Constraints of Effective Teaching and Learning of Social Studies Education in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper takes a cursory look at the constraints of effective teaching and learning of Social Studies education in Nigeria. It is a truism that education is a process of acquiring desirable changes in ones behaviour or character. The school is a formal institution set up primarily to inculcate the desirable character in children and improve their knowledge in order to be useful to themselves and the society at large. Effective teaching is crucial in order for students to reach educational success in the classroom. Social Studies as a core subject in the junior secondary schools in Nigeria, has the objectives of inculcating in the learner in integrated forms, basic skills, values, and attitudes for useful living. Unfortunately, there are factors ranging from lack of proper classroom management, lack of content knowledge, specialist teacher problem, technological innovations amongst others militating against the successful teaching of social studies in the secondary schools. Teachers need to be aware of the factors militating against the effective teaching in order to create positive learning environment for all students to learn. Therefore, these constraints were x-rayed and it was recommended amongst other things that seminars and conferences be organized for both teachers and students of social studies in junior secondary schools. The paper also recommended that teachers who are trained in Social Studies ought to be employed to teach the subject.