CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The complexity and interaction of phenomena that take place in everyday life requires the cooperation of different disciplines. Prerequisite for this cooperation is the complementarity of the sciences in order to achieve scientific advances but also to interpret the world (Brinia & Vikas, 2014). Interdisciplinary starts at first in the level of scientific research and then it extends to the field of education (Matsagouras, 2004). Moreover, according to Kouzelis (2005), the field of both Epistemology and Teaching coincides to a large extent, as both sectors are investigating the process by which knowledge is built or formed. Interdisciplinary is becoming very popular in teaching Economic Sciences. When teaching Economics in Senior High School, teachers are often facing various challenges related on how they can make their students understand basic economic phenomena, relevant terms and their application in everyday life. In order to overcome such challenges, teachers must discover and apply new teaching methods which are compatible with the needs, the interests and the abilities of their students. Our proposing method is a combination of teaching through art, cooperative and experiential learning and project method. The proposed method is based on a research that was carried out in a senior high school and has remarkable results regarding the didactic methodology. The purpose of this paper is to present this innovative method, to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of students during this teaching process and to examine the extent to which this method can contribute to the improvement of teaching and learning.

Economics has been defined by different people in different ways. Economics is the study of ways of making choices and allocating scarce resources to satisfy human wants. It is the study of how people and societies make decisions; allocate and manage scarce resources to achieve their needs. In this view, Hall, (2013) defined Economics as the study of how individuals, firms and whole societies identify their most important needs, allocate and manage scarce resources in such a way that satisfies as many needs as possible. Since resources are scarce while human wants are insatiable, Economics deals with the study of how people utilize scarce resources in face of unlimited wants. Economics is the study of human attitudes towards satisfying their needs. Economics is concerned with human behavior such as how people earn their living and make choices between alternatives to satisfy their wants; it focuses on the study of firms and the government whose activities are geared towards the production of goods and services for the satisfaction of human want (Yusuf, 2012). Economics could then be seen as the study of human activities dealing with allocation of resources and production of goods and services for the satisfaction of human wants. It is a social science that studies how individuals, firms and governments make decisions and choices in face of unlimited wants and allocate scarce resources to their most important, pressing and preferred needs. In Nigeria, Economics is taught in senior secondary school using Economics senior secondary school curriculum. Economics curriculum has to do with all the experiences and activities provided by the teacher/school to the students in course of handling Economics subject in order to achieve the objectives of the subject (Economics). As documented by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), (2008) the guiding principle of the Economics curriculum is the need to equip graduates of senior secondary school with the basic knowledge and skills that will enable them to better appreciate the nature of economic challenges in any society and adequately prepare them for the challenges in the Nigerian economy. The objectives of Economics curriculum according to FME, (2008) include enabling students:  Understand basic economic principles and concepts as well as the tools for sound economic analysis.  Contribute intelligently to discourse on economic reforms and development as they affect or would affect the generality of Nigerians.  Understand the structure and functioning of economic institutions.  Appreciate the role of public policies on national economy. Develop the skills and also appreciate the basis for rational economic decisions. Become sensitized to participate actively in national economic advancement through entrepreneurship, capital market and so on. Understand the role and status of Nigeria and other African countries in international economic relationships.  Appreciate the challenges encountered by developing countries in their effort towards economic advancement. Economics is of great importance because it is a subject that has direct utility which prepares a student for a wide range of career options, ranging from business to government such as in industries and other professional areas like Banking, Accountancy, and Planning (Hall, 2013). Therefore, the need for economic literacy is obvious because it is a subject that has relevance to everyday life and could prepare secondary school students for an entrepreneurial career. It helps in equipping secondary school students with entrepreneurial skills to becoming useful citizens even if they do not further their education. According to Finkelstein (2011), high school graduates will be making economic choices all their lives, as breadwinners and consumers, and as citizens and voters and they will need some capacity for critical judgment, whether or not they go to college. Thus, it is of great importance that secondary school Economics curriculum is very interesting, enlightening, revealing and addresses important economic issues in the country for students to gain meaningfully from the experiences, knowledge and skills for real life activities. Whether students have gained meaningfully or not from the experiences, knowledge and skills provided through Economics curriculum can only be determined through the academic achievement of students in the subject matter.

The results/grades gotten from these achievement tests/examinations and observations could be high, average, low or poor. In spite of the importance of Economics and the government’s provision in terms of instructional materials and qualified teachers (Federal Ministry of Education, FME, 2008), students’ achievement in Economics seems not to be encouraging. For example, the West African Examination Council Chief Examiner’s Report (2008 through 2012) revealed that the achievement of students in Economics at the end of secondary education has remained poor. Ojelabi, (2009) observed that researchers’ concern has risen due to the fact that students’ achievements in the Secondary School Certificate Economics have remained poor. Regrettably, Alaka and Obadara (2013) noted that there has been persistent poor achievement of students in West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE). This poor achievement of students in Economics, a subject that aids in developing students’ critical and creative thinking is very disheartening. No wonder the seeming dysfunctional, non-creativity, non-productivity and non-employability of secondary school graduates in the country. Various factors have been adduced for this poor achievement of students in Economics such as teaching methods and gender among others (Adu & Ayeni, 2004; Ewumi, 2009; Olatoye & Adekoye, 2010; Emaikwu, 2012; Idris & Rajuddin, 2012; Ifeanyi-Uche & Ejabukwa, 2013; Jensen & Owen, 2013). Teaching methods/approaches can make or mar students’ potentialities to learn and achieve. Teaching approaches and strategies have been put forward as one of the factors affecting students’ academic achievement. For example, Emaikwu, (2012) noted that the fall in standard of performance at secondary school level is incontrovertibly attributable to pedagogical approaches adopted by teachers in schools. The selection of appropriate teaching approaches for a particular classroom situation enables the teacher and his/her students to accomplish specific goals (Kennedy, 2011). As such, Finkelstein (2011) stated that student’s achievement outcomes are of primary importance and are hypothesized to be mediated by changes in teacher’s knowledge and application of pedagogical practices in teaching-learning process. Observing the importance of teaching methods in teaching-learning process, Hussain and Ali, (2012) postulated that the content to teach is just like the body and the method is just like the soul in the body; the body without soul is of no importance, therefore teaching without the proper method of teaching has zero value. This implies that ineffective or non-students-participatory teaching methods result to little or no learning and the end product – poor or no achievement.

There is no particular teaching-learning approach that is exclusively encompassing or the most excellent. Two or more teaching-learning approaches could be used by teachers to have more meaningful learning outcomes. However, Idris and Rajuddin (2012) observed that it is a common practice in Nigeria where a teacher stands before the chalk board and delivers lesson through verbal instruction while the students serve as passive listeners and take note from the board. However, Kelly (2014) stated that this practice can be of great benefit in that students who are auditory learners find that lectures appeal to their learning style. Also, in a lecture 6 environment, instructors have a greater control over what is being taught in the classroom because they are the sole source of information (Kelly, 2014).

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Keeping in view the importance of Economics, the achievement of students in the subject seems not to be encouraging. The achievement of Economics students in WAEC has been generally poor. Accordingly, the WAEC chief examiner’s reports over four years described students’ achievement in senior secondary school Economics as average, low and poor. This poor achievement of students in Economics, a subject that aids in developing students’ critical and creative thinking is very disheartening. No wonder the seeming dysfunctional, no creativity, non-productivity and non-employability of secondary school outcomes in the country. The major cause of students’ poor achievement in Economics has been attributed to teaching approaches used in teaching the subject. Sources have revealed that the dominant use of non-participatory pedagogical approaches leading to rote learning of Economics concepts, theories and their necessary applications is one of the most important variables that leads to students’ poor achievement in Economics. On the contrary, sources have revealed that participatory/student-centered pedagogical approaches enhance academic achievement in different fields. However, because of the fast changing world due to global improvement in information. Technology and system, a remarkable change is sweeping through the school system. Thus it is the problem of this study is to investigate the best teaching method to teach economics in secondary school.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to investigate the best teaching method to teach economics in secondary school, specifically the study intends to:

1.     Find out the challenges students are faced with in studying economics

2.     Discover the most suitable teaching method that enhance student’s performance in economics