EVALUATION OF PEDAGOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCE OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS ON THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

EVALUATION OF PEDAGOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCE OF CLASSROOM TEACHERS ON THE TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Globally, the teaching profession is important because it prepares human resources for certification. A teacher bears a great deal of responsibility in his or her classroom. One reason is that all of his/her students rely on him/her. The students will be influenced by everything the teacher says. If a teacher is happy or angry, it will be shared by the students. In this case, the teacher’s attitudes become contagious. From the most backward to the most advanced societies, teachers play an important role as the builders of prospective society members almost without exception. According to Popham and Baker (2015)). It is partially true because teachers are key players in classroom instructional activities that influence student success. Pedagogical practices of teachers

Competence is defined as the ability to manage learning, which includes planning, implementation, and evaluation of learners’ learning outcomes. To achieve success in learning and teaching, every teacher should possess these competencies.

Education professionals generally believe that three factors determine the success of the teaching and learning process. The contexts of society, school, and family are all interconnected. Miguel and Barsaga (2017) conducted a study that looked at the variables of teacher, students, parents, and community, and discovered that teachers were the most influential factor in students’ achievement. Teachers are charged with the primary goal of ensuring that students learn effectively and efficiently, and in order to achieve this goal, teachers must engage in a variety of activities such as planning, monitoring, and assessing.

providing effective instruction, and evaluating learning activities using appropriate methods and techniques. Thus, the efficiency and quality of the instructor determine the quality of the teaching-learning process, which is especially important when students are young in the early stages of school. As a result, in order for the teaching-learning process to be effective, the teacher must possess teaching competency. Teaching competency is defined as “the proper method of passing on to students the tasks of knowledge application and abilities.” The proper approach includes content comprehension, procedures, techniques, and methods of material expression. Teacher competence is defined by Donald (2022) as “the knowledge, skills, and beliefs that a teacher possesses and brings to the teaching-learning scenario.” Competence influences his performance and facilitates the learning process.

There is no doubt about it. Teacher competence differs from teacher performance and effectiveness in that it is a consistent trait of the teacher that does not change significantly as the teacher moves from one situation to the next. Although According to the research so far, there is no single set of competencies that all effective teachers possess or lack. This is because the concept of teacher competence is very situational and includes value judgment about whether a single absolute set of skills is successful with all types of learner groups. There are several methods for categorizing teacher competency, which may be in terms of teacher function. In the classroom, teachers essentially have two responsibilities. I intend to create a learning environment. I to transfer “knowledge” to their students using a variety of techniques, i.e. the social side of teaching; and (ii) to transfer “knowledge” to their students using a variety of techniques, i.e. the task-oriented side of teaching. The social aspect of teaching is known as “enabling” or “management functions,” whereas the task-oriented aspect of teaching is known as “instructional functions.” These roles are mutually beneficial and difficult to distinguish in practice. Based on this assumption, various organizations have attempted to classify teaching competency. For example, in order to make the teaching-learning process efficient and effective, the British general has identified promoting learner autonomy, subject knowledge, course and session preparation and planning, teamwork, flexibility, assessment, and evaluation of learning as essential teaching competencies to possess. The Scottish General Teaching Council defines teaching differently.

Professional knowledge and comprehension, professional skills and talents, professional value, and personal dedication are all examples of competence.

Teaching competence for prospective teachers as required by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN 2013) will be used for the purposes of this research. Communication competence, intellectual competencies (conceptual, integrative, and quantitative), problem-solving and effective teaching abilities, professional competencies, pedagogical competencies, behavioral competencies, and social competence are examples. The emphasis will be on pedagogical and behavioral competence and how it affects the teacher’s effectiveness in the classroom.

1.2 THE PROBLEM’S STATEMENT

Teachers’ ability to organize classrooms and manage their students’ behavior is critical to achieving positive educational outcomes. Although good behavior management does not guarantee effective instruction, it does set the stage. The environment that allows for effective instruction. High-quality instruction reduces, but does not eliminate, classroom behavior problems. A substantial body of research also attests to the fact that classroom organization and behavior management competencies have a significant influence on new teachers’ persistence in their teaching careers (Ingersoll & Smith, 2015). New teachers frequently express concerns about the lack of effective methods for dealing with students’ significant disruptive behavior (Browers & Tomic, 2020). Teachers who struggle with classroom discipline and behavior management are frequently ineffective, and they frequently report high levels of stress and burnout symptoms (Espin & Yell, 2014). Disruptive classroom behavior is a major reason why teachers leave their jobs. Teachers’ inability to effectively manage classroom behavior frequently contributes to low achievement.

of at-risk students, as well as their frequent referrals for special education. These consequences are exacerbated by the current teacher distribution pattern, which reveals a disproportionate assignment of less qualified and less experienced teachers to classrooms.

As a result, expecting significant improvements in student behavior, motivation, and success in the absence of adequate measures to improve education per excellence is unrealistic. Based on this premise, this study seeks to assess classroom teachers’ pedagogical and behavioral competence in the teaching-learning process.

1.3 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study is to assess classroom teachers’ pedagogical and behavioral competence in the teaching-learning process. This research will specifically look into:

i. Determine whether a teacher’s subject knowledge influences teaching effectiveness.

ii. To determine whether or not

Teachers’ attitudes and behaviors influence teaching and learning outcomes.

iii. Determine whether teachers’ certification and experience affect students’ academic achievement.

iv. Determine whether teachers’ behavioral competence influences students’ academic performance.

1.5 QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH

The following research questions were posed to guide this investigation:

i. Does the subject knowledge of the teacher influence the effectiveness of the teaching?

ii. Do teachers’ attitudes and behaviors influence their teaching and learning outcomes?

iii. Do teachers’ certification and experience affect students’ academic achievement?

iv. Does a teacher’s behavioral competence affect students’ academic performance?

1.5 THE STUDY’S IMPORTANCE

It is hoped that knowledge gained from researching the impact of classroom teachers’ pedagogical and behavioral competency on the teaching-learning process will help to dispel the myth that most primary school students, educators, and the general public hold.

have regarding academic excellence. This study would contribute to the intellectual debate and literature on the relationship between classroom teachers’ pedagogical and behavioral competence and teaching effectiveness by providing useful practical information on primary education for the Ministry of Education. This study also attempts to assist curriculum development specialists and national policymakers who design teacher-training policies for primary schools. The study also includes a model for an integrated approach to developing teacher competence in teacher education institutions. The development of this model is hoped to contribute to the literature on how to develop teacher competency in teacher education institutions.

1.6 THE STUDY’S OBJECTIVE

The extent of

The impact of teachers’ pedagogical and behavioral competence on the teaching-learning process is the focus of this study. However, the study is limited to a few secondary schools in Calabar South, Cross River State.

1.7 THE STUDY’S LIMITATIONS

The study was limited to primary schools because this is the stage where the teacher’s influence is most felt. Also, the best way to determine a classroom teacher’s competence and effectiveness is through classroom observation and knowledge testing, but because this is a secondary study, it was not possible to observe actual classroom situations. Another limitation encountered during the study was teachers’ and students’ unwillingness to answer the administered questionnaire correctly and individually.

1.8 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It is competent.

refers to abilities or knowledge that lead to exceptional performance. These are formed by an individual’s or organization’s knowledge, skills, and abilities and serve as a framework for distinguishing between poor and exceptional performance. Competence can be applied at several levels, including organizational, individual, team, occupational, and functional. Individual abilities or characteristics that are critical to job effectiveness are referred to as competencies.

Teaching Competence refers to the correct method of conveying units of knowledge, application, and skills to situations. The right way here includes knowledge of content, processes, methods, and an increase in conveying content, if a teacher possesses and brings to the teaching situation knowledge, abilities, and belief. These characteristics constitute a stable characteristic of the teacher that does not change significantly depending on whom the teacher moves.

from one situation to another.

Teacher performance refers to a teacher’s behavior while teaching a class (both inside and outside the classroom). It is defined by what the teacher does.

Teacher effectiveness refers to the outcome a teacher achieves or the amount of progress students make toward a specific educational goal. It is defined by what the students do.

Pedagogical competence can be defined as the procedures for doing something as well as having the necessary skill and knowledge to carry out a function. In terms of teaching, pedagogical competence is defined as the teacher’s ability to adapt to effective work methods, analyze the task to be performed, initiate the process, and complete the task.

the task and to analyze ones procedure.

Behavioural competence: These are the competencies that teachers require in terms of behavior. It is the manifestation of how a teacher sees himself or herself (self-image), how he or she typically behaves (traits), and what motivates him or her.