Teaching strategies and secondary school physics students’ enrolment and academic attainment in Rivers State, Nigeria: implications for teaching and learning of physics in schools

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue I, January 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Teaching strategies and secondary school physics students’ enrolment and academic attainment in Rivers State, Nigeria: implications for teaching and learning of physics in schools 

Adolphus, T.^1*, Ekineh, D.R.² & Aderonmu, T.S.B.^3
1,2Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
³University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Secondary School, Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract
This paper examines the teaching strategies commonly employed by physics teachers in the classroom. Particularly, the study utilized mixed methods involving questionnaires, tests, classroom observations and structured interviews to explore the common teaching strategies used by teachers and the effects of these strategies both on the enrollment and attainment of students in physics. Teachers and students in eight senior secondary schools were purposively selected for the study. Findings from the study show that teachers and students were at variance as to the most commonly used teaching strategy by teachers in the teaching and learning of physics and that whereas teachers reported the use of demonstration, more students reported that elements of demonstration were ‘never’ used by teachers than those who reported otherwise. The study also shows that the teaching strategy adopted by physics teachers directly influences the enrolment and attainment of students in the subject. The study recommends that government and relevant stakeholders should ensure the adequate provision of well-equipped laboratories and that science teacher training institutions promote trainee-teachers skill and knowledge in improvisation and resourcing of science materials for the effective teaching and learning of physics in secondary schools.

Keywords: Teaching strategies, physics students, enrolment, academic attainment, teaching and learning.

Introduction

It has been the interest of the science education community not only to determine what students should be learning in science lessons or the assessment as to whether or not students are actually learning but also, the ‘how’ in terms of what strategies or approaches teachers use that would ensure maximum understanding and effective lesson delivery. According to Tanner (2013), this is in view of drawing “attention to questioning the efficacy of traditional lecture methods and exploring new teaching techniques to support students in more effectively learning…” (p.322). The use of the traditional or conventional teaching method which is generally referred to as the ‘talk-chalk’ or lecture method has been much discouraged not only in science classrooms but generally in schools as a result of its gross ineffectiveness in equipping learners with life-long skills and knowledge (Selcuk & Caliskan, 2010; Adolphus, 2016). Bar-Yam, Rhoades, Sweeney, Kaput and Bar-Yam (2002) described the traditional/conventional teaching approach where educational goal is viewed as the transmission of knowledge from the teacher to student as a ‘convergent’ teaching approach

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