THE CHALLENGES OF STUDYING INTEGRATED SCIENCE: A CASE STUDY OF DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the challenges of studying integrated science: A case study of department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology, University of Benin, Benin City. 8 The purpose of this study was to find out the numerous factors that influences effective studying of integrated science in CIT department in the University of Benin. The study was carried out using a descriptive survey research design, a sample of 60 students were selected from the department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology. For this study. 20 questionnaire test items were raised in the instrument to answer the four research questions raised using “mean statistics” to analyze the data collected. The findings revealed that Integrates Science students do not get the appropriate attention needed for the discipline, lack of specialization appears as a challenge, the availability of necessary amenities for the discipline is poor, the public has poor perception of integrated science as a discipline. These findings led to a number of recommendation among which are; Course advisers should give first year students comprehensive attention, Absent cases and missing scripts from ‘borrowed’ courses from other faculties should be addressed with appropriate attention, irrelevant courses should be removed from the curriculum in order not to overload the course of study, the course tittle should be rebranded so as to send a different and mature perspective of the course to the public about the course, of study. If these recommendations are implemented, the challenges Integrated Science students face would be reduced or eliminated to improve the effective learning and negative mindset of the students about the course they are studying.