Abstract: The study aimed at investigating the influence of School Resources on Effective Teaching of Practicals in Home Economics in Junior Secondary Schools. The research design adopted was survey research design. The population of this study comprised of Eleven (11) teachers from the five (5) Public Secondary Schools in the study area. A “Questionnaire on School Resources and Effective Teaching of Practical (QSRETP) was the instrument for data collection. The data collected was analyzed using Chi-Square and the result was tested at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings showed that, availability and utilization of school resources significantly influenced effective teaching of practicals in Home Economics in Junior Secondary Schools in Uyo Local Government Area.
School Resources and Effective Teaching of Practicals in Home Economics
Base on the findings, it is recommended that, government should ensure that the needed instructional resources such as Home Economics Workshop/ equipment/facilities are provided in schools and that; teachers should make sure they utilize available instructional resources for effective teaching of practicals in Home Economics.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The importance of educational resources in the realization of the educational objective cannot be over –emphasized or our stressed. Availability of school resources enhances the effectiveness of schools as these are basic things that can bring about effective teaching. Maicibi (2003) opined that all institutions or organisation are made up of human beings (workers) and non-human resources. Consequently, every institution should strive to attract and retain the best of human resources. The implication of these opinions is that well trained teachers in Home Economics if well deployed to the junior secondary schools will bring about well-taught student who will perform academically better in Home Economics.
Moreover, Lauglo and Maclean (2005) opined that education should develop moral aesthetic, physical and practical capacities not just cognitive knowledge organised in academic disciplines. In-addition, practical subjects can have the additional justification because they allow students to learn from more active practice than what is typical in academic subjects.
Home Economics as an aspect of vocational education is a skill oriented subject and requires availability of human and material resources Arubayi (2014) opined that Home Economics as a skill oriented subject is capital intensive. Research shows that numerous factors influence the teaching and learning of practical subjects.
However, the following factors have been identified to be responsible for the poor teaching effectiveness of teachers of Home Economics from the various studies conducted in Nigeria: lack of motivation for most teachers, poor infrastructural facilities, inadequate materials, attitude of students to learning, lack of teaching skills and competence by teachers and lack of opportunities for professional development for teachers.
Darko et al, (2016 😉 Uwameiye (2016) also found the shortage of funds for equipment and materials as being one of the hindrances for fruitful practical work. It is a known fact that the need for useful living is one of the emphases of 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria, national policy on education, (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004). The implication of this is that the junior secondary school educators must in addition to general knowledge, orient the student in the study of technologies and the acquisition of practical skills, technical know-how, attitudes and understanding relating to occupations in the various sectors of economic and social life so that the product can live and contribute to the development of the society, (Uwameiye, 2016).
Home Economics happen to provide such skills and competence that will make its recipients employable in industries, self-employed and employers of labour and as such adequate school resources are essential and vital for effective teaching of practical in Home Economics in junior secondary schools.
School Resources and Effective Teaching of Practicals in Home Economics
1.2 Statement of the problem
The quality of teaching and learning has been questioned over time by parents, educators and the general public and even by the Government Teaching in Nigerian Schools has been criticized because of the poor performance of Nigerian students in science and vocational subjects especially in the practical aspect when compared to their counterparts in other countries. Home Economics as an aspect of Vocational Education are a skilled oriented subject and require the procurement of reaching/learning.
Most teachers are trained and have clear goals to guide their teaching, but adequate teaching and learning materials seem not to be available in most Home Economics practical teachings. As a result, there has been a general complain about inadequate practical training in junior secondary school level due to poor teaching effectiveness. It is in the light of the above, that the present study was carried out to examine how school resources influence the effective teaching of practical in Home Economics in Junior Secondary school in Uyo Local Government Area.
