Class Environment as a Crucial Factor in Teaching: North
Basra Schools
INTRODUCTION
METHOD OF TEACHING
Teaching is a complex multifaceted activity often requiring the teacher to juggle
multiple tasks and goals simultaneously. The term “Teaching Method ”refers to
the general principles, pedagogy and management strategies used for instruction
by the teachers to achieve the desired learning by the students. Teaching method
depends on what fits the teacher’s educational philosophy, classroom
demography and subject area. Teaching method can be categorised into four
types-teacher-centered methods, learner-centered methods, content-focused
methods and interactive methods.
Teacher-Centered Method
In this approach, the students are viewed as “empty vessels” whose primary role
is to passively receive information with an end goal of testing and assessment.
The teacher is looked upon by the learners as an expert or an authority. Examples
of such methods are expository or lecture method which require little or no
involvement of learners in the teaching process. Due to the lack of involvement
of the learners in what they are taught, such method are also called “closed-
ended”. In this teaching model, teaching and assessment are viewed as two
separate entities. Student learning is measured through objectively scored tests
and assessments.
Learner-Centered Method
In learner-centered method, the teacher plays a dual role as a teacher and a learner
at the same time so that the classroom extends rather than constricts the teacher’s
intellectual horizons.While the teacher still holds the authority figure in this
teaching model, the teacher and the students play an equally active role in the
learning process. The teacher becomes more a resource rather than an authority
and his primary role is to facilitate student learning. In the process, the teacher
also learns and discover new things. Examples of learner-centered methods are
discussion method or discovery or inquiry based approach. In this method,
teaching and assessment are connected and student learning is continuously
measured through both formal and informal forms of assessment, including group
projects, student portfolios, and class participation.
Content-focused method
In content-focused method, both the teacher and the learners have to fit into the
content that is taught. Generally, this means the information and skills to be taught
are regarded as sacrosanct. Emphasis is laid on the clarity and careful analysis of
the content and both the teacher and the learners cannot alter or become critical
of anything with the content. A method which subordinates the interests of the
teacher and learners by the content is the programmed learning approach.
Interactive Method
The interactive method borrow a bit from the aforesaid three methods without
necessarily laying undue emphasis on either the learner, content or teacher. These
methods are driven by the situational analysis of what is the most appropriate
thing to do in a given situation forthe learners and the teacher. Interactive method
require a participatory understanding of varied domains and factors.
SPECIFIC TEACHING METHOD
The specific method of teaching can be applied during the course of classroom
instruction. It is however, important to note that the choice of any form of method
should not be arbitrary, but needs to be governed by the criteria as mentioned
before. At the same time each method is not fool- proof, but has its own
advantages and disadvantages.
3.2 Classroom Environment
The classroom environment seems to be an important motivating factor that
makes or mar the teaching and learning process. It is pertinent to note that the
curriculum or the content of the school syllabus is being implemented mainly
within the four walls of the classroom, (usually under the formal school system)
through professional teachers who happen to be the curriculum implementers. It
appears that the quality of teaching would likely affect the learning of many
secondary school subjects and learning programmes, this perhaps may be as a
result of the state of the classroom environment.
Globally, formal classroom systems can be found in every citadel of learning in
all countries across the globe, be it developed or developing countries, depending
on the types, shapes, class and academic environment in which they are situated.
The classroom according to Adesua (2014) environment is an important, most
powerful and effective instrument of socialization where learners from different
socio-economic backgrounds come together to learn.
Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds including public and
private schools home schools, corporations, religious and humanitarian
organizations. For lessons that require specific resources or vocational approach,
different types of classrooms both indoors and outdoors are used. Classrooms can
range from small groups of five or six to big class rooms with hundreds of
students. A large classroom is also called a lecture hall. A few examples of
classrooms are computer labs which are used for IT lessons in schools,
gymnasiums for sports and science laboratories for biology, chemistry and
physics. There are also small groups where students learn in groups of about 7
(seven) (wikipedia the free encyclopedia.)
It has been observed within the Nigeria school system that the yardstick to
measure a student’s academic performances are through the scores obtained by
the learner during or after the process of learning. So much importance seems to
be attached to scores to the extent that scores often depicts or reflects
performance.
Academic excellence is the desire of every school owner (proprietor). The quality
of teaching and learning that takes place in any establishment determines the level
of academic excellence. In other for effective teaching and learning process to
occur within the school environment, there must be provision for required
learning aids such as conducive school physical environment, well painted
classroom, adequate chairs, moderate distance from an industrial area to prevent
unwanted noise and a well experienced teacher (progress Educate).
Research from various teachers’ personal experiences across the globe indicated
that different criteria needed to be seriously put into consideration when it comes
to achieving the desired educational goals and objectives in a classroom
environment. These criteria range from the furniture and space arrangement,
environmental preferences such as the physical climate of the classroom, the
decoration and design, lighting and acoustics of the classroom environment. A
warn well-run classroom begin with the physical layout – the arrangement of
space and working space, attractiveness and appeal of bulletin boards, the storage
of materials and supplies. The physical layout of the classroom reflects the
teaching style, for example students could be organized around clusters of desks.
For frequent discussion, a circle or U-shape configuration could be devised.
(Classroom organization: the physical environment/scholarstic. Com.)
Gorola Frank a fifth grade teacher contended that basic bulletin boards are not
enough in a classroom environment, he emphasized on the need to have a very
colourful classroom with posters, functional bulletin boards and other interesting
items to enhance the environment.
This view about space arrangement corroborates that of Reggio Emilia educators
(in Northern Italian), who stressed the need for a classroom environment that
informs and engages the child, they consider the physical environment of the
classroom to be another teacher in the sense that it can motivate children, enhance
learning and reduce behaviour problems, the environment really is described as
an “extra teacher” (classroom organization: The physical
environmt/scholastic.com)
Mike Hopkins an author and educator held a contrary opinion, he is of the view
that teacher should forget about the way things are done and go beyond the four
walls of the classroom, visit museums, libraries, other schools and colleagues’
classrooms to identify different ways of organizing space. (classroom
organization: The physical environment/scholastic.com.)
Recent studies have suggested the preferred seating arrangement in a classroom.
In many classrooms the largest amount of space is devoted to the arrangement of
individual student’s desks. Bickerstaffe (1980), explained that many classrooms
are too small for the number of children they have to accommodate, usually there
is not much the teacher can do about this. The conventional classroom
arrangement starts from the seat of the teacher (i.e. table, chair), in the front,
which is a few step away the blackboard, this is followed by the pupils furniture
e.g. table and chair. A cupboard is usually situated at the back of the class; this
contains the books (textbooks, exercise books) of pupils, the lunch box e.t.c.
Ikudayisi, Arotiba and Adesua (2003), seems to share the same view with
Bickerstaffe (1980), they explained that the arrangement of pupil row by row is
what obtains in the primary and secondary schools. Desks and tables are arranged
in straight rows. This seating arrangement is done in a way that pupils who are
short have their seats in the front while the taller ones seat at the back. At times,
the slow learners are made to seat with the very bright ones, so that they can be
of added advantage, those with visual defects (eye problem) would also have their
seats in front. In the olden days, the populations of pupils were usually small, but
today, it is not possible to have such small groups because of the great demand
for education teachers have to face large classes of 40 to 50 or even 100
depending on the type of school.
Recent studies, revealed that teachers vary greatly on their preferred classroom
arrangement but most (teachers) agree that the days of 30 desks lined in neat rows
and facing the teachers desk up front are long gone (classroom organization: The
physical Environment/scholastic.com). Bickerstaffe (1980), contended that the
teacher can look at the amount of space being occupied by the teacher’s desk, the
blackboard and store cupboards, if the teacher’s desk is moved to a corner of the
room instead of being in the front center. Will it make more room available for
the children? Will it enable the black board to be moved further back, and create
a little more circulation available, can the number of cupboards be reduced from
two to one?
In support of the above, Jane Baird a sixth grade teacher suggests that no matter
how the desk is arranged, the teacher should not be afraid to make changes. She
recommended that the teacher should “arrange the room so that he can make eye
contact with every student and reach every student with ease”. This view
corroborates that of Laurie Borger, a fifth grade teacher who advises that the
teacher should “set the classroom up and at the end of each unit or each month
evaluate and make changes” he advises that “the students’ desk be moved on a
regular basis so that all children learn to co-operate with all”. Pamela Shannon a
second grade teacher seems to support Baird and Borger, she agrees that teachers
should not be afraid to make seat and desk changes if the arrangement doesn’t
work, since the teacher is in charge. (Classroom organization: the physical
environment/scholarstic.com.)
Ikudayisi Arotiba and Adesua (2003), held a contrary opinion and explained that
in the rural areas where the classroom may be overcrowded the school playing
ground or school garden can be used for oral work, whenever the weather is good
for such. It is recommended that teachers should do away with the traditional
arrangement of desks in rows whenever he can conveniently do so. This kind of
change, together with having occasional lessons outside and a classroom
enlivened by colourful displays of pictures and children’s work will help to make
school a more exciting and enjoyable place for pupil.
What is a Learning Environment?
Learning environments are places where people learn. They can include
physical spaces such as classrooms, schools, or workplaces; virtual spaces such
as digital platforms; or blended spaces that combine both physical and digital
elements.
Learning environments should provide a safe and conducive space for learning.
They should also provide opportunities for learners to interact with each other
and access resources that help them learn in different ways.
The main characteristics of a learning environment are:
• Learning is the purpose of the environment.
• The environment should be aligned with the goals of the institution.
• It should be safe, engaging, and conducive to learning.
Learning environments are places where people can gather, learn, and grow.
Learning environments are designed to provide opportunities for students to learn
in a variety of ways.
The dynamics of the classroom, the tone, the interpersonal forces at play, and
the nature and structure of communication patterns all combine to either support
or inhibit the students’ motivation to pursue a goal" (Ambrose, 2010).
Your classroom environment is a blend of the social, emotional, and
instructional elements of your class. Research shows that many aspects of your
classroom environment can affect student motivation and that students who are
more motivated, put more effort into learning activities (Ambrose, 2010).
The way you manage and organize your classroom is important. Below, we
describe a few things you can do to build a warm and inclusive classroom where
students feel like they belong and can do their best work.
3.3 Analyzed Model
3.3.1 Methodology
The research design for this study is an important step for understanding and
developing as well as evaluating the effects on improving the teaching
environment and teaching process in general. This study design was considered
appropriate because, it examines the cause and effect relationship between one
variable and the other, it describes the relationship that exist between classroom
environment and academic performance of students. It involves using different
approaches and techniques for determining whether students understand the class
or not.
The population of this study comprises all students of Senior Secondary Schools
in North Basra which consist of Dayer, Shafi , Gurna, Madaina and Al-Sharish.
The estimated population of public secondary schools as at the time of this study
comprises 2,070 secondary schools in the North zone.
The sample for this study comprised one thousand and fifty (1,150) senior
secondary school three students from three Stages out of the six states in the North
zone. The sampled states are Gurna, Shafi and Dayer.
The researcher made use of a questionnaire and an inventory to collect data. A
self designed questionnaire tagged “The impact of Class Environment on
teaching of Senior Secondary School Students” Tables were used to elicit
information from the respondents on motivating factors that could enhance their
academic performance.
Class Environment Checklist:
No. Item Imroper Medial proper
1. Whole Class
2. Walls of the Class
3. School Yard
4. School Garden
5. Class Door
6. Class Windows
7. Class Stages
8. Class Floor
9. Class Condition
10. Modern Techniques
11. Walls Painting
12. Class Whiteboard
13. Board Markers
14. School Cafeteria
15. School Rest Areas
16. Whole Class
Class Environment Checklist
No. Item Imroper Medial proper
1. Whole Class
2. Walls of the Class
3. School Yard
4. School Garden
5. Class Door
6. Class Windows
7. Class Stages
8. Class Floor
9. Class Condition
10. Modern Techniques
11. Walls Painting
12. Class Whiteboard
13. Board Markers
14. School Cafeteria
15. School Rest Areas
16. Whole Class
Class Environment Checklist
No. Item Imroper Medial proper
1. Whole Class
2. Walls of the Class
3. School Yard
4. School Garden
5. Class Door
6. Class Windows
7. Class Stages
8. Class Floor
9. Class Condition
10. Modern Techniques
11. Walls Painting
12. Class Whiteboard
13. Board Markers
14. School Cafeteria
15. School Rest Areas
16. Whole Class
The Results
Across the globe and over the ages, even in this age of information and
communication technology, the importance of classroom could not be over
emphasized at the secondary level of education. This study affirmed that
classroom environment has a significant impart on the performance of students
in the secondary schools. The study revealed a significant relationship between
classroom environment and students’ academic performance in senior secondary
schools in North Basra Schools. The study further stressed the relative high
performance of students academically and that moderate level of motivation was
derived from classroom environment. It showed that most of the students suffered
from the lack of proper educational infrastructure especially in the rural areas.
These schools have less numbers of pupils those who attended the schools
because there is no suitable education. It is clear that most of the school have
improper Garden, walls, yard, and the whole class is in desperate need for
rebuilding or replacing. Some of these schools which is the minatory have Medial
Educational System which is improved in which there is some facilities and some
are not there.
Therefore, it is recommended that, government should build sufficient, modern
and conducive classroom in public secondary schools, and embark on renovation
of those in dilapidated conditions. Since teachers are in charge of the classroom,
teachers should adjust the classroom environment to students’ preferences, they
should make the classroom environment a “home away from home”. By making
it more comfortable and functional for learning to take place, so that students can
learn and perform better academically and behave better.
References
• Adesua, V.O. (2014). Motivation and Academic Performance Senior
Secondary School Students in South West Nigeria. Unpublished Ph.D.
Thesis. Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.
• Adamu, B. (2002). A Handbook on Classroom Organization and
Management. Ikere Joklolay Publishers. Bickerstaffe, D. (1980). And so To
Teach. A General Methods Course. Ibadan. Evans Brothers. Nigeria
Publishers. Ltd.
• Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. w., Lovett, M. C., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M.
K. 2010. How Learning Works: 7 Research-Based Principles for Smart
Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
