CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Biology is a branch of science which studies life. Professionals in biology are referred to as biologists. The educational system is undoubtedly a system of production and could be viewed as a factory that requires men, money and material resources to aid production. Each factory has its peculiar environment that depicts or suggests the type of production that goes on there, (Millian, 2019). The school plant, which refers to the physical facilities available in the school such as the school site, the buildings, equipment, machinery, furniture, electrical and water supply infrastructure, could simply be likened to the capital in an industrial setting. They are very necessary to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the system. Adeolu, (2017), said a simple aesthetic exterior suggestive of the purpose for which the buildings are used could be a pride to the students and could have an impressive influence on the school community as a whole.
The National policy on education (2014) stipulates that the school environment especially the physical environment should be made conducive to facilitate the learning process, (Mark, 2020). The policy recommends that classroom should be well constructed and spacious and all types of physical facilities such as instructional materials, library, laboratory, playing ground, toilets and staff rooms should be provided for effective teaching and learning process. Lizy (2012) explained that good modern physical facilities in school could add significantly to the promotion of academic performance. The size of classrooms, play-grounds and availability of material resources relative to the number of students in a school could also affect learning.
Indeed, learning environment plays a major role in shaping the quality of academic achievement in Biology (Tella, 2010). It seems there is perceptional consistency among Biology scholars about learning environment and the student’s cognitive and effective outcome (Lizzio, 2019). It was observed that the learning is optimal when body, soul and spirit are in accord; otherwise learning will be ineffective (Frenzel, 2021)). Hence, clean, quiet and comfortable environment are important components of learning environment. Furthermore, creating of an ideal learning environment must be a top priority of every concern educator. Being comfortable should be a combination of several factors which include; temperature, lighting, and noise control (Murugan & Rajoo, 2017).
And for a learning environment to be ideal, learning components such as furniture, ventilation, and thermal comfort must be provided (Bosque & Dore, 2010). In addition, Fraser and Fisher, (2012) examined the normal learning climate. They proposed 680F to 740F as the required learning temperature. Although Lizzio, (2012) noted that optimal learning climate varies from region of a country and with seasons of the year. So, the usage of actual learning environment varies according to different type of schools and society. Nevertheless, it is indeed a well-known fact that academic achievement in Biology among science students is greatly influenced by several components of learning environment as revealed by various research works (Akinsola., Tella & Tella, 2014).
According to Cross, Baker and Stiles (2016), many interactions characterize school learning and unless adequate spaces are provided for such interactions, learning could be hampered. These types of facilities would help in providing the desired education for the students, attracting them towards the different school programmes. Deteriorating conditions have encouraged incessant complaints from students. Adeboyeje (2014), Adedeji (2011), Owoeye (2010) and Ajayi (2012) submitted positive relationships between school facilities and school effectiveness. Hallack (2019) also highlighted physical facilities as a major influencing achievement in the school system. He emphasized that the availability, relevance and adequacy of these facilities contribute to students’ achievement while unattractive school buildings, crowded classrooms, non-availability of playground and flower beds and surroundings that have no aesthetic beauty can contribute to poor performance.
Ahunanya and Ubabudu (2017) also reiterated the provision of adequate physical facilities for effective teaching and learning to take place. Adams (2014) submitted that a quiet, cool, clean and beautiful physical environment makes the teacher and students happy and enhances their performance and productivity. Wilson (2013), Okunuga (2015) and Ijaduola (2012) cautioned that with poor physical working condition, there are usually mental fatigue, truancy, frustration, discomfort, and poor health; all those consequently reduces students’ academic performance.
The school physical facilities in most secondary schools have not been in good shape. In some cases, students sit on the ground to receive lessons, also many of the classrooms, laboratories, libraries, playing grounds are in a terrible state of despair (Mutiu, 2018) and Ahmed (2019) showed that in most of the nation’s secondary schools, teaching and learning take place under a most uncomfortable environment, lacking basic materials. Physical conditions refer to those things that must be available in the working place for effective work to take place. In the context of the school system, they are those things that enable the teacher and students to be able to carry out the teaching/learning process effectively and contribute to the achievement of the school goals and objectives without fatigue and distraction (Ijaduola, 2010). As opined by Felix (2014), a good school organization must have appropriate physical conditions (aesthetic beauty, availability of instructional materials, location) necessary for effective teaching/learning. According to Subair and Awolere (2016), there should be maximum presence of physical conditions such as lighting, ventilation, good building constructions, location, instructional materials, sufficient windows, doors, vents and fans to cool the heat during hot season. All these improve work and health of both the teachers and the learners.
Though attention has been focused on the quality of teachers and non-commitment of the students to their studies due to distractions that hamper learning but very little attention has been given to the learning environment (Lucky, 2019). But the environment in which the students learn such as classrooms, libraries and information centers, technical workshops, information and communication technology facilities, multi-purpose halls and performing art spaces, laboratories, health, physical exercises and play grounds, conveniences, sanitation, maintenance culture, aesthetics among others are variables that affect students’ learning and academic performance, (Lucky, 2019).
Hence, the learning environment remains an important area that should be studied and well managed to enhance students’ academic performance. The fact that learning environment can impact on students’ academic achievement has been established by studies (Glassman 2014, Persaud and Turner 2010).The physical characteristics of schools have a variety of effects on teachers, students, and the learning process. Poor lighting, noise, high levels of carbon dioxide in classrooms, and inconsistent temperatures make teaching and learning difficult. Poor maintenance and ineffective ventilation systems lead to poor health among students as well as teachers, which lead to poor performance and higher absentee rates (Fraser 2015, Lyons 2011). These factors can adversely affect student behaviour and lead to higher levels of frustration among teachers, and poor learning attitude among students.
Denga (2020) revealed that a significant number of secondary school physical environments are not conducive for learning. He states that to achieve improved performance by the students, there should be conducive physical environment for students in the secondary schools. Unfortunately, some of the urban and rural schools lack adequate infrastructural facilities like classroom blocks as some of the students learn under shade of trees (especially the newly established ones). And where the classroom blocks exist, one discovers that most of their roofs are blown off by rain storms. Other schools have pot-holes in the greater portions of their classroom begging for repairs or renovation. Worst still, a greater percentage of the students sit and write on the bare floor for insufficient classroom seats. This situation doubtless, cannot promote students learning ability and subsequently better performance in their class work including examinations.
Beyond the direct effects that poor facilities have on students’ ability to learn, the combination of poor facilities, which create an uncomfortable and uninviting workplace for teachers, combined with frustrating behaviour by students including poor concentration and hyperactivity, lethargy, or apathy, creates a stressful set of working conditions for teachers, (Smiths, 2018). Because stress and job dissatisfaction are common pre-cursors to lowered teacher enthusiasm, it is possible that the aforementioned characteristics of school facilities have an effect upon the academic performance of students. Hence, this study intends to examine the influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos state.
Statement of the Problem
The poor academic performance of students in schools with present educational environment has recently become a case for serious concern. This ugly development has been attributed to many factors such as teachers’ poor attitude to work; poor infrastructure, examination malpractice; lack of qualified teachers; truancy; poor motivation; Non-payment of salaries and the neglect of instructional media by teachers etc. In many secondary schools are been established at various places by government, private organizations or individuals (Tella, 2020). As a result, teaching and learning takes place under different environment.
Every school has its location, facilities and also operates under different classroom condition, but all the students are expected to write the same standard examination (i.e. Senior Secondary Certificate Examination) at a completion of secondary education. It may be reasonable to expect a uniform performance from all the candidates since they were taught using the same curriculum and syllabus but in most cases some schools seem outperform others in all respect.
Frankly speaking, there must be a definite determinant that is really responsible for the constant failure or success of various schools. To find out this, it has become necessary to investigate the influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos state
Purpose of the study
The general objective of the study is to examine the influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos state. It intends to specifically;
1. Find out the significant influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology schools.
2. examine the significant impact of infrastructural facilities on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools.
3. ascertain the significant effects of classroom painting, lighting and aesthetic beauty of the school on Biology students’ attitude to school work.
Research Questions
The following research questions were formulated to guide the research.
1. What is the significant influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools?
2. What is the significant impact of infrastructural facilities on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools?
3. What is the significant effect of classroom painting, lighting and aesthetic beauty of the school on Biology students’ attitude to school work?
Hypotheses
The following hypotheses are formulated from the research questions;
1. There is no significant influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools.
2. There is no significant impact of infrastructural facilities on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools.
3. There is no significant effect of classroom painting, lighting and aesthetic beauty of the school on Biology students’ attitude to school work.
Significance of the study
It is hoped this study will be significant to the following people; government, students, teachers, parents, curriculum planner and future researcher. This study on the influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology will facilitate learning by enriching the knowledge of parents on the adverse effect of bad and unconducive school environment. It will create awareness on the importance of interaction and co-operation between parents and teachers for the successful good school environment to attend better students learning activities.
It will improve the attitude of students towards academic work through serene learning environment. It will contribute to the volume of existing literature on the influence of school environment on effective teaching and learning. It also will sharpen teachers understanding of the root causes of some academic problems in the secondary school. The insight derived from that will help to prefer better solution to the problem. It will promote the development of the spirit of hard work, self-reliance and self-control among Biology teachers and students. The result gotten from this study will challenge the ministry of education to live up to her duty by making the infrastructure available for the creation of better learning environment. This study will highlight the importance of community participation through the P.T.A. in school affairs to check deviant behaviour resulting from the school environment. Finally, it also serves as literatures for future researchers.
Scope of the Study
The study is delimitated to all senior secondary schools in Somolu local government area of Lagos state. It focuses on the influence of school environment on teaching and learning of Biology in senior secondary schools. The dependent variable of the study is teaching and learning of Biology while the independent variable is school environment.
Definition of Terms
The following terms were operational defined:
Academic Performance: This can be defined as the score a child or individual obtains in test or examination based on his or her learning experiences.
Environment: the conditions that affects the behaviour and development of somebody or something; the physical conditions that somebody or something exists in.
Influence: the effect that somebody or something has on the way a person thinks or behaves or on the way that something works or develops
Performance: how well or badly pupils of secondary schools do in their academic work.
School: school is a place where students are taught. A secondary school can therefore be called an Academic environment.
Post a Comment