ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to investigate the Identification of Difficult Teaching and Learning Topic in Junior Secondary School in Integrated Science and Computer Science Curriculum in Nigeria, (A Case Study of Junior Secondary School Class 3). Five Research questions were formulated to guide the study. These include; the extent to which lack of use of instructional materials in integrated science and computer science bring difficulties in teaching and learning of topics in these both subjects in the system. Secondly, to find out the extent to which the students’ attitudes bring about difficulties in the teaching and learning of topics in integrated science and computer science in J.S.S3 classes. Thirdly, to find out the extent to which lack of trained teachers in integrated and computer science bring about difficulties in teaching and learning of the topics in both subjects in the junior secondary school classes. Fourthly, to find out the extent to which lack of proper teaching method in integrated science and computer science bring in the teaching and learning of topics in both subjects in the J.S.S 3 in particular in the system. Finally, to find out the extent to which lack of non-use of instructional materials in integrated science and computer science, bring about in the teaching and learning topics in both subjects in the junior secondary school class 3. it is evident that the teachers and students simply agreed that some topics in integrated and computer science are easy while others are difficult. From the finding in research question two it was established that the students’ perception differs from that of the teachers. In research question 3 it was discovered that lack of proper teaching method in integrated and computer science results in poor performance of student in the subjects. In research question 4, it was discovered that lack of non-use of instructional materials in integrated and computer science resulted in improper digestion and assimilation of the studies by the students to be very low and uninteresting. Finally recommendations and conclusion were made based on the findings.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The period from mid 1968 to mid 1970 in the life of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) was characterized by boisterous activity in the review of the curriculum, Gbamanja (1991). Subject committee were setup to consider both the changing needs of Nigerian pupils and international trends in their respective disciplines and drawing on their teaching expertise, to propose detailed guidelines for future science teaching. The preliminary effort towards integrated science began with STAN committees working on separate disciplines of physics, chemistry and biology. In terms of these other subjects, which are integrated science and computer science, there has been some difficulties in the teaching and learning of topics in the junior secondary because of some problems that has face them in the system. These are some of the problems; lack of materials is also one of the major problems facing the junior secondary school, for examples textbook, workbooks for practical etc. Like for the part of the computer science after learning without practical with the computer machine, it will be difficult for the students to really understand it. The teacher’s guidelines will also help, because it helps the teachers to know what to do in any particular session and how to follow it.
Integrated science is a science subject, which is all about practical and also is divided into three major branches, which are Biology, Chemistry and Physics, these particular subjects make up what we call integrated science in the junior secondary school levels. Also poor attitude of the students also is one of the problems that contribute in the difficult teaching and learning of topics in the junior secondary schools, because some students due to their poor attitude in that particular can bring about poor performance in the subject, thereby making the students not to understand the subject. Non-use of instructional materials also contributes to the difficult and learning topics in junior secondary schools integrated science and computer science, it makes the students performance very poor in terms of their junior secondary schools certificate examination in the system.
In this particular research, they researchers would wish to find out if lack of students attitude towards integrated science and computer science can cause the difficult teaching and learning topics in the junior secondary school integrated science and computer science in the system. Whether lack of the use of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of integrated science and computer science can also be the causes of difficult in the teaching and learning of integrated and computer science, finally, whether lack of proper teaching method can also cause the difficult in the teaching and learning of topics in the junior secondary school integrated science and computer science.
