Use of Teaching Method and Approach in the Nigerian University System: The Curriculum and Policy Implications for Change

Abstract

Teaching method and approach are vital to the education delivery at the tertiary level. The Nigerian National Policy on Education influences the teaching/learning curriculum and method have been found to contribute to the teaching/learning outcomes at the University level in Nigeria. The author surveys popular teaching methods at the undergraduate level in universities within the South-West geo-political zone in Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique is adopted in which proportionate sampling is utilised to select
universities each from the Federal, State and Private sectors and stratified random sampling technique to select lecturers from those universities. The standardised test Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) is adapted to suit the Nigerian situation in addition to a Sit-in-Observation/Interview schedule. The findings reveal that the popular method of teaching used by lecturers tend towards teacher-centred pedagogy. Thus, the teaching methods and approach used in the Nigerian University system are not andragogy-compliant in most cases. This has dire consequences for the curriculum and policy statements and will ultimately hinder effective teaching/learning outcomes as well as best practices and positive change.