The Influence of Teachers Variables and Students Performance in Economics
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of Study
Teachers play a very important role in the learning process of students who idealize teachers and try to copy them. Teachers are the hub of the educational system in the world and Nigeria in particular. Teachers, therefore, are the forefront of the battle of national development. National Policy on Education encapsulates this as “Teachers’ educational shall continue to be giving major emphasis in all educational planning and development”.
Also, the policy stipulates that the purpose of teachers’ education is to produce highly motivated, conscientious, and efficient classroom teachers for all level of our educational system (Goe and Stickler, 2018). Education has been the pillar upon which all meaningful national development is built (Equasi 2010). It is the instrument that set a pace for growth, development source and understanding and issues in all their ramifications. For education to be relevant in a society it has to be effectively taught. And this can only achieve through the use of good methods and suitable instrumental material.
Teachers’ factors are personal attributes of the teacher that makes Han distinct from one another to excel in his or her chosen career. Adodo (2007) argued that one key overridden factor for the success of the student’s academic achievement is the teacher. Students learn at different rate and by different means, some learn better when they hear, some are aroused through the experience of the teacher and her achievements. Base on this, the teacher’s experience and achievement emphasize the device that aroused the internet of learners and make the lesson to be meaningful and understandable.
Teachers like other professions require people that are skillful and tactful. All teachers can teach, but some can teach with special skills. Such that learning can take place in a very simple way. That is to say, if student have their way, they can make the choice of a teacher, one who is skillful and meditate the children learning. Teachers’ experiences are often considered in terms of teachers’ intellectual competence, mastery of the subject matter, lessons delivery skills, teachers relationship with students, motivational ability, years of teaching experience, teaching methods etc. affect students’ performance and learning.
The quality of education depends on the teacher as reflected in the performance of their duties where some of teachers factor influenced student’s academic performance or achievement, some of these factors are qualification, years of experience, knowledge on the subject matter, teaching methods and teaching skills.
The teacher’s qualification which is one of the teachers’ characteristics as usually believed to be potentially the largest influence on schools and students because of its crucial role in the teaching and learning process. Thus has come under the spotlight of educational reform presently, the quality of education of a nation could be determined by the quality of its teachers. Abe and Adu (2013) and Wiki (2013) opined that teaching qualification is one of the several academic and professional degrees that enable to be a registered teacher in schools.
The Influence of Teachers Variables and Students Performance in Economics
Years of experience can also determine the association between teachers’ years of experience and teaching quality from studies using indirect measures (e.g., attitudes, and student performance). The teachers’ years of experience examine more direct indications of teaching quality, specifically more experienced teachers’ observed in classroom behaviors in areas of classroom management. Moreover, teachers’ interaction with students and also important in teaching quality. Knowledge on the subject is the impact on teachers’ interactions of the intended curriculum, the learning opportunity they design to implement the curriculum, and their interpretation of how well students have attained the curriculum.
The concept of teachers’ behavioral trait, teachers’ productivity and teaching effectiveness are multi-dimensional. More of these additional experiences occur after regular school hours and considerable length to working days. Some teaching specializations may concentrate on preparation and organization, while many others may involve on marking or extracurricular involvement. Teachers handling subjects like economics must-have skill and method of teaching, experience, qualification, good manners as well as teacher-student relationships.
Teachers’ attitude can help or hurt student motivation, achievement and well-being. Recent studies found that negative teaching attitudes can impair academic achievement and increase students’ psychological disorders and physical symptoms of stress. Teachers who use humiliation or sarcasm can leave a child feeling believed. Discipline by fear and intimidation can be harmful to the student’s future success. Teachers who are harsh in their display of authority or are indifferent towards their students or lessons can leave a lingering feeling of negativity in the student.
However, the teacher is a trained professional with knowledge and skill as well as a level of competence in the task of teaching and re-modeling the students under his care. Fagbamiye (2016) remarked that teachers’ competence contributes to students’ academic performance. To improve students’ academic performance levels, teachers must be knowledgeable and strive harder to be informed of the most up-to-date methods and techniques in teaching. Based on this assumption, the researcher seeks to examine Teachers’ Experience and Student Performance in Economics in Nist Ibom Local Government Area.
- Statement of Problem
Most teachers in the secondary school system lack the type of training required for making them feel confident and adjust in the teaching-learning situation due to their level of training and self-application, most of those who teach at the secondary school level lack basic level readiness for effective role accomplishment. Many do not know what is involved in teaching at the level, and some are often confused about what their role should be in the modern classroom.
Most teachers feel that their task is to force knowledge into the hands of unwilling learners, it is understood that teachers irrespective of their academic background still lack the teaching potential and affect the academic performance of the students. There is a need for this research in order to determine if there is any relationship between teachers’ knowledge of subject matter and students’ academic achievement in economics in Senior Secondary Schools in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
- Purpose of the Study
This study investigated teachers’ variables and students’ performance in Economics in Nist Ibom Local Government Area specifically, the study attempted to:
- Examine the level of teachers’ years of teaching and the Academic Performance of Students in Economics.
- Examine the relationship between teachers’ teaching skills and students’ academic performance.
- Access the effect of teachers’ level of subject mastery on students’ academic performance.
Research Questions
On the basis of the foregoing purpose of the study, the following research questions are raised;
- To what extent does teachers’ years of teaching experience relate to students’ academic performance in economics?
- What relationship exists between teachers’ teaching skills and students’ academic performance in economics?
- How does teachers’ subject mastery does relates with students’ academic performance in economics?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The solution to the problem of the study will be sought through testing the following research hypothesis:
- There is no significant relationship between teachers’ years of teaching experience and students academic performance in economics
- There is no significant relationship between teachers’ teaching skills and students academic performance in economics.
- There is no significant relationship between teachers’ subject mastery and students’ academic performance in economics.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study of teachers’ experience and Academic Achievement of Performance of students in Economics will provide adequate information on the relevance of positive teachers’ attitudes. It will help the teachers in the classroom instruction on meaningful ways of relating with the students while teaching. It is hoped that this will be helpful to our teachers to impact on students with some motivated skills.
Teachers in secondary school will employ good manners, attitude, teaching qualifications and good teaching methods in their lessons. This study will also be helpful to government policymakers, teachers and students in particular. In the sense that this study might go a long way to bring innovation in teaching techniques and create and atmosphere conducive for the students to have and improve their performance in economics.
