Science and Technology Education

Physics as one of the science subjects has contributed immensely to the technological development of countries the world over including Nigeria. However, the subject had been experiencing challenges in its teaching and learning at all levels of education in and beyond Nigeria. Many students believe that Physics is difficult because they have to contend with different representations such as experiments, formula and calculations, graphs and conceptual explanations at the same time (Angell, Guttersrud, Henriksen & Isnes, 2004). They also have to make transformations among the different modes of representations of Physics concepts. In order to eradicate or reduce students‟ difficulties in learning Physics, there is a need to take them through learning processes that will enable them construct mental models that allow for higher order performance as well as participate in the learning experience rather than sit as passive listeners (Churchill, 2003). Students learn meaningfully when the...

This study examined the relationship among multiple representations, problem-solving and multiple representational abilities of senior secondary school physics students. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were adopted. Two hundred and ninety-four senior secondary school Physics students selected from six purposively sampled coeducational and urban schools in Education Districts V of Lagos State formed the sample. Test of Knowledge of Multiple Representations Abilities in Projectiles and Equilibrium of forces (TKMRA-PE), Multiple Representations Abilities Assessment Instrument (MRAI) and Problem-Solving Assessment Instrument (PSAI) were used to collect data. The reliability coefficients were determined to be 0.83, 0.75 and 0.70 using split-half reliability coefficient respectively. Three research questions raised for investigation alongside one corresponding null hypothesis were tested. Quantitative data gathered were analysed using the bar graph, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient and Regression analysis. Findings of this study revealed that there was no relationship between multiple representational and problem-solving abilities; r = .260; p > 0.05. Furthermore, the study revealed that there was a significant causal relationship among multiple representations, problem-solving and multiple representational abilities. Multiple representations and problem-solving accounted for 31.4% of the variance in the multiple representational abilities of physics students. The study concluded that multiple representations enhanced multiple representational abilities in Physics. The use of multiple representations should be explored by Physics teachers to develop in-depth conceptual understanding.

Most of the curriculum design models within the technical-scientific approach utilise the rational and sequential process of designing and inter-relating the various elements of the design process. While this procedure may be efficient and adequate for conventional education in which the designers are professional science educators, there is doubt if it satisfies the particular needs of distance education. The experience accumulated through a multi-disciplinary team approach to distance learning courseware development for higher education at the University of Southern Queensland Distance Education Centre motivated this study which primarily focused on a search for an alternative approach to curriculum development with a more satisfactory functional value. Using selected units in Engineering as a focus, an experiment was designed in which a variant of the classical Wheeler model was used. This paper reports the results of this experiment. The implications for contemporary curriculum development initiatives in science especially within distance education settings are pointed out.

The results of recent studies into the use of the concept mapping heuristic seem to demonstrate that mcaningful learning results through its use in science classrooms. While this underscores the need to use more effective instrIJctional strategies in science teaching, the issue of the intervening variable of anxiety in learning and science achievement. and the possible use of a metacognitive strategy in anxiety reduction have not been addressed. This study, therefore, sought to find out if the mCtiICOgnitive strategy of concept mapping reduces anxiety and thereby enhances achievemcnt in biology. A total of51 (30 boys. 21 girls) senior secondary one (grade 10) students participated in this experiment. Two Instruments-the Zuckerman Affect Adjective Checklist and the Biology Achicvemcnt TCSt--WCre used in pre-and posttest administrations to measure the treatment effect on anxiety and achievement. respectivcly. Findings support the stand that concept mapping is significantly more effective than the traditional/expository teaching strategy in enhancing learning in biology. In addition. it apparently reduces students' anxiety towards the learning of biology. A significant reduction of anxiety was noticed for male subjects.

Although recent studies have shown that the sociocultural characteristics which children in non-western society bring into the classroom from their environment create a wedge between what they are taught and what they learn, very little has been done to solve the problem. A learner who is not positively disposed to, or has a socio-cultural background that is indifferent to, learning science would find it hard to learn science effectively. This study investigated whether instruction through the use of the socio-cultural mode has any significant effect on students' attitude towards the learning of science. The sample consisted of 600 senior secondary year-one students (442 boys, 158 girls) from 15 secondary schools in Nigeria. The Socio-Cultural Environment Scale (SCES) and the Biology Achievement Test (BAT) were used to measure the change in attitude and achievement of subjects in a pretest-posttest situation after a six-week treatment. Evidence was found to support the hypothesis that science instruction which deliberately involves the discussion of socio-cultural views about science concepts engenders positive attitudes towards the study of science. The findings also indicate that anthropomorphic and mechanistic views can be presented in such a way as to promote positive attitudes towards the study of science in traditional cultures.

It is becoming increasingly evident that the nature of the environment (ecology) influences the culture of a people. The prediction that such eco-cultural variables could exert influence on students' concept attainment in science was tested in this study using a 2 (general environment) × 2 (reasoning pattern) × 2 (nature of home) × 2 (goal structure) fixed-effect ANOVA design. The results showed that (1) students who live in a predominantly automated environment did better than those in a predominantly manual environment; (2) students whose reasoning patterns were predominantly magical and superstitious performed significantly lower than those who were empirical in reasoning; (3) rural dwellers were predominantly cooperative in outlook; (4) students who expressed preference for cooperative learning did significantly better than those who expressed preference for competitive and individual work; and (5) students from authoritarian homes achieved less well on the science concept test when compared with those from permissive homes. A number of important implications from these findings are drawn.

An amount-of-learning outcome variable has been attributed to the environment in which teaching and learning are conducted. Studies carried out so far have, however, not focused on the sociocultural aspect of the classroom environment, which has been theorized to have potential influence on students' learning. The intent of this study was to examine the influence of five aspects of the sociocultural environment in science classes with particular reference to how these are perceived by boys and girls. The 30-item Socio-Cultural Environment Scale (SCES) developed by Jegede and Okebukola (1988) was used to collect data from 707 Nigerian secondary school students in Classes Four and Five (Grades 10 and 11, respectively). Authoritarianism, goal structure, African worldview, societal expectation, and sacredness of science were the five subscales studied. Sex differences were recorded in the societal expectation subscale. Most of the female subjects are of the opinion that society has a negative or low regard for their ability to do science and this has an effect on their motivation to undertake science-based careers. The reverse is true for boys. This perception is in agreement with the literature on sex differences in science education and highlights the social pressure that brings about subject preferences. The implications of these findings for science teaching and further research are highlighted.

About a decade ago when global ranking of universities was primed for unfolding, the African higher education system prepared to take advantage of the utility value of ranking in improving the quality of the system. By 2001, Nigeria had signed up as the first sub-Saharan Africa country to rank its universities. Tunisia in North Africa is listed as one of the early birds embracing the scheme. By 2010, the Africa Union endorsed a regional initiative - the African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM) with 34 higher education institutions from all the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in Africa participating in its inaugural edition. This paper reviews development in higher education ranking in Africa with special focus on Nigeria and the African Quality Rating Mechanism. It explores accountability issues and the uses to which ranking/rating should be put in bolstering the quality of the higher education system in the region. It notes that ranking can be a strong determinant of educational policy thrust insofar as the goal is to engender competition and catalyse improvement in quality. The theory of competition on which ranking rests implies that competing elements strive to improve in order to be the leader in the pack. Thus, if the system-wide or institutional goal is to stimulate improvement in quality, ranking comes in as one of several pathways. The overarching goal of ranking or rating in the African setting is to serve as stimulant for bolstering quality in the higher education system.

I am delighted and honoured to deliver the 11 th Convocation Lecture of one of Africa's leading universities of technology-the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Three decades ago less one year, this university was established along with four others to serve as the arrowhead of production of high-level human resources in science and technology. The Babangida Administration was displeased with the lacklustre performance of Nigeria in scientific and technological endeavours relative to the huge potentials which abound. The Administration needed to tap more forcefully into science and technology for national development. With the five universities of technology in Akure, Bauchi, Minna, Owerri and Yola, the stage would appear set to demolish hindrances to development using the power of science and technology. It is a delight to note that these universities have stayed more or less on course of the vision of the founding fathers. The Federal University of Technology, Minna has been showing leadership among the pack in a number of disciplines especially in Engineering. The report of the Olunloyo Committee which I set up in 2005 as Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission is laden with heart-warming reports for FUT Minna. It is my forecast that if one of the universities of Technology will produce a Nobel Prize winner in science in the near future, FUT Minna will be a leading contender.