CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Economics is the study of how people, governments, businesses, and nations allocate scarce resources to meet their endless demands. In general, economics may be divided into macroeconomics, which focuses on the behavior of the economy as a whole, and microeconomics, which focuses on individual consumers (Investopedia 2022).

Under the National policy on education, economics is one of the electives or groups of subjects studied at the senior secondary school (SSS) level. The comparative education study and adaptation centre (CESAC) has devised an economics curriculum to satisfy the criteria of the new system. The curriculum's driving idea is the need to educate SSS graduates with the fundamental information and skills that would help them to better understand the nature of economic challenges in any community.

Accordng to Oluko (2022), therefore, the scope of economics entails determining which parts of the numerous component materials are most useful for achieving the goals of economics education.

It is evident that economics has significance to everyday life by its very nature. Thus, an attempt has been made to unify the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of the subject. The scope encompasses both the near and distant surroundings in terms of approach and substance. Knowledge transmission necessitates instructional tactics, and the curriculum has been constructed as a teaching syllabus with a built-in teaching scheme and some suggested instructional strategies to help the teaching and learning process. This strategy is intended to facilitate the appropriate management of the topic in the classroom by inexperienced or untrained instructors, while strengthening the understanding of teaching techniques and resources of expert teachers.

However, the economics instructor must gain competencies in the methods and materials utilized to teach economics in senior secondary schools. These competencies include subject competence, competence in imparting the content to the student, competence in the use of a range of instructional materials, and evaluation competence. The teaching and learning process includes strategies and resources for promoting meaningful learning via the use of instructional materials (Oremeji 2022).

When teaching Economics in the senior year of high school, teachers have several challenges in attempting to ensure that their pupils comprehend fundamental economic ideas and their application in everyday life. In order to overcome these issues, teachers must develop and implement innovative teaching strategies that are consistent with their students' needs and skills. Art-based instruction is a technique that appears to pique the interest of students.

According to the European Framework for Lifelong Learning (European Parliament, 2022), creativity and critical thinking are essential for the development of active and fulfilled citizens in terms of personal development and fulfillment, social inclusion, active citizenship, and employment. As a consequence, all kinds of art may be a useful instrument in the process of teaching and learning, presenting a distinct method to explaining concepts, terminology, circumstances, and phenomena, due to the tight relationship between creativity and art (Brinia & Vikas, 2022).

Music is one kind of art that may be utilized to teach economic theory using an interdisciplinary approach (Oluko 2022).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Concern is warranted by the alarming decline in the use of various methods and resources for teaching economics in senior secondary school, which may be caused by dilapidated buildings, teachers' working conditions, insufficient instructional materials, a lack of proper motivation on the part of the teacher, and insufficient time allocated for teaching economics (Billy, 2022).

Workshops, seminars, and conferences organized by the government appear to be producing some results, but not nearly enough to eradicate the problem. Students, who are at the center of this issue, represent a significant portion of the society's available labor force, therefore a shift is necessary. For the future of our nation to be assured, students must be properly guided and resources must be utilized for the betterment of humanity (Peter, 2022).

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of effective methods and resources for teaching economics in senior secondary schools. Specifically, this study seeks to:

i.          Determine whether teaching styles affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools.

ii.        Determine whether teaching methods affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools.

iii.      Determine whether the use of instructional resources affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools.

iv.      Examine the different types of instructional methods used by teachers in teaching economics in secondary schools.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions will be answered in this study:

i.          Does teaching styles affect the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools?

ii.        Does teaching methods affect the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools?

iii.      Does the use of instructional resources affect the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools?

iv.      What are the different types of instructional methods used by teachers in teaching economics in secondary schools?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this study will inform stakeholders in the education system and the general public on the need for good methods and resources in the teaching and learning of Economics in Nigeria's senior secondary schools.

This study will assist teachers in improving their teaching effectiveness, efficiency, and production. As a result, a teacher who has appropriate infrastructure and instructional resources at his or her disposal to enhance his or her lesson will aid in the development of students' original and creative thinking, as well as their ability to be genuinely spontaneous and passionate. Oremeji (2022) asserts persuasively that any teacher who utilizes these resources and learns to use them correctly and effectively will discover that they contribute an almost incalculable amount to instruction.

This study is also relevant for society at large because when instructors are supported by proper infrastructure and instructional materials and learners have a successful learning experience, the information learned has a beneficial influence on society. Students will be able to comprehend how the economy works, analyze the government's economic policies and actions, and perform economically more effectively in their life and career choices. They will not become a source of contention in society.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

Generally, this study is focused on the impact of effective methods and resources for teaching economics in senior secondary schools. Specifically, this study is focused on determining whether teaching styles affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools, and determining whether teaching methods affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools.

This study is further focused on determining whether the use of instructional resources affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools and examining the different types of instructional methods used by teachers in teaching economics in secondary schools.

Economics teachers and students of selected secondary schools in Owerri, Imo State will serve as the respondents of this study.

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study is generally limited to the impact of effective methods and resources for teaching economics in senior secondary schools. Specifically, this study is limited to determining whether teaching styles affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools, and determining whether teaching methods affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools.

This study is further limited to on determining whether the use of instructional resources affects the teaching of economics in senior secondary schools and examining the different types of instructional methods used by teachers in teaching economics in secondary schools.

Economics teachers and students of selected secondary schools in Owerri, Imo State will serve as the respondents of this study, hence additional and adequate research is necessary if the findings of this study is to be used any where else.

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