A COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF TEAM TEACHING WITH SOME OTHER TEACHING STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT IN ECONOMICS
ABSTRACT
The study of comparative effect of team teaching with some other teaching strategies on students’ achievement in Economics was carried out in Abak Local Government Area. Three research questions and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. A quasi experimental research design was adopted for the study. 2,146 Economics students formed the population of the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 4 schools and 200 Economics students and used for the study. Economics Achievement Test was the main instruments for data collection. The data generated from the instrument were analyzed using independent t-test statistics. The results showed that there is a significant difference in students’ academic achievement taught Economics using team teaching and lecture methods of teaching.
Also, there is a significant difference in students’ academic achievement taught Economics using team teaching and discussion methods of teaching, and there is a significant difference in students’ academic achievement taught Economics using team teaching and field trip methods of teaching. The study therefore recommended that Economics teachers should try as much as possible to apply appropriate methods during class participation so as to enhance retention and understanding of the lessons by the students.
A Comparative Effect of Team Teaching with Some Other Teaching Strategies on Students Achievement in Economics
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Teaching is an attempt to help someone acquire or change some skills, attitude, knowledge and idea or appreciation. In other words, the teacher is to influence desirable changes in behaviour or in tendencies towards behaviour in the learners. This implies that, success in teaching is measured by the degree to which the teacher is able to achieve the desired learning in his/her students. To achieve this objective, the teacher must know the how to bring about such learning. Thus, the teacher must know how to select the content and method to use (Starr, 2011).
The Nigeria Certificate in Education/Distance Learning System course book defines teaching method as a process of selecting, directing, controlling and evaluation the experiences of the child to achieve the desirable outcome (Eddie, 2006). Teaching method may also be regarded as a broad and consistent manner of teaching that is guide by certain basic beliefs.
To achieve the objectives of education as stated by the Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) in the National Policy on Education that, serious efforts must be made to ensure that proper teaching process takes place in the school. This implies that conductive learning environment must be put in place and appropriate methods must be adopted (Olisamalia, 2011).
It is now being recognized that, there are better ways to learn through the traditional methods of instruction (Wood and Gentile 2013). Universities and other institutions are beginning to show an increased awareness of the importance of the ways students learn. Many of the standard methods of conveying knowledge have been shown to be relatively ineffective on the students’ ability to master and then retain important concepts.
Learning of Economics through some methods of teaching is passive rather than active. The traditional methods (lecture, laboratory, and recitation methods) do not tend to faster critical and creative thinking and collaborative problem solving.
Wickens (1975) posits that team teaching organization pools the resources of teachers and the facilities of the school, breaks down the isolation of staff, economizes effort by eliminating repetitions and should lead to better quality teaching and learning process. Of course, colleges and universities use the system or method of teaching that does incorporate more than one teacher.
Team teaching as a form of teaching collaboration has long been implemented in education at all levels. Sometimes, synonymous with co-teaching or collaborative teaching, it features teacher’s collective effort that is aimed at improving teaching quality as well as students’ academic performance. Many researchers have offered various definitions of team-teaching. Davis (2015) regarded team-teaching as all arrangements that include two or more faculty in some level of collaboration in the planning and delivery of a course.
On the other hand, Trump and Miller (2016) defined team teaching, as an arrangement in which two or more teachers and their assistant, take the advantage of more teachers and their competencies, plan, instruct and evaluate in one or more subject areas. Selection of appropriate techniques of Economics instruction depends on the type of lesson whether practical or theoretical, the competence of the teacher to handle the technique and the nature of instruction itself. As such, this research intends to compare effect of team teaching with some other teaching strategy on students’ academic achievement in Economics within Abak Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Students’ persistent poor performance in the subject of Economics has been the main concern to all and sundry. This may be due to so many factors of which, the method used in the teaching process is one of them. It is a fact that, there are many methods of teaching. This ranges from the traditional to mode of teaching enquiry method.
Some of these methods used in the teaching of Economics to students in secondary schools are not effective. This result in the poor teaching and learning process as such it negates the academic performance of students in Economics as a subject.
According to Derek (2017), seriousness of the deplorable performance of secondary school students’ in Economics has been attributed to the traditional mode of instruction delivery.
It is in this vain that, this study seeks to compare team teaching with some other teaching strategies on students’ academic achievement in Economics within Abak Local Government Area.
1.3 Objective of the Study
The main objective of this study to compare team teaching with some other teaching strategies on students’ achievement in Economics in Abak Local Government Area.
In specific terms, the objectives of this study were:
- To find out the difference that may exist in students’ academic performance when Economics is being taught using team teaching and lecture methods of teaching.
- To ascertain the extent to which students taught with team teaching differ in their academic achievement from those taught with discussion method.
- To find out the difference in students’ academic achievement taught with team teaching as against field trip method of teaching.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This study is of current interest since functional education depends largely on effective and efficient instruction given by the teachers who are at the centre of implementing the school curriculum and educational policies.
The research finding on the issue will:
- Enlighten different educational authorities on the need to arm the teachers with appropriate techniques and methods during the teaching and learning processes.
- Aids policy markers to formulate programmes aimed at adjusting the attitude of both teachers and students towards the teaching learning and the academic achievement of the students.
- Serves as feedback to the educational sector, especially the department of teachers training and development in curriculum and evaluation.
- Enlighten teachers who will apply these methods during presentation, to known and select the appropriate ones for each lesson, so as to develop interests and retention in the students.
- Also enlighten the general public on factors that significantly contribute to academic success or failure of Economics students’ in schools.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide this study:
- Is there any significant difference in students’ academic achievement when Economics is taught using team teaching and lecture methods of teaching?
- Is there any significant difference in students’ academic achievement when Economics is taught using team teaching and discussion method of teaching?
- Is there any significant difference in students’ academic achievement when Economics is taught using team teaching and field trip method of teaching?
The study of comparative effect of team teaching with some other teaching strategies on students’ achievement in Economics
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The following null research hypotheses were formulated to guide this study:
- There is no significant difference in students’ academic achievement on Economics when team teaching and lecture methods of teaching are used.
- There is no significant difference in students’ academic achievement on Economics when team teaching and discussion methods of teaching are used.
- There is no significant difference in students’ academic achievement on Economics using team teaching and field trip methods of teaching are used.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
Some constraints and limitation to this study included.
The time period given for the completion of the study could hardly be enough for a wider and more in-depth research into the problem on ground. Financial constraint also exerted a felt influence on the study for the researcher hardly gathered enough money to allow for the coverage of a large area.
Team teaching strategy and academic achievement of students
1.8 Definition of Terms
Teaching Method: This is the process of selecting, directing, controlling and evaluating the experiences of a child to achieve desirable outcome.
Team Teaching: Is a method of teaching in which two or more teachers and their assistants taking the advantage of more teachers and their competencies, plan, instruct and evaluate in one or more subject area.
Academic Achievement: This is measured as the capacity of a learner in terms of the attainment in quantities of specified learning objectives in a given curriculum.
Lecture Method: This method of teaching is seen as a traditional way of teaching adults since it does not always permit the teacher to know his students’ activities.
Discussion Method: Is a method in which students participated in the process of learning by raising issues of their own, contributing ideas, asking questions and seeking solutions based upon the study drawing conclusions under the teacher’s guidance.
Field Trip: A field trip is a visit to a place outside the regular classroom which is designed to achieve certain objectives, which cannot be achieved as well by using other means.
Lawson Peter – Chief Editor in Projectvilla Nigeria. A writer and academic researcher.