A Journal of the African Educational Research and Development Foundation [AERDF]

Journal of Educational Research on Children, Parents & Teachers

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Journal articles

Articles in Volume 2 Issue 2

Article 8

Assessment of Preschool Playgrounds in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria

Mrs. Muinat Abolanle Nwhator1 & Prof. Babatunde Adeniyi Adeyemi2

Abstract

The study identified the playground facilities available in preschools in Ife Central Local
Government Area (LGA) of Osun State. It also assessed the adequacy in terms of quantity
and quality of available playground facilities in the LGA and examined the safety and
security of the playground facilities in the study area. These were with a view to providing
information on the status of playground facilities in preschools to enhance policy
formulation on pupils’ psycho-physical well-being in Ife Central Local Government Area
of Osun State. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The population
consisted of 149 registered nursery schools in Ife Central LGA of Osun State out of which
30 schools were selected using simple random sampling technique. An instrument titled
Playground Observation Checklist (POC) was designed and used for data collection. Data
collected were analysed using simple percentages and t-test statistics. Results showed
that the commonest playground facilities available in preschools in Ife Central LGA of
Osun State were swings (53.3%), slides (50%) and merry-go-round (40%) with a varying
mixture of other facilities. Results also showed that the quantity of playground facilities
in most schools was inadequate considering the facilities to pupil ratio (F: P) of one facility
to 19 pupils. However, 70% of the surveyed schools had facilities that were in very good
condition while 68%, 27% and 5% of the available playground facilities were of very good,
good and poor quality respectively. The results further showed that most of the
playground facilities were not safe and secure. Only 23% of the preschools had highly
safe and secure playground facilities; 47% of schools had fairly safe and secure
playground facilities, while 30% had playground facilities that were neither safe nor
secure. The study concluded that although the playground facilities in Ife Central Local
Government Area preschools were limited in variety and were inadequate in quantity,
most of the available ones were of good quality.

Article 9

Improving the Learning of English Language Skills among Secondary School Students: The Role of the School Counsellor

Dr. Chinedu H. Joseph1, Dr. F. N. Ofuani2 & Prof. (Mrs) Henrietta I. Alika3

Abstract

English language is an important language of instruction and its teaching and learning
involve the acquisition of appropriate skills to facilitate its understanding. As the
performance of students in English language during internal examinations is dropping by
the day, acquiring the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills of English seems to
be a challenging task for them. This is becoming a concern to English Language experts
and Counsellors. Counselling is very instrumental in bringing out remarkable changes in
the personal, academic, career, and social life of students. It has been integrated and
incorporated into the school system by different education stakeholders through their
policies. This paper discussed how counselling is indispensable to the learning of English
Language skills as it relates to finding solutions to poor performance in English language.
It explored the specific roles of the school counsellors and enumerated various
counselling psychotherapies for Improving Students’ English language skills and
recommendations.

Article 10

Effects of an Indigenous Alphabet Game on the Yoruba Alphabet Knowledge of Preschool Children in Nigeria

Ogunniyi Lawrence Olumide & Amosun Dele Moses

Abstract

The innovative idea of the new indigenous alphabet Game (lakanlaka) is a very good
example of a way of acquiring pre-reading skills such as alphabet knowledge. Research
findings have shown that most preschool centers in Nigeria have failed to implement the
language policy provision which has led to a gross failure in the development of
appropriate local games suitable to facilitate this important pre-reading skill within the
country. This may be the reason most children struggle with reading and writing in Yorùbá
language at primary level. Pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental research
design was adopted for this study. The participants were 25 children in Nursery II intact
classes from two private schools in Ibadan metropolis. Indigenous Alphabet Game and
conventional strategy were used in experimental and control group respectively. The
study lasted for 8 weeks.3 instruments and 2 instructional guides were used. Data were
analysed using ANCOVA. IAGS enhanced children’s indigenous alphabet knowledge
(F(1,17) =15.26;P<0.05;ɳ2=0.47).. More so, home language (F(1,17) =2.40;P>0.05;ɳ2=0.12)
and cultural background (F(1,17)=2.41;P>0.05;ɳ2=0.12) have no significant main effect on
preschool children’s indigenous alphabet knowledge. It was recommended that preschool
teachers be trained on how to use Indigenous alphabet game to improve children’s
indigenous alphabet knowledge.

Article 11

Practice and Perception of Secondary Schools Physics Teachers Towards Continuous Assessment in Osun State Nigeria: Pedagogical and Curriculum Implications

Adebisi, Thomas Ajibade

Abstract

The demand for science teachers to cover the curriculum contents as a result of few periods
allotted to teach and the involvement in practical activities is enormous. Besides, the paucity of
science teachers especially in Physics might be a constraint to practice of continuous assessment
which is germane to curriculum implementation. Therefore, the study investigated the practice of
continuous assessment among physics teachers in senior secondary school in Osun State
Nigeria. It also assessed the opinions of Physics teachers concerned about the practice of
continuous assessment; and further examined speculated factors that can likely affect the
implementation of continuous assessment. These were carried out with a view to encapsulating
pedagogical and curriculum implications. The study adopted descriptive survey research. The
population comprised physics teachers in government senior secondary school in Osun State,
Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 31 Physics teachers from 16 randomly
selected schools in the State. An Instrumentation titled “Evaluation of Teachers Implementation
of Continuous Assessment’’ (ETICA) of four sections was used to collect data for the study. The
instrument was subjected to content validity by two expert judgments. The reliability of the
instrument was established using Cronbach alpha for section B and C and found reliable at 0.75
and 0.81 while Section D was determined through Kuder -Richardson (KR-20) and found to be
0.72. Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and percentages to answer
the research questions. The results of the study showed that assessment of psychomotor and
affective domains was not attended to during continuous assessment practice, although the
teachers had positive opinions towards implementation of continuous assessment. The results of
the findings further speculated factors that can likely affect the implementation of continuous
assessment as perceived by the Physics teachers. Finally, Recommendations were made to
improve the implementation of continuous assessment.

Article 12

Psychosocial experiences and coping strategies of parents of children with Cerebral Palsy in Zambia

Madalitso K. Banja & Kenneth Kapalu Muzata

Abstract

The general purpose of this study was to inquire into the psychosocial experiences of
parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in Lusaka, Zambia. The study investigated
the psychological and social experiences of parents of children with CP, how parents
cope with their children’s condition of CP, and parents’ perceptions of the life prospects
of their children living with CP using the phenomenological design. The study
conveniently selected eight parents of children with Cerebral Palsy at two Special Needs
Education schools who met the inclusion criteria. The study used in-depth interview guide
to collect data. Data were analysed through the inductive thematic analysis to answer the
research questions. Major findings of the study showed that parents were emotionally
and financially affected by the gravity of the disability of their children; they faced
stigmatization from society; parents largely depended on spiritual reserves for support in
coping with the calamity of having a child with CP. In addition, parents showed
unwavering belief in the ability of their children to overcome adversity and achieve some
level of success. The paper recommends that psychosocial counselling and financial
support be provided to parents of children with CP.

Article 13

Efficacy of Behavioural Couple Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy on Marital Adjustment of Spouses in Baptist Churches in Benin Metropolis, Nigeria

Wellington Omosefe Jesuorobo, (Ph. D); Chinwe Muriel Anyiam (Mrs.); Edith Omorionmwen Omogbai (Mrs)

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of Behavioural Couple Therapy and Emotionally
Focused Couple Therapy in managing marital adjustment among Baptist spouses in
Benin Metropolis of Edo State. A research question was raised for this study and a
hypothesis formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted the true
experimental research design, using a non-equivalent pre-test post-test control group.
The target population of the study consisted of all the 3290 Baptist spouses in Benin
metropolis. A sample size of 97 spouses participated in the study. A multistage sampling
method was used in selecting the sample for this study. The marital Adjustment Scale
was administered to the spouses. The validity of the instrument was established by three
test experts from the Department of Educational Evaluation and Counseling Psychology
(EECP). An internal consistency reliability of the instrument was done using cronbach
alpha statistics and a reliability coefficient of 0.90 was obtained. The data collected were
analyzed using Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and Least Significant Difference (LSD)
Post-hoc Multiple. The findings of the study revealed that both treatments (BCT and
EFCT) were effective in managing the marital adjustment of spouses but EFCT shows to
be more effective. The study also showed that there was a significant difference in the
marital adjustment of spouses exposed to BCT, EFCT, and control at post-test. Based on
the findings, it was recommended that counselling psychologists should take advantage
of the proven efficacy of Behavioural Couple Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couple
Therapy in helping spouses to improve the quality of their marital relationship.

Article 14

The Role of Parents And teachers in The Training/Education of their Children in the Education Zones of Anambra State

Uwaezuoke, Martha-Rose Ifeoma Ph.D.

Abstract

The study investigated the role of parents and teachers in the training/education of
children in all the educational zones of Anambra State. The study which adopted
descriptive survey design was guided by two research questions and one hypothesis. The
population of the study consisted of all the six education zones in Anambra State out of
which four was selected using stratified random sampling technique. The research
instrument was designed by the researcher and titled “Parents/Teachers Roles
Educational Instrument” (PTREI). Face validity was certified while internal consistency
reliability method was adopted using Cronbach Alpha reliability test which yielded 0.82.
Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and z-test
statistics utilized to test the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed
among others that parental participation in the training/education of their children is
grossly inadequate owing to the economic crunch in the country which plunged many
parents into the search for a better living standard. The recommendations made include;
that parents should wake up from their slumber and liaise with the teachers in the
training/education of their children as they are the custodian of all their assets in future
and specifically when they are no more.

Article 15

Dynamics of friendship interactions among students of diverse ethnic groups in Nigerian universities

Louis Okon Akpan, Ph.D

Abstract

The university environment the world over is a place where scientific knowledge is sought.
Aside from this, it is also a geographical space where a high level of social interaction is
contracted between/among students of the same or across ethnic nationalities. In Nigeria,
despite ethnic, cultural, linguistic, religious, and economic diversity, students in Nigerian
universities still engaged in social interaction. In light of the above, the study explored the
dynamics that influenced friendship interaction between/among students of diverse ethnic
nationalities. The study used a qualitative approach. Based on the qualitative method
employed, the interpretive paradigm was adopted as a lens to understand narratives from
participants. Twelve participants from six universities located at six geopolitical zones of
Nigeria were purposively selected. A structured interview was designed to elicit
information from the participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings
indicated that students of various ethnic nationalities harmoniously co-exist in all the
universities in Nigeria. Furthermore, it was also established that students who did the
same course regardless of their ethnic background interacted effectively. Additionally, it
was realised that students with behavioural compatibility positively interacted.

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