CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Teaching is an active engagement that
always has a result in view and no matter how energetic a lecture period
is, it’s quality will always be measured in relation to students
percentage of having grasped what was taught. So that each discipline,
faculty, department and corresponding department keep tabs of how the
lecturers are handling the courses allocated them. In a country where
there is a high level of work apathy due to a list of factors, there is
always more and more need to supervise the teaching skills and
preparedness of workers and lecturer particularly. The job description
in any establishment determines the method of recording output. Some
jobs can easily and productively be measured in terms of numbers and
visible results.
However, others can prove to be more
difficult with a qualitative assessment of input and consequently
output. By quantitative assessment we are referring to those types of
work assessment that:
express their results in numbers. They
tend to answer questions like “How many?” or “How much?” or “How often?”
When they’re used to compare things – the results of community
programs, the effects of an economic development effort, or attitudes
about a community issue (Phil Rabinowitz)
When it comes to the issue we are
grappling with namely the degree of preparedness of lecturers who teach
the English language in the University of Calabar in Cross River,
Nigeria, this number based method of assessment does not suffice. If one
relies on student performance to assess this, one runs into the
discrepancies that would be created by differences in cognitive
abilities of student thereby calling for an assessment method that is
more organic than statistical.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Owing to the recurring habit of low
preparedness in the teachers of the English Language in the department
of English and their sister Use of English units of the School of
General studies, it is evident that there should be put in place a
feasible method of assessing the level and quality of preparation on the
side of these teacher. It is not surprising that this is directly
proportional to the students' overall performance in the course and
their good command of the object of study- the English language. This is
the problem that has birthed the present research work which aims to
use a qualitative assessment method on the above.
1.3 Research Questions
1.3.1 what are the factors that
bear upon the low level of preparation in the teachers of English
language in the said university.
1.3.2 What are the methods that
will see to a holistic assessment that will only arrive at clear
feedback on the object of study.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of the present research work
is to qualitatively assess the teacher preparedness in teaching English
language in the university of Calabar. Calabar Cross Rivers State of
Nigerian. This objective will be achieved by targeted delineation of
this bulky task into it’s various area.
First, the teachers in question are
going to be made to write an essay detailing the protocol, whether
departmentally designed of personally developed, by which they prepare
for their lectures and the handling of the courses allocated them in
general. This way the research will show the present or lack thereof of
an adequate preparation.
1.5 Significance of the Study
On a holistic view, this research work
will show a pattern that informs a high level of preparation or a low
level of preparation of teachers in the department. The implication is
that what needs to be done to combat a low level of preparation which
consequently will affect student performance will be revealed and
measures will be put in place for it.
This research work is highly significant
in that it’s findings and the recommendations it will make in the last
chapter can be implemented in many other tertiary institutions within
and outside Cross River state including other departments whose mode of
lecture deliverance and preparation bears great structural resemblance
to that of the English departments.
This work is particularly significant
seeing the nature of the course in question. English language is a
second language in Nigeria which presents both grammatical,
phonological, syntactical issues for both the students and teachers.
Therefore, the teachers as well need even more preparation before
teaching the course as anything learned in it through time becomes
etched in the psyche of the students who would later become teachers in
the future. The findings here would assist both the school and teachers
in keeping a meticulous tab on the quality of what is delivered in the
classroom.
1.6 Research Hypothesis
This research work was conducted with an
initial assumption that student grade output and lecture duration will
not show a reliable assessment of the problem taken up here. It is
believed here that whatever method to be used should focus on the
teachers' own methods.
1.7 Scope of the Study
This research is focused on the teachers
in the department of English in the University of Calabar Cross Rivers
State, Nigeria which it sees as a microcosm of other related departments
across the country with similar curriculum objectives hence a required
level of preparation.
The assessment will engage only the
teachers in the department and exclude every other class situation
outside the requirements of course like make up seminar classes that
features more of inputs from the students.
The mode of assessing the teachers will
include a direct observance of their teaching on the spot and informal
interviews targeted at providing a patterned methods of preparation.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
The first limitation encountered in the
course of this research is the lack of a sincere feedback from the
teachers. Most of them are prone to constructing preparation methods
that are not followed in the end.
Lack of manpower is another one. To
observe each of the teachers takes time and financial resources which
are not adequately covered by the research grant awarded this work.
1.9 Definition of Terms
Qualitative Assessment
These are methods of assessment that do
not depend on numbers, data and a superficial enquiry into something but
rather delves into the motivations of the situation.