The Impact Of Social Studies Education On The Behaviour Of Secondary School Students

1.1 INTRODUCTION 

The general public in Nigeria has made a lazy and distorted image of what social studies in our schools involves, particularly when there is a lack of consensus among the teachers of the subject (field work, 2012).

Several years ago, Social studies as a subject was either forgotten or neglected in Nigeria. Hence, the impact of social studies education on the behaviour of secondary school students was not felt.  

As time went on, these became a serious problem that gave great concern to the government and the educationists. The idea of social studies was then fused into other social science subjects which were taught and learnt as component parts of history, geography, economics, religion, government, etc. These however, made little or no impact on the behaviour of students and their perspective to the society in general (Anyanwu, 1999).

Looking at this from a social background, the subject was introduced in Nigeria school curriculum out of a pressing need of making education more relevant for the child; that is, to provide the young learner with necessary knowledge, skills, and attitude that would help him to live effectively in his society. The education provided by the colonial master was not solving the societal problems. Besides, the products of the system were meant to function in Britain rather than Nigeria; more so, the level of indiscipline in Nigeria became pronounced after the Nigerian civil war.

The country was ridden with all sorts of vices ranging from armed robbery, drug pushing, certificate racketing, examination malpractice and leakages, election malpractice, false declaration and host of others. Further more, many Nigerians were alienated from their culture and took to foreign culture since the traditional subjects lay very little on the inculcation of social values, attitudes and cultural norms are fed into the young ones who would not function abroad but in Nigeria. These reasons therefore, call for social foundation of social studies (Agholu; in Nmom, 2002).

The idea of what is known as social studies came to mind in the early 1960?s with an identity of ?civics?. These replaced the first foreign ideas ?General studies; which involved the inter-mixture of various social science concepts with less attention on indigenous societal problems and possible solutions.

Civics was taught and learnt only in primary schools and as such, made little or no impacts, except the street foreign value of moral stories, social and economic cultures, technological inventions and political adventures of other social sciences.

The present day social studies discipline was introduced in Nigeria in 1963 at the Aiyetoro Comprehensive High School. Its spread to all other parts of Nigeria was the effort of the Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSAN); and by 1971, social studies was included in the primary school curriculum. It was later introduced into the Junior Secondary School curriculum and has since then, exposed students passing through the system to a wider knowledge of their society and the problem within.

Social studies is a separate discipline which draws materials from the social sciences to build its own structure and methodology. It emphasizes on the study of man and his activities in the environment. Such activities may be social, economic, cultural, political and or even that of technological designs. In its out-look, social studies is a subject of tremendous impact on students behaviour especially, those in secondary schools. By its aims, goals and objectives; social studies among others is to inculcate the right type of educational values and attitudes for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society. In its simple summary, social studies provides for all-round development of students? cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.

By nature, social studies is a rallying point from which all development of knowledge and activities generate along the lines of the set objectives which seek to:

i. Create an awareness and understanding of the evolving social and physical environment.    

ii. Develop a capacity to learn or acquire basic skills essential for forming sound judgment.

iii. Ensure the acquisition of relevant knowledge and information which is an essential pre-requisite to personal development and to make positive contributions to the betterment of the society (Nwosu, 1987).

iv. Develop appreciation of the diversity and interdependence of all members of the local community and the wider national and international community.

v. Develop the ability for a rational utilization of our cultural, spiritual and national development.

vi. Develop in students a positive attitude to citizenship and the desire to make a positive personal contributions towards united and indivisible Nigeria.

In a nutshell, the focus of the impact of social studies is the achievement of the aims and objectives of social studies. It is because of this, that the impact of social studies herein attracts investigation by the researcher for conclusive evidence of positive or negative behavioural changes in secondary school students, as a result of social studies knowledge acquired in the school system, particularly, in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 

In the opinion of many scholars, the idea of selection and formulation of a problem statement forms the most important part of a research project. The researcher recognizing that a problem exists, must not fail to identify and formulate it in a simplified useful way as to carry it into a logical conclusion.

Social studies as a subject was for a longtime either forgotten or neglected and therefore, the much needed social integration, inculcation of right values and pattern of behaviour depreciated and so the impact was not felt, hence, the importance of the statement of the problem cannot be over emphasized in a study designed and targeted at finding out  some of the behavioural changes made by secondary school students in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State as a result of the impact of social studies education on them. In order words, this study is being carried out for the purpose of evaluating the importance of social studies subject in the development of both the students and the society, especially in Emohua Local Government Area.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The result of this study would help answer some often raised questions over the impact of social studies education on the behaviour of secondary school students in Emohua Local Government. The three main objectives of this study are as follows:

a. To identify some behavioural practices of Emohua secondary school students and the changes made either positively or negatively towards such behavioural practices as a result of the impact of social studies education.

b. To critically examine the behavioural changes which occur along the lines of the behavioural practices of Emohua secondary school students in the area of encouragement or discouragement, suggestions and participatory activities to such practices.

c. To suggest ways of improving some problematic practices of secondary school students in Emohua.

1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study specifically covers the Local Government Area which the researcher is interested in evaluating the impact of social studies education, which is Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State. 

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The statement of the problems as outlined earlier attracts the following research questions:

1. Does the impact of social studies education sensitizes and generate participatory interest towards development activities among secondary school students?

2. Does the impact of social studies education develop students behaviour positively?

3. Does the impact of social studies education influence students? behaviour negatively?

4. What are the opinions held by the general public about the subject social studies? 

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS   

For empirical analysis, the study shall examine the following hypothesis:

H0: The impact of social studies will enhance positive change and more development in Emohua Local Government Area. 

Ha: The impact of social studies will not enhance positive change and more development in Emohua Local Government Area.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

This study centres on the overall evaluation of the impact of social studies education on the behaviour of secondary school students in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State.  

The importance of this is to assess the contributions of social studies education towards the formation of good behaviour in Emohua students for the development of Emohua locality.

Another benefit of this study centres mainly on the identification of Emohua students? area of behavioural weaknesses as well as finding the remedy to such behavioural problems in the locality, hence, social studies educationists, secondary school directors, proprietors/managers and indeed, the general public who are interested in the inculcation of moral values to younger students shall benefit fully from the study.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY  

This study would examine the behaviour of students in relation to social studies education in Emohua Local Government Area as earlier stated.

This research work is however faced with the usual hindrances of students research works, to this effect; we include that fund was a limiting factor, insufficient time is included and other practical difficulties, like going to Emohua and coming back. However, this is not to say that these constraints will rob this work from going through academic and scholarly standards.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS  

In accordance with the principles of clarity and simplicity; the following major terms are defined.

i. Social studies: This is the study of man and his environment. It is also, the study of how man influenced by his physical environment.

ii. Impact: The powerful or striking effect that something has on somebody or something which is capable of changing behaviours.

iii. Behaviour: Human conduct or manners which could either be good or bad.

iv. Locality: This refers to a place in which an event occurred or where you live. 

v. Environment: This refers to surroundings, circumstances, influences etc. We have social, political, cultural and economic environment.