teacher’s questioning techniques on academic performance of students in social studies in senior secondary school in ife north lga osun state

Description

ABSTRACT

Questioning has been utilized as a critical assessment tool for centuries. It has been thought that there is a relationship between asking good questions and effective teaching. In order to analyze teachers’ questioning strategies from various aspects, this study was conducted during the 2014-2015 academic year with 170 primary school teachers working in the schools located in Ife North LGA Osun State. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire prepared by the researchers, and were examined via content analysis. Explanatory mixed method design was used to analyze the research problem. The findings of this study revealed that: (1) Teachers asked divergent questions to draw attention and interest (2) Teachers have misunderstanding of divergent and convergent questions (3) Teachers mostly ask questions to entire class than individual (4) Teachers asked most frequently questions aimed at uncovering operational knowledge and least frequently questions whose goal was to uncover metacognitive knowledge (5) Teachers generally used probing questions, prolonged waiting time and did not ask vague questions (6) Teachers did not use questions as a punishment tool. This study revealed that asking good questions must be considered more important in pre-service education and teachers must be supported with in-service trainings to be more effective in asking questions.

Keywords: Questioning technique, teacher education, quality instruction, teachers, classroom, questioning, high-order question, low-order question, wait time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page

Title Page

Approval Page

Dedication

Acknowledgment

Abstract

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

1.0      Introduction

1.1      Background of the study

1.2      Problem statement

1.3      Aim/objective of the study

1.4      Scope and limitation of the study

1.5      Significance of the study

1.6      Research question

1.7      Research hypothesis

1.8      Definitions of terms

1.9      Methodology

1.9      Project organization

CHAPTER TWO

• Literature Review
• Conceptual review
• Empirical review of the study
• Theoritical review of the study

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      Methodology

• Introduction
• Research design
• Sample and data collection
• Procedure and analysis of the data

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      Result analysis and discussion

• Result analysis
• Discussion

CHAPTER FIVE

• Conclusion and Recommendation
  • Recommendation
  • Reference

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                                   INTRODUCTION

1.1                                           BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Questions are stimulants which activate students‟ cognitive skills and they have functioned as a primary educational tool for centuries (Aydemir and Çiftçi, 2008). Teaching with questions began with Socrates and has maintained its importance and validity until today. Using this method, Socrates had asked questions to his students, and responded to each question with other questions instead of giving direct information or responses (Filiz, 2009).

The famous scientist Einstein emphasizes the importance of asking questions when he states that “the most important thing is to not stop asking questions” (Sternheimer, 2014). Considering the founders of leading technology companies such as Facebook, Amazon and Google as individuals who ask eligible questions, the importance of questioning can be revealed (Berger, 2014). These individuals, capable of utilizing questions critically,     have          contributed to discoveries       in       new technologies in today‟s competitive environment. The ability to ask eligible questions will become much more important in the future. Entrepreneurs in the U.S.‟s Silicon Valley have asserted that “questions are new answers,” and the critical use of questioning is crucial in the field of education, as well (Berger, 2014).

Interrogation contributes especially to effective teaching. After analyzing over 100 studies in a meta-analytical method, Marzano et al. (2001) included “clues, questions, and preparation” among their nine effective teaching strategies. In fact, asking questions is one of the most important aspects of teaching, and can be highly effective when used appropriately. Motivating students and ensuring their active participation (Gall, 1984; Cotton, 1988), leading students to think (Costa, 2001) and develop their own problem solving skills (Hu, 2015); storing knowledge (Dos and Demir, 2013); improving academic achievement as well as developing meta- cognitive thinking (Tanner, 2012); and enabling students to form critical thinking skills (Cotton, 1988) are some of the benefits of asking questions to students. Teachers ensuring the effectiveness of themselves and their classes positively affect the preparation and homework habits of students (Hu, 2015). In addition to improving students‟ critical thinking skills, high-level questioning stimulates students‟ active participation and facilitates learning (Redfield and Rousseau, 1981). Furthermore, asking questions triggers and interrelates students‟ prior knowledge with new information and assists them in reconstructing knowledge (Penick et al., 1996).

It is important to realize that the earlier-mentioned benefits of asking questions depend on the teachers‟ ability to use this method effectively. Depending on personal characteristics, teachers‟ questioning methods may also vary. Teachers‟ questioning goals, the level of their questions, question types, use of probing questions, waiting time for follow-up questions, to whom they direct their questions (individual, group, whole class, etc.), and their reactions after asking questions demonstrate this variance in strategy.

One dimension of teachers‟ questioning strategies involves motive. The awareness of the aim and results of asking questions seems to be important. Therefore the aim of this study was to analyze the questioning strategies of the teachers. The analysis of teachers‟ questioning strategies is considered important because it is believed to reveal much information about asking questions. This is a unique study in terms of proffering a detailed analysis of teachers‟ questioning strategies. This study will enable the determination of whether teachers have sufficient and efficient information about questioning techniques. In this respect, the realization of training teachers on questioning strategies and focusing on this issue in both education faculties and in-service teacher education programs will be helpful. The overall goal of this study is to analyze the classroom teachers’ questioning techniques.

1.2                                  PROBLEM STATEMENT

Questions are stimulants which activate students‟ cognitive skills and they have functioned as a primary educational tool for centuries (Aydemir and Çiftçi, 2008). Teaching with questions began with Socrates and has maintained its importance and validity until today. Questioning techniques are a heavily used, and thus widely researched, teaching strategy. Research indicates that asking questions is second only to lecturing. Teachers typically spend anywhere from 35 to 50 percent of their instructional time asking questions.

A teacher may vary his or her purpose in asking questions during a single lesson, or a single question may have more than one purpose.

In general, research shows that instruction involving questioning is more effective than instruction without questioning. Questioning is one of the nine research-based strategies presented in Classroom Instruction That Works (Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock 2001).

One important finding is that questions that focus student attention on important elements of a lesson result in better comprehension than those that focus on unusual or interesting elements. Questions should also be structured so that most elicit correct responses. In a research done by Akyol et al (2013), I was discovered that teachers don’t use the right questioning techniques which results poor performance among secondary school student. This study was carried out to study the right questioning techniques teachers should use in other to ensure good academic performance among students.

1.3                    AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this work is to study on effect of teacher’s questioning techniques on academic performance of students in social studies in senior secondary school in Ife North LGA Osun State. The objectives of the study:

1. To determine the benefit of teachers asking question in the class.
2. To proffer a detailed analysis of teachers‟ questioning techniques.

• To analyze the classroom teachers‟ questioning techniques.

1.4                  SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study covers analyzing teachers’ questioning techniques from various aspects, this study was conducted during the middle academic year with 170 primary school teachers working in senior secondary school In Ife North LGA Osun State. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire prepared by the researchers, and were examined via content analysis.

1.5                           SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will provide a means of understanding Teachers’ questioning goals, the level of their questions, question types, use of probing questions, waiting time for follow-up questions, to whom they direct their questions (individual, group, whole class, etc.), and their reactions after asking questions demonstrate this variance in strategy.

The study will be useful in classification of questions into lower and higher cognitive questions. Lower cognitive questions (fact, closed, direct, recall, and knowledge questions) involve the recall of information. Higher cognitive questions (open-ended, interpretive, evaluative, inquiry, inferential, and synthesis questions) involve the mental manipulation of information to produce or support an answer.

The study will enable the reader to determine whether teachers have sufficient and efficient information about questioning strategies.

1.6                                   RESEARCH QUESTION

At the end of this study answers to the following questions shall be made known:

1. What questioning techniques do teachers use?
2. What is the aim of the teachers for asking questions?

• Why should teacher use questioning techniques?

1. What problems can occur when attempting to use questioning techniques to improve academic performance of students?

1.7                                RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: There is a significance relationship between teacher’s questioning techniques and academic performance of students in social studies.

Hi: There is no significance relationship between teacher’s questioning techniques and academic performance of students in social studies.

1.8                                  DEFINITION OF TERMS

TEACHERS: a person who teaches or instructs, especially as a profession; instructor or a person who teaches, especially in a school.

QUESTIONING TECHNIQUES: a set of methods used by teachers when asking questions.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: High output or understanding of lesson taught which are achievable in the long run or short run goal. This was to be carried out through test and examination.