Lecturers’ Perspectives on Difficult Biology Education Courses in Nigerian Colleges of Education

Edidiong Emmanuel AKPAN

doi:10.58421/gehu.v4i4.481

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58421/gehu.v4i4.481

Authors

Edidiong Emmanuel AKPAN University of Ibadan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2045-9519

Keywords:

Lecturer opinion, difficult concepts, biology education Curriculum, Science Education

Abstract

The study examines lecturers’ perceptions of challenging courses in the Biology Education curriculum at colleges of Education in Southwest Nigeria. Using a descriptive survey method with 25 lecturers, data were collected through a validated questionnaire (r = 0.74). The results show that more female lecturers (57%) are compared to their male counterparts (43%). The findings also revealed that 14 lecturers held M.Ed./MSc (Ed), 6 had Ph.D., while 3 possessed B.Ed/BSc (Ed). The data further indicated that lecturers with 1 to 3 years and 4 to 6 years of experience were more numerous. The study identified 14 courses in the NCE Biology Education curriculum that lecturers found difficult. Courses such as Viruses, Bacteria, and Lower Plants (79.2%), Diversity of Chordates (78.2%), and Genetics (69.1%) were perceived as the most challenging. The research concludes that lecturers at the College of Education consider some courses they teach from NCE 1 to 3 as difficult. Recommendations include increased use of demonstrations to facilitate understanding of abstract concepts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

D. Lombardi et al., “The Curious Construct of Active Learning,” Psychological Science in the Public Interest, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 8–43, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1177/1529100620973974.

S. H. J. Putra, “Effect of Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS) Learning Model on Students’ Motivation and Learning Outcomes in Biology,” Tarbawi : Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 145–153, Dec. 2021, doi: 10.32939/tarbawi.v17i2.1063.

C. Weng, S. Otanga, S. M. Christianto, and R. J.-C. Chu, “Enhancing Students’ Biology Learning by Using Augmented Reality as a Learning Supplement,” Journal of Educational Computing Research, vol. 58, no. 4, pp. 747–770, Jul. 2020, doi: 10.1177/0735633119884213.

A. M. Olagunju and E. E. Akpan, “Teachers’ Attitude and Skills As Correlates of Students’ Achievement in Biology in Akwa Ibom State,” Nigerian Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 138–151, Jun. 2019.

E. E. Akpan, “Teachers’ Content Knowledge and Skills as Correlates of Students’ Attitude to Biology in Akwa Ibom State,” East African Scholars Journal of Education, Humanities and Literature, vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 127–132, May 2022, doi: 10.36349/easjehl.2022.v05i05.001.

E. O. Kingdom and J. Maekae, “The role of education in national development: Nigerian experience,” Eur Sci J, vol. 9, no. 28, pp. 312–320, 2013.

N. Omilani, E. Akpan, and J. Bello, “Changes in the Science Curriculum at the Basic Level and its Implication for Post Basic Education,” in Emerging Perspectives on Universal Basic Education, 1st ed., Ibadan: His Lineage Publishing House, 2022, pp. 43–56.

D. A. McFarlane, “Understanding the Challenges of Science Education in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century: New Opportunities for Scientific Literacy,” International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, vol. 4, pp. 35–44, Sep. 2013, doi: 10.18052/www.scipress.com/ILSHS.4.35.

Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria Certificate in Education Minimum Standard for Sciences. Abuja: Tetfund Project, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), 2012.

A. Fauzi and A. Fariantika, “Courses perceived difficult by undergraduate students majoring in biology,” Biosfer, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 78–89, Nov. 2018, doi: 10.21009/biosferjpb.v11n2.78-89.

M. Cornejo and R. Estacio, “Challenging Topics in the Senior High School Core Curriculum Subject (Earth and Life Science) as Perceived by First Year College Students,” World Wide Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, vol. 7, pp. 40–46, Nov. 2021, doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/ZJA9Q.

A. Fauzi and M. Mitalistiani, “High School Biology Topics That Perceived Difficulty by Undergraduate Students,” DIDAKTIKA BIOLOGI: Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Biologi, vol. 2, no. 2, p. 73, Sep. 2018, doi: 10.32502/dikbio.v2i2.1242.

A. H. Johnstone and N. A. Mahmoud, “Isolating topics of high perceived difficulty school biology,” J Biol Educ, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 163–166, Jun. 1980, doi: 10.1080/00219266.1980.10668983.

H. Usman, I. D. Kure, and H. Usman, “Analysis of Topics Perceived Difficult by Pre-service Mathematics Teachers and Lecturers in Colleges of Education in Niger State, Nigeria,” KIU Journal of Education, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 39–47, May 2024, doi: 10.59568/KJED-2024-4-1-04.

C. Ní Shé, C. Mac an Bhaird, E. Ní Fhloinn, and A. O’Shea, “Problematic topics in first-year mathematics: lecturer and student views,” Int J Math Educ Sci Technol, vol. 48, no. 5, pp. 715–734, Jul. 2017, doi: 10.1080/0020739X.2016.1272142.

W. N. Wan Mohamed Salleh, C. N. Che Ahmad, and E. Setyaningsih, “Difficult topics in Biology from the view point of students and teachers based on KBSM implementation,” EDUCATUM Journal Of Science, Mathematics And Technology, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 49–56, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.37134/ejsmt.vol8.1.6.2021.

A. Isma’il and S. S. Matazu, “Identification of Perceived Difficult Topics in Senior Secondary School Biology Curriculum in Zamfara State,” Global Academic Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, vol. 6, no. 01, pp. 22–30, Feb. 2024, doi: 10.36348/gajhss.2024.v06i01.004.

I. Anidu and M. Onah, ‘Perceived difficult topics in senior secondary school biology curriculum among undergraduate in Abia State. 2024. doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22974.91200.

O. M. Edeh and N. Martha, “Difficult Biology topics as perceived by secondary school students in Nkanu East L.G.A. of Enugu State,” IJORP, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 1–10, 2020.

N. G. Ezechi, “Difficult topics in secondary school biology curriculum as perceived by secondary school students in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State,” Int J Eng Sci Res, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 53–63, 2019.

O. L. Aniaku and A. L. Nwankwo, “Students Perceived Difficult Topics in Secondary School Biology Curriculum: Causes and Solutions,” Int. J. Stud. Educ, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 145–153, 2024.

S. T. Kojigili and S. I. Mohammed, “Senior Secondary School Teachers’ Perception of difficult Topics in Biology Curriculum in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria,” Adamawa State University Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 144–153, 2016.

M. Moses, “Biology Topics Perceived as Difficult by High School Pupils of Kasama and Mungwi District of Zambia,” University of Zambia, Lusaka, 2013.

C. Byukusenge, F. Nsanganwimana, and A. Paulo Tarmo, “Difficult topics in the revised biology curriculum for advanced level secondary schools in Rwanda: teachers’ perceptions of causes and remedies,” J Biol Educ, vol. 57, no. 5, pp. 1112–1128, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1080/00219266.2021.2012225.

T. M. Frederick-Jonah and T. Tobi, “Areas and Causes of Students Difficulties in Learning the Concept of Cell in Secondary School Biology Curriculum,” Int. J. Adv. Acad. Res, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 16–27.

H. Haruna, “Perception of Difficult Concepts in Biology Among Senior Secondary School Students in Kano State,” Al-Hikmah Journal of Education, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 263–268, 2021.

A. Rabiu Ali, M. Toriman, and M. Gasim, “Academic Achievement in Biology with Suggested Solutions in Selected Secondary Schools in Kano State, Nigeria,” International Journal of Education and Research, vol. 2, Dec. 2014.

L. Rutten, D. Butville, and B. Dvir, “Leaning Into Difficult Topics: Inquiry Communities as Teacher Professional Learning for Turbulent Times,” J Teach Educ, vol. 75, no. 3, pp. 292–304, May 2024, doi: 10.1177/00224871241231543.

M. Sözbilir, “What Makes Physical Chemistry Difficult? Perceptions of Turkish Chemistry Undergraduates and Lecturers,” J Chem Educ, vol. 81, no. 4, p. 573, Apr. 2004, doi: 10.1021/ed081p573.