The Problems Of Teaching Biology Practicals In Senior Secondary Schools

The Problems Of Teaching Biology Practicals In Senior Secondary Schools

Abstract

This design was carried out to find out the problems in tutoring Biology practicals in elderly secondary seminaries in Yaba Local Government Area in Lagos state, quarter 4.

Opoh( 2008) and Onah( 2002), observed that Biology practical is the scientific study of the life and structure of shops and creatures and their relative surroundings in real or experimental set up. likewise, the present experimenters findings made it apparent that there are numerous styles to make Biology practicals more effective and effectiveness in educational system.

Chapter one and two is the background of the study and the review of affiliated literature independently. In chapter three, the exploration system and overall design of the study was presented. Chapter four, dealt with data donation and analysis of data. The educational findings of the study, recommendation and summary were contained in chapter 5. references and supplements were inclusive

Chapter One

Preface

Background Of The Study

According to Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary( 2000) defined “ problems ” as a thing that’s delicate to deal with or to understand effectively. According to the Oxford advanced learner wordbook( 2000) defined practical as an ideal system or a course of action, right or sensible, likely to be successful.

Practical work is veritably essential to the effective tutoring of scholars in academy. Every citizen will be suitable to share more effectively in any life situation, he can speak out on questions that involve both biology principles and mortal weal, similar knowledge will out come from were bookwork, but from practical operation of the accoutrements learnt to real life situation.

Science is the study of the natural effects around us. Biology being a branch of wisdom involved the study of living and non living effects.( Sanjini, 2001). also, World Book Encyclopedia( 2000), defined Biology as the scientific study of living thing. Traditionally, biology is divided into two branches Viz; Botany and study of shops and Zoology the study of creatures. Some of the utility of biology were cited by Sarojiet( 2001), as follows it helps;

1) Scientific exploration and development of new tools and ways which in perfectly ameliorate the quality of our lives,

ii) Chancing operations in drug, dentistry, vetenary, wisdom, husbandry and horticulture,

iii) Biotechnology which include fields like inheritable engineering and hybridoma technology.

iv) Dealing with ecological problems similar as over population, food storehouse, corrosion, pollution, and conditionsetc.

Biology practicals is the scientific study of the life and structure of shops and creatures and their relative terrain in real or experimental set- up rather than dwelling in the proposition and ideals( Opuh, Eze and Ezeagu( 2008). On its preamble to the transnational elderly secondary academy instrument Examination syllabus, West African Examination council WAEC( 1998 2003), buttresses the uses of biology practicals in tutoring and literacy of biology in the secondary seminaries. The syllabus was designed to mokes campaigners in;

i) Understanding of the structure and function of living organism as well as appreciation of nature.

ii) Acquisition of acceptable laboratory and fields chops in order to carry out and estimate trials and systems in biology.

iii) Acquisition of scientific chops illustration observing, classifying and interpreting biology data etc, to its former edition WAEC Syllabus( 2001), stated that great significance should be attended to experimental work and we control trials, it was recommended that, whenever possible throughout the whole course campaigners should be apprehensive of practical operation of what’s being studied.

From the foregoing, we can understand that biology practical assignments is most essential for effective tutoring and literacy of biology in secondary seminaries. Whereas, Akinpelu in Aguokogbuo( 2002), defined tutoring as a deliberate trouble by a progressed or endured person to impact information, knowledge, chops and so on to immature or less educated person. Accordingly, public preceptors institution NTI( 2000) course book on education, defined literacy as the accession of new knowledge, ideas, chops, values and experience which enable the individual to modify or alter his action. It also involves the application of recently acquired knowledge or experience as well. It further stated that leaning brings about permanents change to the learners.

The public policy of education( 2004), defined secondary education, as the education children entered after primary educational position and before the tertiary state. According to post primary academy operation Board PPSMB statistical prices PRs( 2000), there are thirty- three secondary seminaries in Yaba original government Area in Lagos quarter 4.

Yaba Local Government Area, is in Lagos quarter 4( Lagos state) The area is generally are civic agreement with a many pastoral communities some of the secondary seminaries in Yaba Original government includes, Aje comprehensive inferior high seminaries, Akoka junior high academy, Belina council, Ciffman council, Eletu Odigbo elderly high academye.t.c

Statement Of Problem

Biology as a wisdom subject requires trained technicians and the laboratory attendant employed. In many seminaries laboratory attendant are academy dropouts with no introductory knowledge of how to prepare instance for biology practical. In utmost cases, these laboratory attendants warrant specialized know how to operate, maintain form or service the many available outfit whom they had broken down. According to Nwamonu( 2003), scholars perform inadequately in biology practical leading to their failure in biology examinations also, WAEC principal Observers( 2000) reported that performance of seeker in biology fell below anticipation. The report bandied the campaigners sins under the following sub headlines;

i) Poor spelling

ii) Poor observation

iii) Poor fine chops

iv) Poor deducible logic,

v) Mis- interpretation of question and

vi) Poor knowledge of biology. The monitor lamented that

“ there were numerous campaigners who couldn’t answer rightly a single question in sectionA. in utmost cases, they’ve wild suppositions and relatively unconnected answer that were eventually unbiological ”.

Grounded on the poor academic performance( 2000) stated that the objects of biology practicals aren’t being realized to a satisfactory extent. He refocused out that the poor academic performance in biology practicals are caused by, lack of well equipped laboratory, shy good biology preceptors, limited time table hours, poor observation, poor delineation and labeling and poor comparism of samples,etc. these state of affair is disturbing. It also emphasis on the West Africa School Certificate to Benin City of Nigeria also observed that the biology laboratory were shy. As a result the scholars weren’t adequately involved only practical assignments. The scholars only watched schoolteacher’s demonstration exercise.

This study thus intends to examine the problems of tutoring Biology practical in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos quarter 4.

Purpose Of The Study

Grounded on the background and problems of this study, the main purpose underpinning the design is to probe the problem of tutoring biology practical in elderly secondary seminaries( SSIII) in Yaba Local Government Area in Lagos state. The study specifically seeks to;

1. To determine the problems of tutoring biology practical in elderly secondary in Yaba Local Government Area in Lagos District IV, Lagos state.

2. To determine how equipped the biology laboratory with necessary outfit are.

3. To determine the performance of manly and womanish in the literacy of biology practical in elderly secondary seminaries in Yaba Local Government.

4. To determine whether the civic secondary seminaries perform better than pastoral elderly secondary academy.

Significance Of The Study

The practical conditioning in biology are designed to help scholars acquire introductory scientific chops and ameliorate the performance and achievement as well. The study tends to uncover the benefits of biology practicals to the scholars, parents, preceptors, government and the entire society.

still, it will;

If the result of this exploration is duly initialized.

i) Promote the ideals that wisdom is both a product and process in scholars by arousing their interest in biology practical work.

ii) Motivate the parents to give the introductory conditions to practical assignments for their children.

iii) move the biology preceptors that practical lessonaire substantially essential for effective tutoring and literacy of biology.

iv) Make the government, through the ministry of education to realize the need for provision of wisdom outfit to seminaries and advertisement of good biology preceptors to secondary seminaries, it isn’t the issue of jack of all trades master of none. tutoring has attained professionalism and specialization

vi) Help the Nigerian society in their hunt for bettered technology and industrialization.

Exploration Questions

The following questions was formulated to guide the study;

i) What effect has biology practicals on academic performance of elderly secondary academy biology scholars?

ii) Does womanish scholars like biology practical than manly scholars?

iii) Which coitus(i.e) manly or womanish performs better in the biology practical?

iv) Are Biology laboratory well equipped with necessary outfit?

v) Civic elderly secondary seminaries do they perform better than the pastoral seminaries?

vi) What effectiveness has biology practical on effective literacy?

Compass Of The Study

The study of the exploration work was specifically grounded on the, elderly secondary academy in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos District 4. The compass of the study is also limited to the problems of tutoring biology practical in elderly secondary academy scholars SSIII in the area.

Delineations OF Terms

– BIOLOGY Being a branch of wisdom is the study of living andnon-living effects.

– BIOLOGY PRACTICALS This is the scientific study of the life and structure of shops and creatures and their relative terrain in test and experimental set up rather than dwelling in propositions and ideas.

– PROBLEMS Is defined as a thing that’s delicate to deal with or to understand effectively.

– PRACTICALS Is defined as an ideal, on system or a course of action, right or sensible likely to be successful.