CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
National Policy on Education (2004) sees education as a government way of actualizing

national goals, thus no society can grow above it level of education; the quality of education a

nation or society provides its citizens reflects the kind of development and growth of such nation.

Education is said to be the only thing that can change anything (Mandela, 1991), not just

education but a viable education which is rich, complete and holistic. It is important to also state

that, attaining or providing quality education for citizens in any country is not an easy task as

education is capital intensive and requires input of various stakeholders if quality education is to

be truly achieved.

Education is equally seen as a vehicle that drives a nation to development and

advancement if well used, meets the global standard and equally addresses the peculiar

challenges of the nation concern. However, Chinua Achebe dictum has it that, “if true assertion

is what we go by nothing on earth is problem free”. This simply means that, nothing is free of

problem. Thus, education is not without certain problems or hurdles. Education can be formal or

informal but for national growth, development and advancement, formal education comes to play

and it is the responsibility of the government of any nation to ensure that education gets the

needed priority and attention by showing the will, providing the necessary legislation, ensuring

the adequate environment and absorbing the professional teachers as facilitators of knowledge in

the four walls of the classroom within an ideal school setting.

According to Aboho (2010) education is the aggregate of all the process by which a child

or young adults develops his ability, attitudes and other forms of behaviour which are of positive

value to the society in which he lives. This means that, education in the author views is
socialization where a young adult or child acquires the acceptable behaviour, ability and attitudes

of his or her society. Education is more than acquisition of acceptable values, attitudes and

patterns of behaviour it also entails the development of individual in the three level of taxonomy

so as to equip such individual to be able to solve his personal, societal, national and even

international problems of mankind. If education is as much important as explained then how do

we transmit the education to the students or learners, the answers may seem simple but the

process is task demanding and not easy. The place where the business of education takes place is

in the school, thus, acquisition and transmission of education is done in schools, and operations

of school activities are guided by curriculum which determine what ought to be taught and what

time it should be taught.

Curriculum is a document, a blueprint containing learning experience, facts, information,

among others which is to be transmitted to the learners by a teacher in a classroom setting. We

may want to ask the question who then is a teacher? Oyetunde (2006) defines a teacher as a

facilitator of knowledge and a guide who help students discover knowledge. A teacher is

someone who facilitates the process of learning in the class; he is sometimes refers to as a guide,

a keeper and a giver of knowledge within the four walls of the classroom. However, the roles of

teachers over the years has been changing from one who decides what learners are to learn to one

who guides learners on what to learn considering their interest and aptitude. Every discipline

requires effective teaching and learning process for the learners’ to be able to grasp the intended

learning objectives and for holistic development as well.

Teachers of social studies have arrays of methods available for teaching the

students however, most teachers’ uses conventional teaching methods of discussion and

demonstration which is not enough for building the needed knowledge in students’ to be able to
stand the challenges and demand of present day society. Social studies as a discipline emphasize

the process of learning to become a good citizen. Social studies education is a value laden course

as well as anthropocentric course of study which relate obligation and duties to the state by

educating the youths. Social studies also incorporated many of the contemporary issue of local

and global concern such as youth’s employment, youth’s restiveness among others. At Mombassa

conference, Kenya where the Africa social studies programme (ASSP) was adopted in 1968.

Social studies education was designed for the purpose of addressing issues that include

democracy, human right, good governance, environment and development, population as well as

attitude, values, skills and beliefs related to achieving these and other challenges for effective

living in the society. This means that, social studies is aimed at building patriotic citizens and

doing so emphasis must be laid on affective learning domain. Sadly enough, most instructors in

our schools today in the course of teaching give priority to cognitive development to the

detriment of affective and psychomotor domain. Efforts have been made to breach this gap by

trying to balance the development and measurement of these 3 categories of learning enunciated

by Benjamin Blooms like introduction of entrepreneurship studies in schools among others.

This has not been able to brought about much difference. the outcry of moral decadence

in students is alarming and really disturbing to concerned stakeholders. If the societal moral

standard is degrading even amongst social studies students who ought to be ambassadors of good

character then, there is serious problem that needs to be addressed as regard morality. Hence,

inquiry teaching method can be encouraged and this can be use in building as well as developing

the affective taxonomy of the learners. When students are admitted into schools they undergo

curriculum and at the end such students who scale through the assessment and final evaluation

are awarded and certified to be found worthy in learning and character.

 This means that, any students who have a questionable character is not suppose to be

certified even if he/she is brilliant, unfortunately what we see now is a different twist where

certificates are awarded without character and this is becoming the trend which needs to be

curtailed. It may not be wrong to state that, the neglect of affective domain is the reason for poor

attitude and behaviour amongst social studies graduate and other students in the society. It is

evident through literature that, students academic achievement largely depends on different factors such

as teacher competency, teaching method, learning environment, teaching resources, to mention but a few.

The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary (2012) defines achievement as how well or badly an

individual do something or carryout a given task. Relating to this study, academic achievement

could mean the extent to which a student attains the acceptable standard in a given academic

endeavor or task. A student’s academic achievement could be above average or below average

depending on certain factors and prevailing conditions the student finds himself. This means that

student’s achievement in school can be influence by different variables and such influence may

either be positive or negative, the school environment, the teaching method, the qualities of the

teachers, personality and attitude of such student towards learning, and peers among many others

are all part of the factors that influences students academic achievement in one way or the other.

This suggests that, there is need to find a way of improving students’ performance and

attitude in social studies in University of Jos. Since teachers uses conventional method of

teaching and often neglect affective domain which is suppose to take care of the character

development there should be a way of striking balance to have affecting domain developed and

equally use a good teaching method that will help improve the academic achievement of the

students and their understanding. The way students learn in developed societies now are guided

inquiry method which if adopted with focus and consideration of affective domain students
performance will likely improve alongside their character perhaps we may get the best out of

these students.

Pratt and Hackett, (1998) defined inquiry as an approach to teaching, the acts scientists

use in doing science and it can be a highly effective teaching method that helps students to

understand concepts and use of process skills (Yagger and Akcay, 2010). Inquiry teaching

method is also a term used in science teaching that refers to a way of questioning, seeking

knowledge, information or finding out about phenomena, it involves investigating data and

arriving at a conclusion (Sola and Ojo, 2007). This means that, with inquiry method students can

seek knowledge and know better since experience is the best teacher and whatever knowledge

we discover ourselves remain in our mind for donkey years. In inquiry situation, students learn

not only concept but also self-direction, responsibility and social communication. It also permits

students to assimilate and accommodate information. It is the way people learn when they are

left alone.

Cheval and Hart (2005), classify inquiry teaching method into three (3) classes, namely:

structured inquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry. All these types of inquiry can be useful to

students to learn science when taught appropriately. Structured inquiry is the most teacher-

centered of the three types of inquiry. Thus, for education a combination of open and guided

inquiry method can be used to achieve students’ improvement of academic performance and

attitude development in social studies as the study is concern.

It is also worrisome that many students who would have excelled in their education

pursuit and do well in their academic achievement in social studies due to it cherished values,

and emphasis on the three taxonomy of learning in particular to affective domain. Social studies

students ought to be at the helm of affairs in their polity as regards to the quality and cherished
values inculcated into the learners to make them prepared for the dynamic nature of their

environment and world at large. Thus, there is need to investigate the effect of using inquiry

method on academic achievement of social studies 300m level students affective domain in

University of Jos Nigeria.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Students are the centre and focus in any ideal school arrangement because, the evaluation

and measurement as well as certification is often conducted on students after passing through

laid down conditions and requirements. All things been equal, the academic performance of

social studies students is suppose to be impressive and progressive year after year, and inquiry

method of teaching is key to achieving social studies objectives of character, skills, knowledge

and attitude development (VASK) hence, inquiry method is suppose to be most utilized method

of teaching social studies to build self knowledge discovery amongst the students since

knowledge learnt from experience tend to stick long in the memory. However, social studies as a

discipline is concerned with developing patriotic citizens and also take into cognizance Benjamin

blooms taxonomy with special consideration on affective domain which deals with attitude

development. This is obvious and justifiable because a student is often issued certificate stating

that, he/she is found worthy in learning and character and that tells us the relevance of affective

learning domain.

On the contrary what is obtainable in most Nigeria schools and educational system today

is far from the ideal, the method of teaching prevalent is lecture method and this may be

conditioned by overcrowded classes among other factors. Most instructors do not use nor

encourage inquiry method which is key to everlasting learner, another disturbing and worrying

matter is the near total relegation and negligence of affective learning domain which is suppose
to justify the phrase in the certificate issued by Nigeria schools that, a learner is “found worthy in

learning and character”. Reverse is the case because, the character is not developed nor given

any attention in most Nigeria school today rather the emphasis are laid on cognitive development

to the detriment of affective domain and this is evidence on the level of moral decadence in our

present day community where graduate and even social studies graduate are involved in different

kinds of immoralities. To justify this issue of moral decadence, a graduate from social studies in

University of Jos in the year 2016 was involved in armed gang robbery that attacked and carted

away Toyota jeep of a footballers (Onazi) father in Jos the capital of Plateau State which can be

access via https//allafrica.com»stories.

Another bothering aspect is the declining academic achievement and standard of students

in social studies. Over the years educational standard in Nigeria is said to be falling gradually

and concerned stakeholders have been raising alarm as the cause of this falling standard has been

attributed to various reasons. Below is a table showing summary of 300 level social studies

students’ academic achievement for three academic sessions between 2014 to 2016.

Fig1: SUMMARY OF 300 LEVEL SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS ARCHIEVEMENT IN

UNIVERISTY OF JOS BETWEEN 2014 TO 2016

S/No. Session Achievement/Category No. of students Percentage (%)

1. 2014/2015 Pass without issue 25 50

Pass with issue 25 50
Withdraw/differ 0 0
Total 50 100
2. 2015/2016 Pass without issue 24 40.7
Pass with issue 33 55.9
Withdraw/differ 2 3.4
Total 59 100
1. 2016/2017 Pass without issue 24 39.3
Pass with issue 36 59.1
Withdraw/differ 1 1.6
Total 61 100
Source of data; Dept. Exam officer 2019
 Fig 1 above depicts declining academic achievement of 300 level social studies students

in University of Jos over the years, for the session 2014/2015 the statistic revealed that, 50% of

the students’ pass the class to the next level successfully without any carry over while the

subsequent year it showed that, only 40% were able to scale through 300 level without any issue

and for the following session 2016/2017 only 39.3% were also able to scale through without

problem. This tells us that, the academic achievement of these students is declining as revealed

and requires decisive intervention and action to stem this ugly trend.

The school management and department in particular on their part have made some

efforts to change the ugly trend such as ensuring that only qualified students are admitted,

training and retraining of lecturers at the department, making provisions of teaching resources

among others. All these have not yielded desired result from the table above as the academic

achievement keeps declining. The implication of declining academic achievement and non

development of affective domain is the continuous degrading of morality which keeps tearing

apart the cherished values of the society and production of graduate without value who may not

be able to contribute any quota to the development of the country. It is in the researcher opinion

that, if we continue these way the quality of Nigeria education and the once cherished morality

may cease to exist in our youths and students’. However, such situation can still be salvage if

inquiry method of teaching will be truly embraced and affective domain of learning will also be

accorded top priority.

Although, many researchers have carried out various studies as regards inquiry method,

teaching methods and academic performance of students in social studies but to the best of the

researcher knowledge no study has been able to juxtapose inquiry method of teaching as it

relates to affective domain and academic achievement of social studies students and this is the
gap identified by the researcher for this study. Thus, to what extent does inquiry method affects

academic achievement of social studies 300 level students’ affective domain in university of Jos?

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this study is to find out the effects of inquiry method on academic

achievement of 300 level social studies students affective domain in university of Jos

Specifically the objectives of this study are to:

1. Find out the effects of inquiry method on academic achievement of 300 level social

studies students in University of Jos

2. Examine the effects of inquiry method on affective objective of 300 level social

studies students in University of Jos

3. Find out the relationship between inquiry method of teaching social studies and

students academic achievement

4. Find out the difference between conventional method of teaching (lecture) and

inquiry method

5. Ascertain the relationship between affective domain and students academic

achievement

6. Suggest ways of using inquiry method to improve the academic achievement of social

studies students in university of Jos

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The research questions which this study set out to provide answers to are as follows

1. What effects does inquiry method of teaching have on academic achievement of 300

level social studies students in University of Jos?

 2. What are the effects of inquiry method of teaching on affective objectives of 300

level social studies students in University of Jos?

3. Is there a relationship between inquiry method of teaching social studies and students

academic performance in University of Jos?

4. To what extent is there difference between conventional method of teaching and

inquiry method in University of Jos?

5. What is the relationship between affective domain and student’s academic

performance in university of Jos?

6. What are the ways inquiry methods can be use to improve the academic achievement

of social studies students in University of Jos?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

From the research questions raised, the following hypotheses are stated and shall be tested at

0.05 level of significance;

1. Inquiry method of teaching will not have significant effects on students academic

achievement of 300 level social studies students

2. There will be no significant difference between the mean score of control group and

experimental group after intervention

3. There will be no significant differences in students achievement using inquiry method

or conventional method

1.6 JUSTIFICATION/SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

By the time this study is successfully completed, it is intended to create awareness to the

teachers and the society at large. The findings of this study would be of immense benefit to

different stakeholders such as; government and policy makers, students, society, parents,
teachers, educational institution, social studies professionals, and future researchers among

others.

To the teachers who are the master of activities in any ideal classroom, they are also the

managers in any classroom business, this study after completion will reveal to them, the effects

inquiry method will have on students academic achievement, it will further make them aware of

the benefits of utilizing inquiry method of teaching which will be students oriented and make

students learn better. This way the teachers will be able to change their teaching strategies for the

better and improve their teaching learning process in the class. This study will be accessed by

teachers when concluded and published as intended by the researcher

To the students, and future researcher who will be conducting a study in similar

dimension, this study will give them insight on effect inquiry method have on students

achievement and their affective objectives accordingly. The researcher intends to socially drive

the study by uploading the study online for user consumption and consultation if successfully

concluded.

To the parents and guardians, the outcome of this study will be of reasonable benefit to

them by exposing them to the impacts and importance of inquiry method of learning, which deals

with learning by doing and self knowledge discovery this way, the parent or guardians as the

case maybe will provide their unconditional support and encouragement to all activities that will

make their wards succeed in the activity of inquiry at home and school accordingly.

The outcome of this study will also benefits the school authority and society by making

them aware and acquaint them with the relevance of inquiry system of learning which should be

encouraged in the teaching learning process of students at all level of education. This way the
society will not hold back their support in any way to students’ inquiry activity and students will

enjoy worm support of the society and school management at large.

Again the study will be of immense benefit to social studies professional by exposing the

worth and quality of knowledge as well as the strength which inquiry method of teaching have

on affective objective of students and their academic achievement, this way, they will be able to

advocate for the continues and consistent use of inquiry method of teaching in social studies

class and other discipline as well

Finally to policy makers and legislation body, the outcome of this study will make them

aware of the importance of letting students discover knowledge through self discovery and this

way the knowledge discovered remains more relevant, meaningful and memorable thus, the

policy makers will be able to constitute, structure and tailor policies as well as legislation that

will encourage and support a strong use of inquiry system of teaching across board in the nations

educational realm for effective and efficate teaching and learning process

1.7 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Bruners’ constructive theory of learning (1960)

This research work will be anchored on Bruner’s constructive theory of learning (1960).

This theory was propounded by Bruner’s in the year 1960 and it is called constructive theory of

learning, the theory assumes that, the process of learning is an active activity in which learners

construct new ideas, concepts, or knowledge base on their previous or incumbent experience.

The author believes that, learning becomes meaningful and impactful if learners construct their

own understanding from learning materials and task rather than passively absorb or copy the

understanding of others. Bruner further maintained that, teachers are expected to help students

construct knowledge rather than to produce a series of facts, they should ensure the information

is in a format that students can comprehend. By asking students question, a teacher can gain
insight regarding what the students already know and where their misconceptions lies so that

needed assistance can be offered to them.

The theory again state that, while learning reality must be represented in multiple ways,

authentic task must be emphasized in meaningful contexts; real world settings must be provided

and thoughtful reflection on experience must be encourage. This knowledge evolves from the

learners previous experience combined with active engagement in new activities. Collaborative

learning is another important feature of constructive learning. Learning is seen as a social

activity; learners interact with other human beings such as their teachers, peers, family as well as

acquaintances during the learning process. Such interaction enable the learners have mixed and

divergent views of ideas, and topic. Again students are more interested to learn when they

interact or when in charge.

A major theme in the theoretical framework of Bruner is that learning is an active process in

which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The

learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying

on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e., schema, mental models) provides

meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to “go beyond the

information given”. As far as instruction is concerned, the instructor should try and encourage

students to discover principles by themselves. The instructor and student should engage in an

active dialog (i.e., socratic learning). The task of the instructor is to translate information to be

learned into a format appropriate to the learner’s current state of understanding. Curriculum

should be organized in a spiral manner so that the student continually builds upon what they have

already learned.
 Bruner (1966) states that a theory of instruction should address four major aspects: (1)

predisposition towards learning, (2) the ways in which a body of knowledge can be structured so

that it can be most readily grasped by the learner, (3) the most effective sequences in which to

present material, and (4) the nature and pacing of rewards and punishments. Good methods for

structuring knowledge should result in simplifying, generating new propositions, and increasing

the manipulation of information. In his more recent work, Bruner (1986, 1990, 1996) has

expanded his theoretical framework to encompass the social and cultural aspects of learning as

well as the practice of law.

Bruner’s constructivist theory is a general framework for instruction based upon the study

of cognition. Much of the theory is linked to child development research (especially Piaget). The

ideas outlined in Bruner (1960) originated from a conference focused on science and math

learning. Bruner illustrated his theory in the context of mathematics and social science programs

for young children (see Bruner, 1973). The original development of the framework for reasoning

processes is described in Bruner, Goodnow & Austin (1951). Bruner (1983) focuses on language

learning in young children. Note that Constructivism is a very broad conceptual framework in

philosophy and science and Bruner’s theory represents one particular perspective.

“The concept of prime numbers appears to be more readily grasped when the child,

through construction, discovers that certain handfuls of beans cannot be laid out in completed

rows and columns. Such quantities have either to be laid out in a single file or in an incomplete

row-column design in which there is always one extra or one too few to fill the pattern. These

patterns, the child learns, happen to be called prime. It is easy for the child to go from this step to

the recognition that a multiple table, so called, is a record sheet of quantities in completed
multiple rows and columns. Here is factoring, multiplication and primes in a construction that

can be visualized.”

In application of this theory, Instruction must be concerned with the experiences and

contexts that make the student willing and able to learn (readiness). Instruction must be

structured so that it can be easily grasped by the student (spiral organization). Instruction should

be designed to facilitate extrapolation and or fill in the gaps (going beyond the information

given). This theory is relevant to this present study because, it focus on self learning and

discovery which is the focus of the study. The study in concern with inquiry method of teaching

which gives learners the opportunity to discover ideas for themselves and such ideas remain

longer in the minds of the learners. It means that, constructive theory affirms and corroborates

inquiry method of teaching for self knowledge discovery and development of students’ innate

ability which makes it relevant to the present study.

Relating the theory to the study, it is clear that the theory emphasis self learning which is

the system of learning where students are allowed to discover and find knowledge on their own

as such knowledge are more impactful and meaning for they remain in the mind of the students

for donkey years. It is in-line with the present study which is concern with effect of inquiry

method of teaching on students academic achievement, and by inquiry method we mean availing

the learners the needed platform and opportunity to discover knowledge and ideas their selves,

with just a little guide. Here the teacher is meant to just guide the students and play the role of a

guide not dictator.

This suggest that, the theory and the present study have an interplay and the relationship

is on the ground that, learning should be constructive by making learning construction as the

theory argues is making learning child centered. If learning is made child centered it give the
learner avenue to carry out learning activities or task semi independently with little guide by the

instructor as the case maybe and that way whatever the learner discovers becomes memorable

and retentive in the memory of such learners which makes learning meaningful and improve

achievement across board.

1.8 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This present study is centered on the effects of inquiry method on the academic

achievement of social studies 300 level students’ affective objectives in University of Jos plateau

state Nigeria. The study will only consider 300 level social studies students of 2018/2019 session

and students from other levels will not be part of the study. Also all 300 level students regardless

their gender or other characteristics will be considered for the study as well. Students who are

cores social studies students will make up the elements of the study but other students who take

social studies as a teaching course will not be part of the study as the focus is mainly of core

social studies students in the university. The researcher will not study students from other levels

of social studies except 300 level students; this will be due to data management and efficiency of

data which can affect the study. The time and financial constraints are some reasons why the

researcher will not be able to study all students in social studies and perhaps those taking social

studies as a teaching course in University of Jos. Thus, the study will solely be concern with

how inquiry method affects academic performance and affective domain of 300 level social

studies students in University of Jos for the session 2018/2019

1.9 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. INQUIRY: Finding out solution to problem independently and studying and learning by

oneself under little guide

2. EFFECTS: It simply means the changes inquiry method can cause in students

performance and affective objective as used in the study

3. AFFECTIVE OBJETIVES: This deals with the behaviour pattern and attitude of social

studies students

4. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: It means how well or how bad a social studies students

perform in academic task

5. SOCIAL STUDIES: A course of study that deals with holistic development of learners to

become well behaved and equipped citizens as use in the study

6. METHOD: Simply refers to the way, pattern or system use to teach students by a teacher

in social studies class

7. CLASSROOM: A particular venue within a school where teaching and learning occur

8. STUDENTS: This are learners who are in school to study social studies
 REFERENCES

Bruner, J. (1966). Toward a Theory of Instruction. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.