Teachers’ Improvisation of Instructional Materials for Nigerian Home Economics Curriculum Delivery

Abstract

A structured questionnaire, designed on a 5-point scale, was used to collect data. Findings indicated that some of the challenges faced by the teachers include how to: improvise materials to arouse and sustain learners' optimism and enthusiasm; access expert assistance and technical support; stay informed of innovative developments; have confidence to share ideas with other teachers; interpret research and statistical data; diplomatically handle students' resistance; align improvised materials with curriculum guidelines and timelines; and develop materials to cater for individual learner's needs in overcrowded classrooms. Some strategies bothering on teachers' self and group professional development, training, and Internet literacy were identified as capable of enhancing improvisation. These strategies if implemented might provide the teachers with opportunities to develop more improvisation insights for engaging young people in the highest quality learning activities.

Extent of Primary School Teachers’ Utilization of Nature Corner as a Curriculum Resource for Effective Instruction

“…It is not surprising therefore that pupils never learn or retain what occurs in the course of these projects. In line with this study, Olibie et al (2013) observed that teachers find a sense of achievement in keeping pupils busy with projects, with little questioning as to whether the experience provided have led to increased language learning.…”

“…Researchers have sought to document and understand differences in the ways teachers draw from materials to design instruction (Brown, 2009;Collopy, 2003;Lloyd, Remillard & Herbel-Eisenmann, 2009;Olibie, Nwabunwanne & Ezenwanne, 2013;Sherin & Drake, 2009). The integration of such instructional materials in classroom practice is believed to bolster the quality of instruction by fostering student-centered pedagogies (Abdo & Semela 2010;Burman & Mutendwahothe, 201;Davis & Krajcik, 2005).…”

“…Studies such as Calderin (1994) and Olibie et al (2013) clearly established that when teachers make effective use of authentic indigenous materials as found in nature corners, pupils become highly motivated which results in improved class attendance and more completed projects and assignments. In addition pupils also become actively involved in their own learning, encouraging comprehension rather than mere memorization of facts (Elinvoki, 1996).…”

Nigerian Copyright Reform and Implications for Access to Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs) in the Digital Age

“…Instead, inaccessibility of TLMs in Nigeria has been attributed mainly to unavailability in their required formats or content, coupled with the absence of a vibrant local industry for the production of the required materials and high cost of importing them (Federal Ministry of Education, 2015, p. 42;Moja, 2000). Lack of expert assistance and technical support, and inability to keep abreast with current innovative developments, are some of the factors that have been identified as hindrances to the ability of teachers to improvise instructional materials, with matters of copyright not highlighted (Olibie et al, 2013). The Nigerian copyright system is largely ineffective in controlling infringement of protected works (Oguamanam, 2011;Solanke, 2014).…”