By Adejuwon Temitope
Prof. Kehinde Omotayo of the Faculty of Education, Ekiti State University, Ado- Ekiti, has called for creative teaching of science in the country.
According to her, it was imperative to shift to practicality in science-based disciplines.
She stated that science teachers should be well trained.
Omotayo delivered the 70th EKSU’s Inaugural Lecture, entitled: “Producing versatility in the teaching-learning process: An effort to revitalise science education.”
She said: “Acquisition of scientific imperatives have proved not to be a function of gender. All science teachers (both male and female) should avoid creating sexism in science classrooms. There is a need to create an enabling environment for ICT usage in facilitating scientific instructions.
“All stakeholders such as parents, school administrators and learners should endeavour to make it happen. Finally, government’s support is needed to execute all policies formulated accurately.”
The don said the quality of education in the country only prepares learners to pass specific examinations without real application beyond the classroom.
She said: “ In curriculum evaluation, the quality of the product matters ,as it forms the basis for decision making process. Nigeria is still in quest of a functional curriculum, the fundamental prerequisite of any educational system that can foster national development. Teachers are expected to be more experienced and knowledgeable to assist learners to acquire new learning experiences . No nation can rise above the quality of its teachers.”
Omotayo noted that science teaching required expertise. She stated that the ideal model of science teacher preparation must involve knowledge sufficient in depth (content) as well as the pedagogy method that demonstrates professional competence.
She said policy document on science teaching in Nigeria (NPE 2015) also supported activity-based teaching of science to enhance competence.
She said: “For instruction to be effective, the quality of the subject matter content (learning materials and that of the teacher presenting it should be sacrosanct. The teacher is the classroom practitioner who must effectively manage interactions and must satisfactorily perform his/her homothetic function (classroom role) and idiographic dimension to fulfill his/her responsibility to the school. One fundamental purpose of instructional effectiveness is to produce learners who are adequately equipped with the learning skills that the teaching provides through the use of excellent communication styles to enlist students’ active participation.
Omotayo noted that the essence of education is to produce versatile learners who can think for themselves and engage in meaningful conversations which are products of significant learning outcomes they have acquired in an ideal science classroom.