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ASSESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF VISUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING AIDS IN KINDERGATEN SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.1 Introduction
Usual of visual learning aids on teaching has proved to be effective in the learning outcomes. But public kindergaten schools in Tanzania are faced with multitude of problems which contribute in poor performance in national examinations. This study sought to examine whether use or non-use of visual learning aids was the sole cause of performance differential in kindergaten schools in Magu District, Mwanza Region. Chapter one introduces the construct of the study including the problem statement, objectives of the study, scope and the significance of the study. It also spells out the limitation and how these were overcame.
1.2 Background to the Problem
Visual learning aids such as pictures, drawings or dynamic video is often designed to facilitate learning and have a positive effect. From the learning and instruction point of view, the effectiveness of the visual information is concerned with cognitive learning and retention. Moreover, the performance criteria of learning materials are mainly focused on comprehension and recall.
However, Watson et al. (2010) state that, the performance criteria should be focused on the effect of the actual action than on the retention if the learning aids real applied to a procedural motor task. Then, when preparing and using visual learning aids, teachers should think in terms of how they will promote learning. It is therefore more correct to refer to them as learning aids rather than teaching aids.
Surveys show that many teachers in developing countries such as Tanzania stop using visual learning aids after leaving college. This is probably because they tend to be involved in extra work and more demanding organizational techniques on the part of the teachers. Macharia and Wario (1989) provide that; “I hear and I forget, I read and I remember and I see and I understand”.
The utilization of learning aids in instructional process reflects back to ancient periods. This period is characterized by Greeks and Latin people, especially during early 150 BC when people were taught and learned things practically. Callahan (1988) states that, “Once upon a time when the mankind was young; reading and writing had not been invented, therefore men and women taught their children by means of very simple local tools.” It was an important technique which created the quality outcomes in learning and teaching processes, since the learners observed physically and practically on the learning aids related to the particular lesson or
issue.
For instance boys were taught hunting wild animals such as an elephant by using spears and arrows, while girls were taught on how to prepare food. Apart from that, parents taught their children about the World location by using local maps drawn on the ground, and religion was taught by using pictures drawn on the walls and caves. All these give us the picture on how the visual learning aids influence the process of instruction in Kindergaten schools. Any kind of an instruction whether in public schools, private schools or informal education is an existing activity which is in need of enhancement of educational atmosphere particularly visual learning aids
(Anderson, 2009).
Public kindergaten schools started in America during 19thc. It was the first nation which advocated public supported schools which believed that; the American people had a responsibility to acquire quality education in order to achieve desired basic democratic goals such as to improve social condition, to promote cultural unity, eradication of inequalities in education and ensuring basic level of quality among schools. This situation enabled the society and community as a whole to live peacefully and in harmony (Bergen, 1997).
In Tanzania, public kindergaten schools were introduced after independence in 1964 in order to implement the curriculum reform about education for all (EFA). The purpose of this education policy was to let many students to access primary and secondary education. Due to this education expansionism policy, many challenges occurred, including inadequacy of learning aids. For example, in 1961 the number of students in public kindergaten schools were 11,832, but on the year 1967,the number increased to 25,000, therefore, this is an evidence of the increase of public kindergaten schools (Nyerere, 1968). But EFA policy was not well implemented. This was revealed when the government failed to finance human and physical resources, hence the program ended up with negative outcomes, such as, shortage of buildings, incompetent teachers and inadequate of teaching and learning materials.
Magu District Council is located in the eastern part of Mwanza City, some 65 Kilometers away. It has 19 public kindergaten schools, among them; 4 schools are located in urban and 15 schools are located in rural areas. Urban kindergaten schools receive more resources than those of rural areas and the occurrences of such situation lead to the difference on students‟ academic performance. The clear use of learning visual aids such as posters, wall painting, flash card, pie chart, let the students remember the facts and altitudes for longer and more clearly (Brown et al, 1982). Despite the necessity of using learning visual aids, different threats hinder the application and availability of such aids. The government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MOEVT), does not ensure availability of the visual learning aids, therefore some are not there. Due to the failure of preparing and using of learning visual aids, schools provide low quality academic performance to the students.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
Magu District council possesses 19 public kindergaten schools. Performance in the 2013 and 2014 National Form Four Examinations was very poor whereby over 58% of all students got division zero and less than 42% of all students got division I to III (NECT, 2013, NECTA, 2014). While there can be several factors contributing to the failure, use and non-use of visual learning aids might have a potential impact.
Existing literature shows that, visual learning aids have impacts on students‟ academic performance. Mavida et al. (1966) reiterate that the utilization of instruction materials such as visual learning aids make students participate effectively in the learning process, hence ending with quality education that enable them to suit in the current society in relation to technological changes. Rasul, et al. (2011) report that, audio visual aids play important role in teaching and learning process. Aids make teaching and learning process effective, aids provide knowledge in depth and detail and they bring change in class room environment. Further, Stokes
(undated) discusses literature on visual elements in teaching and learning, saying it suggests positive results, but in order for visual enhancements to be used most effectively, teachers should possess skills that include the language of imagery as well as techniques of teaching visually and that guidance in the area of visual literacy for instructors is warranted. Mathew andAlidmat (2013) concluded that aids are often viewed to be an inspiration and provide motivation in classroom instruction and that effective use of audio-visual aids substitutes monotonous learning environments. Arora, (2013) further concluded that there is a great impact of audiovisual aids in the teaching-learning process, wherein students find the method of teaching very effective.
So generally it is agreed that visual learning aids assist in the learning process and students find it easy to grasp the materials in classroom when visual learning aids are used. However, use or non-use of learning aids was not the only problem in public kindergaten schools in Tanzania; materials shortages, motivational inadequacy and poor learning environment were some of the problems. However, the relationship between usage and non-usage of visual learning aids and students‟ academic performance in Magu district have had not so far been established, despite other problems. The objective of this study was to examine to what extent use and non-use of visual teaching aids effected on the students‟ academic performance in Magu district.
1.4 General Objective
The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of use and non-use of visual learning aids on students‟ academic performance in Magu district.
1.4.1 Specific Objectives
The study was guided by the following specific objectives.
- To examine the National Form Four examination performance in 2013 and 2014 between schools which use visual learning aids and those which do not use in Magu District.
- To identify the type of visual learning aids that secondary school teachers in
Magu District used and their effect on students learning outcomes.
- To identify the barriers which made use of visual learning aids difficulty in
Magu District Kindergaten schools.
- To explore what factors affected the performance of students in examinations in Magu District.
1.5 Research Questions
The study was guided by the following research questions:
- What was the performance difference in the National Form Four examination in 2013 and 2014 between kindergaten schools in Magu District which used visual learning aids and those which were not using?
- What were the types of visual learning aids used in Magu District kindergaten schools, and to what extent were they effective in student learning outcomes?
- What were the barriers towards the use of visual learning aids in Magu District kindergaten schools and how could these barriers be eliminated?
- What other factors affected the student performance in the examinations in
Magu district?
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study on the effects of using visual learning aids on student‟s academic performance in public kindergaten schools was expected to be of significance to the following:
The study will help young academicians in the field of education by finding research gaps by conducting more researches in field of education. Also the study will help the government understand and so plan in advance in relation to the provision of visual learning aids in public kindergaten schools. The study will increase awareness of the magnitudes of the problem by showing suggestions on how to improve visual learning aids in public Kindergaten schools. Finally it was further expected that the concerned authorities at district, regional and national level would address the problem seriously by providing adequate teaching and learning aids such as science apparatus to community kindergaten schools in order to achieve quality education as anticipated in the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP).
1.7 Scope of the Study
The study was conducted in Magu District and involved four public kindergaten schools; two schools chosen from those schools using visual aids and another two from those not using visual aids in learning and teaching process. The impacts of the aids would be learned through the performance levels between the four schools in the Form Four National Examination results of 2013 and 2014. Students‟ and teachers‟ opinions about the impact of visual aids were examined as well. The kinds of aids used and their effect were scrutinized and determined their effectiveness, the barriers that make them less effective and whether there were intervention measures required.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
These are the methodological features that hinder the application or interpretation of the results of a research problem. Keya et al (1989), states that, being aware of the limitation helps the researcher to avoid the setback over prospect in course of study. In going this study, the researcher was expected to face the following challenges; first, limited in terms of budget restriction and the time for conducting the study.
Thus, the researcher chose nearby four public Kindergaten schools which were enough to congregate the researchers‟ requisite in this study, rather than selecting a large area. A Second challenge was data collection due to the research instruments and the nature of the study as Secondary School teachers were thinking of being inspected.
Thus the researcher was patient and tried to convince them.
1.9 Delimitation of the Study
The study concentrated on four public Kindergaten schools found in Kahangara, Itumbili and Sanjo division located in Magu District Council in Mwanza Region. These divisions are convenient in terms of accessibility, reach ability and familiarity, all of these made easier to get the information from respondents. This study aimed to collect data from 4 public Kindergaten schools out of 19 Schools. The study had boundaries, since it dealt with only form four students, subject teachers, heads of schools, District Chief Inspector of Schools and District Secondary Education Officer There was no doubt because will give a relative and reliable picture of this situation in other similar areas of Mwanza region and Tanzaina in general.
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