CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
Teachers’ quality has been the focus of considerable debated worldwide since the middle of 20th century. Riovkin, Hanushek and Kain (1998), demonstrated in a study that the influence of teachers’ quality on student’s achievement is many times greater than any other commonly observed variable such as home-background, conducive class environment, etc. Teachers’ quality is a topic with high priority. Teacher qualities differ considerably, between countries and also between states. The National Policy on Education, (Federal Republic of Nigeria, Revised 2004) while stressing the importance of teacher quality in curriculum implementation noted that no nation’s educational system can rise above the quality of her teachers. Teachers are central to any consideration of schools and majority of educational policy focus directly or indirectly on the role of teachers. Moreover, parents, teachers and administrators emphasize repeatedly the fundamental role that teachers play in comparison to other determinants of academic performance. Teachers play in comparison to other determinants of academic performance.
In the developing world, educational policy are faced with a major task, how to create chances of success for all children and their citizenry as a whole. It is essential to overcome the problem of illiteracy, school failure and to improve the intellectual capacities of the students. Education is the process of teaching, training and learning especially in school or colleges to improve knowledge and develop skills. Paulson-Ellis and White Church in (Eze 2002) stated that education is the imparting and acquisition of knowledge designed to develop a broad range of abilities, knowledge and skills of general application. Education is concomitant with life, this is because there is education in virtually all facets of life, this is because there is education in virtually all facets of life, one continues to learn as long as he lives.
The world is fast becoming a global village due to the inter connectivity that exist between countries, organizations government and other bodied as a result of development in information and communication technology (ICT). According to Olagunfu (2003), information technology is the integration of computer technology mainly in the form of internet and information management. It provides opportunities for the users to handle texts and images, numbers and graphs, sound and music as well as enable them process information in the following ways: Storage and analyzing; presenting and organization retrieving communication. In other worlds, access to information and communication is increased through computer basic technologies. A network of interconnectivity is known as the internet. World Bank (2007) stated that the internet is a powerful tool for improving the efficiency and quality of a wide range of public services especially education and health. The internet is a resource where teachers and students can access outstanding and current education-related books, journals, magazines international conferences, workshops, invitations as well as information on research focus and research grants. Computer-mediate communication is increasing and becoming common usage for people for all walks of life in the developed and developing countries. Computer is any devices that is capable of accepting, storing and processing data and giving result out in form of information in a specified format. Akukwe, (2003) defined it as an electronic device that is capable of accepting, storing and processing data as well outputting the result by following a set of instructions called a program as well as an electro-mechanical information. French (1992), defined computer science as the application of scientific principles in designing, constructing and maintaining the computer system. The scientific study of the theory and practice of data and information, processing and knowledge of computer puts and its functions is referred to as computer science because computer are not only for storage device ad processing unit, but also helps student in excellent communication media. They are the means to access the internet and also an effective audio visual media. Computer can be used to access a vast knowledge based on research for information over the internet means of documenting the backbone management software that are part of computer system which helps the student as a means of managing large amount of data. In most junior secondary schools, student fail computer science very wells it has been noticed that a large proportion of students fail computer science in their internal and external examinations and as a result, they hardly attain the acceptable level of good performance in their results. It has been claimed that the stumbling blocks has always been their inability to master and pass computer. Unlike other courses because of the internet difficulties associated with the learning of the subject. Computer science is now being explored at all field of life because the computer knowledge in universal and varied. In the fields of research, engineering, business, medicine, communication, weather forecasting, education, finance art, healthcare-delivery and indeed most areas of human activities. The computer is an indispensable tool. The knowledge of the computer and the ability to use the computer has become so important and widespread that it has come to be an integral fact of education and literacy. Yet computer science education and literacy are lacking among many of our young boys and girls, as well as men and women today. Computer science seems to be difficult to the secondary school students who are not very familiar with computer or who have never used it or even seen it. Some students who have even seen the computer have a narrow or even wrong notion of what it is, or what it can do. It is therefore very necessary to teach and educate our young boys and girls on computer science especially in our secondary schools. To prepare the young ones for the new demands of modern technological world there is need to improve computer science knowledge, applications and skills of the students. Many factors seem to being attributed to be part of the problems that students encounter in the learning computer science.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There has been a public outcry on the poor standard of educational system resulting in the production of poor quality output that are neither self reliant nor able to contribute effectively in the world of work (Ochuba and Ifedili, 2008). The general impression that Nigerian educational system is whirling out of control is very embarrassing to many concerned citizens. There is a general feeling that the high rate of students’ poor performance in chemistry can be attributed to teacher’s characteristics in terms of; inadequacy of computer science teachers, professional qualification, method of instruction, quality of teaching and experience. Nigerian needs to meet global standard in delivery education in Nigeria. It is a common knowledge that there are not enough qualified computer science teachers in the secondary schools. Many chemistry teachers in the secondary schools are not professional teachers. Could this be the reason for poor achievement in computer science? The teacher is the hub of the educational system because the school cannot be better than its teachers. The training of the young minds is not a thing to toy with; this is why it is wrong to assume that teaching is what anybody can do if he knows his subject.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the relationship between teacher’s quality and performance of senior secondary student on computer science
- To ascertain the achievement in computer science between students taught by professional teachers and students taught by non-professional teachers.
- To ascertain the teacher’s qualification impact on academic performance of students on computer science
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;
H0: there is no relationship between teacher’s quality and performance of senior secondary student on computer science
H1: there is relationship between teacher’s quality and performance of senior secondary student on computer science
H02: there is no achievement in computer science between students taught by professional teachers and students taught by non-professional teachers
H2: there is achievement in computer science between students taught by professional teachers and students taught by non-professional teachers
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This project work is necessitated by the low level of achievement of computer science students in external examination in Nigeria. This has led to lack of trained personnel in science oriented careers as well as a fall in the understanding of contemporary technology.
The result of this research work would provide useful information for the basic steps needed to construct a valid and reliable test items.
This investigative study would be useful to the curriculum developers who will know the area of emphasis for better results in the future.
The finding of this research work would also be useful to teachers, as it would provide opportunity to reflect on their classroom teaching. Furthermore, it would provide information for improving the pedagogy content knowledge of pre-service science teachers.
Lastly, this project work is beneficial to the academicians since data and materials available were based on empirical studies.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATGION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers Influence of teacher quality on the performance of senior secondary school students in computer science. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Experienced Teachers: Trained instructors who must have practiced in the field for at least five (5) years after graduation.
Qualified Teacher:- One who has acquired professional competence as a teacher in any University or College of Education or obtained bachelor degree in education or Nigeria certificate of Education in integrated science, physics, chemistry or biology .
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:
Academic achievementor (academic) performance is the extent to which a student, teacher or institution has achieved their short or long-term educational goals. Cumulative GPA and completion of educational degrees such as High School and bachelor’s degrees represent academic achievement.
