ECONOMICS CLASSROOM INTERACTION PATTERNS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NSUKKA EDUCATION ZONE IN ENUGU STATE NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

This research examined Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education zone in Enugu state, Nigeria. To achieve the purpose of this study, nine research questions and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample of three hundred and forty – one (341) students was randomly selected from public senior secondary schools for the study. The instrument used for data collection was modified Flanders Interaction Analysis Category (FIAC), the instrument was adapted and subjected to validation by experts in social science education,   educational   psychology   and   measurement   and   evaluation.   The reliability estimate of the instruments was established through Cronbach Alpha statistics. Data were analyzed using frequency counts, mean, percentage and t-test statistic. The major findings from the study showed that Economics teachers dominated the Economics classrooms and initiated interactions themselves. In sex segregated schools, boys interact more frequently with Economics teachers than girls. The result also showed that Economics teacher interact more with students from urban areas than those in the rural areas and students in the urban areas interact more than those in the rural areas.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Classroom interaction is critical to the teaching and learning situation. It is a useful tool for engaging students in active learning and also for enhancing the overall communication in the classroom. It is, thus, the teacher’s responsibility to create the enabling environment to enhance students’ intellectual, social and emotional   growth.Classroom   interaction   is   a   practice   that   enhances   the development of the two very important language skills which are speaking and listening  among  the  students.  This  device  helps  the  students  to  be  competent enough to think critically and share their views among their peers.  The amount of teacher and students’ talks     in the classroom situation facilitates effective and efficient interaction. This means that the nature and amount of talk has profound bearing on the nature and quality of Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary school that could be obtained in any classroom interaction.

Interaction among people plays some vital roles in the life of individuals. This is evident in the way people relate with one another at home, in the school, within the society and among peer groups (Van, Wolfman, Yasuhara& Anderson

2002). Interaction occurs every day in the classroom activities, which is between

1

the teacher and the learner (Olatoye, Aderogba&Aanu, 2011). It is managed by everyone, not only by the teacher in the classroom but also by the students. This interaction is usually used to share ideas together and it is the process through which teaching is accomplished.

Classroom interaction, therefore, is the talk that occurs between teachers and students and among students (Best & Addison, 2000). It is the primary medium through which learning occurs in the classroom that is any kind of classroom, be it Mathematics or Economics classroom. According to Kouicem (2012), classroom interaction or classroom behaviour describes the form and content of behaviour or social interaction in the classroom. Interaction in the classroom is an essential part of teaching-learning process. The classroom climate is built up by the patterns of interaction between teachers and students’ verbal exchange, asking questions, responding and reacting.   Maslowski (2003) described the class climate as the collective perceptions of students with respect to the mutual relationship within the classroom, the organization of the teaching and learning tasks of the students. It is important to mention that the interaction between students and teachers is closely related to the classroom climate. Classroom interaction during the teaching- learningprocess  could be verbal or non-verbal behaviours. The  most  important factors in a classroom situation are the interactive exchanges initiated by teachers and students.

According to Flanders as cited in Sahlbery (2010), classroom activity or interaction patterns can be described as teacher talk, student talk and period of silence  or  confusion.  Teacher  talk  is  further  classified  as  direct  and  indirect influence. Indirect influence has subcategories which are: – accepts feeling, praise and encourage, accepts and uses idea of students and ask question. Direct influence also  has  subcategories,  which  are:  –  lecturing,  giving  directions, criticizing or justifying authority; student talk could be classified as response and initiation; period of silence or confusion is an integral part of classroom interaction and a key concept of the way we interact. It functions as a means of reticence and reflection (Onwiodiokit&Oranu, 2012).

Classroom  interaction  is  important  because  interaction  is  the  essential criteria  of  classroom  pedagogy.Chaudron  (2008:10)  stated  that  interaction  is viewed as significant because it is argued that only through interaction, the teacher can decompose the teaching – learning structures and derive meaning from classroom events. Moreover, Allwright and Bailey (2009) stated that through classroom interaction, the plan produces outcomes (input .practice opportunities, and receptivity).  According to  Hussain  (2011), classroom  interaction  promotes involvement, enhances learning and motivates the students. It promotes a shift from teacher centered to student centered environment. Bruce,(2010) and Hussain,(2011)  indicated  that  teachers-students  interaction  through  classroom

discussion  and  other  forms  of  interactive  participation  is  foundational to deep understanding  and  is  related  to  students’  performance.  Teachers  establish  the pattern of general conduct during teaching, while on their part students establish certain types of behaviour to coincide with this pattern (Kalu, 2008). According to Thompson and Anderson (2008), one of the most basic characteristics of a good teacher is the ability to establish adequate interaction in the classroom and most of the observed stresses  in the  classroom come  from lack of  desired  interaction. Ifamuyiwa and Lawani (2009) further added that observed classroom interaction could be divided into teacher talk and student talk. Teacher – student interaction in the classroom is not just a two –way process but it is triangular, that is interaction could be from the teacher to student or student to teacher and student to student (Fakeye, 2007). Each participant influences the other’s behaviour, that is, the students  condition  their  teachers’ behaviour  and  vice  versa. Interaction  in  the senior secondary schools is a precursorto learning by students in the classroom. This is because the type of interaction patterns that goes on in the classroom could have a major impact on how well students achieve the goals of instruction. Hence, to achieve the aims of secondary education, this study intends to implement classroom interaction  patterns  to  see how effective  it  would be  to Economics teaching and learning in the senior secondary school level.

Secondary education level is the bridge between the primary education and tertiary education. The importance of secondary education made the federal government to state the broad aims  of secondary education as preparation  for useful living within the society and for higher education. The underline principle here is that the secondary schools should be able to provide quality secondary education to all those who can benefit from it.

According to  Rowntree  (2003)  secondary education  refers  to  “full-time education provided in secondary schools usually for students between the ages of eleven or twelve and eighteen plus” (p.25). Webster (2013) defines it as education in high school between the primary and the college level. It is defined by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) in her National Policy on Education (NPE) as the form of education children receive after primary education and  before the tertiary stage.

Thus, secondary education  in this  study is  the form of education  which children receive automatically after they have received primary school education. It  constitutes  post  primary education and  sometimes  serves  as  a link between primary and tertiary education. It is  suitable for children  who have completed primary  education.  At  this  level  students  are  expected  to  have  credit  in  five subjects to qualify for higher learning. A credit pass in Economics is also required

for students offering commercial and social science courses, but this aim has not been fully achieved.

Economics  is  one  of  the electives  or  group  of  subjects  expected  to  be studied at the Senior Secondary School (SSS) level under the new National Policy on Education.Economics is concerned with human behaviour such as how people earn their living and make a choice between alternatives to satisfy their wants. It also focuses on the study of firms and the government whose activities are geared to the production of goods and services for the satisfaction of human want. The guiding principle of Economics curriculum is the need to equip graduates of the senior secondary school with the basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to better appreciate the nature of Economic problems in any society. Thus the objectives of teaching and learning of Economics are:

(i)      To  equip students  with  the basic principles  of  Economics  necessary for useful living and for higher education,

(ii)    To  prepare  and  encourage  students  to  be  prudent  and  effective  in  the management of scarce resources

(iii)    To raise students respect for the dignity of labour and their appreciation of

Economic, cultural and social values of our society and

(iv)  To enable students acquire knowledge for the practical solution of Economic problems of society; Nigeria, developing countries and the world at large.

Schugs (2005) stated that the main aim of Economics teaching and learning in schools is “to foster in students the thinking skills, substantial Economic knowledge and attitudesnecessary to become effective and participating citizens” (p. 2).It has been generally assumed that gender and location may influence the process of teacher –student and student – student interaction in the classroom. In other word, gender of both teacher and students influences the quality and quantity of the interaction patterns in the classroom. Gender refers to the roles and responsibilities  of  women  and  men  that  are  created  in  families, societies  and cultures. The  concept of  gender  also  includes  the expectations  held about  the characteristics, attitudes and behaviours of both female and male (feminity and masculinity). These roles and expectations are learned. They can change over time and they vary within and between cultures. Gender in its narrowest sense means socially constructed sex roles of female or male. Gender is a significant factor in students’ academic performance in senior secondary school subjects. Gender refers to the social meanings associated with being a male or a female, including the construction of identities, expectations, behaviours and power relationships that is derived from social interactions (Ambe-Uva, Iwuchukwu&Jibrin, 2008). Gender in this  study refers  to both male and female, and the relationship between them. Gender in classroom interaction pattern should engage male as well as female.

According to Thorne (2009) teachers make eye contacts more frequently with male than to female and allow their classrooms to be male dominated by calling on male more frequently, allow males to interrupt and respond to male with attention and female  with  diffidence.  Teachers  of  both  genders  also  frequently  give  male students more interaction time than female students (Sadker&Sadker 2009) and initiate more contact with male students than with female students.  Sadker further said that classroom interactions between teachers and students put males in the spotlight and relegate females to the sidelines, or to invisibility. Besides Kelly (2008), concluded that teachers tended to interact more with boys than girls both in teachers  and  students  initiated  interaction.  Teachers  asked  boys  much  more questions and provide them more response opportunities. In other words Kelly came to this result that teachers totally pay more attention to boys than girls and this fact exist in a wide range of classroom contexts.

Male and female students were also different from each other regarding their patterns of interactions with their teachers. For example, Francis (2004) has indicated that boys contribute more to classroom interaction than girls. It has been, actually argued that teachers may interact more with boys because boys respond to and  initiate  conversation  with  theirs  more than  girls  (Meece, 2007). Put  it  in another way, since boys interact more in the classroom, teachers are caused to make  interaction  more  with  boys  rather  than  girls  (Duffy  &Walsh  2007).  As

Rashidi and Rafiee Rad (2010) observed that boys were more likely to interact with their teachers. Boys, however tended to be volunteer to answer the questions, even if they do not know the right answer. Similarly, they reported being more likely to take longer turns.

Nevertheless, Chavez (2010) found that girls tended to use humor less than boys.   Girls   were   more   concerned   with   pleasing   the   teacher   or   meeting expectations, girls are reported taking shorter (more fragmentary) turns, but being more likely to be addressed in complete sentences by the teacher. On the whole, teachers and girls seem to form stronger co-operative units than teachers and boys. Teachers were reported to be more likely to call on girls. Girls more than boys peers enjoyed interaction with the teacher and took notes of the teacher’s presentation.The  tendency  of  boys  receiving  more  attentions  from  teachers  in mixed – sex classroom has been widely accepted and proved by many scholars.

Duffy (2007) pointed out that although boys tend to have more interactions with teachers, ‘this tendency was not the result of male students having initiated more direct verbal interactions with teachers’. In short, the idea of boys receiving more attentions and, therefore, are more valued by educators has been proved again and again by a great number of scholars. Those mentioned previously are just some representatives of them. Consequently, there might be differences in male  and  female  behaviours  partly,  as  a  product  or  outcome  of  gender  roles

orientation in social construction of particular environment in which they belong to.  As  a  result  of  inconsistency  in  classroom  interaction  patterns  ,there  is  no evidence to show whether   the interaction was initiated by the male or female students and that was why the researcher want to carry out the research on the influence  of  gender  on  Economics  classroom  interaction  patterns  in  senior secondary school in Nsukka Education zone.

Hence, the odds associated with school location should not be justifiable criteria to deny rural or urban students from the acquisition of basic Economics skills  and knowledge. The concept of  location reminds us of schools  that are located in rural or urban areas. According to Orji (2013), school location refers to rural and urban schools. Thus, Orji further conceptualized urban schools as those schools in the municipalities or schools found within the towns and rural schools as those located in the villages or semi-urban areas. In addition, Frederick (2011) views school location as one of the major factors that influence students’ academic performance in some subject areas. As such, Frederick added that many parents look at factor such as the location of schools (urban or rural) and the distance to the school before enrolling their wards. To that end, Owoeye and Yara (2011) noted that many parents prefer their children to attend schools in urban areas because they (parents) believe that students from urban schools perform better than their counterparts from rural schools.

Thus, as the school environment differs, the level of academic performance may also differ. The consequence is that the quality of education may not be even; and the national policy of education for a democratic, egalitarian society cannot be attained unsentimentally.Onuoha (2010) noted that location is one of the potent factors that influence the distribution of educational resources and academic performance.In  the present  study,  location  is  seen as the setting  within  which teaching and learning take place.Onah (2011) and Owoeye (2002) indicated that schools in the urban areas perform more than schoolsin the rural areas. Specifically Owoeye and Yara (2011) showed in their studies that schoolsin urban locations had better academic performance than their rural counterpart in Economics. Yet, Ezeudu (2003) and Bosede (2010) showed that location has no effect on students’ academic performance. These contradictoryfindings generated to the present study to see the influence of location on Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education zone.

In the study area, there is a seeming general poor performanceamong senior secondary school Economics students. Evidences of the poor performances are seen in both students’ internal and external examination. For instance, the available records of WAEC result analyses from 2009 to 2012 indicate downward trends in students’ academic performance. According to the analysis, the achievement levels of Economics students who had credit pass (i.e. A1-C6) are as follows: 2009-

33.97%, 2010- 38.20%, 2011- 41.12%, 2012- 46.75% [Source: Statistics Office

WAEC, Enugu (2013)]

However, some noticeable changes have occurred in the education world during the  past  decade. Reasons  behind  these  changes  are complicated: social changes, economical changes, political changes are all important factors that are constantly pushing education into new situations. This new situation could have been  changes  in  the  way  and  manner  in  which  interaction  takes  place  in classrooms.

The classroom interaction patterns of interest to the researcher in this study include  teacher  –student and student – student  interaction.  Also the focus  and interest of this study is on teacher initiated discussion and student initiated discussion  in  classrooms  that  will  be  analyzed  based  on  data  collected  from schools  through  classroom  observations.  The  teachers  and  students  will  be observed in their natural and normal teaching – learning process that is without any specified  teaching  method.  Hence,  there  is  a need  to  examine  the  Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education zone.

Statement of the Problem

Economics as a subject enables both leaders and citizens to understand basic

Economics concepts, principles as well as to understand, appreciate and seek to

improve  the  economic  situations  in  their  environment.  The  knowledge  of Economics  is  a pre-requisite for one to adequately prepare for life  in  modern society. It gives us facts and shows us what may be expected to be the outcome of certain lines of conduct; it charges its recipient to make wise choice that will satisfy their needs in the presence of unlimited wants. Despite the lofty objectives of the subject, it appears students achieve poorly in internal and external examination. Most students in Nsukka Education zone are in greater risk of poor academic performance in both internal and external examination (WAEC and NECO) due to lack of effective classroom interaction patterns. For instance, the available records of WAEC result analysis from 2009- 2012 show a continuous decline in students overall performance in school certificate examination.  Could the poor performance of the students be as a result of     the  way teacher and students interact during Economics lessons?

Hence, the major problem of this study put in question form is.What is the Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education zone?

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to determine the Economics classroom interaction  patterns  in  senior  secondary schools  in  Nsukka  Education  zone  of Enugu state specifically, the study seeks to determine:

1.     Patterns of interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

2.        Average length of time of teacher-student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

3.      Average length of time of student –student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

4.       Average length of time of teacher initiated discussion in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

5.       Average length of time of student initiated discussion in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

6.      Influence  of  gender  on  the  average  length  of  time  of  teacher  –student interaction   in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

7.      Influence  of  gender  on  the  average  length  of  time  of  student  –student interaction   in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

8.      Influence  of  location  on  the  average  length  of  time  of  teacher-student interaction   in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

9.      Influence  of  location  on  the  average  length  of  time  of  student  -student interaction   in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

Significance of the Study

The theoretical significance of this study is explained by Lev Vygotsky social  learning theory which  states  that  we  learn  through our  interactions  and communications  with others.  This  simply  means  that  senior  secondary school Economics teaching is  hinted on  the classroom interaction pattern of both the teachers and the students. The findings of this study will help to either strengthen or refute this assertion of Lev Vygotsky.

Practically, the finding of the study will be of great importance to students, teachers and Government. The study will motivate teachers to use the classroom interaction patterns as a tool to achieve or enhance success in Economics teaching and learning. It gives the teacher understanding of the type of classroom interaction patterns adequate for senior secondary school Economics teaching and learning and also exposes them to new classroom interaction patterns. The teachers will also benefit from the findings in the areas of effective implementation and construction of  conducive  learning  environment  for  students  which  are  the  backbone  of effective teaching and learning. Since learning takes places effectively only when proper and conducive environment is provided for students, schools irrespective of mode of administration must upgrade the standard of secondary schools to enhance students’ active participation. There is also a need for professionals in secondary schools to be conversant with the factors that hinder classroom interaction patterns

so that they are fully involved in providing the kinds of educational experiences that can enhance students’ active learning.

The outcome of this research will be utilized by the Ministry of Education Nsukka Education zone and post primary school management board for effective planning and implementation of various education policies and programmes to justify the government’s huge material and financial resources to secondary education. The study will also benefit State government and officials of Ministry of Education on taking the right decision on the provision of infrastructural facilities to aid teaching and learning process which will help improve classroom interaction patterns of secondary school students in Nsukka Education zone.  The education policy makers will find this research work very indispensable if published, it will guide them in initiating the right interaction patterns, which will  motivate the students’ active participation in learning thereby making Economics teaching and learning to be students centered. When this is done, secondary education objectives will be realized.

Finally, students will benefit from the outcome of the study in that it has been outlined by Lev Lygotsky social learning theory that the learning takes place through the interactions students have with their peers, teachers, and other experts.

It will also prove helpful in improving instructions by increasing the volume of students’ participation in classroom activities, which may improve their competences in Economics topics.

Scope of the Study

The scope of this study embraces both the content and geographical scope. The content scope is to determine the Economics classroom interaction patterns in senior secondary schools in Nsukka Education zone.

The geographical scope is Nsukka Education zone of Enugu State. The area was selected because of the presence of the factors of interest in the study. Research Questions

To investigate the problem of this study, the following research questions guided the study:

1.      What are the patterns of classroom interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

2.      What  is  the  average  length  of  time  of  teacher-  student  interaction  in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

3.       What  is  the  average  length  of  time  of  student  –  student  interaction  in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

4.      What is the average length of time of teacher initiated discussion in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

5.      What is the average length of time of student initiated discussion in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

6.      What is the influence of gender on the average length of time of teacher- student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

7.      What is the influence of gender on the average length of time of student – student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

8.       What is the influence of location on the average length of time of teacher- student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

9.      What is the influence of location on the average length of time of student – student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms?

Research Hypotheses

H01:   Gender  does  not  significantly  influence  the  average  length  of  time  of teacher-student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

H02:    Gender  does  not  significantly  influence  the  average  length  of  time  of student-student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

H03:   Location does not significantly influence the average length of time of teacher-student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

H04:   Location  does  not  significantly  influence  the  average  length  of  time  of student-student interaction in observed senior secondary school Economics classrooms.

₦5,000.00 – DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT DOWNLOAD FULL PROJECT Added to cart

---

---

---

---

---

Related Project Topics :