INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED COACHING ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN CIVIC EDUCATION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED COACHING ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN CIVIC EDUCATION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA  

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.1.        Background to the Study

Teaching methods and instructional techniques in the classrooms have been changing and this is influenced by technological advancements. Technology has changed the whole pattern of human life. The benefit of cyber age technology is the development of computer for sustainable development. Computer is a general purpose machine, consisting of digital circuitry that accepts (inputs), stores, manipulates, and generates (outputs) data as numbers, text, graphics, voice, video files, or electrical signals, in accordance with instructions called a programme. The principal characteristics of a computer are: it responses to a specific set of instructions in a well-defined manner and it can execute a prerecorded list of instructions (a programme). It is also concerned with the way these different uses work with each other to enhance teaching and learning for sustainable development.

Instruction is a statement or explanation of something that must be done, often given by someone in authority. Pratt (2008), viewed Instruction as the activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill written or spoken directions for carrying out a procedure or performing a task. Effective mode of instruction includes visual elements such as pictures, diagrams, and flowcharts that illustrate and clarify the text. Computer Assisted Instruction is the process which written and visual information is presented in a logical sequence to a learner through a computer. The student learns by reading the text material presented or by observing the graphic information displayed. Some of the programmes provide audio-visual presentation with an option to the student to select audio presentation in addition to the visual media. Each segment of text is followed by questions, for student‟s response. Feedback on response is

indicated immediately.

The Federal Ministry of Education (2010), identified the role of Information Communication Technology policy on education amongst other as: “The policy provides the needed guidance on what is expected in the entire process of ICT integration in education to all stakeholders in education. Its‟ implementation therefore should lead to a speedy transformation of the teaching, learning. The realization of this policy statement lies basically in the capability of the key implementers of the nation‟s educational policy that is teachers to integrate ICT-Driven instructional aids through Computer Assisted

Instruction (CAI) in their day to day classroom activities for effective pedagogy. Computer-based education (CBE) and computer-based instruction (CBI) which CAI is one of their generic term; are referred to virtually any kind of computer use in educational settings. Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is a narrower term and most often refers to drill and-practice, tutorial, or simulation activities offered either by themselves (computer) or as supplements to traditional, teacher directed instruction. The more predominate use of CAI is that, CAI is being incorporated into the general education classroom as a means of deepening and expanding students‟ understanding of the material. CAI application may come from the teacher, instructors and or from the learners. In this wise, the subject or topic to be learnt will have to be analyzed and broken down into programme(s) before being presented to the learner. The teacher may do this, and when he does, we are looking at the Computer Assisted Instruction from the teacher‟s point of view (Ismail, Imran, Mukaila, 2011). He has the knowledge, and the expertise to provide instruction for learners; hence, this authority in his packaging of materials he thinks suitable for the learner. CAI from teacher point of view refers to the use of computer as a tool to facilitate and improve instruction (Okediran in Ismail, Imran, Mukaila, 2011). CAI has a major benefit of individualizing instruction by presenting varied and flexible experiences to the individual learner and takes care of learners‟ differences. It makes use of guided discovery and inquiry method thereby ensuring the application of proven effective teaching methods, to the learner. In applying the CAI mode of instruction, the computer is fed in sequential manner with what to teach, the steps to be followed, how to evaluate success, how and when other classroom activities are to be carried out (Okafor, 2009).

The Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, 2013) in the National Policy on Education states that education is an instrument for effecting national development and hence, makes the incorporation of ICT into teaching-learning process a vital instructional tool in fostering the national educational goals. The winds of change in today‟s education sector have made information communication technology to be programmed towards meeting the set educational goals, however, there are challenges and concerns as a result of knowledge explosion due to the introduction of ICT in almost every field of human endeavour which teaching is not left out. Therefore, teachers need to be conscious of the quality of teaching which is determined by employing quality teaching aids such as, charts, models-static and working specimen and slides, (Sansanwal, 2009), Since it is agreed that CAI are information handling tools that can be used in producing, storing, processing, distributing and exchanging of information, it therefore implies that it could help teachers to be more effective in work-life and resourceful in content management. Hence, these will make teaching tasks less cumbersome and productive thereby improving students‟ academic performance. The utilization of CAI is meant to serve as an orientation stimulus to support the teacher‟s teaching strategies and not to replace them. A shift from the conventional „‟ chalk and talk‟‟ form of teaching to CAI could make teaching-learning process more real.

Civic Education as a subject was introduced into the Nigerian Senior Secondary

School Curriculum by National Council on Education at its meeting in Ibadan in December, 2005. The new curriculum came into existence as a result of desire to bring the reality of everyday societal living to the students at their age of critical thinking and reasoning about the events happening around them. The objectives of teaching Civic Education are: Promote the understanding of the inter-relationship between man/woman, the government and the society; highlight the structure of government, its functions and the responsibilities of government to the people and vice-versa; enhance the teaching and learning of emerging issues, and inculcate in students their duties and obligations to the society (Federal Ministry of Education, 2012).

The above stated objectives could be achieved in students offering Civic Education through the use of computer assisted   instruction which has such advantages in teaching-learning process because CAI brings with it several potential benefits as a teaching/learning medium. These include self-paced learning, self-directed learning, the exercising of various senses and the ability to represent content in a variety of media. However, the ability and capability, as well as the effectiveness of teachers to incorporate teaching strategies such as utilization of CAI in achieving the lesson objectives at the classroom level will definitely enhance teaching and learning processes. ICT has not revolutionized teaching methods but rather the subject content. This implies that computer assisted instruction does not replace the teaching strategies but rather offer supportive devices to enhance improve content delivery.

Students‟ academic performance is one if not the main determinant of

effectiveness of any curriculum implementation. All stakeholders such as parents, school administrators, government, curriculum planner and others largely depends on students‟ academic performance in taking decision regarding effectiveness and continuity of any educational programme. The academic performance of civic education students‟ reported by WAEC Chief Examiners show that most students who sat for Civic Education in the year 2014-2015 had problems among others poor expression, lack of understanding the subject, lack of communication, illogical presentation of ideas, poor handwriting, dearth of standard textbooks, lack of qualified teacher, and also the inability of teachers to cover the required syllabus (WAEC, 2014). Yusuf (2010), observed that Civic education as a new subject in Nigerian school is dominated by conventional teaching method. These could be due to none familiarity with other teaching strategies such as Computer Assisted Instruction which has been tested in others subjects such as Biology (Yusuf, 2010), Physics (Adeyemo, 2012), Mathematic (Yusuf, Kajuru & Musa, 2013) and reported to be more effective over the conventional teaching method.

However, other relevant researchers have questioned the aims and effectiveness of teaching similar subject in recent years due to lack of content knowledge and skills among the graduates and more so their ability to perform. Therefore, if Nigeria will meet up with the global technological advancement through the use of CAI, then education must be given utmost priority and teacher education must be the vanguard since no nation can rise above the standard of her teachers (FRN,2013). The Federal Ministry of Education (2010) has mandated the integration of ICT in education for speedy transformation of the teaching, learning and administration of education as a positive step in the right direction. Therefore, based on the aforementioned, it becomes pertinent that a study on the „‟Impact of CAI on students‟ performance in Civic Education in senior secondary School in Kaduna state, Nigeria‟‟ be conducted to ascertain its impact

on the learners.

 

 

1.2.        Statement of the Problem

       The patterns of teaching and learning process today, is expected to shift from the conventional method to a more flexible approach, which is learner-centred. This learnercentred approach makes students to influence the content, activities, materials and pace learning, the student is placed at the centre of learning process thereby enhances independent learning. Despite the relevance of CAI in education, coupled with the huge investment of both Federal and State government such as ICT driven project known as

“school Net” which was intended to equip all secondary schools in Nigeria with

Computer and communication technologies as well as the donations from NonGovernmental organizations of CAI facilities to secondary schools in Nigeria to improve performance.

It appears that majority of secondary school teachers in northern Nigeria are still reluctant, ineffective in the use of CAI even when the facilities are readily available. This is in line with Beetheng and Sim (2008), asserted that there is still a long way to go before secondary school teachers in developing countries like Nigeria will be able to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the 21^st century technology and this was substantiated by Adomi (2010), discovered that 75 percent of teachers in Nigerian secondary schools has little or no experience regarding ICT in education. In the same alignment, Yusuf, Maina and Dare (2013), revealed that most school teachers lack the skills to fully utilize technology in curriculum implementation hence the traditional chalk and duster approach still dominates in school pedagogy. These challenges as perceived could be as a result of teachers lack the competence to employ skills of using CAI teaching strategies and perhaps lack of steady power supply.

The objectives of teaching Civic Education  is to expose the younger ones to  the emerging issues that can make them to be functional members of their country who is equipped with necessary skills and knowledge needed for sustainable national development and to be able to use such knowledge to solve Civic problems within and across the border. Civic education as school subject present the real picture of the happening in the society to the learners, teaching such subject in abstract format will not only confuse the learner but the affective and psychomotor domain of educational objective will be left untouched. The teaching and learning of Civic Education need to reflect the new technological advancement taking place in the present day global village. With the aid of various components of IT, Civic education can be taught and learnt.

According to WASSCE (see appendix A), candidates are having inadequate knowledge of the subject matter, inability to express themselves, and lack of qualified teacher with teaching strategies. The previous research emphasized on teacher‟s nonutilization of CAI in teaching but none of them inquired on how effective is the method in teaching an art based subject like civic education. This study therefore investigated the impact of CAI on student‟s academic performance in Civic Education in senior Secondary in Kaduna State, Nigeria.

1.3         Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to determine the impact of Computer

Assisted Instruction on students‟ performance in Civic education in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to:

1. ascertain the differences between the performance of students taught Civic Education using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;
2. examine the differences between the performance of students taught concept of limitation of human right using Computer Assisted Instruction

and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;

3. investigate the difference between the academic performance of Urban and Rural Students taught responsible parenthood using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State;
4. determine the impact of Computer Assisted Instruction and conventional method on the performance of students taught democracy and national development in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;
5. identify the difference between the academic performance of students taught dangers of political apathy using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state; and
6. investigate the impact of Computer Assisted Instruction and conventional method on the performance of students taught citizenship in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state.
7. Determine the difference between the academic performance of Students from South, Central and North Senatorial zones taught Civic education using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state?

1.4         Research Questions

In line with the stated objectives the following research questions were formulated to guide the study:

• What is the difference between the performance of students taught Civic Education using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State?
• What is the difference between the performance of students taught limitation of human right using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State?
• To what extent is the difference between the academic performance of Urban and Rural students taught responsible parenthood using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state?
• To which extent does the use of Computer Assisted Instruction and conventional method have impact on the performance of students taught democracy and national development in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state?
• To what extent is the difference between the academic performances of students taught dangers of political apathy using Computer Assisted

Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state?

• What is the impact of Computer Assisted Instruction and conventional method on the performance of students taught citizenship in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state?
• To what extent is the difference between the academic performance of Students from South, Central and North Senatorial zones taught Civic education using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary

Schools in Kaduna state?

 

 

 

1.5.        Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested in the study:

Ho1:	There is no significant difference between the academic performances of students taught Civic Education using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State;
Ho2:	There is no significant difference between the academic performances of students taught limitation of human right using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State;
Ho3:	There is no significant difference between the academic performance of Urban and Rural students taught responsible parenthood using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;
Ho4:	There is no significant difference in the performance of students taught democracy and national development using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;
Ho5:	There is no significant difference between the academic performances of students taught dangers of political apathy using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state.
Ho6:	There is no significant difference between the performances of students

taught citizenship using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state.

H0₇: There is no significant difference between the academic performances of Students from South, Central and North Senatorial zones taught Civic education using Computer Assisted Instruction in Senior Secondary

Schools in Kaduna state

1.6.        Basic Assumptions

This study is based on the following assumptions:

1. the performance of students taught civic education using Computer

Assisted Instruction and those using conventional method in Senior

Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria are the same;

2. the performance of students taught civic education using Computer Assisted Instruction and those taught limitation of human right using conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State,

Nigeria are the same;

3. students in the urban centres are likely to perform better when taught responsible parenthood than those in rural areas due to readily available of computers and its needed resources such as light, instructors and so forth;
4. use of Computer Assisted Instruction stimulate students‟ performance than the conventional method when taught democracy and national development in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state;
5. all the students taught dangers of political apathy using Computer Assisted Instruction and conventional method in Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna state have the same scores and
6. students taught citizenship using Computer Assisted Instruction will perform better than those taught using conventional method in Senior

Secondary Schools in Kaduna state.

7. There will be difference in the performance of the students from south, central and north senatorial zones taught civic education using Computer

Assisted Instruction among Senior Secondary school Kaduna State

1.7         Significance of the Study

The result of this study will be of immense benefit to: head teacher, teachers, students, and School management, Ministry of education and Ministry of science and technology, computer programmers, curriculum planners, NGOs‟ and examination bodies in the following ways.

This study will be of benefits to head teachers or principals because it is targeted towards knowing how the use of Computer Assisted Instruction will enhance students‟ performance. This will help them to see the importance of Computer Assisted   Instruction and its relevance to effective and functional classroom teaching exercise for better performances of their students academically and this will in turn boots the image of the school in the community. More so, the study will make school administrators to see the need for continuous training of their teachers who are ICT literate and train those who are not for better service delivery.

Teachers as an important factor in this research will find this study helpful in so many ways. Specifically, some teachers who are reluctant/illiterate in the use and knowledge of ICT will see the need for it, if they want to remain relevant in the teaching profession in the present dispensation and also ensuring the success of students. In addition, teachers who are faced with the problem of overcrowded classrooms can be supported with Computer Assisted   Instruction to carry out their teaching effectively. In fact, this study will be an eye opener and image booster for teachers if they adopt this instructional strategy because lessons can be planned and be taught without necessarily the teacher being present all-through in the classroom.

This study will be significant to the students of Civic education in Senior Secondary Schools by exposing students to IT in school as this will give an insight to what is expected of them, this will help the students to put more interest in using Computer Assisted   Instruction to enhance their academic performance and also help them perform better in the field of work. It will help them to understand the effect of using IT facilities in teaching and learning for academic performance,

The study will be of significance to the school managements by revealing the area of weaknesses in using IT; helping them to refocus their attention on using IT in teaching and learning for academic performance. This is so because it is the school management who is concerned with the day-to-day running of the school as they can use the report as a guide to financing and supplying IT facilities to the department and ensuring all the necessary improvements. They can also use the report to correct any lapses in terms of supply and use of the facilities.

Similarly, the result will also be of great significant to the Ministry of education (MOE) as well as Ministry of Science and Technology (MST), as they are the principal determinants in pedagogic aspect of IT and teacher education training programme in Nigeria. The findings of the study will enable them to understand the situation and position of IT in teacher training and pedagogy.

The study will be of great benefit to computer programmers and school administrations of secondary schools in the sense that, this study will give an insight of what is expected of them in planning for the students and teachers in the future, if they want to turn out trained teachers for the 21^st century classroom and labour market. Also the design, planning and development of software will reflect the principles and practical application of CAI with the classroom context and help them to provide for

individualized instruction to meet special needs.

Most importantly, the study will be of significance to the curriculum planners as it will afford them the opportunity of streamlining many educational tasks. It will provide them with the vision to plan for a wide range of field, including all the main disciplines in elementary, secondary and tertiary institutions. The findings will help the curriculum planners to integrate and enhance the skills of search and development of inclass activity into the curriculum content. The study will help them to easily plan for a higher order thinking skills, critical thinking skills, and problem solving skills. Also, the inculcation of CAI into education system will be of great value to the curriculum planners in the sense that, it will equip them with the innovative skill of planning for people with physical limitations, learning disabilities and language limitations.

The NGOs and philanthropic organizations who are interested in educational advancement of the nation will see possible areas that require ICT facilities in schools for their support and donations.

The findings of this research will prompt WAEC and other examination bodies to review its strategy and provide them with the needed framework in the full implementation of CAI in assessing the students‟ performance without any delay just as the deputy director, quality department of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), while delivering a speech at the 2014 national workshop in Ado-Ekiti on the use of computer-based test for final year students of secondary schools says that, “no candidate wishing to gain admission into a university, polytechnic or college of education would have the option of writing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the usual paper-based option come 2015”. The JAMB director further states that there was “nowhere in the world today where public examinations, such as the  UTME, are written with pencil or biros, he added that the benefits of the computer-based test will include release of result not lasting over 72 hours, absence of familiar examination malpractices, zero result seizure as well as absence of external influence”.

Furthermore, research result can also spur further work on the area of computer application in teacher training. The findings will enable them to know the extent studies have been carried out in this field and it will also be a source for literature review to researchers. Computer assisted instruction is a very vital innovation that improves the academic performance especially in civic education.

1.8         Scope of the Study

This study investigated the impact of Computer-assisted Instruction on students‟ performance in civic education in senior secondary schools in Kaduna state, Nigeria. The study focused on but not limited to the impact of computer assisted instruction on students of civic education in senior secondary students (SS II) in Kaduna state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study is delimited to performance of urban and rural students in civic education in Kaduna state, Nigeria and effectiveness of CAI was examined on selected topic lifted from civic education curriculum which include: citizenship education, responsible parenthood, Limitation of Human Right, democracy and National development, danger of political apathy, Drug and drug abuse, traffic regulation and relationship.

INFLUENCE OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED COACHING ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN CIVIC EDUCATION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA  

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