Asia Pacific Journal of Education, Arts and Sciences

1-11

Authors: Reynaldo B. Inocian

This study explored the integration of the 21st century skills in teaching economics for social studies, Grade 10. It sought to answer the following objectives: (1) extrapolate insights, updates, retrospects and prospects in terms of content, instruction, and assessment features of the K to 12 curriculum in Economics, (2) describe the sequence of integration of 21st century skills, differentiated instruction, contextualization and localization in the actual teaching demonstration, and (4) interpolate the appropriate instructional modelling for effective economics teaching.Acase analysis of 65 clustermembers in Section P, representing the 780 training participants of the K to 12 Grade 10 Mass Training for social studies teachers, in May 9-13, 2015 in Cebu City, was used. Teaching demonstrations and evaluation instruments generated the needed information. Data are treated using inductive analysis in order to generate paradoxical themes through metaphors. During the actual teaching demonstrations, four process observers were selected among the four teams to provide demonstration feedback.The integration of the 21st century skills in teaching economics was aptly carried out in the areas of critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Teacher demonstrators were aware of its integration; however, the integration of creativity as one of the four skills is found insufficient, which needed utmost attention with full academic administrative support.

18-22

Authors: Rowena P. Abaquita

This study assessed and described the behavioral patternslike the level of binge drinking and drug use of the Cebu Technological University (CTU) – North Cell Freshmen Engineering students during the Academic Year 2014-2015 and explored the possible factors that had pushed or constrained the behaviors. Descriptive method was utilized with two sets of questionnaires as the main instruments. Simple percentage and weighted mean were used to calculate and interpret data gathered. Random Sampling was used to get the 20 percent of the total population of freshmen engineering students. The findings revealed that 95 percent of the respondents were of suitable ages to enter college (16- 17 years old). There were 30 -35 percent of the fathers of the engineering students who were high school graduate and 58 percent have very low family income. 93 or 43 percent of the respondents are members of recognized organizations of the school and many of them sometimes join in co- curricular activities of the school. Furthermore, respondents were Generally Close to their families but were Generally Sociable with friends. As revealed, 60 percent of the respondents drank alcohol which includes infrequent drinking to heavy drinking. Moreover, it was determined that the factors that affected the student’s alcoholism and low self- esteem were their problems such as the strictness and constant quarrels of their parents, strictness of teachers andinsecurities with friends. It was envisioned that results from this study would serve as the basis for a proposed social behavior modification model for all engineering students.

31-37

Authors: S. ‘Tayo Subair, Rachael Bukola Talabi

The study examined causes and effects of teacher shortage in public secondary schools in Osun State. It equally investigated the administrators coping strategies in the State. The descriptive survey design was used for this study. The study population for this study consisted of administrators and teachers of public secondary schools in Osun State. A total of 275 respondents consisting of 25 administrators and 250 teachers selected from 25 public secondary schools in Osun State constituted the sample size using proportional stratified sampling technique to select 25 schools from 6 local government areas across the 3 senatorial districts in Osun State. The instrument used for this study was “Teacher Shortage and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (TSCSQ)” designed by the researchers. The instrument was pilot - tested via the test re-test technique with a reliability coefficient index of 0.83 obtained. Based on the findings of this study, it was discovered that poor teacher’s salary, high student enrolment and poor work conditions; all culminating into job dissatisfaction were responsible for teacher shortage in Osun State public secondary schools. The effects were the implications for administrators and remaining teachers’ health, commitment to the job, poor students’ performance resulting from ineffective teaching and poor quality of instruction. It was also found that overloading the existing staff with assignments and multiple responsibilities, use of substitute teachers such as Youth Corp members and student – teachers plus increased class size were the coping strategies used by the school administrators to manage teacher shortage in Osun State public secondary schools. Consequently, recommendations were given that Osun State government should do all possible within her powers to recruit adequately commensurate quantity of teachers and ensure good work environment and conditions of service.

46-50

Authors: Samson Abiola Ajayi

Realism in the African literature manifests itself in several forms and strata: some simple, some interwoven, some outrightly complex. Geocriticism is a realist study focusing on geographical setting captured in literary texts in order to unravel the interplay between geography, people and cultures. Here, it is aimed at analyzing the complexities of the consequences inherent in the artificial and arbitrary colonial boundaries imposed on Africa at the Berlin Conference of 1884/1885. Geography of course deals with physical land and territorial features, but no geography can be detached from the culture of the inhabitant people. This paper therefore examines through two works of Kourouma: The Suns of Independence and Allah is not Obliged some implications of crossborder geo-cultural relationship among the affected peoples. This has enabled the research study to appraise the contemporary security challenges in Nigerian in relation to the geocultural affinities of nationalities spreading across the Nigerian boundary linesinto neighbouring countries.

60-67

Authors: A. J. Obadiora, M. A. Adeleke

This research investigated the influence of Social Studies health related topics and strategies on students’ knowledge and handling of Ebola virus disease with a view to promoting hygienic culture and as a way of preventing Ebola outbreak in Osun State, Nigeria. The sample comprised 182 students from three intact classes selected from three junior secondary school one (JSSI) in Osun State using simple random sampling technique. There were two experimental groups and one control group. Two instruments were used for the research. Data collected were subjected to t-test and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The result showed that Social Studies health related topics and the instructional strategies had influence on students’ knowledge (t =74.28, p<0.05) and handling of Ebola virus disease (t =34.81, p<0.05). The result also indicated that there was a significant difference in the effectiveness of demonstration, discussion and teacher expository strategies on students’ knowledge (F = 67.204, p < 0.05) and handling of Ebola virus disease (F = 20.776, p < 0.05) in favour of demonstration and discussion strategies (p = 0.000). This study concluded that Social Studies health related topics can be used to control the outbreak and spread of Ebola disease in Osun State.

74-79

Authors: Edward Mawun Makdet Dachalson, Sylvester Mwandar Yakwal, Juliana Rotkangmwa Bodang

The knowledge of emotional and behavioural disturbed problems among the school aged children, helps teachers and educational administrators in planning appropriate educational and recreational programmes that better meet the children needs. It is necessary that those who are involved in the education of children with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders (EBDs) especially teachers who interact closely with these groups of children, must at least have basic understanding of the characteristics and educational challenges confronting them. Children with emotional and behavioural problems exhibit a wide range of characteristics and because such children may internalize their problems, there is need for teachers to recognize and effectively manage them. This paper examines the identification and management of the children with EBD, historical overview of emotional and behavioural problems in the school system, EBD in Nigeria, problems associated with the identification of EBDs, the nature and causes of emotional and behavioural problems and outlines its implication for Nigerian teachers. The paper also proffer suggestions on how best to identify and manage such children in the Nigerian school system and concludes that teachers need to have an in-depth grasp of the situation in order to succeed effectively with such children.

89-93

Authors: Bitrus Dambo Gyot, Felix Danjuma Tappi

This paper analyzed leadership principles and its implications for stability in Nigerian education system that leadership is a commendatory concept that attracts the attention of all because it is the key to human direction. Analysis of the experience in Nigeria was undertaking, against the back drop of pointing and counter pointing of accusing fingers on who is to be blame for the unending instability being experience in the education system. In considering Nigerian experience, it was observed that our leaders particularly Principals, Provosts, Rectors and Vice Chancellors lack most of these principles which are key qualities of a leader that is why we have continually experienced instability of one form or the other across the strata of the school system. Accordingly it is hereby suggested among others that our leaders must shy away from mediocrity and pursue justice no matter what it will cost them, as this is the only guaranty for purposeful leadership.