PROFESSIONAL-COMPETENCY CAPACITY BUILDING NEEDS OF TEACHERS OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ONDO STATE

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the professional competency capacity – building needs of teachers of agricultural science for effective instruction in secondary schools in Ondo State. Ten research questions were answered and nine hypotheses were tested at

0.05 level of significance. The study adopted survey research design. The population of

the study was 422 made up of 376 teachers of agricultural science at the senior secondary school in the state and 46 lecturers in tertiary institutions. The entire population was involved in the study because of the manageable size. A – 130 professional competency item questionnaire (PCQ) was used  for  data collection.  The  questionnaire was  face validated by five experts. Cronbach Alpha reliability method was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items. The reliability coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. 422 copies of the questionnaire were administered on the respondents with the help of nine research assistants. 406 copies of the questionnaire were retrieved and analyzed. Weighted mean and Improvement need index (INI) were used to answer the research questions while t-test statistic was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance and relevant  degrees of freedom. It  was found out  from the study that teachers of agricultural science needed the 130 professional – competency items for effective instruction and needed capacity building in the same 130 professional competency items.  The  teachers of agricultural science  needed  capacity building  in planning (10 items) organizing (12 items) implementing (15 items) and evaluating instruction (13 items). They also needed capacity building in managing farm practicals (27 items), maintaining teacher-student relationship (13 items) maintaining teacher community relationship (10 items) and guiding the students in career choice (11 items). Teachers of  Agricultural Science  needed  capacity  building  in  instructional  facilities management (19 items). Findings from the hypotheses tested revealed that there were no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in all the nine instructional areas as mentioned above. It was recommended that the teaching service commission of Ondo State should make use of the findings of this study to organize capacity – building intervention programme for teachers of agricultural science in order to make them more effective in instruction.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Teachers  of  school  subjects  including  agricultural  science  in  the  secondary schools in Ondo State are called professional teachers. Walter (2008), explained that professional is linked with a type of job that is respected, and it involves a high level of education and training. Mgbodile (2004) stated that professional is connected with any prestige holding occupation that needs special education and training. In the context of this study, professional is connected with the job of teaching which requires the acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude through a long period of education and training that leads to certification recognized by the members of the profession; that is, teachers, with the aim of supplying service to others.

A teacher of agricultural science in the opinion of Olaitan, Asogwa and Assouzu (2010) is an individual who is trained in pedagogical and technical areas of agricultural science  and  is  charged  with  the  responsibilities of imparting knowledge, skills  and attitudes to students. Egbule in Akpomedaye (2010) defined a teacher of agricultural science as a person who performs the specialized function of educating others in a formal school or institution to bring about learning in the field of agriculture. In the context of this study, a teacher of agricultural science is a person who is trained in pedagogical and technical  areas  of  agricultural  science  and  is  charged  with  the  responsibilities  of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes to students as a professional teacher.

Pedagogy according to Rakshita (2009), is the use of teaching strategies. In the

view of Rob (2003), pedagogy is the systematized instruction or principle that promotes

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students learning. In this study, pedagogy is the correct use of teaching strategies to promote students’ learning through planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating instruction by the teachers of agricultural science.

The  teacher  of  agricultural science  according  to  Olaitan  and  Mama  (2001), performs the following professional responsibilities: Planning; Organizing; Implementing and Evaluating instruction; Managing farm practicals; Maintaining student-teacher relationship; Maintaining teacher-community relationship and Guiding the students in career or occupational choice.

Walker  (2000)  stated  that  a  teacher  of  agricultural science  performs  certain professional responsibilities. They include; planning the school instruction; organizing instructional resources; implementing instruction; managing practicals in agriculture and evaluating instruction. Walker explained further that the teacher also maintains a good student-teacher relationship; and teacher-community relationship, guide the students in their studies and for making occupational choice. Fulfilling these responsibilities are what makes the teachers of agricultural science effective in instruction.

Instruction in the opinion of Ahmed (2000), refers to systematic imparting of knowledge, skills, attitudes and modes of conduct by oral speech, written language or any way appropriate to the content presented by a teacher to a learner. In the context of this study, instruction is a process whereby a teacher of agricultural science imparts knowledge, skills and attitudes effectively to the students after careful planning and organizing of his instructional content. Effective instruction in the view of Nancy & Shirley (2006), is the systematic use of selected techniques, methods and strategies to create a dynamic interface between the curriculum and the learners. In the opinion of

Stenberg (1998), effective instruction is the use of various techniques and methods for presenting the subject matter content to students in an organized manner. It is also used for focusing presentation on teaching goals and creating possibilities for exercising in order to meet the learner’s needs and interests. In the context of this study, effective instruction is the use of relevant pedagogical techniques and methods to present the content of agricultural science to students in an organized manner in order to achieve the learning objectives. Effective instruction is obtained when a teacher has planned, taught, and  evaluated the  instruction such that  the result  revealed a  positive change in the behaviour  of students.  Teaching  and  learning  of agricultural science  takes  place  in secondary schools.

Secondary school as described by the National policy on Education (FRN 2004) is the institution that children attend after primary school to further their education. Hornby (2006), defined secondary school as an institution for normal young people between the ages of 11 and 18. In this study, secondary school is viewed as a post primary institution where students attend after a successful primary school education, to learn a variety of subjects including agricultural science. Secondary education is made up of three years of Junior Secondary School (JSS) and three years of Senior Secondary School (SSS). The teaching of agricultural science takes place at the senior secondary school, that is, in the last three years of secondary education. Only teachers with a minimum of bachelors degree in agricultural education or agriculture with a diploma in education are regarded, as professionally qualified by policy to teach agricultural science in senior secondary schools (FRN 2004).

Agricultural science  according to  Emejulu (1995)  is  the  use  of land  and  its resources to grow crops and rear livestock to provide specific products for man’s use. In the opinion of Jacob (2003) agricultural science is the tilling of soil for growing crops, raising of livestock and processing them for man’s use under the guidance of the teacher. In the context of this study, agricultural science is the application of scientific principles to the growing of crops and rearing of animals to equip students with relevant knowledge and  skills  in  the  subject  during  instruction.  The  objectives  of  agricultural  science according to Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC, 2009) for secondary schools are to:

    stimulate and sustain students interest in agriculture

    impart functional knowledge and practical skills in agriculture

    prepare students for further studies in agriculture

    prepare students for occupation in agriculture.

The achievement of the objectives above requires the professional competence of teachers  of  agricultural  science.  A  professionally competent  teacher  therefore  must possesses the required knowledge, skills and attitudes in pedagogy for imparting the content of Agricultural Science to Students in Senior Secondary Schools.

Competency in the view of Elly (1989), is an essential knowledge and skills obtainable in a profession and those which the professionals in the field must posses and be able to demonstrate at optimal level of acquisition and functioning. Olaitan and Ali (1997)  defined  competency  as  knowledge,  skills,  attitudes  and  judgment  generally required by an individual for successful performance of a task. In the context of this study,  competency  is  the  knowledge,  skills  and  attitudes  in  pedagogy  required  by

Teachers of Agricultural science for effective performance in teaching the subject to students in Senior Secondary Schools in Ondo State.

In  Ondo  state,  the  researcher  noticed  through  records  that  there  is  low performance  by  Senior  Secondary  School Students  in  agricultural  science,  external examinations. For example, records of West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) and National Examinations Council School Certificate Examinations (NECOSCE) of 2006 to 2010 (see Appendix A page 210) revealed that there is low performance of students in agricultural science. The Chief Examiners report of WASCE November/December 2007  showed  that  the  students  performance  was  low  both  in agricultural essay and practicals. In one of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of Senior Secondary Schools meetings where the researcher was present, the issue of low performance of students in WASCE and NECOSCE Examinations in subjects offered by WAEC  and  NECO  came  into  focus.  Members  of  the  PTA  associated  the  low performance with the poor method of instruction of teachers in the subjects including agricultural science. The association of the low performance with the teachers ways of teaching was recorded in the minutes of PTA meeting held in Anghcan Grammar School Iju 2009 (Appendix D page 213). In order to confirm the poor performance of students in external examinations as a result of poor instruction by teachers, they (the teachers) need to be assessed.

Need in the view of Chutta (1992), is what one requires in order to meet a target standard. Olaitan, Nwachukwu, Igbo, Onyemachi and Ekong (1999), explained that need is a requirement deemed necessary for effectiveness in an occupation. In the context of this study, need is the competency improvement required by teachers of agricultural

science  to  meet  a  target  standard  of effective  instruction.  This  information can  be obtained through assessment.

Assessment according to Okoro (2000), is a process of estimating the worth, quality or effectiveness of a programme or instruction through a collected data. The author stated further that the analyzed data will reveal the level of quality or standard of instruction or achievement of the objectives of the programme.

Walter (2008), stated that assessment is the process of judging or deciding the amount, value,  quality or  importance of a  programme  or teachers  instruction in  a  teaching- learning process. In this study, assessment is the process of obtaining the amount or worth of capacity building needs. This process of obtaining the amount or worth of capacity building needs is known as Need gap analysis (NGA).

Need gap analysis according to Chutta (1992) is a technique of determining the steps to be taken in moving from a current state to a desired future state. It begins with the listing of characteristic factors such as competence, performance level of the present situation, cross listing factors required to achieve future objectives and then highlighting the gap that exists and needs to be filled. Olaitan and Ndomi (2000), explained need gap analysis as the computation of the weighted mean of performance of an activity of a group of

respondents taken from a similar computation of the weighted mean of the needed of an

activity or skills which results into a need gap value ( Xn Xp

= Need gap value).  In

this study, Need gap analysis is the computation of the weighted mean of performance of teachers  of  agricultural  science  in  competencies  in  pedagogy taken  from  a  similar computation of the weighted mean of the needed of respondents (Teachers and Lecturers) in competencies in pedagogy in the area of study. This will constitute a need gap value.

The  need  gap  is  the  capacity  building  needs  of teachers  of agricultural science  in pedagogy to meet a target standard of effective instruction in the area of study.

Capacity-building as contained  in the  report of United Nations Development Programme   (UNDP   1991),   is   the   process   of   equipping   individuals   with   the understanding, skills and access to information, knowledge and training that enables him to perform better. It stated further that capacity-building focuses on a series of actions directed at helping individuals in the development process to increase knowledge, skills and understanding they possess and to develop the attitude needed to bring about desired developmental change in them. In the opinion of Olaitan, Alaribe and Nwobu (2009), capacity-building refers to efforts geared towards improving the level of knowledge, skills and attitudes possessed by an individuals for proficiency in a given task or job. In the context of this study, capacity building is the effort or action taken to enable the teachers of agricultural science to imbibe the quantity of need gap value obtained by this study in instruction in order to move them from their present level of competence in instruction to expected level of performance. It is necessary to identify the professional competency capacity building  needs of teachers of agricultural science  for effective instruction in secondary schools in Ondo State. This identified competencies could be used to retrain these teachers through capacity building intervention programme.

Statement of the Problem

Teachers of Agricultural Science in Senior Secondary Schools in Ondo State were employed to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes in the area of their subject to the students. The teachers who are University graduates, were expected to teach the content

of agricultural science to the students towards the achievement of the objectives, of secondary education. Despite the activities of these teachers to see that the objectives of agricultural science in senior secondary schools were achieved, it was evident from West African School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) and National Examinations Council School Certificate Examinations (NECOSCE) results of 2006-2010 that students performed poorly in the subject. Appendix A (peg 210) revealed the performance of students in agricultural science by the two examining bodies between 2006-2010. The Appendix showed that students performed below 49% yearly.

The interaction of the researcher with some parents of the senior secondary school graduates in Parents Teachers Association meetings at St. Ambroses Grammar School, Ondo in 2008; Anglican Grammar School, Iju Itaogbolu in 2009 and Akure Secondary Commercial School in 2009 revealed that parents were unhappy and concerned about the low level performance of their children in WASCE and NECOSCE Examinations. The parents associated these results with the poor method of instruction by teachers in the various subjects including agricultural science and therefore requested for a change in teachers attitude and approach to instruction for better results in future examinations.

Ondo State Ministry of Education was also concerned about the poor performance of students in WASCE and NECO examinations in many subjects including agricultural science and therefore arranged for a stakeholders conference at Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure in 2009 for a discussion on the probable causes and solutions for better performance of students  in  future examinations (see  the  minutes of the  meeting  in Appendix E page 242). At the conference, parents associated the poor results with the teachers’  ways  of  teaching  which  requires  some  improvement.  Some  Ministry  of

Education officials including Supervisors agreed with the parents’ observation at the conference.

Furthermore, at the stakeholders forum, some parents commented that their children who offered agricultural science and have graduated could not exhibit interest in agriculture and failed to help them in their agricultural practices even at the level of gardening but are highly interested in products from the farm such as oranges, pawpaw, plantain and yam. The parents also associated the negative attitude of their children to the way teachers handle the teachings of agricultural science in the school. The observations and comments at the forum seem to be in consonance with the findings of Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council cited in Iheji, Ifeanyieze and Olaitan (2010), that fifty percent (50%) of the teachers in Nigerian Secondary Schools system were found incompetent in teaching. (eg Organizing their lessons, using teaching aids and logical presentation of materials). Also in a study carried out by Ellah (2007), in Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria, the author found out that, teachers of agricultural science in secondary schools in South East Nigeria, acquired low competence in instructional areas of their profession. Teachers of Agricultural science in Ondo State are graduates from Universities like their counterparts from other states covered by the studies reported above and therefore they cannot be exonerated from the authors’ observations and comments.

It has been observed that instructions in schools today have attracted some efforts by technology to make teaching and learning better for both teachers and learners. These technologies are in form of information and communication devices to make teaching comfortable for teachers, for example, teachers in the state are now requested to use

devices like  computers, power point, magnetic  boards to  teach and assess students’ performance. Majority of the teachers in the state graduated without interaction with or exposure to these information and communication devices therefore, they seem to require capacity building on the use and maintenance of instructional facilities in order to reduce the problems of ineffectiveness in instruction.

The researcher was also worried by the concerns of the parents, supervisors and the  Government  of Ondo  state  on  the  poor  and  unacceptable  performance of their children in agricultural science. Therefore the researcher was motivated to carry out this study in order to find ways of reducing ineffective instruction by teachers of agricultural science in secondary schools in Ondo State.

Purpose of the Study

The major purpose of the study was to determine the professional-competency capacity-building needs of teachers of agricultural science for effective instruction in secondary schools in Ondo State.

Specifically, the study sought to:-

1.    determine  the  professional  competencies  needed  by  teachers  of  agricultural science for effective instruction in secondary schools.

2.    determine the competency in planning where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools.

3.    determine the competency in organizing where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools.

4.    ascertain the  competency capacity-building needs  of teachers  of agricultural science in implementing instruction in secondary schools.

5.    ascertain the  competency capacity-building needs  of teachers  of agricultural science in evaluating instruction in secondary schools.

6.    determine  the  competency  in  managing  farm  practicals  where  teachers  of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools.

7.    ascertain  the  competency  in  maintaining  student-teacher  relationship  where teachers of agricultural science need capacity building for effective instruction in secondary schools.

8.    ascertain the  competency capacity-building needs  of teachers  of agricultural science in maintaining a cordial teacher-community relationship.

9.    determine the competency capacity-building needs of teachers of agricultural science in guiding the students in career choice.

10.  determine the competencies in instructional facility management where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study is beneficial to the Teaching service Commission of Ondo State, Principals of secondary schools in Ondo State, Teachers and students of agricultural science in senior secondary schools in Ondo State and future researchers.

The study provided information to the Teaching Service Commission of Ondo State about the pedagogical areas of the teachers job, where the teachers of agricultural science needed capacity building for effective instruction. The commission could use the information provided to organize a capacity-building intervention programme for re- training the teachers of agricultural science in pedagogical areas for effective instruction.

The study provided information to the principals of secondary schools about the pedagogical areas of the teachers job where the teachers of agricultural science under their administration required capacity building. The principals could use the information to encourage their teachers through support for study leave and fund for retraining.

The study provided information to teachers of agricultural science on the pedagogical areas of their job where they needed capacity-building for effective instruction. This will help them to seek for avenues of improving themselves either through seminars, workshops etc, and to seek for financial sponsorship with evidence for retraining to improve themselves for the benefit of the students. When the teachers of agricultural science are retrained in pedagogical areas through capacity building intervention programme, it will improve the learning activities of the students and they will pass impressively in WASC and NECO examinations.

The study provided information to future researchers in the instruction of agricultural science on the methods and techniques of carrying out studies of this nature in instruction of agricultural science and other related subjects. This will guide them in following the approaches, methodology and ways of identifying relevant instructional items  that  could  be  used  to  determine  the  capacity  building  needs  of  teachers  of

agricultural science for effective instruction. One interesting and unique area of this study that could benefit future researchers is the need gap analysis.

Research Questions

The study answered the following research questions:

1.     What are the professional competencies  needed by teachers of agricultural science for effective instruction in secondary schools?

2.     What are the competencies in planning where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools?

3.     What are the competencies in organizing where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools?

4.     What  are  the  competency  capacity-building  needs  of  teachers  of  agricultural science in implementing instruction in secondary schools?

5.     What  are  the  competency  capacity-building  needs  of  teachers  of  agricultural science in evaluating instruction in secondary schools?

6.     What  are  the  competencies  in  managing  farm  practicals  where  teachers  of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools?

7.     What  are  the  competencies  in  student-teacher  relationship  where  teachers  of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools?

8.     What  are  the  competency  capacity-building  needs  of  teachers  of  agricultural science in maintaining a cordial teacher-community relationship?

9.     What  are  the  competency  capacity-building  needs  of  teachers  of  agricultural science in guiding the students in career choice?

10.  What are the competencies in instructional facilities management where teachers of agricultural science need capacity-building for effective instruction in secondary schools?

Hypotheses

The  following  hypotheses  were  formulated  and  tested  at  P  >  0.05  level  of significance:

Ho1: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in planning for effective instruction.

Ho2: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies  needed  by  teachers  of  agricultural  science  in  organizing  for effective instruction.

Ho3: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in implementing instruction.

Ho4: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in evaluating instruction.

Ho5: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in managing farm practicals for effective instruction.

Ho6: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in maintaining student- teacher relationship for effective instruction.

Ho7: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in maintaining teacher- community relationship.

Ho8: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the competencies needed by teachers of agricultural science in guiding the students in career choice.

Ho9: There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of the responses of lecturers in tertiary institutions and teachers of agricultural science in Ondo State on the instructional facility management needed by teachers of agricultural science for effective instruction.

Scope of the Study

The study was restricted to the determination of professional-competency capacity-building needs of teachers of agricultural science for effective instruction in senior secondary schools in Ondo State. The professional areas included planning, organizing, implementing, evaluating, managing farm practicals, student-teacher relationship, teacher-community relationship, guiding the students in career choice and instructional facilities management for effective instruction. Information was collected from lecturers of agricultural education in the University, Colleges of Education and Teachers of Agricultural Science in Senior Secondary Schools in Ondo State through the use of questionnaire.

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