TEACHERS’ MOTIVATION AND EFFECTIVENESS IN TEACHING BIOLOGY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
ABSTRACT
The study investigated the influence of Teachers’ Motivation and Effectiveness in Teaching Biology among Secondary School in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Literature that related to the study was reviewed. A descriptive survey research design was employed in the study. A sample size of forty (40) Biology Teachers were drawn from ten (10) out of fifteen (15) Public secondary schools in the study area (i.e four teachers per school), using simple random sampling technique. The instruments used in collecting data for the study were questionnaire and students’ raw scores of their promotion examination taught by the sampled teachers in order to assess the teachers effectiveness in teaching.
The research hypotheses were analyzed using independent t-test statistics. Findings from the study indicated that teachers’ motivation has a significant impact on teachers’ teaching effectiveness and thereby leading to better academic performance of students in schools. From the analysis of the study it was revealed that, teachers’ with regular payment of salaries teaches effectively than teachers’ without regular payment of salaries. Also, teachers who have been sponsored to in-service training programs teach effectively than teachers who have not been sponsored to in-service training programs. Based on the findings, it was recommended that; teachers’ motivation should be taken as an important issue, since motivation of teachers give rise to effective teaching and as well result to better academic performance on the part of the students.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents Pages
Title Page – – – – – – – – i
Certification – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – vi
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study – – – – – 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem – – – – – 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study – – – – – 5
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – 6
1.5 Research Question – – – – – 7
1.6 Research Hypotheses – – – – – 7
1.7 Limitation of the Study – – – – – 8
1.8 Delimitation of the Study – – – – – 8
1.9 Definition of Terms – – – – – 8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Concept of Motivation – – – 10
2.2 Teachers’ time of Salary Payment as it Affect Teaching
Effectiveness Biology – – – 14
2.3 Teachers’ Sponsorship to In-service Training Programme as it
Affect Teaching Effectiveness Biology – – – 16
2.4 Summary of Literature Review – – – 18
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS
3.1 Research Design – – – – 20
3.2 Area of the Study – – – – 20
3.3 Population of the Study – – – – 22
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique – – – – 22
3.5 Instrument for Data Collection – – – – 23
3.6 Validation of Instrument – – – – 23
3.7 Administration of the Instrument – – – – 23
3.8 Scoring of the Test Instrument – – – – 24
3.9 Method of Data Analysis – – – – 24
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF DATA AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Data Presentation – – – – – 25
4.2 Discussion of Finding – – – – – 28
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
5.1 Summary – – – – – – 30
5.2 Recommendation – – – – – – 31
5.3 Conclusion – – – – – – 31
5.4 Suggestions for Further Studies – – – – – 33
References – – – – – – 34
Appendices – – – – – – 36
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Societies all over the world have used education as an instrument for the achievement of their national development. It fosters the worth and the development of individual, for the individual’s sake and for the general development of the society (Federal Republic of Nigeria, FGN, 2004). All these call for functional education for the promotion of a progressive and united country. Therefore, school programs need to be relevant practical and comprehensive while interest and ability should determine the individual’s direction in education. It is only when these two factors come together that we can achieve the nation’s objectives.
In Nigeria, for example, in order to achieve the goals and objectives of education, the government set up three (3) levels of education: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education (FGN, 2004). For the purpose of this research, the discussion is limited to secondary education. Secondary education is the second level of education in Nigeria. According to FGN (2004), secondary education is the education children receive after their primary and before the tertiary stage of education. The goals of secondary education are to prepare the individual for:
- Useful living within the society; and
- Higher education.
On one hand, looking at the number of students that graduate from secondary school every year, one may say that secondary education is trying to fulfill these obligations; but on the other hand, considering the quality of those students that graduate every year it looks like secondary education is not realizing the goals and objectives for which it is set. As long as there is still examination malpractices in secondary schools, the goals and objectives of secondary education are yet to be realized (UWE, 2006).
It is believed that a country is said to be technologically developed, if majority of her populace are well educated. Therefore, those that impart the needed knowledge or those that build and mould characters must be motivated adequately because motivation is the key t performance and improvement. A motivated teacher always complete the tasks set for him or her even when such tasks or assignments are difficult or uninteresting.
Orphism (2002) is of the view that motivated teachers always look for better ways to do their teaching job; they are more quality oriented and more productive. Therefore, it means that motivated teachers are determined to give their best to achieve the maximum output (qualitative education). Motivation can be in form of regular payment of salary, fringe benefits, allowance, bonus on the job training, promotion of the teachers, provision of good working environment, maintaining high degree of relationship and improving the teachers’ general welfare (Orphims, 2002).
Hence, any teacher that enjoys the above named items is bound to put in his/her best in discharging his duties because; he would derive satisfaction of being a teacher. In Biology, teachers’ motivation plays a great role. Consequently, FGN (2004) in her educational policy document stated that “teachers’ education will continue to be given a major emphasis in all our educational planning because no educational system can rise above the quality of its teacher”.
This research therefore focused on finding out the relationship between teachers’ motivation and effectiveness in teaching Biology among secondary school teachers.
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It is obvious that professional trained teachers always give their best in carrying out their duties and responsibilities. However, it is pertinent that teachers’ activities must be compensated or rewarded as an encouragement as well as enabling them to work harder.
Nwadiana (2008) acknowledged that schools in Nigeria are fast decaying. The “rot” in the system ranges from shortage of all teaching and learning resources except students, to lack of effective leadership and proper motivation of teachers. Perhaps, the teachers are unhappy, frustrated, uninspired and unmotivated.
Over the years, a lot of people that enrolled in Biology in the tertiary institution are insignificant in number. A lot of researches has been carried out to find out why this has been so, perhaps the students do not have good learning environment, lack of facilities and equipment for practical purposes, as well as lack of motivation of teachers. Therefore, this study sought to finds out if motivation of Biology teachers could have any relationship in their teaching effectiveness.
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The general purpose of this study was to find out the teachers’ motivation and effectiveness in teaching Biology among secondary school teachers in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Specifically, the study sought to;
- Find out the extent to which government’s time in payment of teachers’ salaries influence teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology.
- Determine the extent to which teacher’s sponsorships to in-service training programs could influence teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology.
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
1.4 Significance of the Study
The outcome (result) of this study shall be significant in the following ways:
- To the students; they will benefit from the study in the sense that when teachers are motivated, they will put in their best to teach adequately, thereby helping the students to achieve a better academic performance.
- To the Parent; they will benefit in the sense that teachers who are motivated will help their wards to acquire more meaningful learning experience as their money spent on them will not be in vain.
- To the Government; the study will revealed to them on the need of motivating the teachers so that they will put in their best in the teaching process and thus enhancing better performance among students.
- To other researchers; the study will serves as a working instrument to those who may have interest in writing a research of this kind.
1.5 Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to give direction to the study.
- To what extent does government’s time in payment of teachers’ salaries influence teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology?
- To what extent do teachers’ sponsorships to in service training programs influence teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology?
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
1.6 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study;
- There is no significant influence of government’s time in payment of teachers’ salaries and teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology.
2 There is no significant influence of teachers’ sponsorships to in service training programs and teachers’ teaching effectiveness in Biology.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
Research study like this always encounters limitations which include among others; the time given for the completion of this study was inadequate to make the research have a wider scope. Financial constraint also exerted pressures on the study as the researcher scarcely hard enough financial resources to enable her to expand the scope of the study.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
The study was delimited to only public secondary schools in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State which are only ten (10) in numbers. Also, only teachers’ of Biology were used in the study.
Teachers’ Motivation And Effectiveness In Teaching Biology Among Secondary School Teachers
1.9 Definition of Terms
The following terms are defined below they are applied in the study.
Teacher: A teacher is a person that stands in the classroom to impart knowledge to students/pupils.
Motivation: Motivation is the intensity and direction of one’s effort. It could also be seen as a management of functions that stimulates teachers to accomplish laid down instrumental goal.
Teaching: This is a process of imparting knowledge to students/pupils
Teaching Effectiveness: This is a process by which a teacher discharges his/her duties diligently to the satisfaction of the employer or students/pupils
Biology: The scientific study of life and structure of plants and animals.
