SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF COMMERCE/ MARKETING IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter reviews the works that are related to the study problem that affects the teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in senior secondary school in Bwari Local Government Area of Abuja. This review will therefore take a deep look at the discipline Commerce/ Marketing and other related issues. This research works in books, journals, internet and related literatures research.

This will be discussed under the following sub-themes:

1. Conceptual frame work of Commerce/ Marketing.

1. Commerce/ Marketing as a teaching subject.
2. The place of economic in the curriculum.
3. Method of teaching Commerce/ Marketing.
4. Factors militating against the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing.
5. Factors militating against the learning of Commerce/ Marketing.
6. Theoretical framework.
7. Empirical studies.
8. Summary of review of literature.

Conceptual Frame Work of Commerce/ Marketing

As we have different economists, so also do views on Commerce/ Marketing differs in their various ways. They view the nature of Commerce/ Marketing based on their individual understanding of the subject.

Commerce/ Marketing is about the choice of peoples and societies have to make. A person might have to choose between buying a compact disc and buying a book. A society might have to decide between providing more health care centers and repairing infrastructures; electricity, good road, pipe borne-waters, etc.

Commerce/ Marketing by natures, meets those end by its study on price, costs, interest rate, unemployment, inflation, profit, budget deficit, trade deficit, exchanges rates and so on. But economists sometimes turn their attention to others areas such as crimes, family relationship, war, politics, anthropology and the law.

David (2003), is of the view that Commerce/ Marketing study how society decides what, how and for whom to produces; goods are physical commodities such as steel and strawberries, service are activities such as messages, life concerts, consumed or enjoyed only at the instant they are produced. In a rare cases, some of the questions about what, how and for whom to produce haves not been answered, until the arrival of a man. Friday, Robinson Crusoe can ignore the “for whom” question. In general, however, society must answer all these questions.

By emphasizing the role of society the nature of Commerce/ Marketing places Commerce/ Marketing within the social sciences, the science that study and explain human behaviour. The subject matter of Commerce/ Marketing is human behaviour in the production, exchange and use of goods and services. Commerce/ Marketing in nature studies central economic problem ford society is how to reconcile the conflict between people’s virtually limitless desires for goods and services and the scarcity of resources (labour, machinery and raw materials) with which these goods and services can be produced.

Awoke (2000:1), sees Commerce/ Marketing as the study of how man allocates their scarce resource to provide for their various wants or needs. As a science which studies human behaviour in the disposal of scarce goods. Robbins concluded by postulating that human beings exhibit four fundamental characteristics which are all embodies in the above definitions.

1. Man has various ends or wants to serve
2. His means of satisfying these ends such as times and money at his disposal are limited resources.
3. Those limited means are capable of being paid to alternative uses
4. Man, therefore, exercise choice in distributing theses limited means (resource) between the competitive ends on the basis of relative importance.

Commerce/ Marketing is about human behaviour, yet we describe it as a science rather than a subject within the arts or humanities. This reflects the way economist analyzed problem not the subject matter of Commerce/ Marketing.

Some definitions by some scholars were not good enough and did not embrace all aspects of Commerce/ Marketing. This made scholars and some students to wonder about the natures of Commerce/ Marketing over the years. However theses definitions were accepted to some extent. Marshall (1996) defines Commerce/ Marketing as a study of man’s action in the ordinary business of life, He consider how peoples receive moneys (incomes) they earn, how they spend it rationally due to the knowledge of Commerce/ Marketing. Agu (1994) sees Commerce/ Marketing as the organization and distribution of goods and service. He further states that Commerce/ Marketing is concerned with the scarcity and the activities of man that is pertaining to making or earning a living. In support of this, Alan (1990:9) view Commerce/ Marketing as “as social sciences” concerned with how people either individual or groups, attempt to accommodate scare resource of their wants through production substitution and exchange process.

Commerce/ Marketing is an important subject that is why Paul (1999:20), believes that Commerce/ Marketing is the study of allocation of scarce resources among alternative and competing ends.

Pigou (1988), states that Commerce/ Marketing is worthy of study because it makes it easier to institute practical measures to promote welfare. Some scholars in this field sees it as a social subject while others in another dimension came up with different ideas about the concept. For example Adam Smith came up with the first publication “An Inquiry into the nature” helps us to observe that economist views on this subject of wealth creation as a means of enduring increase in materials to improve the standard of living.

However, conceptual framework of Commerce/ Marketing limits this study to micro Commerce/ Marketing that deals with small units of the economy (output of a product, individual demand, etc)

Commerce/ Marketing As A Teaching Subject

Commerce/ Marketing is taught in the senior secondary schools to allow students to understand today’s economic environment. This requires mastering the theory and practicing its application. Just as the study of theory genetics or information technology steadily progressing, so the theory of Commerce/ Marketing continues to make progress, sometimes in dramatic and exciting ways.

We believe in introducing students immediately to the latest ideas in Commerce/ Marketing if these can be conveyed simply why force students to use traditional approaches that we no longer consider helpful.

However, to know the significances of Commerce/ Marketing as a school subject or a teaching subject, it is imperative to know the role of Commerce/ Marketing plays in the senior secondary school that made it a teaching subject.

Educational Encyclopedia (19771), states that the goals for Commerce/ Marketing education at the senior secondary school level may be placed in three broad categories:

1. Helping students develop an awareness of their place in the economic decisions.
2. Helping students develop the ability to apply Commerce/ Marketing in their responsibilities as consumers, producers or citizens, and
3. Contributing to develop knowledge and skills for their general education, which can be achieved by drawing selective from a broad based content, by using diverse teaching and learning methods, and by capitalizing on multiple opportunities of Commerce/ Marketing understanding?

According to David (1969:123), Commerce/ Marketing as a teaching subject has steam of benefits which might flow from its introduction, justified the real cost of introducing it. Commerce/ Marketing has claims which they do not view the subject in what as the majority of its practitioners. If pupils study Commerce/ Marketing, he will learn about the economy and the understanding which he gains from trade unions, the welfare state, populations, distribution of goods and services and so on.

The teaching of Commerce/ Marketing in senor secondary schools should include in a syllabus which will reflect the kind of Commerce/ Marketing. However, the reality of the situation in schools is that a new subject has a difficult time in becoming established, and unless strong and valid claims are made for the subject. It is certain that it will find wide spread favour among educationists for its inclusion in the common course.

Aneke S. (2003:9), support this and he viewed Commerce/ Marketing as useful in our private and professional life. So much interest and excitement are committed in the subject because every day lives touch an Commerce/ Marketing, be it government, politics, trade, or business. Economic issues are ever present and fundamental to understanding.

Onwukwe, N. (2002:6), asserts that the study of Commerce/ Marketing is based on the fact that while human wants are unlimited, the means of satisfying them are limited in supply. To cope with this very unfortunate situation, man must economize, but cannot accomplish it without teaching and learning Commerce/ Marketing.

According to Adeogun (2003), any effort designed to increase or improve people’s understanding of Commerce/ Marketing as a teaching subject that the economic facts, concepts, principles, and problems. He went further to say that Commerce/ Marketing as a teaching subject refers to “the organized movement of increasing economic literacy.

Awoke (2000:13), states that there are several reasons why Commerce/ Marketing can be studied;

1. To students to be aware of the present day economic problems both in our country and worldwide.`
2. As a surest road to a rewarding career such as banking.
3. Commerce/ Marketing is basically a utilitarian subject and helps us toward our existence in our daily activities.
4. Provision of policy, knowing how the economy works.

These can be achieved through studying various subjects like commerce (combination of Commerce/ Marketing), Integrated science (combination of Biology, Chemistry and physics), Social Studies which will enable the students understand government in secondary and political science in the higher institutions.

Ndaji,(1987), states that the senior secondary school curriculum will need to be structured to suit the university courses. For this reason, the national policy on education made it mandatory for Commerce/ Marketing to be taught in the later stage of the secondary school known to be senior secondary school, SS1 to SS3. The rational is that any teacher of Commerce/ Marketing should be aware of the approach and techniques for teaching Commerce/ Marketing.

According to Egbe, T (1990), the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing requires specific skills just as the teaching of other subjects dealt with but lack of trained manpower has led to the employment of the untrained teachers in many states of the federation.

Educational Encyclopedia (1971:191), states that in the 12th grade, Commerce/ Marketing may be taught directly in a semester or year long course or it may be taught as an integral part of other senior social studies course, such as economic system, or in the context of Commerce/ Marketing for the consumer. In the other senior level, social studies course, economic units or dimensions which correlate effectively with basic aims, in contents of the courses may be added.

According to Ben B. (2001:4), Commerce/ Marketing is taught in schools to help solve real world problems. For example, the economist Alfred Marshall (1843-1924), was greatly concerned with poverty, which he believes was the root of many social problems. He hoped that the study of Commerce/ Marketing would enable the students to better understand the causes of poverty and find a way to alleviate it. He went further to say that Commerce/ Marketing also helps students to look to Commerce/ Marketing for its explanatory predictive power, Commerce/ Marketing can help to answer many of their questions, explains why things are as they are, and it predict what in likely to happen under certain conditions. Commerce/ Marketing study help to learn about certain ideas that have shaped the world.

Place and Position of Commerce/ Marketing In The Secondary School Curriculum

The place of Commerce/ Marketing in the school curriculum cannot be properly understood, if the importance of Commerce/ Marketing in our modern society is not well examined. Since Commerce/ Marketing is a social science subject, it means that it deals with human behaviour in the market. Commerce/ Marketing therefore helps to understand some other subjects like Agriculture, Commerce, and Mathematics, etc. This is true because the subject interrelate with other subjects. Commerce/ Marketing in the curriculum therefore means that Commerce/ Marketing education in the senior secondary schools in the responsibility of the entire social studies curriculum. Each course of study can make a unique contribution into the total Commerce/ Marketing education to the students. At the same time, teaching of Commerce/ Marketing as an integral part of other social studies course such as history, Geography and Government, contribute to improve understanding of these subjects. Educational Encyclopedia (1971:191), support this view by saying that; “at the nineth-grade level of social studies, Commerce/ Marketing may be taught in conjunction with study of the state or local economy, consumer decisions, civics and the world of work.

Banford (1977:15), said that Commerce/ Marketing occupies a prominent place in the curriculum of further education course for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is often regarded as a vocationally useful subject which is not universally available at secondary school level. Secondly, it is an essential ingredient of general business courses. Thirdly, the professional bodies in the commercial field include Commerce/ Marketing in their examinations. For instance, in science and technology, it serves as a liberal or complimentary study. Finally, in non-vocational adult education, Commerce/ Marketing is in demand to improve students understanding of complexities of the modern world.

Onah (1992), explains that Commerce/ Marketing is inherently mathematics oriented that anyone who has taken the principles very well is good to have acquired the ability to mathematical economic systems and how to apply each of them to a given economy. No wonder Ude and Ike (1991), says “it provides the pupils with the intellectual understanding to the world in which will enable them to have better understanding to the world which they live and the sophisticated working of their own economy”.

Harison (1982), agrees that Commerce/ Marketing is an important subject. Commerce/ Marketing is a core subject, being a social science subject is studied by both art and science students, thereby occupying a central position in the secondary school curriculum, which makes it related to other subjects.

Commerce/ Marketing is mult-disciplinary in nature that is why it is seen as the mother of all management of social science courses. It is on this note that Ekwe (1990), presents career guidance and job opportunities in Nigeria, and made the horizontal and vertical relationship between subjects that one will do, and know his her area of specialization.

Method of Teaching Commerce/ Marketing

Since Commerce/ Marketing is a social science subject, there is need for teaching methods to be of greater standard. A variable instrument to convey its principles or theories should be used. It will be pertinent to examine the kind of Commerce/ Marketing that might be suitable for junior students and to consider whether or not the course should be towards the analytical or the descriptive is mainly the prosper of Commerce/ Marketing for twelve years old students or pupils tongues on whether or not the subject can actively be learned by these students. This leads us into field of teaching and learning methods of Commerce/ Marketing.

Christy, D. (1980:126), is in support of this assertion, he says that the method to be adopted for Commerce/ Marketing should be scientific method of learning Commerce/ Marketing and it should be taught with activities like analyzing data, the testing of hypothesis and the establishing a causal relationships. It goes almost without saying that twelve years old students or pupils would operate at a lower level of sophistication. He noted that two problems which are the age of the learner and intelligence problem. This is why Commerce/ Marketing must be for much older students.

Educational Encyclopedia (1971:190), states that for the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing to be most effectively the content should be organized and presented together positive on the context of:

1. What is being done or what is happening in the economy?

2. Why it is being done?

3. How it can be done?

This involves students in inquiry that will motivate them to learn.

Eze, (1984), contents that “very many teachers’ behaviour is commended and subsumed within the general descriptive way, that teachers should choose the method they know best in the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing. Thus, simple means that there are a number of methods of teaching Commerce/ Marketing can be made successfully with teachers using his best to teach, to effects changes in the students live, some economists believe that Commerce/ Marketing can only be taught with the following methods:

1. Problem solving Approach.
2. Activity method.
3. Lecture method.
4. Deductive method.
5. Historical approach.
6. Analytical approach.
7. Inductive method.
8. Role-playing method.

Activity of problem solving approach whenever students take part in activities they will never forget the concept been taught easily. Sandra (1994), supports this by saying that children learn more by doing. This explains why activity method is important in the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing.

The Lecture method is also important because the teachers come in contact with the students, eyeballs to eyeballs as the teacher teaches. According to Ohucha (2000), Commerce/ Marketing students need the lecture method for them to be able to cope with economic analysis. In support of this, Aneke (1990), states that it is important because it will enable the teachers to relate Commerce/ Marketing issues to students.

Deductive method involves reasoning with principles, theories or generalization to the fact. Aneke (1999:8), sees deductive method of teaching Commerce/ Marketing as the method that begins by investigating the principal forces determinga given class of phenomena and the general laws in accordance with which these forces operate. The fact of data observation is applied to the theory to ascertain the validity of a given theory.

Onwukwe (2002:6), supports this idea, to him, Commerce/ Marketing is a social science that studies human behaviour. Since human beings unlike chemicals, animals or objects cannot be subjected to controlled laboratory experiments, they are to a large extent influential by the environment which they find themselves. This makes observation necessary

Inductive method is another method of teaching Commerce/ Marketing which has given to the abstract or deductive method. According to social Harassment (1981), the deductive method is based on prior examination of facts. Aneke (1999:9), states that inductive method is the reasoning process from particular cases to generalization. To him, inductive method is a method by which truths of scientific values are obtained, which are not directly deductible from principles already known. Inductive method may be employed to test the findings of economic theory. Onwukwe (2002:6), also states that the blame arises from the failure to the theories prediction due to the unpredictable nature of human behaviour.

Another method of teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing to connote learning is role-playing method as it implies role-playing means the assigning of roles to individuals to ensure a proper understanding of the subject. That is why Sturbridge (1981), contends that if this method is used well, they can reduce the artificiality of the classroom and provide a reason allowing the learner to meaningful role in the subject. This includes the use of vicarations, learning representations of reality such as teachers using pictures, drawing, maps, film strips and other tools.

The teaching of Commerce/ Marketing does not end itself to only those methods but also there are approaches which can be adopted;

Historical approach, the past is precedent to the future. The past provides a background to the future events. If a problem is to be solved, there is need for me to look into history to find out what was adopted to get a solution. Egbe (1990), supported this view by saying that “time is a relevant factor in solving problems as a result, time lag may affect decisions”. He further stated that this is why of course unprecedented problems are difficult to solve and are subjected to hit and run tactics. Egbe also states that the teachers of Commerce/ Marketing should create economic problems as sub-set of institutional problems. An approach helps the students to apply the principles in the solution of economic problems because the method learns more towards traditional discussion, which is devoid of emotional judgment.

Factors Militating Against Teaching and Learning of Commerce/ Marketing

Factors militating against teaching of Commerce/ Marketing cannot be understood without knowing what teaching means.

The word teaching although appears simple at first, is very difficult to define, but when anybody used the word teaching we can interpret the speakers’ meaning thus;

1. Teaching can refer to an occupation.
2. Teaching can refer to an enterprise; that is the normal activity of a teacher in classroom.
3. Teaching can refer to the very act to teaching.

Teaching as an occupation

Teaching is like any other occupation we are familiar with. In the same sense, it is simple the work we do and by means which we our living. Thus, teaching could be defined simply as what we do for a living. But what makes teaching a profession?

1. A professional needs a fairly long period of formal training.
2. Requires a body of specialized knowledge and skills.
3. A procedure for certification or validation of membership in the profession.
4. A set of standards of performance (intellectual, practical and ethical) which are defined and enforced by members of the profession.
5. Attachment or commitment to the profession with a willingness to advance its growth and effectiveness.
6. A bond of association between those who are in the profession.
7. A regulated scheme or payment and reward for service rendered.
8. Above all, a great regard for the interest or advantage of the client.

Teaching As An Enterprise (Activity)

In a school setting what the teacher is employed to do is “teaching” but if we enter a school compound, we can hardly find him “talking and chalking”more than half or two-third of his time. Even in the classroom, there are many of his activities which are strictly speaking not teaching such as making registers, opening the windows for ventilation, checking noise and maintaining discipline, filling the records book and so on, yet if we ask the teacher what he has been doing in school since morning, he would reply that he has gone to school to teach.

Teaching As An Act

In the act of teaching, there are so many movements of body and parts of the body. For example, talking pausing, writing, stretching and sitting, etc, but there are many more acts in teaching. For example, a teacher may be going round the students seats marking their procedures for solving a mathematical problem or how to draw graph in Commerce/ Marketing. He may be listening to students’ reading, he may be watching students carrying out their group project, he may be doing thousands and one things on the very acts of teaching apart from talking, explaining or writing on the chalkboard. Thus, we cannot single one or two single movements whether of the hands or of the lips to characterize the fact that teaching proves most effective in stimulating of effective learning each student. Urevbu O. (1988:87), defined teaching as a conscious and deliberate effort by a matured or experienced person to impact information, knowledge, skills and so on. An immature or inexperienced person with the intention that the later will learn more or believe what to be taught on good grounds.

Ughamadu A. (1992) sees teaching as a process that is obvious, but much depends on teachers’ ability to evolve a systematic means of identifying possible problems and its solution. Teaching is affected by the social relationship between students and the teacher. Rhyburn (1875), states that teaching will lose a very great deal of values no matter u to date in method or how efficient in organization unless it brings to the student the sense that he matters to the teaches and that which has struggle. In other word, this enables the child to be frank, sincere and that it minimizes the danger of the students harbouring feelings of guilt and inferiority. Having seen what teaching is, there is need to discuss the factors that affect teaching of Commerce/ Marketing thus;

Corruption and Indiscipline

Corruption has deeply affected the teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in senior secondary schools in Nigeria and has been extended to Bwari Local Government Area.

According to Odey (2004), states that secondary school students are corrupt, they are introduced to examination malpractice by inducing them to pay big sum of money to enable them pass their Commerce/ Marketing examinination. This reduces their skill as students do not have much zeal to learn because they have the feelings that they must pay money on the examination day depending on the nature of the subject, which may involve drawing of graphs, calculations and others alike. Economists in senior secondary schools examination boards in Nigeria are all corrupt. The misappropriation of funds that are meant for the buying of Commerce/ Marketing teaching aids.

Shortage of Qualified Commerce/ Marketing Teachers.

The shortage of qualified Commerce/ Marketing teachers affect students learning of Commerce/ Marketing in the content that qualifies Commerce/ Marketing and principles in operation, students can gain an understanding of the major activities of people in our economic system and institution through which the objectives of our economic system can be achieved.

According to Wowl (1996), states that the Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) shall be the lowest qualification for the teaching profession. However, qualification like grade II teachers certificate should be seen as a prerequisite for the professional training to teach. Grade II teachers by this delimitation, are not professional teachers. They are rather teachers who intend to professionally trained and certified in the future. Ahmed (2004), support this view by reviewing the Nations’ policy on Education (NPE, 1981) which stipulated the Nigerian Certificate on Education (NCE) as a minimum teaching qualification in the country and also lists the goals of teachers education. Fafuwa (1969), states “the problem affecting the teaching today is as a result of people who cannot make good elsewhere but, because they have the minimum qualification required, joined the teaching profession from necessity rather than choice”. In addition to the context, according to Noah (1971), in the scare input on Commerce/ Marketing teaching are teachers, the ability to teach, and the desire to teach. On the student side, the scare input is the ability to learn that is why William (1991), says “A less qualified tells, an average qualified teacher informs, a professional teacher teaches. On this note, Williams (1990:22), grouped teachers into two; pre-service and in-services. The less qualified teachers are classified to be under the pre-service education which includes all the stages of education, and training that precedes the employment of teachers to teach in a school. Teachers can also receive training after they might have begun teaching. He went further to mention the essential qualities of a teacher that can influence teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing. They include:

1. Teachers must have the knowledge of the subject matter. This means that teachers should be thoroughly justified on what he is called upon to teach. It also means that the Commerce/ Marketing teacher should have an in-depth knowledge of Commerce/ Marketing.
2. Teachers should have sincere interest in the teaching. This means that the love of the subject in teaching profession is an antidote to many difficult classroom situations. Due to the shortage in Commerce/ Marketing teacher in the secondary schools, the number of qualification seems to be enough. This shortfall continues because non professional teaching lead to poor understanding of this subject, which will make the students not to do well. This notion was supported by Nna (1963), when he says that the personality of teachers has significant influence on students as teaching and learning takes place. According to Sotonwa (1988), the real problem of maintaining standard of teaching and learning Commerce/ Marketing in the school is that competent and qualified teachers are more or less not available. In the secondary schools, competent teachers are not recruited enough to teach.

Poorly Equipped libraries

The library is a department in the school system that helps students and teachers to gain full knowledge of their various subjects. According to Nwadum (2004:45), asserts that library facilities are in short supply or non- existent. This is no doubt hinders the activities of the subject including teachers production.

As the case may be most secondary schools under study in Bwari local Government Area are not well equipped; some do not even have at all, while some have just a narrow and unconducive environment which is not supposed to be so. The researcher attended about two secondary schools, but has never seen any existing library in the schools. This made the researcher to investigate on the causes, as regards the problems affecting teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in Bwari Local Government Area.

Parental Influence and Family Background

The parental influence and family background goes a long way to channel the child towards what the child becomes tomorrow. The fact remains the child’ education starts from the home or family. This will make the child to have full sense of belonging to his society and enable him participate actively in the affairs of the family and community. Alumode (1999), also states that parents are to make sure that their children according their age, aptitude and ability should receive education. This insists in the fact that children should attend to school regularly and parent must work hand in hand with their teachers to better the administration of education. In support of this, Ali B. (2001), observed that Parent Teachers’ Association is necessary for the school activities, and that serves as resource centre for the school, it gives the school the peoples’ belief concepts, ideologies, traditions and habits.

Impact of The National policy On Education On The Teaching and Learning of Commerce/ Marketing.

The National policy on education came up when certain questions raised by the commissions, communities and meetings clearly showed that there were gulfs and gaps in the Nigerian educational system that needed to be closed. In addition to do just to that, the Nigerian Educational Research Council (NERC) now in 1969 sponsored a conference on curriculum development. This effort of NERC eventually gave birth to National Policy on Education (NPE-1977), revised in 1981, 1998, till date. The NPE in turn articulated general aims and objectives of Nigerian education and defined operational objectives of each aspect or level of education. The structure of Nigerian policy on education is six years of primary school, three years of junior secondary school, three years of senior secondary school and four years of the university education (6-3-3-4). The policy only favoured other subjects’ areas leaving Commerce/ Marketing untouched.

According to Ali, B. (1988), compared the prescribed secondary mathematics textbook used for teaching secondary school mathematics in America and Nigerian senior secondary school at least the policy has done well to mathematics, this will help them make possible correction in the textbooks. Kuala (1988), considers standards in 6-3-3-4 system of education in Nigerian with reference to technical education as falling. At least they can remedy the situation because the problem known is half solved. Igwebuike also examines the determinants of the science in primary and early secondary schools. The National policy on education made Commerce/ Marketing to fall within 3-4 instead of 6-3-3-4 to affect learning like other subjects in the secondary schools.

Lack of Essential Teaching Aids

The quality of the facilities and teaching materials used in teaching and learning appear to affect greatly the teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing. Oyobanji (1999), in his study noted that the problem facing any discipline is related to instructional materials, which includes; textbooks and models. However, for those instructional materials that are teaching aids to be relevant, the teacher must do as Howard and Nichuli (1985) posit.

1. Materials must be easily attainable as to cost and availability.
2. Have a wide range of choice of materials.
3. Such materials can be improvised by the teacher and his students.
4. Have a sufficient quantity of such teaching aids for students and him.

Learning will be meaningful and interesting when instructional aids are used. In a situation where there is no equipment the training of students becomes impeded and they end up not acquiring enough skills to make them reliant in the society,

Students and Teachers Attitudes Towards Teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing.

The attitudes of teachers cannot be fully assessed without knowing who a teacher is. According to D. Hhawo (1994), teachers are directive agents in the educational system. 0n the side of students, in every teaching and learning process, their attitudes are been observed. This makes the purpose of teaching to bring about change in individuals behaviour.

According to Udensi (1996), teachers should try as much as possible to stimulate the students on some subjects they may exhibit ugly or good attitude lesson due to the person handling the subject. In the subject like Commerce/ Marketing, geography and Biology, students may have a good or bad attitudes of lesson due to the person handling them. Nevertheless, students find it difficult to understand or appreciate what the teacher means.

Ughamada (1992), Sees that importance of educational technology in the sense that it plays specific roles in teaching and learning process by stimulating interest in teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing. There is need to generate or arouse and maintain students interest. Once interest is build up, effective learning is likely to take place. For this reason, educational technology has the ability to build students’ interest and this arouses their curiosity to learn.

For learning to be promoted and for teaching and learning to be stimulated, teachers and others should possess certain characteristics intellect change in learning.

Inadequate Accommodation (classes)

Inadequate accommodation in the secondary schools is one of the problems affecting teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in senior secondary schools. According to Onoyase (1991), “physical resources refer to the building, play ground and equipment needed in the teaching and learning process”. They should be beautiful but not necessarily monumental in nature. What is necessary is that a building meant for the teaching of Commerce/ Marketing should serve the purpose for which it is meant.

The possession of the physical resources is not all but the attention and maintenance on the part of the principal is crucial. The principal has to make proper arrangement for the sweeping of the classrooms and paths in the school compound, the building and environment should be kept safe all the time. According to Francis (2004), states that projects like erecting new classrooms, renovation of dilapidated school buildings and other related projects should as much as possible be community based. The village education communities (VEC) members should be part of the planning, management and monitoring of the project. This arrangement generates a sense of ownership and hence commitment on the part of the community, to facilitate the teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing. The provision of adequate infrastructures and facilities for conducive learning as in well-ventilated classroom is important. With effect of this, the Abuja government provides some infrastructures such as buildings to some primary and post primary schools in the state. According to Ugwu (2001), “the size of the classroom determines students’ learning ability”. Some students do not pay attention to lesson because they do not feel comfortable in the classroom. This will definitely give room to noise making, a careless movement from seat to seat.

The problem of accommodation is not properly handled by the Abuja government because in some schools in Bwari local government area like Union secondary school Ndiezoke, community secondary school Iziogo, Boys secondary school Iboko and so on, have no good classrooms, seats, and other necessary facilities for teaching and learning. Even the available ones, the classroom management by the teacher is below average and that affect negatively the teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in the senior secondary schools in Bwari local government area.

Factors Affecting Learning of Commerce/ Marketing

Learning is a process by which we acquire and retain attitude, knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities when a person hears, he feels, thinks and acts differently because his interests, skills abilities, understanding, attitudes and appreciations have changed. The result of learning may not always be observable over actions but a change, nevertheless has been made and this has its effects on his total personality.

Learning is that process which brings about growth in the learners and helps him to realize his potentials. In this context, the teacher is responsible for helping to identify appropriate goals and providing the materials and experiences that are necessary for achievement. Urevba (2004), cited that children vary greatly in their ability to learn and in the rate at which they learn. They have differences not only in mentality but also in motivation and capacity. Some children often learn much more and faster than teachers’ expectation because of their background experiences and motivation.

What we have seen so far are prerequisite for learning. Learning is an episode in which a motivated individual attempts to adapt a behavior which he perceives as a requiring action to attain a goal. Intrinsic information helps the the learner to pick interest in a particular topic. This motivation comes from outside. Extrinsic motivation is when a student is moved by outside pressure. For learning to take place, teachers should note that;

1. Students learn best when they are ready to learn.
2. Constant use of what has been learned helps the learner to understand more and perform better.
3. Success in any learning situation stimulates more learning while failure to learn or understand tends to discourage further learning.

Theoretical Framework

Behaviorist Theory

Behaviorist viewedthat the transmission of information from teacher to learner is essentially the transmission of the response appropriate to a certain stimuli. Thus, the point of education is to present student with the appropriate repertoire of behavioral responses to specific stimuli and to reinforce those responses through an effective reinforcement schedule. An effective reinforcement schedule requires consistent repetition of the material; small, progressive sequences of tasks: and continuous positive reinforcement. Without positive reinforcement learned responses will quickly become extinct. This is because learners receive some positive reinforcement.

Behaviorist teaching methods tend to rely on so-called “skill and drill “exercises provide the consistent repetition necessary for effective reinforcement of response patterns.

Cognitive constructivist Theory

Cognitivist teaching methods aim to assist students in assimilating new information to existing knowledge and enabling them to make to the appropriate modifications to their existing intellectual framework to accommodate that information. They viewed that because knowledge is actively active discovery. The role of the teacher is not to drill knowledge into students through consistent repetition or to goad them into learning through carefully employed rewards and punishments, rather the role of the teacher is to facilitate discovery by providing the necessary resources and by guiding learners as they attempt to assimilate new knowledge to old and to modify the old to accommodate the new. Teachers must thus take into account the knowledge that the learner currently possesses when deciding how to construct the curriculum and to present sequence and structure new material.

The work of other cognitive theorists helps here. For example; research suggest that learners from a very young age make sense of the world, actively creating meaning while reading text, interacting with the environment, or talking with others. Even if students are quietly watching a teacher speak, they can be actively engaged in a process of comprehension, or minds on work as many teachers describe it. It is now known that young children are competent, active agents of their own conceptual development, (Bransford, 2000).

Further more, the V-A-K learning style model highlights that students in a classroom could have different learning styles- visual, auditory and kinesthetic. A visual learner learns best by viewing information in the form chart, diagrams, presentation, e t c. an auditory learner prefer to listen to the content in order to better understand it since they have strong language skills. Kinesthetic or tactile learners learn by touching or moving. They are “doors” or hands on learners. According to VAK model, most people possess a dominant or preferred learning style. However, some people have a mixed and evenly balanced blend of the three styles. The fact that learners may have a preferred style of learning imposes challenges on teachers to plan and structure their instructions so as to reach out to every child in the classroom. It is possible that a student whose preferred learning style is Kinesthetic is bored in a classroom where teaching caters to only auditory learners (Ambika G. 2010).

Empirical Studies

Adu, E. and et al (2009), viewed that introduction of quantitative topics into the secondary school Commerce/ Marketing curriculum has attracted the interest Commerce/ Marketing educators and researcher. This concern arose from the fact that student’s achievements in the secondary poor. It is against this background that this study investigated the relationship between quantitative ability (knowledge of venn diagram, measures of central tendency, and percentage) and secondary school students’ achievements in Commerce/ Marketing. The study adopted survey research design of the ex-post facto type. A purposive sampling technique was used to select sample for this. Data were analysed using Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression statistics. The findings revealed that the students knowledge of measures of central tendency and venn diagram have great contribution, the students’ achievements in Commerce/ Marketing. It is therefore, recommended that these factors should be taken into consideration in order to enhance the understanding of Commerce/ Marketing.

Olatoun A. (2010), studies on teachers and students’ academic performance in Nigerian secondary schools: Implications for planning. He examined the number of qualified teachers and its relationship to student’s academic performance in Commerce/ Marketing in public secondary schools in a sample of local government area of Osun state. Twenty-one secondary schools, one in each local government area from a population of thirty-one Local government Area in the state, were sampled. The senior secondary school certificate examination result from 2000/01 to 2004/05 was used to analyse student’s academic performance and reflected some concerns in the school systems. The findings of the study showed that teacher’ qualifications, experience and teachers’-students ratio were significantly related to students’ academic performance. These findings can be used to guide planners about the need of qualified teachers to facilitate effective teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Summary Of Literature Review

The work of various authors and scholars as shows so far, reviewed that there are problems with both teachers and students in teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in secondary schools. Despite the measuresve taken to remedy the situation at hand, they include;

1. The students and teachers of Commerce/ Marketing to understand the nature of the subject.
2. The need to train persons such as counselors, teachers and contributors because one key factor of teaching and learning process is the teachers knowing what to teach and the students knowing the nature of the subject, through the help of the counselor.
3. The instructional materials/teaching aids hinders teaching and learning when not available of not properly used.
4. Government also contributes to the problems affecting teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in senior secondary school in Bwari Local Government Area of Abuja.
5. Parents also contribute to the problems of teaching and learning of Commerce/ Marketing in senior secondary schools, because they are not performing their roles, the education of any child start from the home.
6. Hence, the government on its part to remedy the problem in Bwari Local Government Area of Abuja should provide necessary resources to the teaching and learning to thrive.