Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 on the Teaching and Learning of Science in the Nigerian Higher Education
- July 5, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: Education, IJRISS
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue VI, June 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186
Aina, Jacob Kola, Ph. D1*, Abdulrahman Abdulgafar Opeyemi2
1,2School of Science, College of Education (Tech.) Lafiagi, Kwara State, Nigeria
Abstract: The focus of the article is on mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the teaching and learning of science in Nigerian higher institutions. It argued that conventional strategies of teaching are not adequate for teaching science during the pandemic because of the lockdown and social distancing. The script is of the view that e-learning would be the best alternative: however, the various modes of e-learning required face-to-face lecturing, which may not be possible at this period. In light of this, the authors believed the Google Classroom framework, which has been in vogue in many countries of the world could be the best. The paper reviewed the benefits of Google Classroom based on the countries that had used the method. The manuscript mentioned some challenges that can militate against the implementation of the strategy in Nigeria. It was concluded that Google Classroom could be the alternative to science teaching and learning at this period if all the challenges mentioned were mitigated. Finally, the implications of the paper were highlighted.
Keywords: COVID-19, Google Classroom, Lockdown, Pandemic, Social distancing, teaching and learning
I.INTRODUCTION
The emergence of Corona virus known as the COVID-19 pandemic devastated all sectors of the global economy. The educational system of the world was halted because of social distancing and the lockdown. The conventional paradigm of teaching fails and teaching/learning suffers a severe setback all over the world including Nigeria. Teaching and learning in science education is evolving. Many decades ago in Nigeria, the conventional methods of teaching holds sway in the educational sector (Aina & Langenhoven, 2015). In recent times, teaching and learning had developed into an electronic paradigm (e-learning) that pervaded the entire schools of the world. However, in Nigeria’s higher education context the issue of e-learning is not common (Ajadi, Salawu & Adeoye, 2008; Kyari, Adiuku-Brown, Abechi & Adelakun, 2018).
