TEACHING SKILLS IN BASIC SCIENCES: IMPLICATION FOR QUALITY TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND LEARNERS’ ACQUISITION OF LIFE SKILLS FOR BUILDING A SAFER WORLD
ABSTRACT
This survey study assessed teachers’ teaching skills in basic sciences for quality teacher education programs and learners’ acquisition of life skills for building a safer world. A survey research design with expo facto type was used. The sample consisted of 248 sandwich degree science teachers who run their degree program on part-time mode in Oyo State. The data was collected using Sandwich Degree Teachers’ Teaching Skills Questionnaire, SDTTSQ (r=.86). One research question was formulated and three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analyzed using mean scores, frequency count, percentages and t-test. Results showed that there was no significant difference between male and female science teachers’ teaching skills (t = 0.863, df = 246, P>.05). There was a significant difference between private and public school science teachers teaching skills (t = -2.399, df =246, P<.05). There was no significant difference between urban and rural school science teachers’ teaching skills (t = 0.015, df = 246, P>.05). Also, the result showed that science teachers have moderate teaching skills. These results have implications for all categories of teachers undergoing part-time educational programs across institutions of learning, in-service teachers, government, curriculum planners and learners’ acquisition of skills for building a safer world.
Word count: 202
Keywords: Teaching skills, Basic Sciences, Acquisition of skills, Gender, School type, School location, safer world