Abstract
History is an important school subject which conveys invaluable lessons from the past and whose worth transcends regional, national and cultural boundaries. However, effective teaching and learning history in Nigerian Universities has long been blighted by problems and challenges that have often gone unaddressed. This problems and issues have consequently militated against the commitment of undergraduate students studying history. This study drawing on a sample size of 27 undergraduate students in the department of educational foundations and department of history in the university of Benin, examined “factors militating against students commitment to the study of history in the university of Benin”. The purposive and stratified research design was used for the study and data was collected using the self -structured questionnaire. The results and data gotten were analysed using mean statistics. The study found out that factors such as societal perception, methods of teaching, lack of field trips,lack of instructional materials, and teaching aids, peer group influence are the major problems plaguing the study of history in the university. It was therefore recommended that the subject should be placed on the right pedestal by the appropriate quarters hence improving societal perception. There should be more awareness and enlightenment on the appropriateness and advantages of studying history, the ministry of education in alliance with the federal government should invest more in providing history rooms and teaching aids for the department. the lecturers should always be resourceful and versatile to the class and endeavor to use teaching methods that keep the students interest alive, amongst others.
ABSTRACT
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Problem statement
1.3 Purpose of the study
1.4 Significance of the study
1.5 Study hypotheses
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study
1.7 Definition of Basic terminologies
1.8 Organization of Study
CHAPTER TWO:
REVIEW OF RELATED AND RELEVANT LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Conceptual Review
2.3 Theoretical Framework
2.4 Empirical Studies
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Design
3.2 Sources of data collection
3.3 Determination of Population
3.4 Determination of sample size
3.5 Instrumentation
3.6 Instrument Validation
3.7 Adopted Method of Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Data Presentation
4.3 Data analysis
4.4 Data Interpretation
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION, SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Conclusion and Findings
5.3 Summary of the Study
5.4 Recommendation
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
History is one of the core art courses in Nigerian Universities. Current approaches in teaching and learning History include historical thinking (Wineburg, 2001) and historical inquiry (Barton & Levstik, 2004). Historical inquiry refers to a practice of “asking questions, gathering and evaluating relevant evidence, and reaching conclusions based on that evidence” (Barton & Levstik, 2004, p.188). Historical thinking refers to the process of constructing historical knowledge through critical examination of historical sources (Wineburg, 2001). It involves processes such as corroboration (comparing historical documents), sourcing (analyzing the source of document) and contextualization (situating the documents in the context of the historical problem (Wineburg, 1991, p.77). Both approaches emphasize the role of the learner in constructing historical knowledge. Hence, these approaches are in line with constructivist perspectives of learning and teaching. However, these approaches are more suited to university students than students of lower levels such as secondary schools (Martin, 2005).
Several studies worldwide have reported that teaching and learning History in schools is dominated by the transmission model of teaching despite emphasis on learner-centred pedagogy as advocated by recent education reforms (e.g. McCrum, 2013; Martell, 2011, Virta, 2001). Barton and Levstik (2004) contend that the current understanding of teaching and learning history in schools is dominated by research studies conducted and published in North America and Europe. Hence there is dearth of comprehensive understanding of history education in other parts of the world particularly in Africa.
Mosha, (2014) said that, students’ performance was affected by shortage of History teachers and absence of teaching and learning materials. However, her findings showed that, the presence of untrained, under-qualified and trained teachers who are incompetent resulted to skip teaching some difficult topics in the syllabus and students’ infrequent study of History at school and home, large class size, teachers’ responsibilities, poor conducive teaching and learning environment in the classrooms, limited home support environment and poverty are among the factors that affecting students’ academic performance in History. Students’ effort, previous schooling (Siegfried & Fels, 1976; Anderson & Benjamin, 1994), parents’ education, family income (Devadoss & Foltz, 1996), self motivation, age of student, learning preferences (Aripin, Mahmood, Rohaizad, Yeop, & Anuar, 2008), class attendance (Romer, 1993), and entry qualifications as factors that have a significant effect on the students’ academic performance in various settings. Ali Shoukat at el, said that the factors affecting academic performance are gender, age, schooling, father/guardian social economic status, residential area, medium of schooling, tuition trend, daily study hours and accommodation trend are the factors affecting academic performance.
Graetz (1995) conducted a study on study on socio- economic status of the parents of students and concluded that the socio economic background has a great impact on student’s academic performance. Pedrosa et. al (2006) in their study on social and educational background pointed out those students who mostly come from deprived socio-economic and educational background performed relatively better than others coming from higher social-economic and educational area.
Today, formal education in Nigeria has been taking place through the use of history as a medium of instruction, despite the importance of history; there are many factors that affect the commitment of students to study history over the years, particularly northern Nigeria. As result, many researches have been done by researchers on those factors which affect the commitment of students to study History in Universities. It is very important to emphasize here that the use of teaching materials/aid and use of instructional techniques/methods as well as the teaching and learning environment affects a student’s commitment. Those factors have greatly affected teaching and learning history as well as commitment by students to study the course. Therefore, this study is carried out to examine the factors militating against students’ commitment to the study of history in Nigerian Universities.
1.2 Problem statement
History is a common practice in both Art and Sciences Education in Universities in Nigeria. Sometimes, students find it difficult to commit to studies due to one reason or the other. This situation raised concern to the researcher. Particular interest was in mature-age students in History because these students are believed to enroll into university education with clear purposes (Spence, 1983). Among the purposes are the need to raise their status and self-actualisation. It was therefore, necessary to conduct a study of this nature to determine factors militating against students’ commitment to the study of history.
1.3 Purpose of the study
History keeps moving with some important factors such as the use of instructional techniques/methods, use of instructional materials/aid and the teaching and learning environment as well. Therefore, the main purpose for carrying out this study is to assess the factors that militate against students’ commitment to the study of History.
1.4 Significance of the study
The most significant of this research work is to identify school factors affecting commitment of students to study History in Universities.
However, the Research is also constituted valuable elements that when take into consideration will help to raise the students’ performance in History as well as other related courses. Moreover, this research is designed in order to highlight factors that increase the quality of education for the benefit of curriculum designers, so that sound and good result in History and other related subjects will be achieved. The feedback may guide the Ministry to improve its resources allocation in secondary schools aiming at improving the quality of education in schools. The study may provide feedback on the status of guidance and counseling as a component needed to support students’ growth through effective use of time, decision making and hence good performance among school students.
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The following null hypothesis have been formulated to guide the study:
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between study the use of instructional techniques/methods and students commitment in History.
Ho2: The use of instructional materials/aid does not affect teaching and learning History.
Ho3: There is no significant relationship between teaching and learning environment and students commitment in History.
1.6 Scope and delimitations
This research has its focus on the University of Benin. The study is aimed at finding out the school factors affecting students’ commitment in History. The study was limited to this area due to the unavailability of funds to carry out the research in the whole Universities in Nigeria.
1.7 Definition of terms
Performance: The act of performing; carrying into execution or action. That which is performed or accomplished.
Commitment: a willingness to give your time and energy to something that you believe in, or a promise or firm decision to do something
Teach: The professional of teaching.
Teaching: Show how to do something.
Learning: An Act which something is learned.
School: An educational institution. A group of artist, philosophers etc. Sharing similar ideas.
Unity: A state of being united.
Communication: Means of sending information.
Factor: Circumstance contributing to a result.
1.8 Organization of the study
This research work is divided into five chapters.
Chapter one contains introduction to the research work which summarizes background to the study. In this chapter, statement of the problem, objective of the study, significance of the study, research hypothesis, research questions, scope of the study, and organization of the study are discussed extensively.
Chapter two of this research work is known as the review of related literature otherwise known as the literature review and the theoretical framework, which reviews previous research work in the field of study and analysis of various principles relating to the research topic.
Chapter three is concerned with the research methodology. This discusses research design, the population size to be studied, sample size determination, sampling techniques applied, method of data analysis and interpretation, the statistical tools used in the analyzing the formulated hypothesis .
Chapter four of this research work is the data presentation, analysis and interpretation.
Chapter five summarizes the whole research project stating the findings useful conclusion and the recommendation and this constitute the concluding part of the research work.
