CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The environment in which we live in is full of dangers and risks for both children and adults. Adults have strong immune system and higher intellect which make them less vulnerable to these hazards than children. Children on the other hand are more at risk than adults to environmental hazards due to their size, physiology and behaviour. A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. Environmental hazard is the state of events which has the potentials to threaten the surrounding natural environment and adversely affect people’s health. Hazards can be categorized into five types: chemical, physical, biological, psychological and radiation (MacCollum, 2006).
Children exist within three broad types of environments: physical, biological and social. Each affects their well-being. The physical environment is anything that comes in contact with the body. Air, for example, is in constant contact with our lungs and skin, and is a large part of our physical environment.
To define the physical environment precisely, it may be necessary to divide a large environment into smaller units, called microenvironments. For examples, in a room contaminated with radon, the radon will not be evenly dispersed; air near the floor has a higher radon concentration. Therefore, the environment of a preschooler playing on the floor would be much different from that of an adult standing in the room. These micro environments differ enormously between adults and preschools (children) in many situations.
The biological environment consists of the internal physiological workings of the body as it takes up processes and interacts with the substances it contacts. The body has specific chemical pathways used to digest, process, and excrete substances found in air, food and water. The multiple steps by which a toxic hazard may result in adverse health effects help illustrate the complexity of the biological environment.
The social environment includes the day-to-day circumstances of living in a family or other settings as well as the laws and their continued development and their different physical and biological environments, are a unique group of individuals in relation to toxic hazards. If laws, regulations, policies, and behaviour do not reflect this fact, then children may unwillingly be exposed to environment hazards.
Children are more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazard due to their size, physiology and behaviour. Children are more heavily exposed to toxins in proportion to their body weight, and have more years of life ahead of them in which they may suffer long-term effects from only exposure. Children (preschoolers) under age 5 breathe more air, drink more water, and eat more food per unit of body weight than adults do, so they may experience higher rates of exposure to pathogens and pollutants. Children at all ages, not just the very young, are at greater risk than adults. Typical childhood behaviours such as crawling and putting objects in the mouth, can also lead to increased risks. Many preschoolers and lower basic primary schools attend school without sanitation facilities, making them more likely to contact various diseases and less likely to go to preschool. The way pupils are taught can reduce their vulnerability to environmental hazards. Animation in association with concrete models driven with constructivist strategy is being seen as one of the ways through which early childhood pupils can learn about the environment through which there can be reduction in the vulnerability to environmental hazards.
This is because it enables the pupils to be taught in a play-like manner and animation provides one of the best means by which this can be done. When combined with concrete models to explain the environment, it could go a long way in reducing their vulnerability to environmental hazards. Animation provides a more optimistic view of learning than the static picture. Hegarty (2005) documents the advantages of animations over static pictures. Compared with static images and text, animations can present procedural information (e.g. biochemical reaction steps, physiological mechanisms) more explicitly as they show the steps in an orderly manner. Hegarty (2005) mentioned that animation is used for representing the mechanical motions directly while static images could just show the motions indirectly through arrows and phase diagrams. She carried on suggesting that animations bring more realistic representations that are more isomorphic to the reality they represent Hegarty, 2005: 451). Moreover, we think animations allow representations of objects that are either too microscopic (e.g. viruses, nuclei) or even invisible (e.g. electricity current, magnetic force) for the naked eyes. Details can be viewed from angles not feasible in real life.
A number of empirical studies showed promising results animations have on learning. Trevisan, Oki and Senger (2009) compared two groups of students who used a video of traditional lecture and animation as the learning material respectively. The learning topic was about follicular dynamics, a topic in physiology. The students invited for the study were from an undergraduate reproductive physiology course in six universities in USA. An immediate one-off test was used as the evaluation instrument. The results in general showed that those used animation as the learning material got significantly higher marks.
Compared with static images and text, animations can present procedural information (e.g. biochemical reaction steps, physiological mechanisms) more explicitly as they show the steps in an orderly manner. Hegarty (2005) mentioned that animation is used for representing the mechanical motions directly while static images could just show the motions indirectly through arrows and phase diagrams. She carried on suggesting that animations bring more realistic representations that is more isomorphic to the reality they represent Hegarty, 2005: 451). Moreover, we think animations allow representations of objects that are either too microscopic (e.g. viruses, nuclei) or even invisible (e.g. electricity current, magnetic force) for the naked eyes. Details can be viewed from angles not feasible in real life.
There are, however, limitations concerning with the use of animations in teaching and learning. Designing and developing quality animations for teaching and learning can be challenging. Morrison, Tversky, and Betrancourt (2000), for example, remarked that fast-paced animations would impose difficulties to the students in observing detailed procedural information. Moreover, animations are costly and time-consuming to make. Viewing them may be time-consuming too. If a concept can be understood using a static diagram or using text, it will be time-saving.
Kesner and Linzey (2005) found no improvement on students’ learning in using animations. A learning package was developed for students to learn physiology. Animations were an important component of the learning package. The students were studying courses of human anatomy and physiology in a university in Midwestern USA. The materials were used as a supplementary learning material. The time students spent on using the learning package and their examination results were compared. The result was that use of the package did not have a significant impact on student performance (Kesner & Linzey, 2005: 211). Promising as the use of animations, there is a need to be driven with appropriate pedagogy in which students are actively involved in the learning process and that is the reason why constructivist studies that enables active construction of knowledge was employed in this study.
The issue of gender is an important one in education especially with increasing emphasis on ways of boosting manpower for technological development as well as increasing the population of females in science and technology fields (Ogunkola & Bilesanmi-Awoderu, 2000). In Nigeria, and perhaps the whole of Africa, gender bias is still very prevalent (Arigbabu & Mji, 2004). Globally, women and girls are underrepresented in almost all sectors of development including education and employment opportunities despite the fact that women constitute more than half of the world’s population (Federal Government of Nigeria, 2004). The degree of under representation differs from country to country. In most societies, especially in developing countries, women and girls are denied access to life transforming opportunity as education and are discriminated against in employment opportunities, job securities and other benefits available to their male counterparts (Okoli, 2011).
In Nigeria in spite of government huge financial investments on education, introduction of nine years free and compulsory basic education for all children of school age (FME, 2004) and determination to promote gender equity in science and technology education at all levels of the education system (FMST, 1986) gender disparity in access to education and employment opportunities still exist.
Several research reports (Ayeobasan, 2012; Nwagbo and Okoro, 2011; Okoli, 2011) indicate that gender gaps exist in science and technology education and employment opportunities in Nigeria. The reports further stated that Women and girls are underrepresented in some fields, and the few women and girls that venture into such fields are discriminated against in employment opportunities. Okebukola (2004) reported that in spite of the fact that 50% of the population of Nigeria is women only 11% of personnel in science, technology and engineering professions are women.
Ogunleye (1999) asserted that despite the fact that women form more than 50% of the Nigerian population according to the 1991 census figures; women (girls) still under achieved and are underrepresented in science, mathematics and technology education. There underachievement was seen from their performances in externally conducted examination (West African School Certificate Examination). However, Ogunkola and Bilesanmi-Awoderu (2000); Bilesanmi-Awoderu (2002); Pandian (2004); Oludipe (2012); Ajaja and Urhievwejire (2012), reported that there are no distinguishing differences in the cognitive, affective and psychomotor skill achievements of students in respect to gender. It is against the inconsistency in gender studies that this study considered gender as a moderator variable in this study.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The environment is the place that encompasses where pupils learn and play. Most of the Early Childhood school centres in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State are situated near uncovered canal where dirty and bloody water from abattoir flows which makes Early Childhood pupils to be inhaling contaminated oxygen in addition to exposure to auto emissions and lead. Also, some of these schools are situated near uncovered canal and do experience flooding during rainy season and some Early Childhood pupils are carried away on a yearly basis. Most of the schools in Agege Local Government Area do not have good drinking water and toilets which can result into cholera, dysentery, diarrrhoea and other epidemic diseases.
Early Childhood pupils learn mostly through visual means. Animation in association with concrete models driven by constructivist strategy provides a good way of learning through visual means especially when concrete models which reflect what happens in the environment are incorporated into the teaching and learning of Early Childhood pupils. The extent to which an association of animation with concrete models driven with constructivist strategy is effective in reducing the vulnerability of Early Childhood pupils to environmental hazards is not well understood. Thus, the study investigated the effect of animation in association with concrete models driven with constructivist learning strategy in reducing the vulnerability of Early Childhood pupils to Environmental Hazards in Agege Local Government Area in Lagos state.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to determine the association of animation with concrete models driven with constructivist learning strategy in reducing the vulnerability of Early Childhood pupils to environmental hazards. Specifically, the objectives are to:
- Ascertain the nature of environmental hazards that Early Childhood pupils are exposed to
- Determine the effect of treatment on Early Childhood pupils reduction in vulnerability to environmental hazards
- Assess the effect of pupils’ gender in reduction of vulnerability to environmental hazards
- Ascertain the interaction effect of treatment and gender in the reduction of vulnerability to environmental hazards
- To suggest preventive measures in the reduction of Early Childhood pupils’ vulnerability to environmental hazards
1.4 Research Questions
- What is the nature of environmental hazards that Early Childhood pupils are exposed to?
- What is the effect of treatment on Early Childhood pupils’ reduction of vulnerability to environmental hazards?
- What is the effect of gender on Early Childhood pupils’ reduction of vulnerability to environmental hazards?
- What is the interaction effect of treatment and gender on Early Childhood pupils’ reduction of vulnerability to environmental hazards?
- What are the suggested preventive measures in the reduction of Early Childhood pupils’ vulnerability to environmental hazards?
1.5 Research Hypotheses
- There is no significant main effect of treatment (animation with concrete models) on Early Childhood school pupils’ reduction in vulnerability to environmental hazards.
- There is no significant main effect of gender on Early Childhood school pupils’ reduction in vulnerability to environmental hazards.
- There is no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on Early Childhood school pupils’ reduction in vulnerability to environmental hazards.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This research will be of immense benefit to parents, teachers and policy makers in that it enables them to know how vulnerable preschool pupils are to environment hazards as a result, it enables them to embark on preventive measures at all times so that preschool pupils will experience healthy growth and development.
This study will give parents the consciousness of taking good care of their children particularly the parents who are so engaged and who commit most of their time to work or to business. It is also significant nowadays because it will caution and enlighten teachers in day-care centres where they give preschool pupils valium and other drugs to make them sleep.
The study will enlighten the Nigerian Government to monitor and supervise any awarded project or contract given to contractors to ensure that they do it according to specified standards. A case study is the uncovered canal in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State. Also, it will enable the Nigerian Government to know that they are yet to fulfill many of their promises to Nigerians by providing social amenities particularly for schools. These social amenities include good and safe drinking water, construction of good schools at appropriate sites etc.The significance of this research also lies in the fact that it focuses on an area where parents and teachers pay little attention to.
1.7 Scope of the Study
Collection of data for this project was limited to Early Childhood pupils’ teachers in Agege LGA of Lagos State. The study was also restricted to the effect of animation in association with concrete in reducing the vulnerability of Early Childhood pupils to environmental hazards as well as building the effect of gender into the study as well as preschool teachers from public and private schools. Nature of environmental hazards and suggestive prevention of environmental hazards also formed part of the study.
1.8 Definitions of Terms
The definitions of terms that will be used in this research study are presented below:
Vulnerability: This can be defined as being easily wounded or harmed.
Animation with Concrete Models Learning Strategy: This is a learning strategy facilitated by the use of animations with concrete models to promote learning of environmental concepts in pupils so as to reduce their vulnerability to environmental hazards.
Concrete Models: These are drawings or pictures used to convey information on environmental concepts to Early Childhood pupils
Early Childhood school Pupils: This can be defined as young learners in lower basic primary schools not exceeding the age of 8.
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