EFFECT OF GUIDED DISCOVERY METHOD ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN FOODS AND NUTRITION IN NSUKKA EDUCATION ZONE OF ENUGU STATE

ABSTRACT

This study was carried  out to investigate  the effect of guided  discovery method  (GDM)  on academic achievement and interest of senior secondary school students in Foods and Nutrition. The effect of gender and location on the achievement and interest of SSS1 students taught using G.D.M was also investigated.  Six research  questions were  generated and 6 null hypotheses formulated to guide the study. After a review of related literature, Quasi experimental design was adopted for the study. The study was carried  out in Nsukka educational zone in Enugu state. The population of the study was 16350 SSI students in Nsukka education zone. The sample consisted  of  132  Foods  and  Nutrition   SSS1  students  which  were  randomly  composed. Questionnaire  was used  for data  collection.  Three experts validated  the instruments.  Kuder Richardson formula 21 and Cronbach Alpha formal methods were used to determine internal consistency of the instruments (FNAT and FNII). The reliability coefficient of .77 and .61 were obtained. The mean score was used to answer research questions and the research hypotheses tested  using ANCOVA statistics at .05 level of significance.  The major findings of the study were:

1.   G.D.M. as a method of teaching was a significant factor of students’ achievement  in Foods and Nutrition.  The group taught with G.D.M achieved higher than the  group taught with lecture method.

2.   Method had significant effect on students’ interest in Foods and Nutrition. The group taught with G.D.M showed high interest.

3.    Location  was  a  significant  factor  of  students’  overall  achievement  in  Foods  and

Nutrition when taught with G.D.M..

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Secondary education is important for developing country like Nigeria as it is concerned with the provision  of competencies  required  for useful  living to those whose  education  is  terminated  at the secondary school level (FRN, 2004). The broad aims of secondary education within the overall national objectives of Nigerian education:

1.   Preparation for useful living in the society

2.   Preparation for higher education

In other to achieve the above stated aims of secondary education, the secondary school curriculum is structured to include Home Economics among other subjects, taught in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Home   Economics    which   is   an   aspect   of   vocational    and   technical   education    is   an interdisciplinary field of study which helps family and individuals to understand and adapt to the effects of social economic, cultural and technical changes. It is an applied science subject which is dependent on the integration of different academic disciplines such as the natural science, social science and art in solving  problems  of  families  and  individuals  within  the families  and  individuals  within  the  families (Lemechi 2002). According to Fleck (2000:4) the world shapes home economics and home economics contribute to the shaping of the world through its impact on millions of individuals and their families”. The American  Home  Economics  Association  (2005:10)  has  rightly  defined  Home  Economics  as “the study  of  laws,  conditions,  principles  and  ideas  which  are  concerned  on the  one  hand  with  man’s immediate  physical environment  and on the other hand with his nature as a social being and is the study especially of the relation between those two factors.

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Advanced countries have realized th          ortance of Home Economics to both sexes since they

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know that both men and women have need for training and cooperation  to improve the standard of living of their individual families. It is also a means of providing both academic and vocational training and work opportunity for people thereby reducing the unemployment rate of a nation.

There are about seven major areas of study which could help achieve lofty objectives of Home Economics and provide areas of specialization  at the higher levels of Education.  These are Foods and Nutrition,  Home  Management  and  family  living,  child  development  and  care,  clothing  and  textile, housing and interior decoration, and consumer education (Anyakoha, 2007).

Foods and Nutrition which is the major concern of this study is all about foods and its utilization in the body. One of the major characteristics of living things, plants and animals, man inclusive, is their struggle  for existence.  Right from the days of the early man, the search  for  Food  is the major  pre- occupation of mankind. He moves about looking for food. Thus, food is very important in the day-to- day life of man. Food can therefore be aptly defined as that which nourishes the body. It is any edible substance which after consumption, digestion and absorption by the body produces energy, promotes the growth and repair of the tissues and regulates all the body processes (Anyakoha, 2007).  Foods are able  to perform  these  functions  because  of the  chemical  substances  they  contain.  These  chemical substances  are called nutrients. For any material to be called food therefore,  it must contain at least one nutrient.

Nutrition  is the combination  of processes  by which the living organism  receives  and utilizes  the materials (food) necessary for the maintenance of its functions and for the growth and renewal of its components.  The  council  on  Foods  and  Nutrition  of  the  American  Medical  Association  (2005:12) defines  nutrition  as  “the  science  of  food,  the  nutrition  and  the  substances  there  in,  their  action, interaction  and balance  in relation  to health  and  disease,  and the process  by which  the organism ingests,  absorbs,  transports,  utilizes  and excretes,  food  substances”.  The science  of nutrition  is the study of food and its relationship to the well being of the human body, it includes: the metabolism of foods,  the  nutritive  value  of  foods,  and  the  qualitative  and  quantitative  requirement  of  food  at different age and developmental levels to meet physiological changes and to meet activity needs.

A pertinent question at this juncture is why do we have to study Foods and Nutrition in schools? The answer to this question is not farfetched. Foods play a paramount role in our lives. Everybody has the ambition of becoming something in life. This can only come through if we are healthy (Ene-Obong,

2001). For example  it is only when a pupil or student is well fed that he can listen attentively and understands what he or she is being taught by the teacher. A hungry person will not be responsive to any form of training. In fact scientists have found that there is a strong correlation between good food and the intellectual  development  of human  beings.  Therefore,  for a nation  to progress,  her people must be well fed. This proportion  of the nutrients  consumed  is very  important  because  it has been found  that consumption  of  too  much  as well  as inadequacy  of  the nutrients  can have  deleterious effects on the body (Ene-Obong, 2001). Hence the needs to study Foods and Nutrition in our schools.

Apart  from  its  effect  on  the  intellectual  development  of  man,  good  nutrition  also  plays  an important role in the maintenance  of good health. People who are well fed have more resistance to diseases than those who are poorly nourished (Anyakoha,  2007). In a country where people are well fed, there will be less incidence of sickness and therefore fewer amounts will be expended on health (Cobb, 2001). Good nutrition  is one of the foundations  of a strong nation.  Good nutrition  enhances one’s appearance, efficiency and emotion well being.

The objectives  of Foods and Nutrition  is to produce  competent  teaches  of Foods and  Nutrition, nutritionist and dieticians who will be able to perform basic functions in food technology practice and impact  the  knowledge  of  food  to  both  individuals,  public  and  private  sectors.  But  unfortunately students do not achieve well in Foods and Nutrition examinations especially in area of Nutritional Food values and diseases (Adeyemi, 2008). Nutritional  food values and diseases are important  concepts in Foods and Nutrition as a subject. It is through these concepts that one obtains the knowledge of food, its content, and its functions in the body. The food we eat and do not eat has much to do with health. The  science  and  practice  of  nutrition  exist  for  and  attempt  to  contribute  to  the  advancement  of populations  throughout  the world  towards longer and more secure living, relatively free of diseases. Good  nutrition  enhances  one’s  appearance,  efficiency  and  emotional  well  being.  Nutritionists  have devised an elementary method that simplifies planning an adequate diet. This method is based on the basic food group or classification  of food. In West African countries, and Nigeria in particular, a wide variety of foods is available naturally.

The classification  of food is essential  to our study of nutrition because by grouping together food with similar nutrient content, it is possible to choose from a wide variety of alternatives if certain food becomes scarce (Uddoh, 2008). Ignorance of knowledge, classification and combination of foods to make up adequate diet is responsible for more nutritional diseases. Ignorance leads to faulty food habits  which  certainly  contribute  to  the  onset  of  obesity  and  diabetes  and  probably  with  the degenerative   disorders   (Santrock,   2003).   Households   must   also   have   enough   knowledge   and information  about each member’s  nutritional  needs and how those needs can best be met with the resources available. Knowledge about nutritional needs and food uses is particularly important among the poor and food insecure household.  It can literally make the difference life and death, illness and health.

In spite of the importance of nutritional values of Foods and diseases, student achieve poorly on questions  bothering  on these two concepts  (Adeyemi,  2008) Adeyemi  (2008)  describes academic achievement  as  the  scholastic  standing  of  a  student  at  a  given  moment  which  states  individual

intellectual  abilities.    The  level  of  achievement  in  these  two  concepts  of  Foods  and  Nutrition  by students is not encouraging.  To buttress   this point, Table 1 in appendix shows the  secondary school certificate  examination  (SSCE) results in Foods and Nutrition conducted  by West African Examination Council (WAEC) May/June 2009-2012 and Table 2 which is also in appendix shows the SSCE results in Foods and Nutrition conducted by national examination council (NECO) 2009-2012. The overall results show that about one third of the students  that took the examination  failed while one third also had pass, that is, P7 & P8. These tables therefore go to indicate that the students are not achieving highly in SSCE in Foods and Nutrition. The contributory factors to this poor achievement could be found among the following variables:- students lack of interest , school locations, gender issues, teaching methods, to mention but a few (Ogbuanya and Fakorede, 2008).

In spite of the importance of Foods and Nutrition, students do not show interest in the subject

.Interest is a persisting tendency to pay attention and enjoy some activity or content. Interest has been viewed   as  emotionally   oriented   behavior   trait   which  determines   a  student’s   vigor   in   tackling educational  programme  or other activities (Eze, 2002).It is an important  variable in learning because when one is interested in an activity,   one is likely to achieve highly in that activity and learned facts retained.  Lack  of  interest  therefore  inhibits  learning  and  retention.  Umoh  (2001)  pointed  out  that interest must be supported by proven ability, aptitude and attitude. The way a student reacts towards a particular occupation helps to determine his disposition to succeed in it. For example students tend to choose and succeed in occupation,  or  subject which appear to promote their self-image  or which appear to be acceptable not only to themselves but to others as well. Students, more especially, males tend to avoid Foods and Nutrition which is one of the vocational programmes they feel has low image when in fact this programme has much to do with their health.

Societies in Nigeria see females’ roles as being domestic and child bearing (Johnson, 2000 and Anyigbo, 2005). Some activities are considered abnormal  to the male but normal for the female and vice versa as passed from generation to generation through informal education of every ethnic group.

In the Nigerian culture, the practice is that the female’s place is the home, so gender has become a very important concept in Education (Anyigbo, 2005).

Gender refers to the varied socially and culturally constructed roles, qualities, behaviour and so on  that  are  ascribed  to  women  and  men  of  different  societies  (UNICEF,  1990).  In  Keller’s  (1991) opinion,  gender is a cultural  construct developed  by the society to distinguish  the roles, behaviours, mental and emotional characteristics of males and females. In showing the difference between sex and gender, Sadig (1996) states that sex is a physical distinction while gender is a social and cultural one. This implies that roles and expectations of males and females are defined by societies and cultures. In other words, men are expected to behave in a certain way and to perform certain duties while women are  expected  to behave  in a  certain  way and  to  perform  certain  duties.  It has  been  observed  by researchers (Obikese, 2007 and Okoro, 2011) that there is a significant difference in the learning and achievement of males and females in some subjects, example; food and nutrition. The author  pointed out that this gender difference in learning outcomes have been attributed to various factors such self- confidence, biological differences, socialization and teacher gender bias method of teaching. Males and females  adapt  differently  to  different  teaching  methods,  strategies  and  approaches.  This  kind  of situation therefore, calls for continuous research works on gender and academic achievement.

Apart from gender, location is a variable that plays an important role in learning.  Location as stated by Okeke (2000) refers to urban and rural areas. Secondary  schools  in  Nigeria are located in urban and rural areas. Over the years there has been a controversy on the question of whether schools have effect on the behaviour  and attainment  of children who attend them. The location of a school determines so many things that are important in learning such as learning facilities and environmental factors,  infrastructures,  number  and  quality  of  teachers  and  the  class  size,  to  mention  but  a  few (Obioma,  2004  and  Akubue,  2007).  Adequate  provision  of  lack  of  these  facilities  respectively  may improve  or hamper  learning  by students.  This  may  also affect  the achievement  of students  in the technical  and  vocational  courses  or  programme  and  indirectly  in  Foods  and  Nutrition.  Schools,  no doubt,  play a vital role in the  intellectual  development  of children  that pass through them.  No two

school  environments  are the same. The difference  in school environment  is expected  to result  to a differential   impact  in  the  acquisition  of  skills  in  Foods  and  Nutrition.  The  location  of  a  school determines  the  classroom  environment  which  is  crucial  in  teaching  and  learning.  The  nature  of classroom  environment  can  play  a  major  role  in  promoting  learning,  encouraging  effective  social relationships, especially in developing tolerance and determining role behavior (Okeke, 2000, Obioma,

2004 and Akubue, 2007). They opined that a good learning environment has the following advantages of   fostering   desirable   behaviour   and   attitude,   developing   problem   solving   skills  and   thought encouraging students interrelationships  and when well planned and properly arranged can be effective in  accommodating   learner  centered  methods  like  guided  discovering  method  etc.  Unfortunately, schools  in the rural areas cannot boast of classroom  environment  thus described.  The result is that students  in this area are disadvantaged  due to poor  staffing,  lack of laboratory  facilities  and other educational materials (Okeke 2000).

Although, numerous variables have been shown to affect students learning outcomes in Foods and Nutrition, the most devastating factor is the teaching methods. These have effect on the students’ academic achievement.  Teachers are blamed for the observed poor achievement. Some use obsolete teaching  methods  which  make  students  lose  interest  and  consequently  achieve  poorly,  promote negative attitude and encourage poor retention of leaning materials rather than methods that   engage students’ participation and interest (Boule, Duffy and Don Leavy  2003).

In recent times, emphasis  on teaching method has shifted from the teacher-centered  to  the student–centered   approach.  Hence  educational   activities  should  be  centered  on  the  learner  for maximum self development  and fulfillment,  so those teaching methods that foster  the philosophy of learning by doing, problem solving through guided experimentation and that which enhances students- participation and creativity are recommended, for example guided discovery method.

Guided  discovery  method  according  to Uwameiyi  and  Ogunbemeru  (2005),  is a method  of teaching  that  has  the  advantages  of  allowing  learners  to  use  process  skills  to  generate  content

information.  Guided  discovery  method  activity  engages  learners  in  first  hand  real  world  learning. Uwameiyi and Ogunbemeru (2005) stated further that guided discovery method encourages learners to explore the content through the use of concrete  experience.  EdutechWiki  (2005) stated that guided discovery method is characterized by convergent thinking.

Operationally, guided discovery method is a method of teaching that fosters the philosophy of learning by doing, problem solving through guided experimentation  and that which enhances students’ participation  and  creativity.  The  method  also  enables  students  to  make  references  with  limited guidance from the teacher. Guided discovery method allows the students the opportunity to discover principles or explanations (Spence, Jensen and Shepherd 2004). In using guided discovery as a teaching method, according to Reinchart (2005), the teacher devises series of statements or questions that will guide the learner, use a step by step series of discoveries that can lead to a single predetermined goal. The  teacher  initiates  a  stimulus  and  the  students   react  by  engaging  in  active  inquiry,  thereby discovering  the appropriate  response.  Also  Ajewole  (1990)  pointed  out  six  steps  or procedures  to follow for a successful use of guided discovery teaching method by a teacher.

They are:

    The teacher should first of all identify the topic to be taught.

     He then selects the relevant activities that will enable students acquire desirable attitude and skill.

    He also conducts pre-section, where he tries his hands on the activities he wishes to teach.

     The teacher  introduces  the lessons  and provides  an instructional  material  which stimulates  the learner’s interest.

    He groups students around available materials.

    Lastly he acts as a questioner or sustainer of inquiry.

Fatokun and Yallams (2007) also describes guided discovery method as resource- based learning which is an innovation that reverses the usual role of the teacher from that in which he is the main authority and source of all knowledge to that in which he acts simply as a guide to the students to enable them to make use of other source of information.  The guided  discovery  method is an excellent  means of

fostering co-operation amongst learners for instance, in group project, members contributes and learn from each other.

In view of the above, the obsolete and ineffective method which is devoid of the teacher and his authority, his domineering functions and activity in the teaching process should be de-emphasized based  on  its  characteristics  of  being  leader  centered,  leader  active,  students  passive  and  content emphasis (Uwameiyi and Ogunbemeru, 2005, Cantrell, 2004).  The methods include lecture, discussion, expository method, demonstration etc. Conventional methods of teaching eg. Lecture method adopted by  the  teachers  in  vocational   courses,  most  especially,  in  Foods  and  Nutrition  aspect  of  home economics in schools, do not seem to allow teachers to adequately address the diverse learning style of most students (Audu 2007). Rather, the teachers use lecture methods which are based on behavioural learning   theories   which  according   to   Boule,   Duffy  and  Donleavy   (2003)   emphasize   knowledge transmission from teacher to passive students and encourage rote memorization  of facts in Foods and Nutrition.

Students’ poor achievement in Home Economics especially in food values and diseases aspect of Foods and Nutrition has been attributed mostly to students’  lack of adequate Foods and Nutrition skills  as  a result  of  lack  of  appropriate  teaching  method.  One  good  way  of  effecting  a change  in methods of teaching a subject is to discover through experimentation and empirical evidence that such methods  can yield  effective  instructional  outcomes  (Mandor,  2002).  It is hoped therefore,  that this study will fulfill this requirement.

Statement of the Problem

There is evidence  to show that the level of achievement  in technical  and vocational  course, particularly in Foods and Nutrition is low in the secondary schools. The SSCE results from 2009 to 2012 indicated  that  candidates   were  unable  to  achieve  very  well  in  Foods  and  Nutrition.   The  poor achievement  of students  in Foods and Nutrition  rise always from areas of  food values and diseases aspect  of food  and nutrition.  This  low  level  of  achievement  has  been  attributed  primarily  to poor

teaching method teachers use in imparting the knowledge to the students. The methods presently in use by teachers of Foods and Nutrition is mainy lecture method. Probably, the non-use of innovative methods  that  are  problem  solving  oriented  such  as  Guided  Discovery  method  is  not  yet  widely recognized  and utilized as a teaching  method in Foods and Nutrition  in Nigerian.  However,  there is significant  paucity of research  evidence  on the relative  effectiveness  of the same  teaching  method (GDM) in other areas of Home Economic Education  which differs remarkably  from other subjects in terms of content and methodology of instruction. As a result of this, it is worth exploring the effect of the GDM method on students achievement  and interest in Food and Nutrition. Also how do location and gender effect students’ achievement and interest in Foods and Nutrition?

Purpose of the Study

The general  purpose of this study was to find out the effect of guided discovery  method  on achievement  and interest of Senior Secondary  Students  in Foods and Nutrition in Nsukka  Education Zone of Enugu State. Specifically, the study sought to:

1)   Determine  the achievements  of students taught food values and diseases using guided discovery method and those taught using lecture method.

2)   Identify  the  interest  of  the  students  taught  Food  values  and  diseases  using  guided  discovery learning method and those taught using lecture method.

3)   Find out the achievement of urban and rural students taught Food values and diseases using guided discovery method.

4)   Find out the achievement  of male and  female  students  taught  Food  values  and diseases  using guided discovery method.

5)   Determine  the difference  in the interest  of  male  and female  students  taught  Food  values  and diseases using GDM.

6)   Find out whether  there will be any difference  in the interest of urban and rural students  taught food values and diseases using GDM.

Significance of the Study

The result of this study will be of benefit to many individuals and groups including the Theorist, Federal and State Ministry of Education, Administrator of Secondary Education, Teachers of Foods and Nutrition, food industries, researchers, students and the society.

Theoretically,  the study is anchored  on both the cognitive  and behaviourist  theories  which advocated child centered education (Mandor, 2002) and constructivist  theory of education. According to  the  constructivist  theory,  man  should  concern  himself  only  with  things  or  events  that  can  be perceived by the sense and not with the abstract and speculation. All reality should be viewed only in terms of what can be known through human experience (Audu 2007). It is hoped that through the use of guided discovery method, student can gain meaningful  learning on their own. The findings of this study would further lay credence to the efficacy of the constructivist theory.

The result of this study will be useful for Federal and State Ministry of Education curriculum reforms. Curriculum reforms demand that planners remove those aspect of an existing curriculum that are  not  relevant  to  societal  needs  and  replace  them  with  identified  new  contents  and  learning experiences that can meet such needs. The curriculum should be subject to review every five years and a study  of  this  nature  will  always  be  handy  in  such  continuous  process  of  curriculum  review  and designs.

Administrators  of secondary  schools  need to have an understanding  of the effect of  guided discovery instructional method on students’ achievement.  Insight gained from such understanding will be utilized in the planning and budgetary provisions for the training and retraining of teachers in other to enhance  learning.  This will ensure  that only quality  instructional  materials  of the highest  quality should be purchased.

Teachers  of Foods  and Nutrition  will benefit  from this result as they would  have first  hand information of the effect of guided discovery learning on students’ achievement in Foods and Nutrition. They will thus face the challenges of knowledge update through seminars, workshop, in-plant training

of the desired  methods  in instructional  delivery in so as to keep pace with the recent  technological development.  The study will also give teachers opportunities  to observe students at work and access skills possessed by the students.

The result of the study will be of benefit to food industries. If appropriate method of teaching is used  in teaching  students  of Foods  and Nutrition,  the food  industries  will  have  qualified  technical graduates who possess knowledge and skills that will enable them face challenges in their work places.

The findings of the study will also serve as a source of literature to educational researchers. The result  will  be useful  reference  material  for  researchers  who  may  want  to  make  use  of  secondary sources of information as input into their review of literature.

The findings of the study will be useful to students  who will be spurred to greater  academic achievement in Foods and Nutrition studies, as they will be motivated by its findings from this research. The students will acquire the ability to apply scientific technical knowledge and skills to everyday life. The  students  will,  through  the  medium,  attain  greater  academic  achievement  and  go  for  further studies. The result of the studies will enable students  acquire problem solving skills and other skills, needed to succeed in their vocation after graduation.

Finally the findings of the study will be of great help to the society who will enjoy the services of  nutritionists  who  are  well  trained  through  the  use  of  guided  discovery  method.  The  qualified nutritionists will clarify to the society the importance of food to their health.

Scope of the Study

The study was carried out in Enugu State using Senior Secondary  School (year 1) Foods  and

Nutrition students.

The study was focused on the effect of guided discovery method on senior secondary school student’s achievement  and interest in Foods and Nutrition. It was based on two Foods and Nutrition concepts:   the nutritional  values of food and diseases.  These concepts  were chosen from the senior secondary school, Foods and Nutrition curriculum and were selected because they feature regularly in senior school certificate  examinations  and students  often  perform poorly on questions  bothering  on these two concepts.

Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:-

1)        What  are  the  mean  achievement  scores  of  students  taught  Food  values  and  diseases  using guided discovery method and those taught using lecture method?

2)       What are the differences  in the mean achievement  scores of urban and rural students  taught

Foods values and diseases using guided discovery method?

3)       What are the differences  in the mean achievement  scores of male and female students taught

Foods values and diseases using guided discovery method?

4)        What are the mean interest scores  of students  taught Food values and diseases  using  guided discovery method and those taught using lecture method?

5)        What are the differences  in the mean interest scores of urban and rural students  taught food value and diseases using GDM?

6)        What are the differences  in the mean interest scores of male and female students taught food values and diseases using GDM?

Hypotheses

The study was guided by the following hypotheses which were tested at 0.05 level of significance.

1)   HO1   There is no significant  difference  in the mean achievement  scores  of students  taught  food values and diseases using guided discovery method and those taught using lecture method?

2)   HO4  There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of urban and rural students taught Food values and diseases using guided discovery method

3)   HO3 There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Food values and diseases using guided discovery method.

4)   HO2  There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of students  taught food values and diseases using guided discovery method and those taught using lecture method?

5)   HO3 There is no significant difference in the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught Food values and diseases using guided discovery method. 6)   There is no significant  difference  in the mean interest scores of urban and rural students  taught food values and diseases using GDM.

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