Umeozor, Uzonna Juliana Ph.D
Department of Educational Management and Policy Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State
Abstract
This study investigated the extent of educational resources utilization for teacher job performance in secondary schools in Anambra State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design. Population of the study comprised 5,976 teachers from 258 public secondary schools located in urban and rural areas in Anambra State.
The sample size for this study was made up of 1,195 teachers from 133 secondary schools drawn using proportionate random sampling technique. A questionnaire titled: “Extent of Utilization of Available Educational Resources for Teacher Job Performance Questionnaire (EUAERTJPQ)” was used in eliciting information from the teachers in this study. Data gathered from the pilot test were analyzed using Cronbach Alpha method. This yielded an overall coefficient of internal consistency of 0.82. Data collected and collated were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean scores and standard deviation in order to answer the research questions, while hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test statistics. Findings of the study indicated among others that: the available physical plant, printed and non-printed resources for teacher job performance in secondary schools were utilized to a moderate extent in Anambra State and a
significant difference was found between the mean ratings of teachers on the extent of utilization of available physical plant resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State. Based on the findings, recommendations were proffered and among these included that: the Anambra State government and Post Primary Schools Service Commission should constantly audit, up-grade and maintain the available physical plant resources in secondary schools in order to ensure that they are properly utilized for teacher job performance.
Keywords: Educational, Resources, Utilization, Teacher, Job, Performance, Secondary, Schools
Introduction
Educational resources, be it human or material resource, play vital role in both the education system and instructional delivery in the classroom. They are
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also included as one of the most important machineries useful for promoting the effectiveness of teaching and learning in the secondary schools. Educational resources have great significance in promoting administrative processes and likewise students’ academic achievements. For instance, the presence of material resources as part of educational resources in the school environment impacts greatly on teachers’ job performance in the classroom. Teaching and learning cannot yield positive results without the teacher making use of some educational resources during classroom presentations. The level of teachers’ job performance and their success in teaching various subjects in secondary schools is greatly dependent on the degree and extent of utilization of up-to-date education resources which revolve around facilities, equipment and supplies like the physical plants, printed and non-printed materials. Many scholars, researchers and other stakeholders in the education sector like Emetarom (2003), Kola (2007), Olulube (2006), Shehu and Mohammed (2014), Ugwuanyi (2013), Wanjiku (2013) and others have come to the realization that material resources are very crucial for all round development of individual competences within the school environment.
From a human perspective, a resource is anything obtained from the environment to satisfy human needs and wants (Miller & Spoolman, 2011).Atieno (2014), Ezeh (2010), Okoro (2006), Wanjiku (2013) defined educational resources as physical, material, human and financial inputs in the teaching and learning process. They include things or facilities in the school and learning environment, which are used to attain the goals and objectives of the school organization. Educational resources also include texts, videos, software, audio-visuals, printed materials, non-printed materials and other materials that teachers use to assist students to meet the expectations of learning (Kochhar, 2012). The resources can be broadly grouped into two as human and material resources (Manson & Nor, 2011; Miller &
Spoolman, 2011; Nwaham, 2011; Stephen, 2011). Ehiamelator in Dodo, Ajiki and Abimiku (2010) defined material resources as operational inputs of every instructional programme. That is to say, they are inputs which aid the teacher to achieve some level of instructional efficiency and effectiveness. The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) (2000), identified school material resources to include the classrooms, libraries, laboratories, books, workshops, school buildings, playfields, school farms, garden, electrical fixtures, equipment, time, land, transport, the school environment, toilet facilities, and portable water while human resources include teachers, non-teaching staff, school administrators, among others. Educational resources as defined in this study are tools, instruments, services and devices which assist teachers to effectively deliver their lessons in the classroom. However, educational resources investigated in the present study include the physical plant materials, printed and non-printed materials.
The school physical plants resources refer to all the physical properties of a school, consisting of the site, grounds, buildings, and the various facilities and equipment within the school grounds and inside the school buildings (Kimeu,
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Tanui & Ronoh, 2015; Macalino, 2014; Maicibi, 2003). To Macalino, physical plant resources include; the site, buildings, laboratories, libraries, furniture, equipment, among others. Printed resources in secondary schools according to Nzeneri (2010) are instructional materials like pen, black and white or coloured prints like pamphlets, workbook, study materials, brochures, memo-graphs, periodicals, newspapers, dictionary, teachers’ manual and guide, textbooks, graphic materials, note of lesson, lesson plan, scheme of work, curriculum syllabus and downloaded materials for the internet, among others. The non-printed resources are those durable materials that do last and they include real objects, hard wares, equipment and high-technology/digital materials that provide educational information and act as excellent tools for instructional delivery. These resources equally appeal to all the five senses of sight (seeing), hearing, touching, tasting and smelling. Many of these non-printed machineries apart from the real objects operate with electricity or batteries (Nzeneri, 2010). Teachers’ job performance in the secondary education system in Anambra State cannot be effective without utilization of varieties of these educational resources. This is so because, educational resources form the hub around which effective teaching, leading to the realization of positive outcomes in secondary education revolves. The extent to which the physical plant materials, printed and non-printed materials are provided in the school, determines how teachers will utilize them in schools for their utmost performance (Wanjiku, 2013). Therefore, utilization of educational resources could be useful for teacher job performance as identified in the studies of Adebule and Ayoola (2014), Andambi and Kariuki (2013), Dodo, Ajiki and Abimiku (2010), Kyara (2013), Ntui and Udah (2015), Nyange (2013), Owate and Iroha (2013), Valdez (2006), and Wanjiku (2013). For these studies, educational resources share close relationships with teacher job performance, satisfaction and students’ academic performance and achievements. This means that for any subject taught in secondary schools, relevant learning resources (materials) are necessary for teaching in order to meet the instructional objectives as indicated by the Federal Ministry of Education (2000) and Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013).
Appropriateness in the utilization of educational resources is an important factor or component in the implementation of the curriculum which helps the implementers such as teachers to realize the stipulated goals and guide them in the teaching-learning process in the classroom practice (Frankie-Dolor, 2002). This is corroborated by Adeboyeje in Akinsolu (2012) that physical facilities are essential materials that must be put in place and into consideration for quality of instructions and the objectives of the school system to be accomplished.
Utilization according to Ugwuanyi (2013) simply represents the actual patronage of the school facilities, equipment and supplies by the teacher in teaching. Hornby in Ugwuanyi (2013) explained utilization as the act of making use of available services at the individual’s disposal.Philip Lief Group (2013) opined that utilization is that something is equal to or fully sufficient for a specified
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or implied requirement. It also means how resources are used to get good results (Okoth, 2011). When resources are sufficiently available in schools, teachers get the satisfaction they need in utilizing them in teaching and their best performance in using the resources in the classroom is guaranteed. Teachers need educational resources in order to boost their hidden potentials, competences, performance and satisfaction. Adequate and quality facilities according to Ogunsaju (2000) must be utilized in the system for developing the human resources like the teachers in order to ensure school effectiveness. Ogunsaju further stressed that the situation whereby teachers are made to teach students without adequate use of educational resources should be discouraged and the need to support teachers with relevant teaching resources should be intensified.
Teacher job performance as defined by Sonnentag, Volmer and Spychala (2010) has to do with teachers’ behavioural aspect which refers to what people do while at work, the action itself. Conversely, the extent and amount of resource utilization in most cases may differ as a result of school type and location (urban and rural). A place is urban or rural by policy which is usually determined by the government. In this study, urban secondary schools are those secondary schools that are located in areas that have been designated as urban areas and known for high level of development. Rural secondary schools are those secondary schools that are geographically located in areas designated as rural areas (Igbofocus, 2011;
Department of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) of the Anambra State Post Primary Schools Service Commission –PPSSC, 2017). Most times utilization of resources in schools is affected by some variables like school location (urban and rural). Considering the influence of school location as a determinant factor on the provisions of school resources, Ugwuanyi (2013) found that utilization of such facilities and supplies may vary among secondary schools according to school type and geographical location differences among the schools. There are yet scanty research reports on influence of school location and school type on teachers’
utilization of resources in Nigeria. This is similar to the assertion made by Ayogu and Nworgu in Ugwuanyi (2013) that urban students out-performed their rural counterparts in physics achievement. The study agrees with the findings of Owoye (2000) which showed that urban students performed better than rural students as a result of resource utilization.
The phenomenon of school location (whether urban or rural) on educational resources utilization is investigated in the present study to determine whether these variables account for possible differences in the extent of resource utilization for teacher job performance in the secondary schools. Teachers in the urban and rural schools can have their own views concerning the extent of utilization of
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educational resources for teacher job performance and this is also what the present study intend to find out. It may also be the reason for differences in teachers’ job performance. In Anambra State, the amount of resources available seems not to consider the students’ capacity in many of the schools. This could have been affected by the teacher factor through their job performance. This is evident in the study of Adetula (2005), Ekpo and Eze (2015), Kyara (2013) whose testimony revealed that if teachers are not efficient hence low job performance.
Affianmagbon (2007) complained that the constant cases of teachers’ inefficiency, low level of teachers’ commitment and performance constituted a big problem towards the attainment of educational goals in the secondary schools. Given similar scenario in secondary schools in Anambra State, this bad situation has kept both the researcher and other education stakeholders worrisome.
A cursory look at the development of secondary schools in the State has shown that there are evidences of lapses in majority of the teachers’ job performances and work. Lapses in teachers’ job performance and work are mostly expressed through their negative behaviour and attitude towards work and poor commitments. This seems to have negative consequences on students’
performances in both internal and external examinations. The problem of resource utilization as regards to the school physical plant facilities, printed and non-printed facilities in connection with teacher job performance in secondary schools in Anambra State has become a new matter of discourse for researchers and likewise questionable. The current situation of things on ground showcases that many of the teachers in Anambra State secondary schools, whether rural or urban secondary school, are still teaching and working under very difficult conditions and poor working environment where many of these educational resources like the physical plants resources, printed and non-printed resources are not properly utilized. With this devastating state, where teachers find difficulties in performing their task and function constitute a challenge which has consequences on effectively realizing educational goals in Anambra State. Despite the Anambra State government efforts to support schools with educational resources in order to improve teachers’ job performance, a lot of things are still at stake and the situation has not changed much. The problem concerning educational resources utilization for teacher job performance which has necessitated the present study therefore stands as the gap which must be filled. The present study sought to address the extent of educational resource(s) utilization for teacher job performance in secondary schools in Anambra State, which is the problem of the study.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of educational resources utilization for teacher job performance in secondary schools in Anambra State. Specifically, the study examined the:
1. extent of teachers utilization of the available physical plant resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
2. extent of teachers utilization of the available printed resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
3. extent of teachers utilization of the available non-printed resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
Research Questions
The following research questions guided the study:
1. To what extent are the available physical plant resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?
2. To what extent are the available printed resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?
3. To what extent are the available non-printed resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were tested at α 0.05 level of significance in the study:
1. There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers on the extent of their utilization of the available physical plant resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
2. There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers on the extent of their utilization of the available printed resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
3. There is no significant difference in the mean ratings of teachers on the extent of their utilization of the available non-printed resources for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State.
Method
The descriptive survey research design was adopted in the study. The population of the study comprised 5,976 teachers in the 258 public secondary schools located in urban and rural areas of Anambra State. The sample size for this study was made up of 1,195 teachers from 133 secondary schools picked using proportionate
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stratified random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire titled - “Extent of Utilization of Available Educational Resources for Teacher Job Performance Questionnaire (EUAERTJPQ)”, which was divided into two sections and contained 59 items was used to collect data for the study. Items on the instrument (EUAERTJPQ) was measured on a 4-point scale and rating as: (a) Very High Extent (VHE) – 4 points, High Extent (HE) – 3 points, Moderate Extent (ME) – 2 points and Low Extent (LE) – 1 point, as response items for extent of educational resources utilization for teacher job performance. Two experts in Educational Management and Policy and one in measurement and evaluation validated the research instrument. The reliability of the instrument was determined through a pilot-test. Copies of the questionnaire were administered on a sample of 30 teachers from three public secondary schools in Enugu State. The Cronbach Alpha technique was used to measure the internal consistency of the EUAERTJPQ which yielded coefficients ‘r’ value of 0.68, 0.60 and 0.64 for each of the three clusters, and an overall reliability ‘r’ value of 0.82. A total of 1,195 copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the teachers (respondents) by the researcher with the help of six research assistants. Data collected and collated were quantitatively analyzed using the descriptive statistics of aggregate mean and standard deviation.
The decision rule for the items on each of the research questions was based on the premise that any statement with a mean score of 2.50 and above was accepted, while any one below 2.50 was rejected. The three null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test statistics. The decision rule was based upon that wherever p-value obtained or calculated value is greater than or equal to the alpha 0.05 level of significance, the null hypothesis – H0 is not rejected (accepted).
On the other hand, a null hypothesis – H0 is rejected wherever an obtained or calculated p-value is less than the alpha 0.05 level of significance.
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Research Question 1: To what extent are the available physical plant resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?
Table 1: Mean Scores and SD of the Respondents Ratings on the Extent to which the Available Physical Plant Resources are Utilized for Teacher Job Performance in Rural and Urban Secondary Schools in Anambra State
N= 1,195
S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decision
𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ SD
1 Staff rooms with adequate ventilation are utilized by teachers for consultations and timely give feedback to students
2.22 0.98 ME 2.41 1.08 ME
2 Functional library stocked with up to date books are journals are utilized by teachers for their research consultations and private reading
1.96 0.94 ME 2.35 1.07 ME
3 Technical workshop are utilized by teachers to teach basic technology practical for skill acquisition
2.20 1.03 ME 2.31 1.08 ME
4 Workshop utilized by teachers in vocational subject areas like Home economics practical in order to support group task
1.96 0.92 ME 2.30 1.11 ME
5 Art studio used by teachers to conduct Fine and applied arts practical
1.55 0.70 ME 2.34 1.07 ME
6 Functional guidance and counseling unit are utilized by teachers for
consultations and to support students academic growth
2.13 0.88 ME 2.27 1.10 ME
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S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decision
𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ SD
7 Classrooms of 35-40 seating capacity with adequate space and ventilation are utilized by teachers to aid active teaching and students participation in class
2.66 1.02 HE 2.59 1.08 HE
8 Computer room are used for students practical during computer class
2.14 0.95 ME 2.44 1.06 ME
9 Football/Games field of (1.5 hectares) are utilized by teachers for outdoor games of students’ learning
2.52 0.93 HE 2.51 1.08 HE
10 Farmland/Fish farm of (40m2) are used for Agricultural science practical
2.26 1.03 ME 2.31 1.09 ME
11 Classroom furniture and fittings with
cupboards/cabinets and shelves are utilized teachers to keep books and other materials in all the classrooms
1.64 0.87 ME 2.34 1.10 ME
12 Water supply/borehole are utilized by teachers for conveniences purposes in the school
1.72 0.88 ME 2.31 1.07 ME
13 Fire-fighting equipment installed in all laboratories and administrative office are used for protection during fire outbreak
1.56 0.66 ME 2.32 1.08 ME
14 Playground for recreational activities are used by teachers to support students’ learning
1.58 0.67 ME 2.32 1.12 ME
15 Separate toilet facilities are utilized by male and females teacher in the school
2.14 1.06 ME 2.46 1.14 ME
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S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decision
𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ SD
16 Enough chairs and tables are utilized for teachers comfort in the classroom
1.96 1.04 ME 2.20 1.11 ME
17 Enough chairs and tables are utilized for students comfort and effective class control while teaching in the classroom
1.80 0.80 ME 2.38 1.12 ME
18 School bus is used by teachers as at when needed for excursions and field trips in order to expose reality of teachings in the classroom and support outdoor learning
1.76 0.88 ME 2.39 1.11 ME
19 Functional standby generator set are used for illuminating lighting into the classroom during presentations
1.68 0.80 ME 2.21 1.06 ME
20 Sports hall utilized by teachers for the indoor games
1.75 0.83 ME 2.31 1.09 ME
21 Physics laboratory are utilized by teachers to support students’ physics practical
1.90 0.93 ME 2.37 1.10 ME
22 Chemistry laboratory are utilized by teachers to conduct chemistry practical
2.21 1.06 ME 2.32 1.1.0
ME 23 Biology laboratory used by
teachers for biology practical
2.20 0.89 ME 2.46 1.08 ME
24 Integrated science laboratory are utilized by teachers to conduct
integrated science practical
1.82 0.89 ME 2.39 1.07 ME
25 Language and music laboratory are used by teachers to conduct arts practical
1.27 0.60 LE 2.13 1.04 ME
26 First aid box available in each of the classrooms
2.12 0.99 ME 1.99 0.99 ME
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S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decision
𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ 𝑿̅ SD
27 Electrical ceiling fans are functional always for students’ comfort while teaching in the classroom
1.69 0.81 ME 2.05 1.01 ME
28 Nature corner space are used by teachers to display specimen, puppets and real object for students learning in the classroom
2.56 1.03 HE 2.23 1.03 ME
29 School typing pool used by teachers to promote students practical in vocational subjects, as well as for typing and printing documents during examination and test
2.44 1.10 ME 1.85 0.90 ME
Mean of Means and Standard Deviation
1.97 0.90 ME 2.31 1.07 ME
Analysis of the result in Table 1 shows from the mean ratings of the respondents (teachers) in the rural public secondary schools indicated that only items 7, 9 and 28 were rated above the acceptable mean score of 2.50 in agreement with the statements. All other items 1 to 6, 8, 10 to 27 and 29 were rated below 2.50 in disagreement with the statements. Analysis of the result still in Table 1, as shown from the mean ratings of the respondents (teachers) in the urban public secondary schools indicated that only items only items 7 and 9 were rated above 2.50 in agreement with the statements. Items 1 to 6, 8 and 10 to 29, were rated below 2.50 in disagreement with these statements. The mean of means of rural and urban public secondary schools of 1.97 and 2.31 showed that respondents reacted negatively to majority of the items. The standard deviation of the rural and urban public secondary schools is 0.90 and 1.07, showing huge deviation in the scores.
This result revealed that the available physical plant resources for teacher job performance in secondary schools were utilized to a moderate extent in Anambra State.
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Research Question 2: To what extent are the available printed resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?
Table 2: Mean Scores and SD of the Respondents Ratings on the Extent to which the Available Printed Resources are Utilized for Teacher Job Performance in Rural and Urban Secondary Schools in Anambra State
N= 1,195
S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decision
𝑿̅ SD 𝑿̅ SD
30 Curriculum is utilized to prepare the school programmes
2.92 0.89 HE 2.81 1.06 HE
31 Syllabus are utilized by teachers for day to day lesson plan preparations
2.80 0.96 HE 2.85 1.05 HE
32 Classroom register are utilized by teachers for students rolls in class
3.20 0.81 HE 3.31 0.70 HE
33 Educative wall charts are pasted by teachers on the walls in the classrooms to promote learning in different subject areas
1.67 0.86 ME 2.23 1.09 ME
34 Dictionary are utilized during instructional delivery to find meaning of some concepts and guide students’ learning
2.21 1.03 ME 2.22 1.06 ME
35 Graphics for picture representation in teaching various subjects are displayed to support teaching
2.00 0.97 ME 2.41 1.12 ME
36 Maps are used during geography teaching to support students’
learning
1.61 0.83 ME 2.37 1.05 ME
37 Work books are utilized by teachers in all subjects to give students assignment that will boost their cognitive and independent study
2.62 1.08 HE 2.58 1.06 HE
38 Current textbooks are frequently utilized by teachers to support their teaching in various subject areas
2.78 0.99 HE 2.51 1.05 HE
39 Posters and cartoons are used to support and display evidence of the lesson taught in the
classrooms
1.89 1.05 ME 2.31 1.02 ME
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S/N Items Rural Decision Urban Decisio
𝑿̅ SD 𝑿̅ SD
40 Up-to-date textbooks in the library with wider coverage in all subjects are used by teachers to promote research and teaching in varying context
2.02 0.88 ME 2.12 1.03 ME
41 Pamphlets on past questions and answers available for different subjects
2.09 0.86 ME 2.41 1.09 ME
42 Drawing book for sketches and other drawings are utilized in introductory technology and creative arts subjects
2.08 0.85 ME 2.16 1.06 ME
Mean of Means and Standard Deviation
2.30 0.93 ME 2.48 1.03 ME
Analysis of the result in Table 2, as shown from the mean ratings of the respondents (teachers) in the rural and public secondary schools showed that teachers in the rural and urban areas share similar results. Results of the teachers in the rural and urban public secondary schools indicated that only items 30, 31, 32, 37 and 38 were rated above the acceptable mean score of 2.50 in agreement with the statements.
All other items 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 40, 41 and 42 were rated below 2.50 in disagreement with the statements. The standard deviation of the rural and urban public secondary schools is 0.93 and 1.03, showing huge deviation in the scores.
This result revealed that the available printed resources for teacher job performance in secondary schools were utilized to a moderate extent in Anambra State.
Research Question 3: To what extent are the available non-printed resources utilized for teacher job performance in rural and urban secondary schools in Anambra State?