| Peer-Reviewed

The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

Received: 6 August 2021    Accepted: 17 August 2021    Published: 30 August 2021
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

The current study is mainly aimed at investigating the role of teaching approaches in mastering Biology subjects in ordinary secondary education settings in Morogoro Municipality. The study guided by two objectives, to assess the common approaches applied in teaching and learning Biology subject, and to examine whether teachers are competent and possess the skills of using more than three methods in teaching Biology. The study employed mixed methods and a case-study research design. The schools and students were selected through simple random sampling. Twenty ordinary secondary students were selected per each school, three Biology teachers per each school and one head of academic department or head of school per each school as well as one quality assurer responsible for Biology subject. The collected data were classified, analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Computer Programme version 25 then interpreted using descriptive statistical techniques, and qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The findings showed that most Biology teachers preferred to use lecture and chalk talk methods, through which these approaches lead students to fail to master well the subject. Furthermore, the findings indicated that most Biology teachers are competent and possess skills of using different teaching approaches, though in apply them become a problem due to overcrowded class and lack of enough time, teachers found themselves using lecturing or question and answers rather than other approaches recommended for the competence-based curriculum. The researcher recommended that; Biology teachers should employ hands-on and mind-on approaches and strategies such as field trips, project works, experimentation, simple research and demonstration when teaching to enable students to be creatives, hence competent and to master the subject.

Published in American Journal of Education and Information Technology (Volume 5, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13
Page(s) 83-87
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Teaching/Learning Approaches, Methods, Strategies, Classroom, Mastering

References
[1] Buseri, J. C. & Dorgu, T. E. (2011). “The relevance of instructional materials for effective Curriculum delivery in Nigeria.” Journal of issues in professional Teacher Education (JTIPTE), Vol. 2, no. 2, 2011, pp. 9.
[2] Ajaja O. P (2013). Which strategy best suits biology teaching? Lecturing, concept mapping, cooperative learning or learning cycle? Delta State University. Electronic Journal of Science Education.
[3] Cakir, M. (2008). Constructivist Approaches to learning in science and their Implications for Science Pedagogy. Marmara University, Turkey. ISSN 1306-3065.
[4] Choi, S. & Ramsey, J. (2009). Constructing elementary teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and practical knowledge through an inquiry-based elementary science course. School Science 109 (6) 313-324.
[5] Darling-Hammond, L. (2010). The flat and education: How American’s commitment to equity will our future. New York, NY: Teachers College, Columbia University.
[6] Wandela, E. L. (2014). Tanzania post-colonial educational system and perspectives on secondary science education, pedagogy, and curriculum: A qualitative study. College of Education Theses and Dissertations. 71.
[7] Semali, M. L. & Mehta, K. (2012). Science education in Tanzania: Challenges and Policy responses. International Journal of Educational Research, Vol 53, 225-239.
[8] Vavrus, F. & Bartlett, L. (2013). Teaching in tension: International pedagogy, national policies, and teachers’ practices in Tanzania. Boston, MA: Sense Publishers.
[9] NECTA, (2020). Examiners‟ Report on the Performance of Candidates (CSEE), 2019. Dar es Salaam: National Examinations Council.
[10] Mwesiga, F. (2017). Factors influencing students’ poor performance in geography subject in Tanzania: The case of community secondary schools in Morogoro municipality.
[11] URT, (2014). Education and Training Policy. Dar es Salaam: Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT).
[12] Tillya, F. & Mafumiko, F. (2010). The compatibility between teaching methods and competence based curriculum in Tanzania. Papers in Education and Development 29, 37-56.
[13] Ornstein, (2006). The Frequency of Hands-On Experimentation and Student Attitudes toward Science: A Statistically Significant Relation. Journal of Science Education and Technology. Vol. 15, No. 3, October 2006.
[14] Yen, T. S. & Halili, S. H. (2015). Effective teaching of higher-order thinking (HOT) in Education. The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 3, (2).
[15] Fisher, R. (1999). Thinking skills to thinking schools: Ways to develop children’s thinking and learning. Early Child Development and Care, 153, 51-63.
[16] Anwar, F. (2019). The effect of activity-based teaching techniques on student motivation and academic achievement. Journal of Education and Educational Development, 6 (1), 154-170.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Edson Salvanus Kayega, Eugenia Lucas Wandela. (2021). The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. American Journal of Education and Information Technology, 5(2), 83-87. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Edson Salvanus Kayega; Eugenia Lucas Wandela. The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. Am. J. Educ. Inf. Technol. 2021, 5(2), 83-87. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Edson Salvanus Kayega, Eugenia Lucas Wandela. The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania. Am J Educ Inf Technol. 2021;5(2):83-87. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13,
      author = {Edson Salvanus Kayega and Eugenia Lucas Wandela},
      title = {The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania},
      journal = {American Journal of Education and Information Technology},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {83-87},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajeit.20210502.13},
      abstract = {The current study is mainly aimed at investigating the role of teaching approaches in mastering Biology subjects in ordinary secondary education settings in Morogoro Municipality. The study guided by two objectives, to assess the common approaches applied in teaching and learning Biology subject, and to examine whether teachers are competent and possess the skills of using more than three methods in teaching Biology. The study employed mixed methods and a case-study research design. The schools and students were selected through simple random sampling. Twenty ordinary secondary students were selected per each school, three Biology teachers per each school and one head of academic department or head of school per each school as well as one quality assurer responsible for Biology subject. The collected data were classified, analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Computer Programme version 25 then interpreted using descriptive statistical techniques, and qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The findings showed that most Biology teachers preferred to use lecture and chalk talk methods, through which these approaches lead students to fail to master well the subject. Furthermore, the findings indicated that most Biology teachers are competent and possess skills of using different teaching approaches, though in apply them become a problem due to overcrowded class and lack of enough time, teachers found themselves using lecturing or question and answers rather than other approaches recommended for the competence-based curriculum. The researcher recommended that; Biology teachers should employ hands-on and mind-on approaches and strategies such as field trips, project works, experimentation, simple research and demonstration when teaching to enable students to be creatives, hence competent and to master the subject.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - The Role of Teaching Approaches in Mastering Biology Subject in Ordinary Secondary Education in Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
    AU  - Edson Salvanus Kayega
    AU  - Eugenia Lucas Wandela
    Y1  - 2021/08/30
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13
    T2  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
    JF  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
    JO  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
    SP  - 83
    EP  - 87
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2994-712X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20210502.13
    AB  - The current study is mainly aimed at investigating the role of teaching approaches in mastering Biology subjects in ordinary secondary education settings in Morogoro Municipality. The study guided by two objectives, to assess the common approaches applied in teaching and learning Biology subject, and to examine whether teachers are competent and possess the skills of using more than three methods in teaching Biology. The study employed mixed methods and a case-study research design. The schools and students were selected through simple random sampling. Twenty ordinary secondary students were selected per each school, three Biology teachers per each school and one head of academic department or head of school per each school as well as one quality assurer responsible for Biology subject. The collected data were classified, analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Computer Programme version 25 then interpreted using descriptive statistical techniques, and qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. The findings showed that most Biology teachers preferred to use lecture and chalk talk methods, through which these approaches lead students to fail to master well the subject. Furthermore, the findings indicated that most Biology teachers are competent and possess skills of using different teaching approaches, though in apply them become a problem due to overcrowded class and lack of enough time, teachers found themselves using lecturing or question and answers rather than other approaches recommended for the competence-based curriculum. The researcher recommended that; Biology teachers should employ hands-on and mind-on approaches and strategies such as field trips, project works, experimentation, simple research and demonstration when teaching to enable students to be creatives, hence competent and to master the subject.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Jordan University College, Morogoro, Tanzania

  • Department of Education, Jordan University College, Morogoro, Tanzania

  • Sections