ABSTRACT
The
purpose of this study is to examine the factors hindering effective teaching
and learning of Social Studies courses in the Nigerian Secondary Schools. And
also identifies ways by these factors responsible for the poor growth of Social
Studies education can be reduced or eliminated. The population of study
comprises of teachers and students in six selected secondary schools in Esan
Local Government area, Edo State. The researcher used hand delivery and on the
spot collection in administering the questionnaire. This was influenced by the
delay and loss of questionnaires inherent mailing system. For the purpose of
this study, a sample was randomly obtained from the population. Students
possessed different experience on the basis of their various level of study.
The
study reveals that there is a poor attitudinal disposition to Social Studies
courses. In his conclusion, this attitudinal variation subsequently affects the
enrolment of candidates into Social Studies and technical education programme
in Nigerian Secondary Schools.
The
study also found that there is a dearth of infrastructures in the Nigerian
Secondary Schools, this and the luke warm attitude of government towards the
educational sector is affecting the growth of Social Studies courses in the
Nigerian Secondary Schools.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Social
Studies was introduced in the Nigerian School Curriculum as part of the
instrumentfor achieving national development (National Policy on Education
(NPE) 1981). This was whatinformed its designation as part of the core
curriculum at different levels of education in Nigeria.
Social
Studies curriculum development agencies such as the Nigerian Educational
Research andDevelopment Council (NERDC) and experts further identified and
disseminated the curriculumgoals or purposes of the subject in the school
curriculum. These include citizenship education,reflective inquiry and social
science education, (Barth-shermis, 1920; Barth-Norris, 1976; Dubeyand Barth,
1980; Olawepo, 1984) among others. These broadly stated goals must be clare
to,and recognized as important as well as attainable by teachers and other
participants connectedwith the Curriculum if the intentions or purposes must be
realized and the investment of effort isto be considered worthwhile (Feather,
1982; Meece, Blumenfeld, & Hoyle, 1988). Theseintentions or purposes are
prima facie stated with clarity, but their perception or conceptualizationby
teachers and scholars is still in doubt as Onyabe (1980) observed that the philosophy,
contentand methodology of social studies has remained vague to both scholars
and teachers. Theincidence of conflicting conceptions of social studies
curriculum is a cause for concern for threemajor reasons. First, the anchor or
strategic position of purposes or intentions in the curriculumdevelopment
process (Pratt, 1994) as illustrated in Tyler (1949) (Linear) and Wheeler
(1980)(cyclic) curriculum models, among others.
Secondly,
curriculum goals or purposes, are indispensable elements in instructions as
faras effective implementation of an already developed curriculum is concerned.
Thirdly, the correctconception, investment of efforts and ultimate realization
of the purposes of the curriculum willfacilitate the realization of the overall
aims of the Nigerian educational enterprise.