THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING STYLES AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF ADULT EDUCATION STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to Study
A shift from traditional to progressive model of education has led to an increased interest in learners‟ individual differences. The new paradigm is student-centre based on inclusiveness, cooperative learning, and encourages diversity (Zywno, &Waalen 2002). Global trends in teaching and class room management have reflected significant increase in student population, which in turn made modern class rooms more diverse. This creates a challenge that is not only with oversized classes; but with students of varying abilities who differ in the ways they prefer to acquire information. It has been observed that the inclusion of students from diverse cultural background, varying interest, learning styles, experiences, strengths and needs compel educators to re-look at their instructional practices with a view to devising a better approach to teaching and learning that would give students multiple options for taking in information and making sense of ideas (Subban, 2006).
Throughout the ages, societies educate their young and adults in order to be active and functional members of their society. Sequel to that Nigerian philosophy of Education believes that education is an instrument for National development [FRN, 2013]. This study opined that with increasing scientific advancement, there is increased demand for educated individuals. It has been observed that individuals with competences, skills and sensibilities to proactively, logically and critically engage new situation will have a higher advantage over those without them (Abanihe et al., 2010). Therefore for a country to survive in current global competition, science education needs to be taught effectively in schools. To achieve that there is need to prepare competent class room teachers in science subjects to educate the citizens for national development. In this regard, it has been suggested thatScience Education is a fundamental component of basic education that prepares children to live in a world increasingly defined by science and technology (Jiya, 2011). Therefore Science education is required to build democracy, establish a system of lifelong Education for national development.
Ogbenevwede ( 2010) opined that as we entered the 21st century and expect better health for all, abundant food for all, better knowledge of man, animals, and plants, andless polluted environment with sulphur and radioactive chemicals, the need to effectively teach and learn biology to meet these challenges cannot be over emphasised. Ecology is a unit in biology that focuses on studying the relationship between biological organisms and their physical and chemical environment. Environmental education is thus part of the basic education greatly encouraged in the 21st century. Excellence in ecology education creates more awareness on the increasing level of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, Sulphur dioxide, heavy metals and other chlorofluorocarbons (CFC‟s) as well as the more recent form of electronic pollution in our environment. It also facilitates the understanding of the trend of biodiversity loss which is the result of increased human activities such as industrialization, mechanized agriculture which are threatening the survival of the planet earth.
