Teachers Competencies and Academic Performance of Students in Economics
Abstract
This study examines Teachers’ competencies and academic performance of students in economics in Nsit Ibom local Government Area.” The overall population for the study was one thousand nine- hundred and two (1,902). The sample size for the study was 120 students randomly selected from Senior Secondary three (SS3) students. Simple random sampling was used. The design used was Survey design method. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The instrument used for data collection the study was “Questionnaires and “Economics Achievement Test (EAT)”for data collection.
The method used in analyzing the data collected was independent t-test statistic. The findings revealed that, there is a significant relationship between teachers’ educational qualification and students’ academic performance in Economics, it also implied that those teachers’ communication skills counts in the efficiency of the teachers, it also, shows that there is significant relationship exists between teachers’ level of motivational ability and students’ academic performance in Economics.
It was recommended that, teachers with long years in service should teach Economics in certificate classes, Government should encourage the professional teachers through incentives and allowance and teachers with less teaching experience should be help through workshops and seminar that are of high academic standard so as to enhance better academic achievement of the students.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Competence in human resources can be described as the ability of a person to perform his role quickly or qualified enough to perform certain roles. Various groups define competence in many ways, but some scientists consider competence as a combination of cognitive skills, practical knowledge, and theoretical behavior and values to improve achievement defined achievement as the outcome level or “the degree of accomplishment”. In other words, achievement is the level of organizational goal.
The definitions imply that the level of outcome achievement can be measured and identified through achievement obtaned; this also applies to teacher competence. Competence and achievement are two words commonly used in the fields of human resource management, education, skill development, trainings, and others. However, since the two words have many conceptual similarities according to the place they are used, competence and achievement are frequently used interchangeably despite their differences.
The school is one of the socializing agents all over the world. It is a formal organization that is responsible for instilling the desirable skills, knowledge and values under the leading of a professional teacher. The act of teaching and learning is a process which also has an end product. For effective learning to take place there are things that involve and these include learner factors, teacher factors, school environment, home etc. These factors can help to increase or decrease students’ learning efficiency in the school.
Teaching, like other profession, requires people who are skilled 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 children have their way, they can make choice of their teachers, one who is skillful, and mediate in child’s learning. Teachers’ variables are often considered in terms of his intellectual competence, mastery of the subject matter, attitude to teaching, teachers’ relationship with students, motivational ability, his age, and sex, his experience etc. affect students’ performance and learning.
In teaching and learning, the students become one of the focal points and for them to succeed, it is their ability and willingness to learn that make them to achieve their academic goal. Teachers have been identified as the heart of educational process and the main determinant of quality and effectiveness of its results. According to Awake (2011), the main bottle neck to the improvement of students’ academic performance is recruitment of experienced and qualified teachers.
He noted that teachers’ behavior is not only influenced by their belief, but also by their attitude towards teaching. And that attitude is defined as internal believes that influence personal action and learning directly through one’s experiences and exposure. Teacher variable toward teaching include: work value, teaching method, teacher’s qualification and teacher’s commitment among others.
Teachers Competencies and Academic Performance of Students in Economics
Dada (2007) Submitted that teachers are more likely to exhibit more enthusiasm in preparation and presentation of lesson when they are affectionate towards learners than when they are apathetic or indifferent towards students (learners). It is crystal clear that the present of financial and material resources alone cannot get things done effectively except human beings are available with the necessary participation to make use of money and machine.
In the school setting, goals and objectives are achieved through the efforts of the people. Knowledge could be imparted if human resources are not available or adequate. It is also pertinent to say that teachers are indispensable human resources in the educational system. This is so because teachers interpret the aims and objective of education to ensure that the children are educated in accordance with them since quality outputs depends on quality inputs, the success and quality of education depends on effective teachers (Obadara, 2009).
The concept of teachers’ behavioural trait, teachers’ productivity and teaching effectiveness are multi-dimensional. More of these additional variables occur after regular school hours and considerable length to the working day. Some teaching specializations may concentrate on preparation and organization, while many others may involve on marking or extracurricular involvement.
The essence of this achievement was to provide or produce motivated conscientious and efficient classroom teachers for all level of our educational system, encourage the spirit of enquiry creating in teachers, help the teachers to fit into the social life of the community and society at large and to enhance their commitment to National objectives, to provides teachers with intellectual and professional background adequate for their assignment situation not only in the life of the country but in the wider world to enhance the community to the teaching profession (Ekanem, 2003).
Teachers handling subject like Economics must have skill and method of teaching, experience, qualification, good manners as well as teacher-student relationship.
Economics as a subject is designed in line with the educational curriculum of the Federal Ministry of Education and is “subject centered design” which organizes knowledge into what is called “subject” (Eddie, 2006).
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. Based on this assumption, the researcher seek to examine Teachers’ Variables and Students’ Performance in Economics in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Most teachers in the Nigerian secondary school system lack the type of training require for making them feel confident and adjust in the teaching-learning situation. Due to their levels of training and self-application, most of those who teach at the secondary school level each basic level readiness for effective role accomplishment. Many do not know what is involved in teaching at that level, and some are even confused of what their role should be in 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 their affect the academic performance of students. Because of these, there is always self-misapplication among teachers, lack of good manners, inability to relate with the students positively for them to achieve their goals.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
This research exercise will investigate Teachers’ Competencies and Academic Performance of Students in Economics in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area. Specifically, the study will attempt to:
- discuss the level of Teacher’s Qualification and Academic Performance of Students in Economics.
- examine the influence of teachers’ communication skills on students’ academic performance;
- evaluate the effect of teachers’ level of motivation on students’ academic performance.
1.4 Significance of the Study
The study of Teachers’ competencies and academic performance of students in economics will provide adequate information on the relevance of positive teachers’ strategy.
It will help the teachers on classroom instruction on meaningful method of teaching.
It is hoped that this will be helpful to our teachers to impact on students what they deserve.
Education in secondary school to have good manners, good behaviour, teaching qualification and good teaching methods in their lessons also be helpful to government policymakers, teachers and students in particular.
It is also noted that this study might go a long way to bringing innovation in teaching techniques and create an atmosphere conducive for the students to learn and improve their performances.
1.5 Research Questions
On the basis of the foregoing purpose of the study, the following research questions are raised:
(1) To what extent does teachers’ Educational Qualification have with students’ academic performance?
(2) What relationship exists between teachers’ communication skills with students’ academic performance?
(3) How does teachers’ level of motivation have with students’ academic performance?
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The solution to the problem of the study will be sought through testing of the following research hypotheses:
(1) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ educational qualification and students’ academic performance in Economics.
(2) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ communication skills and students’ academic performance in Economics.
(3) There is no significant relationship between teachers’ level of motivational ability and students’ academic performance in Economics.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Several problems are encountered in undertaking this research work which includes:
i The period given for the completion was not enough for more in-depth research into factors of teachers variables and academic performance of students in Economics in the study area..
ii Lack of fund to procure necessary materials for the study posed a serious problem.
iii The inability for the researcher to have enough literature, journals, magazines and textbooks in this area of study was also a limited factor.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
This study focuses on investigate “Teachers’ Variables and Students’ Performance in Economics in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
1.9 Definition of Terms
The following terms shall be defined in course of the study.
Variables: Those factors exhibited by teachers on the teaching-learning process
Teachers’ Motivational Ability: The degree to which subject teachers can encourage and arouse learners’ interest in their academic subjects.
Students’ Academic Performance: Grades of pass ranging from “Fail”, “Pass”, “Credit” to “Excellent”.
Teachers’ Communication Skills: The teachers’ ability to pass on desirable information to their students in the form required, with the barest level of distortion in pronunciation, figures of speech, parts of speech etc.
