STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING STUDENTS INTEREST IN TECHNICAL DRAWING IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
The school system in Nigeria have been criticized in recent years for their failure to achieve many of the goals set for them, and for the harmful nature of their impact upon the society, that is producing only job seekers.
Their curricular are said to be oriented towards cognitive studies alone and does not give the students the chance to use their hands.
Therefore emphasis was placed on technical / Vocational Education in the Secondary School with the believe that Technical subjects are distinct form of training which is practically oriented and has particular solution to the problem of the country.
Technical education has been described by experts as the springboard that is meant to elevate the state of Nigeria in the committee of nations Amini (1989).
It is observed that up till date, Nigeria had been craving for manpower especially in the areas of Engineering, Science and Technology. The only vehicle for the achievement of the country’s goal for Technological advancement is vocational education.
For example the objective for Nigeria as contained in the final report of vision 2010 is “a united industrious caring and God fearing democratic society committed as making basic needs of life affordable for everyone and creating Africa’s leading economy” (The observer July 3 1998). What is desire in these objective are states of being which are different and better than the present.
The issue involved in these objectives therefore are: economic, political, social and technological development of the country concerned. For a country to develop technologically therefore, the rudimentary and basic knowledge of engineering which is Technical drawing must be imparted to students and try all means to enhance the students interest in the subject.
The Ashby commission report observed that the Secondary School system was devoid of vocational and technical education courses and therefore suggested that it should be introduced.
Objectives of vocational education were summarized as:
Meeting the manpower needs of the society.
Increasing the options available to each students.
Serving as a motivating force to enhance all types of learning.
It was also observed that vocational and Technical education had the merit that the student who was unable to proceed in academic education had the option to use his skill to earn a living.
The Nigeria Government in an effort to meet the demand of the changing time decided to restructure the system of education in the country.
In 1977, the government published a new National Policy on Education which was later revised in 1981. The policy provided that Nigeria would have a new secondary education programme designed to be both functional and practical; a programme that would be structurally and qualitatively different from the existing system. Hence, the introduction of 6-3-3-4 system. The introduction of the new system of education sought to remove the destructive effects of the isolation of academic learning from occupational development and real world experience.
Concern ourselves as a society with the development of people in the area of practical as well as intellectual and honour good work of any kind.
Redress the aimlessness of past post primary students and correspondingly to redress the enormous waste of human energy reflected in the high drop out and unemployed population among our youth.
With all the goodies promised by the government for Technical and Vocational education, it has been established from available researchers that the teaching of Technical subjects needs improvement. Students lukewarm attitude and lack of interest towards technical subjects especially technical drawing should be minimized or if possible totally removed.
Oyinloye (1993) said, many elements are involved in the teaching and learning process, the teacher, students and methodology. The most important element is the attitude, interest and readiness of the students. Bonanni (1974) also concluded that methods, setting visuals, lesson note are all important in teaching and learning process. The quality and the comportment of the teachers is also very important if we are to enhance the interest of students in technical subject especially technical drawing.
Statement of the Problem
Today’s world of technology has been characterized by the increasing impact of vocational subjects on the life of people. It is clear that the teaching of technical drawing appear to be inadequate in measure with the changing demands of the society.
Lack of qualified teacher to teach technical drawing and high cost of instructional material had resulted into low enrolment of students in Technical drawing which is a consequence of low interest and attitude of students towards the subject. How will strategies of demonstration, discovery/enquiry and project method affect students interest in Technical drawing?
Purpose of the Study
Poor achievement and lack of interest of students in Technical drawing is a problem of the students, teachers and the country as a nation. This study is therefore designed to x-ray.
1. How strategies of teaching Technical drawing in Senior Secondary School can enhance students interest.
2. How parents can be motivated to encourage their children to develop interest in technical drawing.
3. Attributes a vocational teacher must possess to enhance students interest in Technical drawing.
4. Effective use of instructional materials as a factor for enhancing students interests.
Significance Of The Study
The aspiration of Nigeria in recent years has been technological advancement and self-reliant economy. In each of the above reasons, the importance of vocational subjects cannot be overlooked, because they are the bedrock or foundation upon which the above aspiration can be built and reliably achieved.
This survey is undertaken because of the feelings that students interest and attitude towards Technical drawing is very low. It is expected that the result of this study would.
1. Enhance students interest towards technical drawing.
2. Help teachers teaching technical drawing to develop the right attitude towards their students and subject.
3. Also help parent to encourage their children to offer technical subjects.
Research Question
The study seeks answers to the following questions
What are the strategies of teaching that enhance students interest.
How can parents be motivated to encourage their children to develop interest in technical drawing.
What are the attributes a vocational teacher must possessed to enhance students interest in technical drawing.
How can effective use of instructional material be used in enhancing students interest.
Scope of the Study
The scope of the study was centred on enhancing students interest in Technical drawing in Senior Secondary School in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Definition of Terms
Vocational subject: This is connected with subject that could lead to acquisition of skill.
Strategies of teaching: is taken to mean a plan intended to achieve the art of teaching effectively.
Apprenticeship:- It means people that are learning skill of doing things.
Attitude: It is a learned predisposition to react consistently in a given manner either positively or negatively to certain persons object or concept.
Achievement: What a person has done successfully especially using his own effort and skill.
Enhance: Mean to increase or further improve the good quality, value of student in technical subject.
Interest: The feelings that you have when you want to know or learn more about something.