Identification of difficult teaching topics In integrated science and computer science Of junior secondary school curriculum

INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
The term science is a latin word meaning “to know” or “to learn” science therefore is to understand and interpreted the universe and its working.
According to Abart in 1997, obsolete is defined as a body of knowledge gained by observation and experiment.
In 1878, science was introduced at the post primary level, it was taught as general science and later broken into three basic namely Biology, Chemistry and physics. The basic science was taught to those who may not able to further in science.
Integrated science came in Nigeria in 1968 West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) asked (STAN) science Teachers Association of Nigeria to review and improve science syllabus.
The written workshop was done at University of Ibadan in 1970 other workshop were held in 2007-2008 then textbooks 1 and 2 with work books and teachers guides were produced and introduced into the Junior secondary schools. From this background information, it is clear that integrated science education has been an existence for at least 30 years but the name “integrated science” surface as a universal term since 1973.
Today it is difficult to assume that a topic in science exist in isolation and without collateral knowledge from other areas of science.
Taiwo in 1998 stated that the previous existing syllabus restricted science teaching to only those in higher classes, however the period from 1968 to 1970 witnessed a series of joint effort by Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) and Comparative Education Studies and Adaptive Centre (CSAC) to redesign science to meet the need of less science oriented students and to be taught in junior secondary classes. Hence the introduction of “integrated science”.
Okoli in 1998, also stated that integrated science programme involved as a recue operation to replace absolute and uninterested general science course.
Chukwuemeka (1999) states that Nigerian integrated science is interdisciplinary integrated as well because Nigeria integrated science is an integration of nature of science. Integrated Science material development in Nigeria was a deliberate attempt to achieving a specific national design. Thus integrated science according to Arbon is an approach teaching of science aim at enabling students gain the concept of the fundamental unity of science, the commonality of approach to the problem of scientific nature and also gain an understanding of the roll and function of science in everyday life and the world in which they live.
Since integrated science was introduced into the syllabus in 1970 without proper study so many problems ion like incompetence of the teachers lack of teaching materials, improper teaching approach and rest of them have evolved leading to non-learning interest by the students. Since the integration of these three major science courses and some others to bring about integrated science. We therefore have to introduce this research to find a possible lasting solution to its many problems since teaching and learning integrated science in Junior Secondary school is very essential and regarded as yard stick in the development of any nation, the problem need to be solved.
During the 3rd ministerial council meeting of the national council on Education in 1984 the federal government of Nigeria decided to introduce computer education into the nation’s secondary school system. This was followed by the inauguration of the national committed on computer education the same year.
The functions of the committee include “planning for a dynamic policy on computer education and literacy in Nigeria as well as devising clear strategies and terminologies to be an introducing computer education.
(Nigerian Tribune, April 11, 1988) the general objects of the policy include;
1. bring about computer literate society in Nigeria by the mid 1990s.
2. enable present school children to appreciate and use the computer in various aspects of life and future employment (report on National Committee on computer Education 1988).
According to National Policy 1988, the first objective as to ensure that the general populace appreciate the impact of information and computer technology on do day ensure that people of Nigeria will know how to packages, understand the structure and to appreciate the economic social and psychological impact of the computer. The modalities and for achieving the state objectives include:
1) Training teachers and associated personnel
2) Hardware facilities
3) Curriculum development.
Statement of the problem
The ultimate aim of education is to provide knowledge of the world. Meanwhile this study seeks to identify the difficult teaching topics in integrated and computer science of Junior secondary School curriculum.

Purpose of the study
Awokey in 1997 states that science should be as a while as it affects the child in the totality of his environment.
In a similar manner priny (1997) opined that knowledge as essentially one and unique and he recommended that it is this sense of unity which must be neglected in the curriculum of our schools. Therefore the main purpose of this study is to identify and find solutions to those difficult teaching topics in integrated and computer science of Junior Secondary School curriculum. This study will examine:
1) The methodology used in teaching those topics.
2) The qualification of teachers teaching those topics.
3) The interest of the students in learning those topics.
4) Why are those topics difficult to teach?
5) Facilities used in teaching and learning integrated and computer science.
6) Possible solution to the problem

Significance of the study
This study as essential to the extent that it helps to identify the difficult teaching topics in integrated and computer science of Junior Secondary School curriculum and suggestions for improving the teaching and learning of integrated and computer science basically on those difficult teaching topics.
Students are future scientist and are these by needed to be brought up with the right attitude which is the sole responsibilities of the government teachers and parents. Thus ideas of integrated and computer science been learnt in schools may be applied in future. Therefore the teaching and learning of integrated and computer science has to be made more interesting and meaningful to the students by finding solutions to those difficult teaching topics which presents the effective learning of integrated and computer science in Junior Secondary Schools. The researchers expect opinion proposed in this research work are implemented effectively and diligently, the poor image of teaching and learning integrated and computer science will be restored and the objectives of education will be achieved. Thus this research work will be of benefit to the following group of people.
1) The Government
2) The parents
3) The Society
4) The School
Thus: To the Government: The benefit is that there will be inculcation of the generality of Nigerians sense of pride towards science development by saying that nation which cannot improve the standard of living of her people scientifically has lost her respect.
To Parent: The benefit is that their children will help control and correct the negative idea they have about certain happenings among them.
To the Society: The benefit is that there will be mobilization of the entire society towards total sufficiency and self reliance in improved sciences.
To the School: Integrated and computer science thereby producing students who are scientifically literate and to develop in the students a positive attitude and interest in integrated and computer science and appreciation for problems involved.
Computer science helped to gain a knowledge of science in every day life and the world in which we live from the observation, the need for the study and effective teaching and learning of integrated science in our Junior Secondary Schools cannot be over emphasized.

Scope of the Study
This study was been restricted to the identification of difficult teaching topics in integrated and computer science of Junior Secondary School curriculum in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Limitation of the study
Being a group project, we encountered misunderstanding challenges to each other generally we encountered finically challenges and difficulties in collecting the required data from the teachers, because it wasn’t easy for them to extract out the difficult teaching topics in Integrated Science and computer science from the General Curriculum of Junior Secondary Schools.

Research Questions
In order to have indepth study of this work the researchers made the following questions so as to achieve the objectives of this study
a) What are the difficulty teaching topics in integrated science and Computer Science curriculum?
b) What are the causes that made those topics difficult to teach and learn?
c) What are the possible solutions/corrections to solve the problems?

Definition of Terms
Terms that needs definition in this study include:
1) Teaching
2) Curriculum
3) Science
4) Integrated Science
5) Computer Science
6) Education
7) Teacher
8) Students
1) Teaching: Is the process of transmitting desired knowledge, skills, norms from the teacher to the students.
2) Curriculum: Can be defined as the sum total of what the teacher and their students do at schools or colleges all the related activities of in and outside the school (By Richard).
3) Science: Is defined as a body of knowledge based on facts gained by observation and experiment.
4) Integrated Science: Can be defined as approach to the teaching of science aimed at enabling student gain the fundamental unit of science.
5) Computer science: Is an electronic machine that accepts data as an imputing process the data and bring out the result as an output or information.
6) Education: Is the process of impacting knowledge, skills, desirable qualities in other to bring about the development of physical and emotional qualities of the individual.
7) Teacher: Is the active person or transmitor who transmits desired knowledge and skills to the students.
8) Student: Is the person who receives the desirable knowledge and skills from the teacher