Reducing Underachievement and Promoting Critical Thinking Skills in Computer Studies Through a Culturally Sensitive Instructional Method
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7203/realia.31.25192Keywords:
CTCA, Computer Studies, CTS, Students Achievement, Secondary School, Nigeria
Abstract
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Ap- proach (CTCA) on students’ achievement and critical thinking skills in Computer Studies. The study was conducted in two phases. Phase one was a survey of difficult concepts in computer science/studies. While phase two explored the potency of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) in breaking the barriers to meaningful learning of refractive indices. Results obtained from the survey in the first phase revealed 19 topics as a difficult topic among African secondary school students in computer studies. The second phase was guided by two research questions with two public junior secondary (JS) in Lagos State (Nigeria). About 38% of the respondents were males while about 62% were females. A critical thinking skills task (CTST), and an interview guide were used to collect data for the study. The data gathered was subjected to multivariate analysis of covariate (MANCOVA), and the results revealed a statistically significant difference in the methods used, multivariate F (Pillai’s Trace) was significant [F=17.67; p<.05], univariate ANOVA on achievement [F (2, 208) = 20.67; p<0.05]; and critical thinking skills [F (2, 208) = 15.14; p<0.05]. Within the scope of the study, it was tentatively recommended that CTCA should be adopted by computer studies teachers in the teaching of computer science/studies in secondary schools.
Downloads
Author Biography
Olasunkanmi Adio Gbeleyi, Lagos State University
References
Abdulhadi, M., Awaah, F., Agbanimu, D., Ekwan, E. O., & Sefiamor-Heloo, E. (2023). The culturo-techno-contextual approach and students’ understanding of computer science education in a developing economy. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-12-2022-0087
Adam, U. A. (2019). Potency of culturo-techno-contextual approach on students’ achievement in and attitude towards mutation and variation. (Unpublished master’s thesis). Lagos University, Nigeria.
Ademola, I. A., Okebukola, P. A., Oladejo, A. I., Onowugbeda, F. U., Gbeleyi, O., & Agbanimu,D. (2021). Teachers’ Qualifications and Teaching Experience: Impact on Quality Assurance in Nigeria Secondary Education. NOUN Journal of Management and International Development, 6(1), 260–272.
AUC. (2015, September). Agenda 2063. The Africa we want. Retrieved from https://au.int/sites/ default/files/documents/36204-doc-agenda2063_popular_version_en.pdf
Ausubel, D. P. (2000 [1963]). The acquisition and retention of knowledge: A cognitive view. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9454-7
Awaah, F. (2019, July). Rating Lecturer-related classroom academically dishonest practices in Ghana’s Institutions of Higher Learning. 17th International Conference on Private Higher Education in Africa. St Mary’s University. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/7454
Awaah, F. (2020). Indigenous (cultural) knowledge related to the concept of politics as a difficult topic in public administration. In P. A. Okebukola (Ed.), Breaking Barriers to Learning: The Culturo Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) (pp. 182–192). Slough, UK and Delhi: Sterling Publishers.
Awaah, F., Arkorful, H., Foli, J., Darteh, D. O., & Yeboah, S. (2021). Previous knowledge and difficulties in the study of public administration among undergraduates in African universities. SN Soc Sci, 1(83). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00097-7
Awaah, F., Okebukola, P. A., Alfa, A. A., Anagba, K., & Arkorful, H. (2021). Developing public administration education by focusing on difficult key concepts: The case of Nigeria and Ghana. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 4(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2021
.100136
Awaah, F., Okebukola, P. A., Ebisin, A., Agbanimu, D., Peter, E. O., Ajayi, O. A., … Lawal, R. (2020). Influence of gender and career interest on African university students perceived difficult concepts in the study of public administration. Teach Public Adm, 39(2), 227– 245. https://doi.org/10.1177/0144739420968870
Basic Education Certificate Education (BECE). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://neco.gov.ng/ exams/bece
Bryce, T. G. K., & Blown, E. J. (2023). Ausubel’s meaningful learning re-visited. Current Psychology, 1(20). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04440-4
Chebanne, A., & Gabanamotse-Mogara, B. (2022). Theory and Practice of Multilingual and Multicultural Education in Botswana Lower Primary Schools. In E. Charamba (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Teaching in Multicultural and Multilingual Contexts (pp. 287– 301). IGI Global.
Chukwudum, U. C., Okechukwu, A., Nnachi, N. O., & Aja, L. (2022). Junior Secondary School Students Achievement in Computer Studies: A Closer Look at Modelling Instructional Approach. Journal of Education and Practice, 13(26). http://dx.doi.org/10.7176/JEP/
13-26-07
CTCA-Team. (n.d.). CTCA Approach. Retrieved from https://ctcapproach.com/
Duze, C. O. (2012). Principals’ perception of educational inputs and students’ academic performance in junior secondary schools in Delta State of Nigeria. African Research Review, 6(1), 360–379.
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction—The Delphi report. Millbrae, C.A.: California Academic Press.
Fejes, A., Nylund, M., & Wallin, J. (2019). How do teachers interpret and transform entrepreneurship education? Journal of Curriculum Studies, 51, 554–566. https:// doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2018.1488998
Fong, C. J., Kim, Y., Davis, C. W., Hoang, T., & Kim, Y. W. (2017). A meta-analysis on critical thinking and community college student achievement. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 26, 71–83.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching. Theory, research and practice. New York and London: Teachers College Columbia Un.
Gbeleyi, O. A. (n.d.). Gbeleyi 1.0. Retrieved from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.newandromo.dev1284697.app1462258
Gbeleyi, O. A. (2020). Flowcharting, Algorithm and Logic Gate as Difficult Topics for Secondary School Students: Harnessing the Power of Indigenous (Cultural) Knowledge for their Understanding. In P. Okebukola (Ed.), Breaking Barriers to Learning:The Culturo Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA). Slough, UK and Delhi: Sterling Publishers.
Gbeleyi, O. A., Okebukola, P. A., Ademola, I., Onowugbeda, F. U., Awaah, F., Peter, E., … Abdulazeez, H. T. (2022). Heartbreak for Underachievement: Perspectives of CTCA on Students’ Achievement and Critical Thinking in Computer Studies. 95th Annual Conference of NARST, March, 27-30, Vancouver, British Columbia. Retrieved from https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3-0ODfAAAAAJ&hl=en
Gbeleyi, O. A., & Potokri, O. C. (2023). Gender Beliefs Framed on Culturo-Techno. Contextual Approach About Learning of Difficult STEM Concepts in African Secondary Schools. African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning (APORTAL), 7 .
Ghazivakili, Z., Nia, R. N., Panahi, F., Karimi, M., Gholsorkhi, H., & Ahmadi, Z. (2014).
The role of critical thinking skills and learning styles of university students in their academic performance . J Adv Med Educ Prof , 2(3). Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25512928/
Greenwald, R. R., & Quitadamo, I. J. (2014). A Mind of Their Own: Using Inquiry- Based Teaching to Build Critical Thinking Skills and Intellectual Engagement in An Undergraduate Neuroanatomy Course. J. Undergrad. Neurosci. Educ, 12(2), A100–A106. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3970991/
Hammond, Z. L. (Ed.). (2014). Culturally Responsive Teaching & the Brain. Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. London, New Delhi & Singapore: CORWIN (Sage).
Harushimana, I. (2022). Preparing educators who save lives: what can US schools of education do? Journal for Multicultural Education, 16(3), 225–236. https://doi.org/ 10.1108/JME-11-2021-0198
Heidegger, M. (1977 [1954]). The question concerning technology (Die Frage nach der Technik).New York: Garland Publishing.
Hill, A. L. (2012). Culturally Responsive Teaching: An Investigation of Effective Practices for African American Learners (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Loyola University Chicago.
Hoeg, D. G., & Bencze, J. L. (2017). Values Underpinning STEM Education in the USA: An Analysis of the Next Generation Science Standards. Science Education, 101(2), 278–301. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21260
Huber, C. R., & Kuncel, N. R. (2016). Does College Teach Critical Thinking: A Meta- Analysis . Review of Educational Research, 86(2), 431–468. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/ 0034654315605917
Ife, J. (2001). Local and global practice: Relocating social work as a human rights profession in the new global order. European Journal of Social Work, 4(1), 5–15. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/714052835
Kamran, A., Naeim, M., Mohammadi, M., & Masoumi, N. (2022). Prediction of academic performance based on learning style and critical thinking among medical students. Journal of Pedagogical Research, 6(1), 57–66.
Kassa, E. A., & Mekonnen, E. A. (2022). Computational thinking in the Ethiopian secondary school ICT curriculum. Computer Science Education, 32(4), 502–531. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/08993408.2022.2095594
Kola, M. I. (2015). How Teachers Actualise Critical Thinking Skills in the Technology Classroom (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria). Retrieved from https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/52934/Kola_Teachers_2015.pdf?sequence=1
Ladson-Billings, G. (2009). The dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children.
Jossey-Bass.
Ladson-Billings, G. (2021). Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: Asking a Different Question.Columbia: Teachers Colleage Press.
Latorre-Cosculluela, C., Suárez, C., Quiroga, S., Sobradiel-Sierra, N., Lozano-Blasco, R., & Rodríguez-Martínez, A. (2021). Flipped Classroom model before and during COVID- 19: using technology to develop 21st century skills. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 18(2), 189–204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ITSE-08-2020-0137
Liu, O. L., Frankel, L., & Roohr, K. C. (2014, June). Assessing Critical Thinking in Higher Education: Current State and Directions for Next-Generation Assessment. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1109287.pdf
McMillan, D. W., & Chavis, D. M. (1986). Sense of community: A definition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6–6. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1002/ 1520-6629(198601)14:1%3C6::AID-JCOP2290140103%3E3.0.CO;2-I
Mthethwa-Sommers, S. (2013). Teaching Against Defensive Moves: A Case Study on the Impact of Teacher Racial Identity on Learning. SSRN . Retrieved from https://ssrn.com/ abstract=2247821
Nkrumah, K. (1945). Mind and Thought in Primitive Society. A Study in Ethnophilosophy (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Pennsylvania University.
Odekeye, T. O. (2020). Indigenous (Cultural) Knowledge Related to the Concept of Variation and Evolution as Difficult Topics in Biology. In P. Okebukola (Ed.), Breaking Barriers to Learning: The Culturo Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA). Slough, UK and Delhi: Sterling Publishers.
Okebukola, P. A. (2020). Breaking Barriers to Learning: The (CTCA). Slough, UK and Delhi: Sterling Publishers.
Okebukola, P. A., Onowugbeda, F., Awaah, F., Ademola, I., Odekeye, T., & Ajayi, O. A. (2020).Investigating chemical safety awareness and practices in Nigerian Schools. J Chem Educ, 98(1), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00136
Okebukola, P. A., Suwadu, B., Oladejo, A., Nyandwi, R., Ademola, I., Okorie, H., & Awaah,F. (2020). Delivering high school chemistry during COVID-19 lockdown: voices from Africa. J Chem Educ, 97 (9), 3285–3289. Retrieved from https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/ acs.jchemed.0c00725
Oladejo, A. I., Okebukola, P. A., Olateju, T. T., Akinola, V. O., Ebisin, A., & Dansu, T. V. (2022). In search of culturally responsive tools for meaningful learning of chemistry in Africa: We stumbled on the culturo-techno-contextual approach. Journal of Chemical Education, 99(8), 2919–2931. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00126
Olaore, A. Y., & Drolet, J. (2017). Indigenous knowledge, beliefs, and cultural practices for children and families in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 26(3), 254–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/15313204.2016.1241973
Onowugbeda, F. U. (2020). Variation and Genetics as Difficult Topics for Secondary School Students in Biology: Exploring the Impact of Indigenous (Cultural) Knowledge for Better Understanding. In P. A. Okebukola (Ed.), Breaking Barriers to Learning: The Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) (pp. 140–154). Delhi, India & Slough: Sterling Publishers.
Onowugbeda, F. U., Okebukola, P. A., Agbanimu, D. O., Ajayi, O. A., Oladejo, A. I., Awaah, F., … Ige, A. M. (2022). Can the culturo-techno-contextual approach (CTCA) promote students’ meaningful learning of concepts in variation and evolution? Research in Science & Technological Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2022.2084060
Raheem, K., Anamuah-Mensah, J., & Sefa-Dei, G. J. (2014). Re-Thinking Development and Growth Theories for Africa. In A. Asabere-Ameyaw, J. Anamuah-Mensah, G. J. Sefa- Dei, & K. Raheem (Eds.), Indigenist African Development and Related Issues (pp. 15–26). Brill.
Saanu, T. (2015). Exploration of the Effect of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach on the Achievement and Attitude of Students in Logic Gate (Unpublished master’s thesis). Lagos State University, Lagos (Nigeria).
Schoenfeld, A. H. (1992). Learning to Think Mathematically: Problem Solving, Metacognition, and Sense Making in Mathematics (Reprint). Journal of Education, 196(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/002205741619600202
Schwarz, C. V., Reiser, B. J., Davis, E. A., Kenyon, L., Achér, A., Fortus, D., … Krajcik, J. (2009). Developing a learning progression for scientific modeling: Making scientific modeling accessible and meaningful for learners. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(6), 632–654. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20311
Seo, Y. (2022). Pre-Service English Teachers’ Reflections on Culturally Responsive Teaching in Teacher Education. English Teaching, 77 (4), 159–176. https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.77.4.202212.159
Taube, K. T. (1997). Critical Thinking Ability and Disposition as Factors of Performance on a Written Critical. The Journal of General Education, 46(2), 129–164. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/27797335
UNESCO. (n.d.). International Standard Classification of Education ISCED 2011. Retrieved from https://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/international-standard-classification-of-education-isced-2011-en.pdf
Welcome to Lagos State Examinations Board. Online Portal. (n.d.). Retrieved from https:// examsboard.lagosstate.gov.ng/
Published
How to Cite
-
Abstract969
-
PDF532
-
EPUB282
-
HTML958
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- The Universitat de València is the editor of Research in Education and Learning Innovation Archives (REALIA) and retains the copyright of all that is published in the journal, while it allows and favours reuse under a copyleft license.
- The originals published in this journal are – unless otherwise specified – under a Creative Commons License: Attribution-NonComercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
Research in Education and Learning Innovation Archives (REALIA) encourages authors to disseminate and give visibility to their research published in this journal. For this, REALIA wishes to inform that:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
- The work is simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License: Attribution-NonComercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).
- Self-archive: Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g. in institutional repositories or on their website) to promote greater visibility and citation, with an acknowledgement of its first publication in this journal.
Similar Articles
Make a Submission
Language
Information
Keywords
