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ANALYSIS AND DESCRIPTION OF ANALOGIES USED IN PRESENTING GENETICS IN SENIOR SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEXTBOOKS IN NIGERIA.M.Ed. INTERIM REPORTBY:ONASANYA, Folake Temitope97/25OC066Department of Science Education,Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin,Ilorin, Nigeria.Supervisor:PROF. I. O. ABIMBOLA
CHAPTER ONEIntroduction Background to the Problem Science is a system of acquiring knowledge based on scientific process or method in order to organize body of knowledge gained through research. Textbooks are vital parts of instructional materials which cannot be overlooked in teaching and learning process. Textbooks are regarded by educators throughout the world as a good source of information for teaching students. Textbooks serve as resource centres to teachers where they draw knowledge to increase their effectiveness and efficiency while students use them to complement what they have been taught in class. Nigerian science teachers rely on textbooks for the appropriate content materials, which satisfy the requirements of the West African Examinations Council syllabi in different science subjects.
The teaching of biology in senior secondary schools will be greatly enhanced with the use of textbooks because textbooks play important roles in the teaching and learning process. • Abimbola (2006), defined analogy as a method of describing things that are not known in terms of things that are known. It is a way of describing things they see in terms of what they had seen before, in terms of resemblance so that understanding can be achieved and communication made effective.
Statement of the Problem Science uses highly codified technical language that is different in some cases, from everyday language use of the learners. Mastropieri and Scruggs (1991) stated that language can interfere with students’ test results and interactions between students and their teachers. Many students do not do well in science as a result of the language used in communicating science concepts. Researchers have identified the teacher’s language use as a barrier to the students’ understanding of science. (Ogunniyi, 1986). This study therefore focuses on the analogies used in presenting genetics in selected biology textbooks.
Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study was to identify and analyze the analogies used in presenting genetics in senior school biology textbooks in Nigeria. Specifically, efforts were made to: (1) Identify the analogies. Compare the use of analogies in selected biology textbooks. Describe the analogies identified in the selected biology textbooks.
Research Questions In this research, answers were sought to the following research questions: (i) What are the analogies used in presenting genetics in selected biology textbooks? (ii) How do the selected biology textbooks compare in the use of analogies for explaining genetics? (iii) What is the description of the analogies used in treating genetics in the selected biology textbooks?
Scope of the Study The scope of the study was limited to these selected biology textbooks: (1) STAN Biology 3 for Senior Secondary Schools. (2) Modern Biology for Senior Secondary Schools. (3) New Biology for Senior Secondary Schools. (4) Senior Secondary Biology 3. (5) Comprehensive Certificate Biology for Senior Secondary Schools. (6) Essential Biology for Senior Secondary Schools.
Significance of the Study Findings of this study would be of benefits to: Textbook authors Science teachers Teachers in training Students School administrators Curriculum developers Researchers
Clarification of Major Terms and Variables The following terms were defined as they were used in the study for the purpose of clarity: Biology Genetics DNA Gene Heredity Variation Analogy Analog / Base Target Unshared Attributes.
CHAPTER TWOReview of Related Literature The review had being done under the following sub-headings: (1) Nature, Objectives and Contents of Senior Secondary School Biology Curriculum. (2) Available Biology Textbooks used in Nigerian Secondary Schools. (3) Studies on the Effects of Analogies used in Presenting Genetics in Biology Textbooks. (4) Importance of Analogies in the Teaching and Learning Process. (5) Appraisal of the Reviewed Literature.
CHAPTER THREEResearch Methodology This chapter revealed the method employed in carrying out the research under the following sub-headings: Research Type Sample and Sampling Technique Research Instruments Instrument Validation Procedure for Data Collection Data Analysis Technique.
Research Type This research was descriptive in nature, it employed the survey method and content analysis technique to identify analogies in the selected biology textbooks.
Research Instrument The instrument for this research was a format designed to identify and compile analogies in the selected biology textbooks. It also contained information on the name of the textbooks, frequency and percentages of those textbooks that used such analogies and textbooks that do not use such analogies.
Instrument Validation Content and face validation of the instrument was ensured by giving the instrument to my supervisor and two other lecturers in the Department of Science Education, University of Ilorin. These experts read through the contents and made necessary corrections. The final draft of the instrument was eventually drafted based on the experts’ corrections and advice.
Procedure for Data Collection The researcher read through the selected biology textbooks thoroughly. Identify the analogies Compare the use of analogies Describe the analogies.
Data Analysis Technique Analogies identified in the six selected biology textbooks served as the data which was analysed using frequency counts and percentages.
CHAPTER FOURData Analysis • This chapter presents the analysis of the results obtained from this study.
Table 8 shows the combined list of all the analogies identified in the selected biology textbooks.
Table 9 shows the format used in the comparison of analogies in the selected biology textbooks.
Table 10 shows the format used for the frequency count and percentages of analogies used and not used in the selected biology textbooks.
Table 11: Analogies identified in the selected biology textbooks and their percentages.
Fig. 3 shows a Bar Chart illustrating the percentage distribution of the analogies in the selected biology textbooks. 25.00 20.00 15.00 10.00 5.00 0.00 STAN New Modern Essential Senior Comprehensive Biology Biology Biology Biology Sec. Biology Cert. Biology
Summary of Major Findings • Based on the data collected, analyzed and interpreted, the following findings were obtained. • All the sampled biology textbooks contained similar analogies, but they differ in the number of analogies used. • STAN Biology 3 contained more analogies than other selected textbooks with the highest percentage of 22.9 > New Biology for Senior Secondary Schools with a percentage of 19.7 > Modern Biology for Senior Secondary Schools having a percentage of 16.4 > Essential Biology for Senior Secondary Schools with a percentage of 14.1 > Senior Secondary Biology 3 and Comprehensive Certificate Biology with a percentage of 13.1 each. • Senior Secondary Biology 3 and Comprehensive Certificate Biology for Senior Secondary Schools contained the least number of analogies with a percentage of 13.1 respectively.
CHAPTER FIVEDiscussion, Conclusion and Recommendations • This chapter deals with the discussion of the major findings, the conclusion, recommendations and suggestion for further studies. Recommendations • Textbook authors should use more analogies in their books, so that both students and teachers reading them would be brought to their real world that is, more understanding will be achieved by their readers. • Teachers should use various strategies such as the use of analogies to explain simple, difficult and abstract scientific concepts. • Teacher educators should teach student teachers how to use analogies in teaching different science subjects. They should also make conscious effort so that student teachers use analogies to teach science subjects in their teaching practice. • The government through ministry of education should arrange for periodic seminars and workshops that will improve the qualities of teaching various science teachers especially in the generation and use of analogies to teach students. • Principals of schools should encourage biology teachers to attend workshops, seminars and conferences to improve their knowledge.
Suggestion for Further Studies • In view of the findings of this study, the researcher suggests that this present study should be replicated using other selected biology textbooks to determine if there are other biology textbooks, which included more analogies than STAN Biology 3 and also determine the reliability of the present findings.
