Abstract

Teaching methods are standard procedure of presenting subject matter and organizing teacher-student interaction during a lesson. Each teaching strategy is associated with a method. Teaching methods can be general and specific. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teaching methods on student’s academic performance in history in secondary school in the Limbe Municipality.

Specifically, the research sought to examine how lecture illustration method of teaching influence the academic performance of students, how discussion method of teaching influence student’s academic performance and how pure lecture method of teaching influence student’s academic performance in History in Limbe Municipality.

Data was collected purposively, with the use of a questionnaire, from a sample population of 90 students. The study employed a descriptive study design. Data was descriptively analysed from the questionnaire by calculating frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that lecture illustration, discussion method and pure lecture teaching methods have great influence on the academic performance of students. It was recommended that teachers should do everything possible to use the various teaching methods. This is because learners have different ways of learning and comprehending the subject matter taught.

A method might work for one and not the other. So, it advisable to use different teaching methods so as to favour the three types of learners found in the learning arena that is; auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners. It was further recommended that teachers should also make use of film slides in class. Film slides help learners to retain concepts fast especially for visual learners. The involvement of film slides when making use of lecture illustration method of teaching will help boost students understanding of simple and complex concept thus increasing their academic performance.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Background to the study have been divided into four aspects historical, conceptual, theoretical and contextual background.

Historically, teaching methods have evolved overtime, in the past the teaching of history was mostly done through storytelling, when elders or teachers would gather students under the tree and tell them stories referred to as indigenous method of teaching. At first people only teach from the experiences they had or they were told of and it was more of oral learning with the use of actifers

Conceptually, the main concepts in this study are teaching methods, lecture illustration, discussion methods, pure lecture and students academic performance. Teaching methods, are the procedures that are common in the teaching of different subjects.

Lecture illustration, is a method in which chats, maps, diagrams, films, slides and other teaching materials are used to illustrate or explain relationships or facts, principles and ideas.

Discussion methods, Arends(1997) holds that discussion method is teaching involving the verbal exchange of ideas among the students and the teacher Pure lecture, lecture consist of a person presenting information on a particular topic to another person or an audience, which may be made up of hundreds of people.

Students academic performance,  it is the extent to which students or institution has attain their short or long term educational goals and it is measured either by continuous assessment or cumulative grade point (GPA)

Theoretically, this study is guided by 3 theories. They are John Dewey’s Theory of learning by doing (1889) Albert Bandura Social learning Theory (1977) and Jean piajets theory of cognitive development (1936)

John Dewey’s Theory of learning by doing (1889) holds that each child was active, inquisitive and wanted to explore, he believed that children need to interact with other people and work both along and cooperatively with their peers and adults.

Bandura Social learning Theory (1977) Suggest that observation and modeling plays a primary role in how and why people learn.

Jean projects Theory of cognitive development (1936) holds that teachers role involves providing appropriate learning experiences and materials that stimulates students advance in their thinking. He suggest  that children’s intelligence undergoes changes as they grow.

Contextually, classroom in Cameroon today uses lectures illustration discussion method and pure lecture

Lecture illustration method, here the teacher gives out lectures to the students accompanied by illustration and the teacher makes use of chats, maps, diagrams, graphs, even pictures to make students understand the lesson better

Discussion methods, Tambo (2003) holds that discussion method promotes communication skill and think in sills of student. Discussion is simply where the teacher allows the students to discuss among themselves to find out what they know about the lesson.

Pure lectures method, here the teacher dishes out information to the students orally and sometimes they use a microphones when the class is too big or when addressing a larger audience.

Statement of the Problem

When teachers use teaching methods like lecture illustration, discussion method, pure lecture when they are used Judiciously, it is expected that students academic performance should be high. Students are expected to do well, have good grades, but the real situation here is that students do not pass well in their exams. They fail their CA, they do not participate in class. The is a wide gap between teaching methods like pure lecture, discussion method, lecture illustration and students academic performance. In history, much work has not been done onthis area that is why this study is coming to talk about teaching methods and students’ academic performance in history in secondary schools in the Limbe municipality.

General objective of the Study

The study seeks to investigate the effect of teaching methods on students academic performance in history in secondary schools in the Limbe municipality.

The specific objective of the Study:

1. The effect of lecture illustration method on students’ academic performance in history in secondary school.
2. The effect of discussion method on students’ academic performance in history in secondary school
3. The effect of a pure lecture on students’ academic performance in history in secondary school

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