Competency Based Approach as A Tool of Overcoming Learner’s Misconceptions on The Difficulty in The Teaching and Learning of Statistics

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

Competency Based Approach as A Tool of Overcoming Learner’s Misconceptions on The Difficulty in The Teaching and Learning of Statistics 

Bafon Richard Mkong
PhD student in Curriculum and Evaluation, Department of Curriculum and Evaluation
The University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon

ABSTRACT
The present research is in line with the trend towards the adoption of the Competence-Based Approach (CBA) in most African countries in general and Cameroon in particular due to the fact that, Cameroon implemented nationwide started at primary schools the CBA in September 2018. Born from rising global economic and professional exigencies, the Competency-Based Approach gained momentum in the 1990s in France and in most Francophone African countries around the globe. Consequently, recruitment is based on the competencies of job seekers. Hence, it is legitimate that schools integrate this new reality so that graduates fulfill socio- professional exigencies in a timely manner. De Ketele (2001, in Hirrt, 2009, p.6) is of this view when he says: “it is indeed the socio-economic climate which has determined the notion of competency as the adults shaped by schools were not sufficiently trained to enter the work force”. In Cameroon, pedagogic methods of teaching have revolved from teaching using dogmatic method to teaching using objective method and of recent to teaching using the competency-based approach (CBA). The notion of Competency based education was introduced in French speaking African countries in 1996, but during the Conference of Ministers of Education in Yaoundé in Cameroon in July 2012 it was introduced to the Cameroon system of education.(Bernard et al, 2007), This approach (CBA) was introduced in Cameroon partly because of the failure to meet the educational expectations using ―teaching by objective. Competency based approach was acclaimed as a more effective approach to teaching and learning due to its envisaged benefits in enhancing the acquisition of knowledge and competences. Overcoming learners ‘misconceptions on the difficulty in the teaching and learning of educational statistics is a necessity especially with the implementation of the new innovative approach (CBA), which is a learner centered approach. Students sometimes develop misconceptions about sub branch of mathematic called statistics because they did not understand the lesson that was taught. Educational statistics is a technical aspect educational research in universities in Cameroon and since most students have little knowledge about this course and the negative attitude they have for statistics related courses, they feel that the course is a difficult one. This research study is interested in assessing how CBA can be used in overcoming learners ‘misconceptions on the difficulties faced in the teaching and learning of educational statistics in schools. This research work is therefore of significance to students, teachers and to the educational world.
The main theories that will guide the work will be cognitive and socio constructivist theories of learning. Socio constructivist theory of learning is a product of socio cognitive activities linked to the didactic exchanges between teacher-students and students-students. Cognitive theory stipulates that learning takes place using memory, motivation, and reasoning. The methods which will be used in collecting data are qualitative and quantitative methods, classroom observations, sampling with the use of questionnaires, key informant interviews. Data shall be analyzed via SPSS version 20. At the end of this research work, the researcher will propose strategies and methods which can be used in overcoming learners ‘misconceptions on the difficulties in the teaching and learning of educational statistics using CBA at the level of Universities.

Key Words: Competence Based Approach, Tool, Overcome Misconception in Statistics.

Background of the study

Steven Hodge (2007), attempts to trace the origins of competency-based training discovered that, the societal origin is in the United States of America during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. At this time, public debate and government initiatives centered on the widely held view that there was a problem with the quality of education in the United States. One of the responses to this crisis was the performance-based teacher education movement which synthesized the theory of education that became known as competency-based training. The new innovative approach (CBA) was highly contested by educators whether it is the best approach for this era but finally the implementation of this new approach was in response to educational crisis in the United States of America. Today, CBA is widely accepted and implemented in many countries of the world such as Algeria, Australia and Tanzania. CBA was first used in the 1960s in the context of performance-based education whose purpose was to train specialist who can compete in the world market (Berkerlie et al., 2007).

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