DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

This study was carried out to investigate cybercrime and the misuseofmodern technologies by youths in the University of Benin. Cybercrimeisvastly growing in the world of technology today. Cybercriminals exploitinternet users’ personal information for their own gain. They dive deepintothe dark web to buy and sell illegal products and services and evengainaccess to classified government information. Many nations of the worldhaveblacklisted Nigerian youths in connection with fraudulent and illegal internetactivities and as such would not want to do any formof legitimate businesstransaction(s) with them especially on the internet with the fear of beingscammed or duped. Cybercrime in Nigeria seems to be perpetuatedbyyouths especially those in Universities and to a very large extent cybercrimeseems to affect their educational pursuit and academic performance. Theyouths are of a great concern and importance to every society, so, whateverit takes, their development should be looked into so as to promote thegoalsof education. Nine research questions were raised and six hypotheseswereformulated to guide the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Thepopulation of the study comprised 43,772 students made up of 39,243undergraduates and 4,529 postgraduates. The data was collectedusingsimple random sampling technique and a sample size of 408 studentswasselected from the University of Benin. The research instrument usedfor the xiv study was a self-structured questionnaire. The instrument was subjectedtoscrutiny and test-retest reliability of 0.96 was derived, indicatingthat theinstrument was reliable. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square and t-test of independent samplesstatistics. The results revealed that unemployment, greed for money, povertyand parental conflict are among the leading causes of misuse of moderntechnology for cybercrime. Cybercrime activities can impact negativelyonyouths in the areas of academics, interpersonal relationships, socialbehaviour, and so on. Non-prosecution of cybercriminals by government andlaw enforcement agents encourages youths’ participation in cybercrimeactivities. Peer influence encourage youths’ involvement in cybercrimeactivities. There is a direct link between knowledge of internet andcybercrime activities. There exists a relationship between socio-economicstatus of youths and their involvement in cybercrime. Males aremoreinclined to cybercrime and deviant behaviours than their female counterparts. family and parents’ socio-economic background is linked toyouthinvolvement in cybercrimes and there is a relationship betweeneducationand cybercrime activities among youths. It was concluded that the causative factors of youths’ involvement incybercrime can be curbed or reduced to its barest minimumand youthscanbe encouraged to uphold societal values and shun criminal tendencies. It was xv recommended that the government should formulate workable policiesagainst cybercrimes.

This study examines the extent to which audiovisual materials are utilized in the teaching and learning of the English language in junior secondary schools in Nigeria. Audiovisual materials have the potential to enhance learning experiences by providing students with both auditory and visual representations of language, thereby improving comprehension and retention. The study employs a descriptive survey design, using questionnaires to collect data from selected junior secondary schools.
The findings reveal that while audiovisual materials are recognized for their potential to improve language learning, their actual usage is limited by factors such as lack of resources, insufficient teacher training, and inadequate financial support. Recommendations are made to address these challenges and increase the integration of audiovisual materials in classrooms to improve English language proficiency among students

The study investigates “the influence of instructional materials on the academic performance of junior secondary school students in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State”. Four (4) research questions were raised to guide the study. The respondents comprised of students who were one hundred (100) in number. Also, the descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. In organizing and presenting collected data, tables and percentages were used. The study was motivated by the necessity to establish the essence at which instructional materials affects the academic performance of students. To solve the research problem, various methodology was used such as population of the study and sample and sampling techniques. The research instrument used in collecting data were questionnaires. The questionnaires were divided into two sections, Section A and B. Section A was designed to generate personal information of the respondents, while Section B comprised of items on the topic under investigation. The instrument was reviewed and validated by the project supervisor and other experts in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Benin City. The findings of the study revealed that instructional material are not available in schools for teaching English Language. Such materials like computers and projectors. It was also found that though teachers are experienced in teaching English Language in schools, some of them only come to class with either a textbook or a lesson note. Findings of the study also revealed the non-adequacy of the materials available in schools for teaching English Language. Based on the findings, the following were recommended; that government should organize seminars and workshops for training and retraining teachers on the effective use of instructional materials for teaching. Also, it was recommended that schools should ensure they make available and adequate instructional materials for teaching and learning English Language in junior secondary schools. Lastly, it was recommended that teachers should develop a positive attitude towards the usage and improvisation of instructional materials for teaching.

The study focused on relationship between instructional supervisory effectiveness and students’ academic performance: A study of secondary school students in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. Descriptive survey research design was used. The population of the study was all the schools’ administrators in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State. The sample size of the study was fifty (50) respondents, selected through snowballing sampling technique. The research instrument was self-developed structured questionnaire by the researcher, entitled, “Relationship between Instructional Supervisory Effectiveness and Students’ Academic Performance: A Study of Secondary School Students in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State”. The research instrument was validated by the researchers’ supervisor and two experts in test and measurement, while test retest method was used to determine the reliability of the study. The research questions were analyzed through the use of frequency counts and simple percentage, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to analyze data on the
research hypotheses. Findings of the study revealed that instructional supervisory effectiveness could positively resulted into students’ academic performance. Recommendations were made that; instructional supervisory activities
should be carried our regularly on schools, more commitment should be given to the exercise by the government and other educational providers etc.

This study critically examined the Socratic Method as a template to appraise the nature of critical and reflective thinking in the pedagogical process of Nigeria’s basic
education in developing the educated person. The study explicated how Socratic Tradition can assist pedagogically, the development of critical minded student in Nigeria’s Basic level of education. Five research questions guided the study and the scope of the study is to
analyse how critical thinking is embedded within educational frameworks, curricula, and pedagogical practices, with a focus on its implicit presence and the extent to which it is explicitly taught, assessed and on students learning outcome. The study as one in the field of educational philosophy applied the relevant qualitative tools and techniques that ensured academic rigor. In this study, the attempt was on analysis of the epistemic imports of Socratic Tradition for education and the educated person and implication to Nigeria’s basic education. Specifically, the study relied on documentary analysis, which is interpretive phenomenological research method pivoted on hermeneutics, and also utilized the traditional methods of enquiry: namely the speculative;
analytic; and prescriptive methods. Findings revealed that the current ineffective pedagogical strategies in Nigerian schools like conformist model and authoritarian model are methods that kill creative ability of learners through teachers’ activities. If application of critical thinking pedagogy can be reawakened or energised in Nigerian educational philosophy and practice, there is every tendency that the quality of education received in Nigeria will improve through the deducible principles of Socrates. These principles includes mutual dialogue, appropriate questioning that engender enquiry, relaxed and conducive environment, linking curriculum contents and classroom activities to life outside classroom through solving true life problems in the classroom. On the basis of this deduction, it is therefore recommended for teachers at all levels of education, especially at the basic education level, as a paradigm shift in pedagogical skills, the acquisition and employment of critical thinking in developing more active learners by acquiring the skills of problem-solving, moral formation, independent thinking and autonomous learning through the process of teaching and learning in a formal school setting.

The study investigated influence of English Language teaching methods on public secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City. The design adopted for this study is the descriptive survey method. Three (3) research questions were raised for the study. The population of this study consisted of all the English Language secondary school teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City. A total of sixty (60) English Language teachers were randomly selected as the sample size from eight (8) public secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. The research instrument used was validated by experts in the Department of Educational Foundations. Data collected from the survey were statistically analyzed. After analysis, results were displayed on tables showing frequencies, percentages, mean scores and standard deviations of responses, including the decisions made. Based on the findings, it was discovered that the majority of the teachers in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City mostly make use of the communicative language teaching method to teach English Language, the teachers need to adopt varying teaching methods in a lesson in order to achieve their goal in the class, etc. Following the findings, some recommendations were made on how to ensure adequate use of language teaching methods in public secondary school in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City. It was recommended that there is strenuous supervision of academic activities in secondary schools in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City by both internal and external authorities, workshops be organized for teachers of English to refresh their language teaching skills and enable them also, to be up-to-date on the traditional and modern language teaching methods, etc.

This study was carried out examine the influence of religious belief on students’ perception of religious education in the University of Benin. Four research questions were raised for this study: What is the influence of religious belief on students’ perception of religious education in the University of Benin? How do students’ religious beliefs affect their academic performance in religious education? What are the challenges faced by students with different religious beliefs in learning religious education in the University of Benin? What measures can be put in place to improve students’ perception of religious education in the University of Benin? Descriptive research design was adopted for the study. A sample of the study consist of 100- 400 levels students of Educational Foundations, Faculty of education University of Benin, Benin City. The sample cuts across the various Departments in the faculty of Education of the University of Benin. The major findings of the study revealed show that students abstain from sexual activities after Christian Religious studies class, it was revealed that Christian Religious studies should be made a compulsory subject in the curriculum due to its positive effects in their school, it was revealed that study of Christian religious study influence student academic performance positively, religious beliefs affect students’ academic performance, it was revealed Christian Religious studies should influence students’ academic performance positively. It was revealed that misinformation about religious education is one of the challenges faced by students with different religious beliefs in learning religious education in the University of Benin. It was seen that social cohesion about religion education is one of the challenges faced by students with different religious beliefs in learning religious education in the University of Benin