Effect of Prior Knowledge of Specific Objectives of Agricultural Science Instruction on the Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Students

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to empirically determine whether students who become aware of instructional objectives of agricultural science instruction perform significantly better in a post test on subject matter covered by the objectives than students who are unaware of the instructional objectives.

Five research questions were developed and answered in consonance with the purposes of the study. Five null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance and 1 and 350 degrees of freedom.

Quasi- experimental design was adopted for the study using non equivalent control groups design involving pre-test, post-test design. The instrument used for data collection was Agricultural Science Achievement Test (ASAT) and lesson plan.

Findings from the study indicated that there was  no significant difference in the mean pretest score between the experimental and control groups. This implies that the two groups had the same initial academic abilities.

Students who had prior knowledge of specific objectives of agricultural science scored higher in post-test than those who had no prior knowledge of specific objectives.

The treatment therefore, had a positive effect on the experimental group result in an increased academic gain.

It was therefore recommended that Nigerian Educational Research and Development council (NERDC) should consider review of curriculum for agricultural science with a view to always expose students to specific objectives before agricultural science instruction.

Workshops conferences and seminars should be organized by Ministries of Education and related government agencies to enlighten agricultural science teachers and improve their knowledge on how to expose students to specific objectives before instruction.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i
Approval Page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of contents vi
Abstract xi

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 9
Purpose of the Study 11
Significance of the Study 12
Research Questions 13
Hypotheses 15
Scope of the Study 16

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 17

Conceptual Framework 17
Concepts of Behavioural Objectives 17
Historical Development of Behavioural Objectives 20
Rationale for Stating/having Behavioural Objective 24
Gender and Academic Achievement of Students 30
· Theoretical Framework 34
Cognitive Field Theory of Learning 34
Gagne’s and Problem Solving Theory of Learning 36
· Review of Related Empirical Studies 37
· Summary of Literature Review 43

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 44

Design of the Study 44
Area of the Study 45
Population for the Study 46
Sample and Sampling Techniques 47
Instrument for Data Collection 48
Validation of the Instrument 51
Reliability of the instrument 52
Method of Data Analysis 56

CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 57

Research Question 1 57
Research Question 2 58
Research Question 3 60
Research Question 4 61
Research Question 5 63
Major Findings 71
Discussion of Findings 73

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 77

Re-statement of the Problem 77
Summary of Procedure Used 79
Principal Findings 81
Implication of the Study 83
Conclusion 84
Recommendations 85
Suggestions for Further Studies 86
References 87

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Agriculture is one of the core subjects offered at the senior secondary school level in Nigeria. Agriculture, according to Ifeanyieze (2002) is an art and science of raising crops and animals as well as processing and marketing of agricultural products, for man and industrial uses.

The author went further to state that agriculture covers: Cultivation of land to produce crops, Raising animals for meat, milk and other purposes, Processing of agricultural products (plants and animal produce), Storage and Marketing of these products.

Akinsanmi (1999) opined that agriculture covers not only the cultivation of the soil and the feeding and management of crops and livestock but also the preparation of plant and animal products for use by man and the disposal of these products by marketing.

The teaching and learning of agricultural subject matter to students is termed agricultural education.

REFERENCES

Akinsanmi,  O.  (1999).     Senior secondary agricultural science. Malaysia: Pearson Education Ltd.
ALkinson, S.U and Shiften, C.J (1965). Principles of Instructional Design. New York: Holt Rinehast and Winston
Anderson, R.D. (1999). “Formulating objectives for elementary science” (Part 1). Science and Children 5(1).
Anigbakpu, O.J. (2001). The effect of prior knowledge of instructional objectives by pupils on their cognitive achievement in primary science. Unpublished M.Ed thesis. UNN.
Balogun, T.A. (2000). The role of science and technology in national development” in Adavalegbe (ed). A philosophy for Nigerian education. Ibadan: Heinamann Ed. Books.

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