7. MARCO TEÓRICO
7.6. Flexibilización Curricular
The following section describes how the identified instructional media was used in the lessons observed in the sample colleges. IM stored elsewhere was also observed as part of this comparative data. Basically, the tutors‟ approach to teaching in public and private colleges, lesson organisation and general classroom delivery procedures and methods employed were similar across the 10 colleges.
PPS college tutors in the sampled public and private colleges were observed in teaching of language, mathematics, science, social studies, music and movement activity areas. This was in response to the second objective of the study which focused on comparing the utilization of instructional media in teaching between public and private pre-primary school college tutors.
The results of these classroom observations are presented as a frequency and percentage of the 10 colleges. The IM was observed in two separate sets (public and private) and then converged. The overall mean score was presented per type of college. The following sub-sections present this information.
Unit Type of College No. of lessons Observed Media Used
Language activities Public 2 1
Private 5 1
Math activities Public 2 2
Private 4 3
Science activities Public 2 2
Private 5 1
Social studies activities Public 2 1
Private 2 1
Creative activities Public 3 4
Private 3 2
Music activities Public 2 2
Private 5 3
Table 4.8 shows the nature of observations for each of the units and a discussion of each of the units regarding utilization of IM is discussed individually below.
i) Language activities
Lessons observed were similar in all the colleges. The chalkboards were mostly the only instructional media used in teaching this unit. In each of the cases, the tutors asked questions to which the learners provided answers. As shown in Table 4.9, 5 (50.0%) colleges provided tutors with flashcards for teaching listening and speaking skills, another 5 (50.0%) provided tutors with charts while 1 college provided tutors with computer software. In reading skills, 4 (40.0%) colleges provided tutors with charts, 3 provided flashcards while 2 provided tutors with storybooks. In writing skills, 3 colleges provided tutors with charts. Results of the analysis also revealed that the most available
instructional media in all colleges was the blackboard. Noted was that tutors offered lectures that were teacher-centred and learners mostly took notes. Consequently this denied the learners an opportunity to emulate preparation and utilization of IM and application of the same in their own classes.
Table 4.10: Observed Instructional Media for Teaching of Language
Instructional media Yes No
F % F % Listening and speaking skills Flashcards 5 50.0 5 50.0 Charts 5 50.0 5 50.0 Tape recorder 0 0.0 10 100.0 Computer software (CD or DVD) 1 10.0 9 90.0 Blackboard 9 90.0 1 10.0
Reading skills Charts 4 40.0 6 60.0
Flashcards 3 30.0 7 70.0 Storybooks 2 20.0 8 80.0 Computer software (CD or DVD) 1 10.0 9 90.0 Blackboard 9 90.0 1 10.0
Writing skills Chalkboard 6 60.0 4 40.0
Charts 3 30.0 7 70.0
Computer software (CD or DVD)
0 0.0 10 100.0
Evidently, the tutors hardly used any other instructional media for teaching languages even after admitting that they had IM in the questionnaires and which was confirmed by the interviews with managers.
ii) Mathematic activities
The Mathematics units observed in the 10 colleges were dominated by the use of the chalkboards. It was realized that in private colleges SD and DS, 2 tutors
who gave lectures on number value and measurement, the lessons taught were teacher-centred and all the learners were not active besides taking notes. This was different from a lesson on “number recognition” taught in public college NW where the tutor asked the learners to provide information on their age and years of experience to enable them identify numbers from data gathered. The exercise which ran through the learning process generated some noise as students were unwilling to disclose their ages but the teacher was able to control the class and had the learning objectives addressed
.
Two similar proportions of tutors from public and private colleges had number cards (20.0%) and charts (20.0%) respectively. Results also revealed that half (50.0%) of the colleges had charts for teaching number value while 4 (40.0%) had real objects but which were unfortunately not applied in the lecture process.Table 4.11 Observed Instructional Media for Teaching Mathematic Activities
Instructional media Yes No
F % F % Number recognition Charts 2 20.0 8 80.0 Chalkboard 10 100.0 0 0.0 Number cards 2 20.0 8 80.0
Number value Read objects 4 40.0 6 60.0
Charts 5 50.0 5 50.0
Chalkboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
Measurement Real objects 4 40.0 6 60.0
Containers 4 40.0 6 60.0
Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
The lectures observed were generally similar and mostly dominated by the utilization of the chalkboards and few instructional materials. These resources were used in course of the lesson. As a teaching resource, their use was demonstrated to the learners but the learners did not experiment with them. Other fascinating resources like the pulley to teach the topic “Machines” were not observed in all the colleges apart from college DN. Their use would have enabled the learners to form concrete expressions of the topic taught, improvise their own and consequently form images of teaching methodology. This one lesson was different from those observed in all the public colleges where none was found. The resource was appropriate for the lesson as it reinforced the tutor‟s explanations as well as cleared the learners‟ minds of any doubts which showed through their failure to provide answers to questions asked by the tutor where the pulley was not used.
As indicated in Table 4.11, 6 (60.0%) colleges provided tutors with pictures used in teaching about animals, 5 (50.0%) colleges provided tutors with charts while 1(10.0%) college provided tutors with computer software. In teaching about plants, 5 (50.0%) colleges had real objects while 4 (40.0%) had pictures. It was noted that even at college PW where electronic media was provided for use in instruction none of the tutors ever used it. This suggests that there were other reasons that influenced tutors to utilize instructional media.
Table 4.12: Observed Instructional Media for Teaching Science Activities
Instructional media Yes No
F % F % Animals Models 1 10.0 9 90.0 Charts 5 50.0 5 50.0 Pictures 6 60.0 4 40.0 Videos 1 10.0 9 90.0 Computer software (CD or DVD) 1 10.0 9 90.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0 Machines Lever 1 10.0 9 90.0 Beam balance 1 10.0 9 90.0 Wedge (Pair of scissors, blade) 7 70.0 3 30.0 Pulley 0 0.0 10 100.0 Screw 1 10.0 9 90.0 Black board 10 100.0 0 0.0
Plants Real objects 5 50.0 5 50.0
Charts 1 10.0 9 90.0
Pictures 4 40.0 6 60.0
Video 1 10.0 9 90.0
Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
iv) Creative activities
A minimal use of IM was observed in the teaching of creative arts. For instance, improvised brushes, variety of containers, colour pigment, and sheets of paper. One tutor in each of colleges IM, DN and PW demonstrated how secondary colours could be obtained from primary colours. Items such as flowers, leaves and tree barks would have been brought to the classroom for reinforcement. In public college NE, the tutor taught a similar lesson on colour scheme by using a chart illustration to facilitate the teaching of the lesson. Of the 10 sampled colleges, 7 provided tutors with crayons, and strings for teaching art, 2 provided them with brushes while 1 college provided tutors with drawing papers. In teaching craft, 6 colleges provided tutors with papers, 4
provided them with strings while 2 provided them with timber. It was noted from the classroom observation that 4 of the tutors used realia during instruction yet more than 6 out of the 10 sampled colleges provided variety of them for use in teacher training. Table 4.12 illustrates the foregoing details.
Table 4.13: Observed Instructional Media for Teaching Creative Activities
Instructional media Yes No
F % F %
Art Drawing papers 1 10.0 9 90.0
Crayons 7 70.0 3 30.0 Brushes 4 40.0 6 60.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0 Diorama 1 10.0 0 0.0 Craft Saw 1 10.0 9 90.0 Timber 2 20.0 8 80.0 Strings 4 40.0 6 60.0 Glue 0 0.0 10 100.0 Papers 6 60.0 4 40.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
v)
Social studies activitiesLessons in Social Studies were observed in all the 10 selected colleges. It was realized that in all college tutors used the chalkboards as the predominant teaching and learning IM in the lessons observed.
Through observation, the researcher noted that 5 (50.0%) Colleges provided tutors with pictures for teaching about the family while another 3 (30.0%) provided them with charts. None of the colleges except one provided tutors with electronic media. In teaching about environment, 4 (40.0%) colleges provided tutors with pictures while 5 (50.0%) provided them with real objects.
About the nation, 6 colleges provided tutors with maps. In addition, results in Table 4.13 revealed that all colleges had blackboards. The latter were put to use by all colleges. The tutors in college NE and NW reported that the chalkboard was the most popular for instruction. This is because it provided a central medium for all learners due to its availability and ease of access. The researcher also gathered that though certain instructional media was provided by the administration it was at times quite difficult to access them owing to unavailability of the officer in charge since they also worked in other institutions at the same time.
Table 4.14: Observed Instructional Media for Teaching Social Studies Activities
Instructional media Yes No
F % F % Family Pictures 5 50.0 5 50.0 Charts 3 30.0 7 70.0 Video 0 0.0 10 100.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0 Environment Pictures 4 40.0 6 60.0 Models 0 0.0 10 100.0 Real objects 5 50.0 5 50.0 Video 0 0.0 10 100.0 Black board 10 100.0 0 0.0
Our nation Pictures 2 20.0 8 80.0
Models 0 0.0 10 100.0
Video 0 0.0 10 100.0
Maps 6 60.0 4 40.0
Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
vi) Music and movement activities
Lessons observed for music and movement activities generally utilized the chalkboard. As shown in Table 4.14, other available instructional media for teaching about songs and listening to music instruments in most colleges were
music instruments (60.0%) and drums (80.0%) respectively. Despite lots of realia for music and movement like drums, sticks, computer and charts, 86 out of the 90 sampled tutors never used them for instruction. It was worth noting that the two public colleges had a wealth of these materials especially those prepared by trainees as assignments. The best of these were picked for display and future use but these were rarely utilized for instruction. On security of these materials, the tutors cited the challenge of poor or inaccessible storage as a hindrance to utilization of instructional media. This was confirmed by the managers‟ and programme officers‟ interview who agreed that the storage facilities were inadequate while others were kept locked by the school heads when the schools closed.
Table 4.15: Observed Instructional Media for Teaching Music and Movement Activities
Instructional media Yes No
F % f % Songs Charts 3 30.0 7 70.0 Video 0 0.0 10 100.0 Computer software (CD or DVD) 1 10.0 9 90.0 Musical instruments 6 60.0 4 40.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0 Listening to music instruments Containers 3 30.0 7 70.0 Sticks 5 50.0 5 50.0 Jingles 1 10.0 9 90.0 Rattles 1 10.0 9 90.0 Bottles 2 20.0 8 80.0 Drums 8 80.0 2 20.0 Gong 0 0.0 10 100.0 Blackboard 10 100.0 0 0.0
To understand how the tutors utilized the media in teaching, overall mean scores were calculated. Results in Table 4.15 show that the overall mean score in the utilization of instructional media for tutors in public colleges was 1.325
with standard deviation of 1.003, while that of tutors in private colleges was 1.562 with a standard deviation of 1.00.
Table 4.16 Overall Mean Scores in the Utilization of Instructional Media
College Type
No. Of Tutors
Min. Max. Mean Std. Deviation
Public 40 1 3 1.325 1.003
Private 50 1 3 1.562 1.00
The result implies that private college tutors utilized instructional media more with a mean score of 1.562 than those in public colleges who scored 1.325. The programme officers and managers of the colleges confirmed that all classrooms were fitted with a board and that every tutor utilized them effectively. This was also clearly noted during the lesson observation. Lesson observations indicated that although there was variety of IM as indicated by the tutors in the questionnaire most tutors were not keen on utilizing them. In fact, it was noted from the managers‟ interview that even when colleges provided some instructional media, the tutors were reluctant to use them. A good example was the containers and ropes in college DN, NW,SD,DS and IM that would have been used during maths, science, music and creative activities,
The findings of this study are consistent with that reported by Begi (2007) who found that private pre-primary and lower primary school teachers were using computers more than public pre-primary and lower primary school teachers. In a study on pre-primary school teachers‟ use of culturally relevant instructional materials, Waigera (2013) also found that private pre-primary school teachers
used instructional materials more than public pre-primary school teachers. The percentage was 61.1% compared to 51.7%.
Similarly Jimo (2009) investigated the use of instructional media in the teaching of Social studies in schools in Kabba Bunu local Government area of Kogi State, Nigeria. Results indicated minimal use of I.M.in the teaching of social studies. Most teachers depended on text books and chalkboards as instructional materials with other relevant I.M e.g. maps, charts, TVs and pictures sparingly used. The research also noted other problems associated with the use of instructional media including reluctance of teachers to improvise, lack of resource rooms for storage of instructional media limited time allocation to social studies in the school time table and lack of skills on the part of the teachers.
In an evaluation on the use of instructional media in the teaching of social studies in primary schools in Botswana, Jotia and Matlale (2011) found that teachers‟ utilization of instructional media was very inadequate and this invariably had impact on pupils‟ performance in their primary school final examination. Similarly, Abdo and Semela (2010) reported low use of instructional media in primary schools of Gedeo Zone of Southern Ethiopia. In Malawi, Kadzera (2006) noted infrequency of use of higher order instructional technologies like overhead projectors, videos and computers in teacher training colleges. The author identified lack of creative thinking and initiative in their
teaching. Dahar and Faize (2011) noted that there was great deficiency in the use of instructional media in schools in Punjab district of Pakistan.
To test whether the difference in use of instructional media between public and private college tutors was significant, the following null hypothesis was generated and tested.
H01: There is no significant difference in the utilization of instructional
media between private and public pre-primary school college tutors. To test this hypothesis, t-test was used to determine whether tutors in public and private colleges differed significantly in the utilization of instructional media. Table 4.16 shows that the difference between the mean scores for public and private college tutors utilization of instructional media was 0.237 with 0.021 level of significance (2 - tailed).
Table 4.17: T-test Statistics for Comparison of Utilization of Instructional Media between Private and Public Pre-Primary School College Tutors T Df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference Std. Error Difference Equal variances assumed 2.350 88 .021* 0.237 2.362
Equal variances not assumed
2.118 15.188 .051 0.236 2.621
*Significant at p<0.05 level
The results imply that there was a significant difference in the utilization of instructional media between public and private college tutors at p<0.05 level of significance. The null hypothesis was therefore rejected and its alternate form
accepted, that: There is a difference in the utilization of instructional media between private and public pre-primary school college tutors.
These results concur with those of Butt and Kausar (2010) in a comparative study of using differentiated instructions of public and private school teachers in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. In a population of 180 respondents using questionnaires and observation checklists like the current study, the results indicated that teachers from private schools differentiated their instructions than those from public colleges. This concept of differentiation was used to refer to utilization of variety of teaching methods and instructional media to cater for individual differences in a given classroom. The study found that teachers from public schools were aware of the benefits of differentiation in instruction but due to overcrowded classes, lack of teacher training, lengthy syllabus and lack of motivation they did not give them preference. Hence the mean scores for private school teachers were 11.50 while the public school teachers scored 7.70. The p value was less than 0.05. Overall, comparison showed that private school teachers differentiated their instructions more than those of public school teachers. Results therefore indicated that the difference in the teaching practices between the public and private school teachers was highly significant.
Similar results were reported by Afolabi (2010) in a comparative study of public and private schools products performance in Mathematics and English language from educational technology perspective. 50 respondents were drawn
from private school students where instructional media were used and 50 from public schools. T-test analysis on the math and English grades at 0.05 level of significance were 19.24 (private) and 10.54 (public) for English and 17.52 (private) and 10.54 (public) for Math. Results revealed that there is a significant difference in the scores of pupils from private schools where instructional media were used and those of public schools where instructional media were not utilized.
In the current study, the tutors in private colleges utilized instructional media more than the tutors from public colleges because of several reasons. As already noted some of these private colleges are owned by well-to-do proprietors. They are financially able to provide the instructional media or enforce their use by motivating the tutors who use them.
4.5 Factors found to Influence the Utilization of Instructional Media