learning Environment in Secondary Schools 29
Textbooks and teachers efficiency 31
Characteristics of Poor Learning Environment 39
Possible Ways of
Creating an Enabling Environment to Achieve 44
Effective and Efficient
Summary of
Literature Review 47
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design 48
Population 48
Sample and sampling Technique 48
Instrumentation 49
Validity and Reliability of Instrument 50
Data Collection Procedure 50
Procedure for Data Analysis 50
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Introduction 51
Data Presentation Based on Research Questions 51
Test of Hypotheses 57
Summary of Findings 60
Discussion of Findings 61
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of the Study 64
Conclusion 65
Recommendations 66
Suggestion for further Study 67
References 68
Appendix 74
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Learning environment is an integral component
of the learning process. An environment where teaching and learning takes place
is an important educational factor that needs to be considered by the
stakeholder (Aregbeyen, 2011). The environment needs adequate attention in the
area of infrastructural facilities and made conducive for learning purposes in
order to achieve the set goals.
Teachers’ efficiency important if the objectives of education is to be
achieved, it is a measure that determine the performance of students. It can be
measured in increase performance of the teachers. Teachers’ efficiency is
linear function of the operating environment, such as computerized environment,
adequacy of instructional material, teacher-students ratio in the class,
learning policies and teachers’ welfare. Computerized environment is required
modern environment as it simplifies the teaching processes. It involves the use
of modern information and communication facilities that substitute the
traditional chalk-board methods.
Adequacy of instructional material such as
books is required in increasing teachers’ efficiency. Teacher-students ratio
refers to the number of students per teacher in the class. Teachers’ welfare
serves as a motivational factor to teachers. It includes adequate payment of
teachers’ salary and other fringe benefits.
Government at all levels has the functions of
providing adequate learning environment that will motivate teaching and
learning. The learning environment has been identified as potent factors to
qualitative education and the realization of education policies. Adequate
learning environment facilitates the teaching process, enhance teaching
efficiency and simplify transfer of knowledge from the teacher to the learners
(Yara & Otiero 2010). Conceptually learning environment comprises internal
and external factors that affect the learning and the teaching process in an
educational setting. It refers to internal facilities that are available to
facilitate students learning outcome, this include books, audio-visual or
computer learning environment, size of classroom, teachers student ratio,
sitting position and arrangement and other instructional materials (Franrant,
1991 and Farombi, 1998) and the external environment such as teachers welfare,
education policies, and other motivational strategies for teachers.
Teachers efficiency can be affected by three
levels of stimulant within the teaching environment, these are motivation
considers to be teachers factor, the external and the internal environment.
Teachers stand-out as key to realizing the high standard that are increasing
emphasized in schools and school system across countries (Rice, 2003). There is
a general agreement about the importance of teacher’s efficiency and the
teaching process among scholars, practioners and policy makers. Teachers’
efficiency matters a lot because teachers’ knowledge and skills are the most
vital in school factors influencing childrens learning (Heigh and Mead, 2005).
The importance of providing adequate learning environment cannot be over
emphasized. Availability and adequacy of learning resources promotes the effectiveness
of school as these are basic things that can trigger good academic performance
in the students (Orie, 1992). Oni (1992) opined that learning environment
constitute a strategic factor in teaching process. This is because the
environment determines to a very large extent the smooth functioning of the
education system and influence efficiency and high productivity (Idialu, 2014).
Theoretically, various models have been
formulated to examine factor that motivate efficiency, for instance, the Mashow
Herachy of needs theory, the Expectancy
Theory, the Equity Theory, Goal Setting Theory, Reinforcement Theory and the
Hygienic Theory. While these theories are appealing and interesting, it does
not provide significant results once their empirical prediction are applied in
real life event especially in the developing countries like Nigeria. For
instance empirical evidence has shown that monetary reward does not motivate
for greater efficiency. Evidence has also shown that learning environment in
the developing countries like Nigeria is characterised with demotivating
factors that can affect negatively the teachers efficiency, for instance most
secondary schools lack adequate instructional materials and the state of the
art learning environment. This implies that adequate learning environment may
not lead to teachers’ efficiency.
Statement of the Problem
An examination of the learning environment in
the developing counties like Nigeria revealed that the environment is
demotivating to teachers’ efficiency than motivating. For instance significant
proportion of the public secondary schools has poor infrastructural facilities.
There is inadequate supply of teaching aids such as books and other
instructional materials while the existing onces are obsecelence. Teachers –
Students’ ratio is very high. The application of modern facilities such as
computer is lacking and the teaching profession is relegated to the lowest as
teachers are poorly paid compared with other professions. Less than 10% of the
annual budget is allocated to the education sector at all level of government.
The consequences of inefficiencies of teachers are the poor performance of
students in external examinations such as West African Examination Council
(WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and others. The continuous
existence of the above problems cast doubt on the achievement of government
education policies and education master plans in Rivers State.
Despite the numerous literatures on the
factors the motivate teachers performance, the relationship between the various
components of the learning environment and teachers efficiency is lacking.
Similar studies such as Farombi, (1998), Owoeye & Yata, (2011) examined teachers’
motivations and students’ performance. This study does not capture other
environmental factors that can influence teachers’ performance. Therefore, this
study will contribute to knowledge in the following ways: first, it will reveal
how motivation affect teachers efficiency, second, it will reveal how internal
environmental factors such as books, instructional materials and other
infrastructural facilities impact on teachers efficiency, third the external
environments such as education polices affect teachers efficiency and fourth it
will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.
Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study is to
examine learning environment and teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in
Obio/Akpor while the specific objectives are:
1. To examine the relationship between
computerized learning environment and teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools
in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
2. To determine the extent to which adequacy
of instructional materials affect teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in
Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
3. To examine the effect of
Teacher-students’ ratio on Teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in
Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
5. To examine the impact of teachers’
welfare on the efficiency of teachers in secondary s1fchools in Obio/Akpor
Local Government of Rivers State.
Research Questions
From the above objectives, the following
research questions are formulated:
1. What is the relationship between
computerized learning environment and teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools
in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State?
2. To what extent does adequacy of
instructional materials affect teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in
Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State?
3. To what extent does Teacher-students’
ratio affect Teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local
Government of Rivers State?
5. What is the impact of teachers’ welfare
on the efficiency of teachers in secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local
Government of Rivers State?
Research Hypotheses
From the above research questions, the
following null hypotheses are formulated:
H01: Computerized
learning environment has no significant affect on teachers’ efficiency in
secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
H02: Adequacy
of instructional materials has no significant affect on teachers’ efficiency in
secondary schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
H03: Teacher-students’
ratio has no significant affect on teachers’ efficiency in secondary schools in
Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
H05: Teachers’
welfare has no significant affect on efficiency of teachers in secondary
schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government of Rivers State.
Significance of the Study
This study will be
significant to the following:
Policy Makers: To the policy makers, this study will be
significant in making and implementing policies within the educational
programmes in Nigeria.
Education Facilitators: This study will enhance the performance of education facilitators in
Nigeria as the study will serve as a reference point in policy making
concerning the basic teachers role and teaching process.
General Public: The study
will serve as a measure to access the effectiveness and efficiency of Nigerian
education system and the policy framework by the general public and arrive at a
definite conclusion on the on-going debate concerning the educational policies
in Nigeria and the achievements.
Academicians: It will serve as a reference point for
further studies and contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the factors
that can affect teaches efficiency in the teaching process.
Scope of the
Study
The general scope of covers the learning
environments and teachers’ efficiency, the geographical scope is Obi/Akpor
Local Government Area of Rivers State, while the unit of analysis comprises all
the secondary schoools in the Local Government Area.
Limitation
of the Study
In the
process of the study, the researcher faces the following limitations:
1. Time: The
time within which the research is to be completed is short compared with the
long term which study such as this require.
2. Competing other Academic Activities: The research goes with other
academic activities which sometimes conflict together.
3. Finance: Research
such as this requires fund to finance the process, the fund within the disposal
of the researcher is short.
4. Availability
of Data: The data required in this study is lacking as
accessing such information from the relevant respondents.
Definition of Terms
Budget: This is an
important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods. In other terms, a budget is an organizational plan stated in monetary
terms.
Learning: It is the act of acquiring new, or modifying
and reinforcing, existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals
and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves. Learning is not compulsory; it is
contextual. It does not happen all at once, but builds upon and is shaped by
previous knowledge. To that end, learning may be viewed as a process, rather
than a collection of factual and procedural knowledge. Learning produces changes
in the organism and the changes produced are relatively permanent.
Policy: It is a deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational
outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure
or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by the Board of or
senior governance body within
an organization whereas procedures or protocols would be developed and adopted
by senior executive
officers.
Teachers’
efficiency: Teacher
Efficiency is the extent to which the teacher believes he or she has the
capacity to affect student performance.
Teacher: Teacher is one who teaches (especially with
young ones), builds up, instructs, trains and guides them for healthy growth
and stable adult life. The teacher is also someone who instructs others or
provides activities, materials and guidance that facilitate learning in either
formal or informal situations.
Teachers’
Motivation: Motivation is a complex socially learned
pattern of behaviour involving situations, needs, desires, mechanisms and
results. It embraces all factors in an employee’s development to accomplish
personal as well as organizational goals.
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