CHAPTER ONE

1.0   INTRODUCTION:

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Science of Education is an area of expertise formed on the basis of two notions, “education” and “instruction” (Karsli, 2007). Education is the activity that aids new generations obtain the necessary information, ability, attitude and understanding and develop their character while preparing them for communal life (Karsli, 2007: 9).

Teaching, on the other hand, is the process in which the individual develops talents (obtained during the education phase) in proportion to their capacity (Karsli, 2007: 17). The most important factor in education and teaching activities is the teacher.

A teacher, in the most general terms, is a person working in educational institutes who enables students to reach cognitive, sensory and behavioral aim and gains within the range determined by the educational system (Gundogdu, Silman, 2007). In our day a modern teacher surpasses this definition as well.

The teacher has gone beyond just teaching class, giving lectures, making exams and giving grades; the teacher also takes on the roles of organizing, managing, counselling, observing and evaluating. The teacher also has an important role in influencing the society, creating a sound foundation towards the future of society and ensuring the continuation of such actions (Temel, 1988).

After the family, school is the first basic socialization institution for the child. Apart from the parents, it’s the student’s teacher who is effectively in the front seat in regards to his/her personality development and both academic and social performance. The understanding of modern education in our day lays the duty and responsibility of being effective in not just the child’s intellectual development but also character development solely on the shoulders of the teacher.

The fulfilment of this responsibility is only possible through the teacher’s being able to develop healthy personality values themselves as well as providing efficiency in their relationships with students so as to allow them to develop their personality freely (Can, 2011; Inelmen, 2011). The abilities and characteristics that are necessary in order to be a good teacher are also the same factors that define a good education.

A good teacher has eight basic characteristics, which are; Knowledge of material; Decision making; Critical though and problem solving ability; Self understanding and self correction; Reflecting; Recognizing students and knowing students learning needs; Applying new finding in education; Teaching and communication ability.

These properties are gathered under two headings (Ari, 2008). The teacher who thinks critically and the self-governing teacher. A teacher who realizes that the nature of knowledge and abilities directly affects his/her students and surroundings takes responsibility for his/her own knowledge and abilities, creates positive relationships with his/her students and can relay these to students in the most efficient manner (Ari, 2008).

In this whole process, the effect of the teacher in the personality development and success of students is a fact that cannot be overlooked. The teacher, through either positive or negative attitude in communication with students and in how he/she reflects this, directs the shape of their lives, has a positive or negative effect on the attitude shown toward themselves or the public in general, affecting development of the ability to communicate, research and be creative (Ataunal, 2003).

The behavior and approach of the teacher is directly accepted and copied by students, which puts great responsibilities on the teachers. Studies performed in the current day clearly show the effect on students of mutual interaction in teacher-student relationships, teachers approach regarding students and especially the perception of this by students.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

In the education system, a condition of being a good educator is knowing the communication process well. Most teacher may not even want to understand students’ emotions such as interest, fear, and worry, supports students’ social activities, appreciates, approves of and compliments them for activities he/she finds of value thereby not making the students feel that they are being thought of, loved and aided, and that the teacher is working for their good.

Students of such will not take that kind of teacher as a role model, in turn not being considerate of others, and also not running to the aid of others, let alone maintaining good relations and positive attitudes with others.

In a situation where the performance of a student isn’t encouraging, it constitute of both the students' and the teachers' weaknesses. For example, on the part of students' weaknesses, students have been noted to give irrelevant responses in examinations mainly due to inadequate comprehension of subject concepts. On the other hand, teachers may not have covered the syllabus and yet all topics are examinable.

Finally, several researches has been carried out on the effects of teacher’s behavior on academic performance of students but not even a single research has been carried out on the assessment of the impact of teachers attitudes towards teaching and learning in upper basic schools in Kaduna state.

1.3   AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

        The main aim of the study is to assess the impact of teachers attitudes towards teaching and learning in upper basic schools. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. to determine the effect of teachers attitude on the teaching and learning in upper basic schools in Kaduna state.
2. to determine the factors affecting teachers attitudes and its effect on the teaching and learning in upper basic schools in Kaduna state.
3. to determine the extent to which teachers attitude affect the teaching and learning in upper basic school in Kaduna state.
4. to proffer possible solutions to the problems.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect of teachers’ attitude on the teaching and learning in upper basic schools in Kaduna state?
2. What are the factors affecting teachers’ attitudes and its effect on teaching and learning in upper basic schools in Kaduna state?
3. What is the extent to which teachers’ attitude affect the teaching and learning in upper basic school in Kaduna state?
4. What are the possible solutions to the problems?

1.5   STATEMENT OF RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

HO:   Teachers’ attitude has no significant effect on teaching and learning.

HI: Teachers’ attitude has a significant effect on teaching and learning.

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

        The study on the assessment of the impact of teacher’s attitudes towards teaching and learning in upper basic schools will be of immense benefit to the entire Kaduna state in the sense that it will enable the teachers to understand that their positive attitudes serve as the intrinsic motivation, while material rewards act as the extrinsic motivation. The provision of rewards to teachers would raise their morale.

Teachers are the second-highest determining factor in the development of individuals, after the parents. The study will act as a reminder to the parents and school authorities that children take on role models while learning and that is why perhaps the behavior and attitude of teachers, which they spend the most time with apart from their parents, has an effect on their personality development and thus whether they will be successful or not all of these lies within the teacher they listen to virtually all the time.

It will also enable the teachers to understand that they are good role models and so they should precede classes because their view on life and behavior guides the student. Finally, the study will contribute to the study of body of existing literature and knowledge to this field of study and basis for further research.

1.7   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

        The study on the assessment of the impact of teachers attitudes towards teaching and learning is limited to upper basic schools in Kaduna state.

1.8   LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9   DEFINITION OF TERMS

Attitude  A settled way of thinking or feeling about something.

Assessment     The action of assessing someone or something.

Impact    A marked effect or influence.

Teacher   A teacher is a person who helps people to learn. A teacher often works in a classroom. There are many different kinds of teachers.

Teaching         Teaching is the concerted sharing of knowledge and experience, which is usually organized within a discipline and, more generally, the provision of stimulus to the psychological and intellectual growth of a person by another person or artifact.

Learning  Learning is the process of acquiring new, or modifying existing, knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences