Kemi O. Adu

Action Learning, Value Clarification, Conventional Lecture Method, and Secondary School Students’ Attitude to Information and Communication Technology Concepts in Social Studies in Rural Learning Ecologies

This study determined the effectiveness of action learning and value clarification instructional strategies as well as conventional lecture method on students’ attitude to information and communication technology concepts in social studies in rural schools. It also determined the confounding effects of variables such as academic ability and gender on secondary school students’ attitude to ICT concepts in social studies. Deploying a randomized pretest-posttest quasi-experimental paradigm using intact classes, 24 students were exposed to action learning instructional strategy, and 29 students benefited from the value clarification instructional strategy, while 93 were in the control group. The results show the rare benefits of using conventional lecture method over science-based instructional strategies to teach ICT concepts in social studies in rural learning ecologies. Further research is proposed to evaluate the sustainability of the observed effects in rural schools.

Truancy and Academic Performance of Colleges of Education Students in South-Western Nigeria: Implication for Evaluation

ABSTRACT This study investigated the existence of relationship between college physical environment and truancy behavior of college students. Moreover, the study shows the effect of gender influence on truancy behavior. Stratified and simple random sampling method was used to select 120 students each from four colleges of education. The total number of 480 students was involved in this study. The instruments used were three namely: Lecturers Record of Attendance, Statement of Students Result and “College Environment Questionnaires” (CEQ). The research questions answered in the study were four. The statistical tools used to analysis the data ranges from descriptive to Chi-square and t-test. CEQ was checked and validity of the instrument was established by a team educational evaluator. The reliability coefficient was established with test-retest at 0.75. The study shows that there is an existence of truancy among college students and it varies based on gender and the environment. It was concluded that truancy should be eradicated or reduced drastically in other improve on the academic performance of the students.

Leadership and Strategy Development for Goal Attainment in the 21st Century Educational Institutions

ABSTRACT Effective leadership motivates individuals to accomplish goals or makes positive changes in their lives and work empowerment. It causes individuals to meet challenges, take responsibility and become involved in what they are doing. It involves doing careful planning, organizing, controlling and staffing the organizational structure with people who are as competent as possible. Leadership has been considered one of the most important elements affecting organizational performance. This is so because goals and objectives of the organization are accomplished. It has also been the focus of attention of behavioural scientists because the leader has a significant effect on the behaviour, attitudes and performance of employees. So leadership has been studied and researched for a number of years resulting in numerous theories and models. However, all these leadership functions accomplish little if the leaders do not know how to lead people and to understand the human factors in their operations in such a way as to produce results. The paper therefore examined bases and characteristics of a leader, Leadership theories and management techniques. It was then recommended that the school administrator should orchestrate the various leadership styles, strategy development, and school vision, focuses on team building and creates a collective school vision that is clear, compelling and focuses on the needs of all the stakeholders.

Learners’ Perception on the Importance of Utilizing Teaching Resources in Grade 9 Mathematics Classroom

ABSTRACT Mathematics cuts across all the fields of human endeavours in its wide application and mind development. Hence, this study focuses on the learners’ perception on the importance of utilizing teaching resources in mathematics. It adopted case study research design of qualitative approach. A purposive sampling technique was used to select two learners in a selected high school in East London Education District South Africa. A semi- structured interview was used to elicit information from the respondents and the data was analysed using thematic approach according to the themes from the research questions formulated. The study revealed the efficacy of teaching resources for mathematics and how it helps the educators and learners to achieve their target goals. It also revealed the type of resources available in teaching mathematics. The study concluded that effective teaching of mathematics is through availability of resources and recommended that the school should endeavour to provide more recent resources that are technologically inclined.

Factors Hindering Teachers’ Productivity in Public Secondary Schools

Abstract This study investigated factors hindering teacher productivity in public secondary schools in Oyo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Three validated instruments were used. Teacher Productivity Questionnaire (r=0.75), Teacher Productivity Questionnaire for Vice Principal (r=0.82), and Teacher Productivity Questionnaire for student (r=0.72). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed among others that there was a significant effect of gender on teachers productivity (t=2.602; df = 1,088; p<0.05), the male teachers had higher level of productivity (X=135.21) than their female counterpart (X=133.55). There is a significant relationship between the Vice Principals’ and the Students’ assessment of teachers’ productivity (r =-.117; p<0.05). Conducive climate for the organization should be established to high effectiveness level. All these factors are to be recognized and taken into consideration by the education stakeholders so as to increase the teachers’ productivity level.

The Effects of Assessment Training and Curriculum Supervision on SMT’s Job Performance at Maluti District, Eastern Cape

Abstract The absence of training as a prerequisite for aspiring SMT members has set the researcher’s mind thinking about how school management teams (SMTs) get trained for their jobs, and how they, in turn, do train those directly under their supervision. Hence, this study examines the effects of assessment training and curriculum supervision on SMT’s job performance. The study adopted correlational survey research design. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants. Self-structured questionnaires were validated and used to elicit information from the respondents. The findings revealed among others that curriculum assessment training is of no effect on SMT’s jobs as curriculum assessors, most participants do not design grid analyses for assessment/measurement units that they let learners write. It was concluded that curriculum assessment training is a dearth of knowledge of the whole organisational policy, and as a result most SMTs cannot implement it.

Induction and Mentoring as Correlates of Senior Management Team’s (SMT’s) Job Performance at Maluti District, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract People need support to help them engrave new skills into their own basic skills. Hence, the role of induction and mentoring cannot be over emphasized. This research investigated the effect of induction and mentoring on the SMT’s job performance. The research adopted a Correlational survey research design. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the participants. Self-structured questionnaires were validated and used to elicit information from the respondents. The findings revealed among others that the SMT members did not feel that they could do their job well, even if they had not undergone any induction process, schools did not induct new personnel. This may further mean that many schools did not adhere to the organization policy of induction and the bulk of the SMT participants were not aware that they were suppose to assign mentors to their supervisees.The study recommends that the training of the SMTs in relation to the organizational policies should be structured properly.

A Comparative Analysis of Students’ Performance in Economics in Private and Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract The study was carried out to compare the academic performance of students in the private and public secondary schools in the subject of economics in Lagos State. Samples of 120 students and 60 teachers were randomly selected from five private secondary schools and five public secondary schools in Oshodi/Isolo and Alimosho Local Government areas of Lagos State. The instrument used for the collection of data was a questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed using simple percentages, means and standard deviations. All hypotheses were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the school location, socio-economic status of teachers and the availability of instructional materials have an impact on the students’ performance in private secondary schools in Lagos State. It was concluded that the students in private schools did better than their counterparts in public schools academically.

Organisation Policy and School Management Team’s (SMT’s) Job Performance in South Africa: A Literature Review

Abstract Most personnel who have assumed supervisory positions as SMTs at invariably do not do their tasks well, either due to lack of time or the ability to fulfil this obligation. This becomes a problem which caused the researchers to be curious as to why some School Management Teams (SMT’s) fail to do their tasks effectively. The management issues contextualized in this paper are not the general management mandates, but they refer specifically to those management issues pertaining to the policies of induction, mentoring, curriculum assessment training and curriculum supervision, hence the literature review is to ascertain the efficacy and effectiveness of these policies in South Africa context on STM’s job performance. Having extensively reviewed these policies, it was found out that the Department of Education may have done a lot of harm by doing away with prerequisite training for aspirant SMT members. It was however recommended that the SMT members needs adequate training about the underlined policies so as not to lay a bad precedent to the subordinates.

School Input Factors and Teacher Effectiveness in Some Local Government Areas of Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract The effectiveness of any educational system depends to a great extent on the quality of teachers in terms of academic training and incentive administration. The study investigated school input factors and teacher effectiveness in public secondary schools in some local government areas in Lagos. Simple and stratified random sampling techniques were used to sample two federal recognized local government areas, ten secondary schools and 200 respondents. Training and Welfare Needs of Teacher Questionnaire (TWNTQ) was designed for the study. Nine hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analysed using t-test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The findings indicated that the study independent variables were significant and had very strong relationship on teacher effectiveness. It was then recommended that the relevant educational bodies and other stakeholders should ensure that teachers welfare packages are genuinely improved upon and promptly administered.