SUBJECT METHODS (BUSINESS STUDIES) ECT 314, Bed 314

INTRODUCTION.
Business studies as a field of study touches on the daily lives of each individual and the society in general
Business studies are field of study that deals with the activities that take place in and around production,
distribution and consumption of goods and services.
The term production is used to refer to the creation of goods and services, distribution is the movement of goods
and services from the producer to the consumer while consumption refers to using the goods and service by the
consumer. The ultimate goal of production is consumption.

Business study is important for it create an opportunity to enrich the students with a basic knowledge that it will
assist them to study the course further. Business study is an integration of various concepts and content drawn
from other discipline such as commerce, economics, accounting and office practice.
Business studies is a ‘living’ subject which as of interest to all the learners’ experience and local environment
forms a very useful tool of learning
.
. The environment – the world about us- gives zest, meaning and direction to life. Since environment means so
much to the students, it is evident that most secondary school students devote for greater attention to utilize this
most meaningful aspect of life in its own instructional and curriculum programs. Environment has been counted
the most significant factor in learning.
Such notable Publication as the 1954 Yearbook of the Association of Supervision and curriculum
Development, Creating good environment for learning, have directed the attention of the teachers to the
important part that a favourable environment plays in effective learning, (Hanseen K,H). Most teachers do not
recognize the importance of the environment in its broadest sense- the life around us, the environs in which we
live – has not been sufficiently recognized as a potent tool of teaching.
The very program of the high school itself is almost automatically a reflection of the environment in which the
school operates. Thus secondary school must organize its curriculum and its program of activities with direct
attention to the students’ own scales of values- what he thinks is significant. It is generally recognized that the
life a students leads and the life of which he is part are first importance to him. The environment does affect
directly the process and aims of learning. Thus it would deem wise to understand and utilize the total
environments which the student regards of supreme importance and which already serve as a major teaching
agent, putting it to better use as a direct Instructional aids.

Environment does play an important part in the life of secondary school students in that it acts as creator and
direction of interest and secondly as a prime factor underlying the complex and subtle motivation of his
behavior.
The world in which the student lives, and of which he feels himself part occupies his mind, fills his whole
horizons. The world outside school is far more interesting to many high school students than is the world of the
school itself.

Hansen has suggested that understanding the environment in which the students lives helps the teacher to utilize
the environment effectively in the classroom. The teachers who understand the in- and out-of-school
environment is thereby enabled to know what makes his students “ticks”. Understanding the students’
environment lies on the ability of the teacher in knowing and understanding the community from which the
students’ comes and lives in.

Community influences on behaviors, interest and motivation are all of educational significance. By knowing
the socio-economic patterns of the community, the factors which enter into the “status” and acceptance of the
individual and family groups and the fears and tensions that beset the community, we can know our students
better. It is of equal importance to know and understand the more positive factors in the community aspirations,
ideas, hopes and achievements.

Using the in- and out- of-school environment factors which affect the students as a tool or instrument in the
teaching- learning process is the most significant reasons for understanding the environment. The teacher who
knows a great deal about the importance of the environmental factors is not being honest with the students
unless such knowledge is put to some practical use. The use of the students’ environment as a tool of teaching is
an extremely practical way of improving your effectiveness as a teacher

In this course, emerging issues such as information technology environmental issues, ethical issues, integrity in
business and the impact of HIV/AIDS will be integrated in the course.

PURPOSE OF BUSINESS STUDIES

1. To assist the learners to relate the knowledge, skill and attitudes acquired to the day to day business
activities around the school and to the society in general thus assist the learner to understand his/her
environment better.
2. Assists the learners to understand other subjects' e.g. industrial education, geography, and agriculture e.t.c.
3. Provides basic knowledge for further studies in the same subject or even on other subjects.
4. Equips the learners with the knowledge and skills which he/she can use to start and run business
comfortably without necessarily the need for the further training
5. Assist the learner in appreciating the importance of business in society.
6. Assist the learner appreciate the need for ethical practices and efficient business management.
7. Enables the learners to enhance cooperation and interrelate in society through trade.
8. Equips the learners with skills and knowledge to enable him / her evaluate business performance.
9. Enables the learners to appreciate the role of market forces (e.g. price mechanism) in determining the prices
of goods and services.
10. Enables the learners appreciates the basic economic issues in society
What is business education?
Business Education has different meaning to different people such as: -
i) Those business subjects taught at the secondary school level such as bookkeeping, typewriting,
shorthand, general business, business law and other similar subjects.
ii) Been synonymous with any education for entrance into the business world given at any educational
level.
iii) Post-secondary education in subjects such as Accounting, Marketing, Office Administration,
Secretarial and Finance.
iv) Business teacher education i.e. the preparation or in services education of secondary schools business
teachers.
From the above discussion, then the term business education will be used to mean those business programs and
Business education is the enterprise of
courses taught ordinarily at the secondary school level. Or
education directed at the study and research of the field of business
The term “business teacher education” will be used in dealing with the professional preparation of teachers.

Purpose of Education
Every person involved in the process of educating the youth of the nation should have a clear understanding of
the purposes of education and of the outcomes that should be expected. This will apply to those teachers whose
teaching field is business.
The purpose of education should be made clear so that one does not attach too great an importance to the
specific subject area of his own interest and that fail to recognize the need for and contribution of other areas of
learning to the total education of Youth.

Every teacher and every administrator has the responsibility to contribute as he can to the total program of the
school and thus to all the purposes of education.
The work of several groups appointed to consider the purposes of education is important to business educators.
Such group includes "commissions on the organization of secondary education" which has identified “seven
cardinal principles of secondary education” as the objectives of all education. The commission felt that
Education should be concerned with:
1. Health – where the school should contribute to meeting the health needs of the individual and the race
2. Command of fundamental processes – where each child should develop the ability to read, to express
him/herself orally and in writing and to compute.
 3. Worthy Home Membership – where each child should develop these qualities that make him a worthy
member of the family unit.
4. Vocation where every person should be equipped to solve a livelihood for himself and for those
dependant upon him, and education should equip him to serve society in a productive manner.
5. Civic education – where the individual should be helped to develop those qualities which will make
him a desirable member of his community.
6. Worthy use of leisure – where every person should secure from leisure its maximum in enjoyment
and provide for the recreation of body and mind
7. Ethical characters where education should assist the individual in the development of fair and honest
attitudes in his dealings with others and the development of mind values.
What contribution does business education make to the achievement of the objectives of all education?
i) It at least contribute to the objective of self-realization i.e. business courses enable
students to improve his/her ability to solve problems.
ii) It contributes also to the objective of civic responsibility by recognizing the risks and
responsibilities of the individuals in courses such as business law.
The most significant contribution that it makes is in the area of economic efficiency for it;
a) It enables individuals to develop understanding and skills, which enable him to
enter the business world.
b) Contributes to the objectives of consumers economic efficiency i.e. enables the
students to buy and use more wisely goods and services that business has to offer. These is made possible
through topics such, as how to invest money, the kind of insurance that is best for a person at the various
stages in life and how to write checks and reconcile bank statements e.t.c.

Specific Purposes of Secondary Education for Business

Introduction
Business education aims determine the success of the program i.e. developing curriculum, textbooks, teachers
training and students training.
Thus business teachers and prospective business teachers must appreciate the need of establishing valid aim and
should have a thorough knowledge of the thinking of educator, with respect to the specific aims of business
education. The specific aims are:-
i) Vocational competency
ii) Personal use of competency
iii) Consumer – business competency
iv) Social – economic competency

Vocational competency
The main objective of business education is to prepare students to the competent business employees. To
achieve this then schools should assume greater responsibility in the area of occupational education i.e. take
 greater responsibility for offering the opportunity for future employees of business to gain a higher level of
education and more completely developed skills to meet the new demand of entry.

PERSONAL USE COMPETENCY

Business knowledge is necessary to both business student and non-business students. For example, typing,
bookkeeping etc. Thus school administrators who plan the curriculum and the teachers, who teach the
subject in the curriculum, should keep the personal uses as well as the vocational uses of the subject in
mind.
Consumer business competency
Business educators have felt an increased responsibility for developing a program, which would contribute
to the general education of all students with the necessary skills and knowledge for the employment in
business. Business plays an important role in our lives since everyone is a consumer. This has called for
courses to be developed and curriculum revised in an attempt to teach all students not only to be more
efficient methods of buying goods and services but more efficient use of the goods and services provided
by business. Increased interest in the consumer education objectives may affect the business curriculum in
two ways:
i) It may result in the offering of special course in consumer education, which may either take the
form of "consumer goods" or " consumer economic"
ii) The consumer education movement may show itself in a stressing of consumer viewpoint in such
subject as salesmanship, advertising, retail merchandising, general business, business law etc.
consumer viewpoint has affected the teaching of salesmanship and advertising.
Due to the nature of training, business teachers should be in a position to contribute to the development of
effective consumer education program.

Social – Economic Competency

Business is an exchange of values between people and as such it is both economic and social in nature. But
education for many years have failed to recognize the true nature of business and business education programs,
as a result, have often overemphasized skill development to the neglect of helping the students to develop sound
social and economic viewpoints.
In the recent years, however, business educators have become increasingly aware of their responsibility, along
with the social studies teachers to make it available even to non-business students thus making them to have a
clear concepts of social and economic truths. The trend toward attempting to make the general business subject
available to all students is the evidence and not limiting such subjects as economic Geography, business law,
general business and consumer economics to students who have declared an interest in preparing for the
business occupations.
Business education, as a phase of general education, is in a position to make a major contribution to the
development of social-economic competencies by helping students to develop a clear understanding of the
nation economy.
GENERAL PURPOSES OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR BUSINESS
Most of students who takes business courses do so in order to prepare to enter the world of business.

Criticisms of Education for Business

Some businessmen and educators seem to feel that programs in the secondary school place too much emphasis
upon developing low-level skills, which might be learned on the job.
Other contends that business courses are not challenging enough and that skill performance standards are too
low. Some have questioned the desirability of including vocational business in secondary.

Programs of business in colleges have also been attacked. Major complaint is that too much narrow
specialization is provided when broader, interdisciplinary approach to the study of business is needed.
To some extent, some educators are of the feeling that business education be taught at graduate level after the
student has completed four years in secondary school. This criticism however does not consider that the
students will go to institutions of higher learning to develop some specialized skills, knowledge and
understanding that will make more them employable in their closer occupation and profession.

Assignment
1. Identify and discuss the objectives of business education at the secondary school level? Select a
single business subjects commonly offered at this level and indicate how this course contributes to the
achievement of business education objectives.

LESSON II
DEVELOPMENT AND PRESENT STATUS OF BUSINESS EDUCATION
Historical Background OF BUSINESS EDUCATION
Apprenticeship training was the earliest form of business education. An experienced bookkeeper that
needed an assistant would train an apprentice. With time that apprentice would become a bookkeeper and
eventually find it necessary to take apprentice as well.

Due to business growth, there was need for more bookkeepers than could be supplied by this method. Thus
itinerant tutors began traveling around the country giving instruction in bookkeeping and penmanship.
Due to demands for commercial training, early private Latin grammar schools did include bookkeeping,
penmanship and commercial arithmetic in their curricula.
In 1821, the 1st public high school i.e. the English Classical schools for boys, in Boston, included
preparation of commercial carriers in a curriculum, generally aimed at preparation for college.
Due to the expansion of American business, more workers were needed than apprenticeship tutors or high
schools, graduates could provide. As a result of expanding need for office workers, entrepreneurship
 established private business schools to supply necessary training. In 1832, Bartlett’s Business college in
Philadelphia was the 1st to use the name “Business College” and Dolber’s commercials school (1835) in
New York was the 1st Institution devoted exclusively to commercial education.
During this period teachers were usually chosen for their abilities in business position. Thus they had to
devise their own teaching materials since there were no textbooks. The two main factors that contributed to
the expansion of commercial education during the civil war and Reconstruction periods are;
i) The invention of Typewriter in 1868 by Christopher Lathen shoes
ii) The increase in the use of shorthand to record materials to be written
Silas S. Packard offered free tuition to encourage more women in his New York business school to train on how
to "type-write". The federal government started to recruit women for its offices.

PUBLIC BUSINESS EDUCATION

Due to taxpayer demand, Business entered the public school in the last part of 19 th century. Parents insisted that
the public schools provide the business education they would otherwise have to buy it for their children in
private business colleges. Business courses such as shorthand, typewriting and bookkeeping were introduced in
many district schools. In 1890 a public high school devoted exclusively to commercial education was
established in Washington D. C.
With the inclusion of business education in the public high school, business teachers have to meet
professional standards for certification. At the beginning, college-trained teachers were not available and
other teachers of academic subject had negative attitude toward the 1 st high school business teachers. The
high school business education as carried over almost bodily from private business school.
The publication of Conants’ had a significant influence on high school business education.
The communication phase of business was acquired from college in form of secretarial. Despite the fact the that
communications have expanded, the major orientation of the private business college down to the present has
been to provide vocational training for the office occupations and these institution have not generally attempted
to train students for the distributive occupation.

Various factors contributed to the business subjects to be included in the public school systems. These factors
are: -
(i) Public pressure compiled boards of education to include business subjects.
(ii) Parents also realized the need for business training so no need to send their children to private schools
when public schools were available.
(iii) Principals found business training a way of increasing their enrolments and of preventing dropouts.
When business education began its rapid expansion in the Public schools, courses and teachers were merely
transplanted from the private Business College and initially these courses and teachers had a rather rough time.
Thus business educations was forced to the public schools by public demand and by private business school
competition long before educational leaders were ready to admit it as valid part of high school curriculum.
The high school business education was carried over almost entire from the private school. Main features that
were similar between the high school business education and those at private school are:
 Same subject were taught,
 Textbooks used were the same
 Tea hers with experience had taught in private school
 Inexperienced teachers who had attended a private school were teaching in public school
 Similar teaching methods were used
 Aim of the high school was identical with the aim of the private school
Thus to prepare students as competent business employee’s was the first and is still the chief objective of
business education and we cannot justify the spending of public money on the type of education that pretends to
prepare for business jobs but in realty does not produce acceptable results.

In early 20th century, there was tremendous demand for office workers and these made students to start taking
business education courses in the public schools.
In 1903 the report prepared by a committee of nine, which was appointed by National Education Association
(NEA), recommended that a four-year course of business training be made available in the public schools.

The public secondary school business education was also supported by the federal board for vocational
education in 1919, which advocated a plan to promote general clerical training for high school students.
During the same period, another committee of NEA recommended a differentiated business programme for
boys and girls. Programs that had been less than four years in length were extended to full four-year programs;
and later, graduate education was introduced to provide a more thorough preparation for teachers.
Currently, most good four-and-five year teacher – education programme emphasize a strong background in
general-education, business and related subject matter, general professional education work, special professional
education and student teaching.
Conferences, in-services training institutes and workshops sponsored by these colleges have also contributed to
the educational background of teachers.

BUSINESS TEACHER EDUCATION

In the colonies, there were few qualified teachers and most of the teaching was done by ministers and by those
few persons who had been brought over from Europe as teachers. In 1818, a model school was established in
Philadelphia as an attempt to provide the education of teachers. Due to the many problems facing the business
education at the early time, then business personnel who had an interest in teaching business subject but had
little or no preparation for teaching acted as teachers. They used the knowledge either got from the job or from
private business schools. Their main aim was to prepare their pupils to master the simple skills that were
needed for a job.
With the expansion of business subject offerings in the private business school and the introduction of business
subjects in the high school, there grew a demand for qualified teachers of the subjects.

Those normal school graduates who had taken a few extra business courses after completing their preparation
for teaching were called upon to teach the business subjects. By the late 1920s, many of the teachers colleges
and state universities were providing courses in business teacher education.

Early preparation of business teachers emphasized considerable technical subject matter added to the regular
normal school curriculum. Later, more attention was given to broadening the academic or general education
background of those preparing to teach business subject matter and professional work.
Certification requirements established by states had their effect upon business teachers – education program and
in some cases set the pattern of the teacher- education programs as well as well as the development of strong
secretarial training programs though the broadening of the stenographic curriculum. It also recommended the
development of a curriculum to train students for career's in selling.
Business education curriculums, in private business school expanded to give breath to the programs, but the
programs in the private school had mainly been designed for training for office occupations.

(i) HIGHER EDUCATION FOR BUSINESS

Secondary schools did not offer quality education to meet the needs of a growing nation. Thus colleges were
encouraged to offer business courses that were more practical.
In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act that created favourable climate for the introduction of
business education in the colleges. This act provided for the appropriation of lands in every state to promote
education in the mechanics arts, agriculture and the natural sciences.
In 1869, General Robert E. Lee proposed to the trustees of what is now Washington and Lee University that
they promote college education for business. This was seen as a boost to business education.

1851, the 1st formal collegiate school of business is the Wharton school of finance of the university of
Pennsylvania was established.
New York university began, about 1900, to offer a college level program in business and the Amos Tuck School
of Administration and finance at Dartmouth mouth in 1900, was the 1st to put education of business on an
advanced level.

Due to the growing demand by students for business education at the college level, the development of college
level business programs spread rapidly throughout the nation.

THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS EDUCATION

The advances in business education have been as a result of leadership provided by state authorities, local
authorities, teachers' education institution, business teachers association and text-book publishers.

LEADERSHIP OF STATE AUTHORITIES

The success of business education has not been due to state support. Except for New York, which had
employed an official charged with supervising business education, no other state had prepared a business
curriculum for the guidance of local school officials who desired to set up a business course. Nor had a single
state prepared a course of study in any business subject for the assistance of teachers who were responsible for
presenting the business subjects.
Even public high schools that offered business subjects did so on the initiative of local authorities rather than
because of the leadership of state authorities.
The early high school business teacher received their training in private business school and thus, the high
school curriculum and to some extent the teaching methodologies did reflects the ideas of business schools
rather than of state department of education.

Even as business education spread to town most states made no provision for issuing certificates covering the
business subjects. The state believed that anyone was able to teach business subjects.
In 1909, New York State appointed Fredrick G. Nicholas as an inspector of Business education for the state
department of education. Other states followed afterwards. Business education succeeded mostly on those
countries that employed supervisors of Business education.
The numbers of states have placed business education under general supervision of the state director of
vocational education. This has been considered as an acceptable plan if the state also employed specialists in
business education.

The state have also assisted business education by preparing curriculum, course of study and bulletins relating to
the curriculum construction, equipment and suppliers and other administrative matters. The publication has
provided considerable guidance to public schools administrations and business teachers in developing effective
business education programs.

The state certification of Business teachers has also affected the success of business education, since through
these certification requirements, it can either lower or raise the teaching standards and thus raise or lower the
standards of business education within the state.

The state can have a great effect on business education through its certification criteria, which may have a
negative or positive effect. These can be done as follows: -
(i) Where the state issues several different business teachers’ certificates, one for each major field of work.
This will them mean that the teacher will teach only those field indicated in the certificate.
(ii) The state may issue a general business teachers certificate covering all business subjects
(iii) It may also issue a certificate that list the business subjects that the teacher is entitled to teach.
(iv) The state may issue only a general certificate for teaching in the secondary schools. The main
disadvantage is that the teacher can be forced to teach either a minor or a subject that he/she did not do
in college, thus rendering too low quality education.

The qualification or lack of qualification of the business teacher largely determines the effectiveness of business
education. Business education teacher should have the same general preparation for teaching like any other
teacher. In addition, there is need to have a certain minimum number of semester hours of college work in each
of the business subject taught, as well as special methods work in the teaching of the business subjects.

No teacher, otherwise certified should be permitted to teach a business subject unless he has the minimum
preparation for teaching that particular subject. The trend today seems to be towards acquiring more business
subject matter background on the part of each student preparing to teach business subjects. The state does
provide data on Business Education on the number of schools offering business subject and the number enrolled
in the business subjects. Also they do provide such information as the number of teachers, the rate of turnover
and the percentage of beginning teachers.

The state department of education did also provide information on studies on business curriculum, with
suggestions for reorganizations, objective evaluation of local business education programs upon invitation,
information with reference to occupational trends, studies in dropout and failure in various business subjects,
newsletters which contain materials and suggestions for more effective teaching and assistance in the
development of new instructional films and other teaching aids.

LEADERSHIP OF CITY AUTHORITIES

Though at the beginning cities did not employ supervisors to supervise, the recent steps to employ qualified
supervisors has contributed to the following:-
i) There is the modernization of the curriculum
ii) There is evidence of close cooperation between the business teachers of all the schools in the systems.
iii) In some cities, there is a fine spirits of cooperation between the public schools and private business
schools.
iv) Placements bureaus for graduates have been established
v) There is a noticeable increase in the number of business teachers enrolled in state, regional and national
business education associations.

LEADERSHIP OF TEACHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

This involves the formulation and guidance of ideas in others. The growth of the influence of the business
teacher- education institutions was slow. The early high school business teachers were the products of the
private business schools and these private schools were not influenced by the public schools administrations.
Immediately after the 1st World war, however, state teachers colleges and Liberal Arts College began
organizing business teacher – education programs.
The standards of Business teachers were raised and quality education was offered. The early teachers who were
prepared in private school had a good background on bookkeeping, typing etc. But there had not done any
course in psychology and education, among others. Thus the greatest achievement of the teacher-education
institutions has been in raising the professional and general educational and general educational
standards of business teaches to levels that are comparable to those of other high school teachers.

Another outstanding service rendered by some colleges and Universities has been the publications of business
education journals and periodicals. These periodical provide on excellent means for disseminating research
findings to former business students who are now teaching or to other interested business teachers.

Colleges and universities that engaged in preparing business teachers have had considerable influence on
business education through their annual business education conferences and workshops. These conferences are
useful for they offer an opportunity for business teachers to receive help in solving their specific problems.

The research by graduate students and faculty members has contributed to our existing knowledge of business
Education. Graduate students have provided information for curriculum reorganization through community
surveys and follow up studies. Teaching aids and methods are also being developed through the research efforts
of graduate students. Despite this contribution by graduate students, several weaknesses have already been
pointed out.
i) Quality of the research needs to be improved since some graduates schools seem to be more concerned
with number of studies completed rather than the quality of the work done.
ii) Lack of coordination of the research projects, which means that there is duplication of research is many
areas of business education where as other areas are completely neglected.
iii) Research finding are rarely made available to the classrooms teachers and in most cases this research
projects remain in the shelf.

This has made various committees to be formed to look at the above weaknesses. This is mainly aimed at
improving the quality and distribution of research finding.
Lastly is the service rendered by faculty members. Some colleges and Universities have given advice on the
reorganization and revisions of curriculum, on the selection of equipment, on the setting up of standards of
achievements and on organizing testing programs. Many members of the faculty have been invited in several
seminars.

LEADERSHIP OF BUSINESS TEACHER'S ASSOCIATIONS

In this case, teachers come together, listen to speakers, take part in discussions and return to their respective
schools. Teacher’s Association has held their greatest influence on the methods of teaching used in the
classroom.
Since teaching is the prime purpose for establishing schools, then any agency that brings about improvement of
teaching methods that result in better learning must be recognized as exerting leadership in business education.

LEADERSHIP OF TEXTBOOKS PUBLISHERS

They have been in the front line in an effort to secure the adoption of newer and more scientific methods of
teaching. Publishers have also been strongly backers of business teachers association and have furnished
hundreds of speakers, free of cost, for the association programs.

In addition, the professional journals they publish and the free or inexpensive monographs, teaching aids,
reports, or summary of research and the like now available throughout the nation have done much to bring about
the improvement of business education.

PRESENT STATUS & ENROLMENT TRENDS IN BUSINESS EDUCATION

Students' enrolments on many types of schools and at all levels of education have increased, over the past years
at a very high rate. With high birthrate, there is high demand for education at high school and colleges, thus
making civic officials, social agencies and educators in every town and state to struggle to solve the many
problems that rapid growth rates has created.

At secondary level, there was and there is a substantial increase of students who have enrolled for business
subjects. Some states such as California, Michigan, Texas, Fluoride and New York have moved rapidly in
providing publicly supported community colleges which make post-secondary education available to thousands
of youth who cannot be accommodated in the four-year institutions or who for one reason or another do not
wish to pursue a full four years of education beyond high schools. These two years colleges offers terminal
programs or provide the academic background that permit those students who wish to do so to transfer to a four-
year college.

The collegiate enrolment has consistently grown over the year. These continuing and growing interest in the
study of business at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels of higher education indicate the importance
the people have placed on business education.

Need for Qualified Business Teachers

Due to the demand for business education, well-qualified business teachers who meet the state's certification
requirement appear to be in demand always. With the high school student population growing at rapid pace and
with increasing number of students electing, business subjects, it appears that there will be no shortages of jobs
for those qualified to teach business subjects.

Over the last two decades of the 20th century there has been less than two thirds of the teacher a graduate teaching in
the following year. This is because many had accepted gainful employment in business world as well as for
teaching. In addition, many young women who had prepared to become teachers opt to get married and
established homes rather than becoming teachers.
A note should be taken that business education rates among the lowest subjects’ fields in terms of the
percentages of its graduates who actually enter teaching; and it is one of the highest in terms of percent of its
graduates who enter other types of gainful employment.
To these reasons, it appears that there will be shortage of well-prepared business teachers for some time. Many
vacancies have been filled around the nation and are continuing to be filled by poorly prepared teachers. This
then demands that teachers should join with other interested groups in encouraging students to prepare for the
business teaching profession.
ENCOURAGING YOUTH TO TEACH
In order to solve the problems of shortages of business teacher, then in schools where business teacher education
and secretarial administration are in the same department, capable secretarial majors should be informed of the
opportunities in teaching and be encouraged to prepare for business teaching and secretarial work at the same
time. Other measures to be taken includes:-
i) Students in the others areas of business administration should be informed about opportunities for
teaching at various educational levels.
ii) Business teacher in the local schools should be encouraged to inform their students of the advantages of
the business teaching profession.
iii) Business educators who appear in high school career day programs should take the opportunity to
provide information on the teaching profession.
iv) Student teaching must be made on interesting and profitable experience so that the capable student who
is still undecided about the career will give more consideration to selecting business teaching over
positions to business and industry.
v) Cooperating teacher should be selected in the high school since they will have a considerable influence
on the student's choice of the career.
In conclusion then, securing capable students to prepare for business teaching presents a real challenge to
college and universities engaged in preparing business teachers and provide a fine opportunity for service to the
business teaching profession.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND BUSINESS EDUCATION

Due to rapid advancement in science and technology, educators have been forced to update their curriculum and
teaching methods and to re-organize their subject contents. This current development has also affected business
education in many ways such as:
 i. Renewed interest in vocational education by the federal Government ; various acts were passed
mainly to provide training for the unemployed and to those whose skills needed to be upgraded in
order to meet shifting employment needs. Thus training in business knowledge’s and skills could be
and were included under those acts.
ii. Automation:
In this case, men have been replaced by self-directing mechanisms. Many office operations which
formerly required many clerks, bookkeepers and machine operations many hours to perform can now
be accomplished in a matter of minutes. The advent of electronic data processing and the computer has
brought about revolutionary changes in the offices, providing accurate and timely information within
seconds.

Due to expansion of automation then the trend will be towards hiring persons with more education to
handle the computers. This will make the older workers to be attending classes along with young
workers in order to meet the requirements of the new office occupations which has been brought by
automation. Such New occupation includes systems analyst, programmers, tape librarian, data typist
project planner etc.

Other factor affecting occupational change includes: -

A) Sociological and economic forces such as early retirement, which will make more jobs to be available. The
changes in jobs made necessary by occupational change may result in a constantly shifting population.

B) Increase in the number of women who are working or who plan to work. This has been as a result of
increase in divorce rate and the demand for constantly higher living standards, more women are entering
the labour market either to support them or to add to the family income.

(ii) Meeting the needs of students

In order to meet the needs of the students, economic conditions, automation of the office, scientific management
and improved office procedures will require continuous evaluation in business education.
For the business education to fulfill the above needs, it must make full use of the community as a laboratory for
business in training.
Field trips to the local offices and part-time work experience must be an integral part of the program of each
student.
Every effort must be made to keep track of the charges in business so as to provide the students with necessary
knowledge and skills for initial employment. The program must also be sufficiently broad in scope to provide
training that will enable the worker to move from one job to another within a given occupational classification
as the needs of business changes.

Challenges facing the teaching of business education

  Teaching certain subjects areas because they have been taught for generation not because there is need
for them
 We follow certain methods of teaching because those methods have been used for years not because
they have been proved to be the best
 The length, of our school year, the length of the school day, the length of the class periods . These and
many others matters connected with education are governed or at least affected by traditions.
 Traditions blocks desirable changes in the curriculum.
ASSIGNMENT
Account for the reason why the private business school was the dominant type of institution offering business
training in the latter parts of 1800’s (20 marks)

THE GENERAL BUSINESS SUBJECT

According to Sluder, the objective of basic or general business education is to provide general business
information of value to everyone conducting his/her own business affairs. General education should provide
common learning about business, which will enable youth to adjust to their business environment and to work
toward the improvement of the environment. Thus a design for general education today must seek to fit youth
to take that places in a world in which business activity is a pervading influence.

General education may also be defined as an identified group of educational experiences selected in order to
develop in individuals those competencies that are characteristic of a responsible citizen.

Thus general business education can be said to be that training needed by all to in order that: -
1. Each may carry on effectively his daily business activities centered about the home and his/her personal
business life.
2. Each may understand and participate in the business life of the community and of the nation as these affect
him personally and as they relate to the well being of every other citizen.

THE PURPOSE OF GENERAL BUSINESS EDUCATION

Its main purpose is to give the student a broader view of the world of business and of the principle rules, laws
and regulation by which it operates.

It is generally recognized that the well-educated young person must possess considerable economic
understanding and should know something about his right and responsibilities under the law among others.
EDUCATION IN KENYA
After independence, various committees were found to reform the education system in Kenya. In late 1960s,
Kenya Certificate of Education was started where students had to go through 7 years of primary school, the
years of "A" level. Mainly the subjects were divided with the level and equipments available. There was the
pure science, physical science and General paper where in the latter business education was included, in form of
accounting and economies.

As the need for better education increased then the government abolished the 7-4-2-3 system of education and
introduced the 8-4-4 system in 1984. It was implemented and the 1 st students to do KCPE were in 1985, and the
1st group to do KCSE was in 1989. In primary school business education was introduced in the late 1980s and
was included in the exams of 1989 although today it is not an examinable subject.

The business studies curriculum has been revised over the years in order to accommodate the changing
environmental needs and students needs. Currently such issues that have been integrated in the syllabus include
the ethical issues, Technological issues, and the impact of HIV/Aids in the society.

The major challenges that face the business studies education are as follow.
i) Currently, most primary school students are not taught this subject in details and therefore they
lack the basic knowledge
ii) Many teachers who are been trained to join teaching at primary, secondary and colleges levels are
joining other gainful employment elsewhere
iii) The government barn on recruitment of teachers has a negative impact on the teachings of
business
iv) Criticism that education gained at secondary school level is not adequate to make the learner to
work competently,
v) Low payment for teachers as compared to other fields
vi) Many students willing to take business studies yet few teachers to teach them.
vii) Few lessons allocated to the subjects
viii) Lack of practical in the subject
ix) Assumptions that anybody can teach the subject hence the presence of poor qualified teachers for
the subjects
As a result of these challenges, the need for qualified teachers to teach the subjects is on demand and therefore
more teachers need to be trained. This then calls for state university, colleges, private university and public
college to train more teachers.

ASSIGMENTS
In general, what would you expect a course in business organization and management taught in
secondary school level to differ from a management course offered in a college or University? Explain
why a great number of secondary schools do not offer this course.

`BUSINESS EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

Business Education has been integrated in the secondary school syllabus as a subject. As a result of curriculum
change today the course is taught as one subject in the name of business studies. Its main aim is to provide the
learners with opportunities to acquire basic business knowledge, skills and positive attitudes necessary for the
development of the self and the nation.
In primary schools, it is not an examinable subject but in secondary school it is examinable though not
compulsory to all students.

Business studies takes into account the need to address contemporary issues and changing trends in business
and current economic issues in society.
Everyone in society needs business education even those who do not pursue it in school.
But how can be taught effectively? On parts of teachers, they are expected to update themselves on the charging
trends by making use of the resources such as print media, resource persons and relevant business environment.

The changing business environments should be scanned so that the syllabus can be modified to include factors
such as business ethics, environmental issues, technological charges, government regulation and the impact on
HIV/Aids in the syllabus. The learners as well as the teachers should make use of these factors so that they can
understand the course better.
Even those who are not pursuing business education in secondary and who actually needs it, then the teachers
should be able to integrate it in other subjects such as mathematics, economic geography, etc.

To effectively teach the subjects, the teachers are strongly been advised to employ participatory approach in
order to tape and incorporate learners' experience. Also field trips should encouraged so that the students can be
able to integrate what they have been taught and what is actually happening the in the environment. The
learners as well as the teachers should make use of these factors so that they can understand the course better.

General objectives
Business education has both general and specific objective. The general objective is aimed at achieving the
overall goals of the while specific objectives are aimed at achieving goals that are specific to the topic.

General objectives includes

1. Enabling the learner to acquire necessary skills and the attitude for the development of the self and the
Nation
2. Enabling the learner to understand the business and the environment
3. Enabling the learner to acquire necessary entrepreneurial skills and attitude for starting and operating a
business.
4. Develop ability for inquiry critical thinking and normal judgment.
5. Appreciate the role of communication and information technology in today’s business management
6. Have a firm foundation for further education and training
7. Appreciate the role of market forces in determining the price of goods

Having identified the general objectives, then specific objectives will depend in the topics to be covered. For
further analysis refer to the secondary school syllabus.

PLANNING FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING

Careful planning is the keystone to effective teaching. The extent to which you think through the teaching
procedure and the content will be, as much as any other determines the effectiveness of your student teaching.
Carefully designed plans are essential for successful teaching. Effectiveness planning is essential elements in
the student’s teacher’s experience. It permits the novice to think through the lesson or unit in advance, to
consider its potential success; to probe various alternatives, to anticipate the timing and the pacing of activities,
to prepare for materials and equipment needs, to promote pertinent ties-in, with the current events and to
provide for adequate evaluation based on desired objectives.
Planning for teaching builds confidence, providing in advance for diversified interest and abilities dispels some
of the anxiety associated with beginning teaching.
Planning and evaluation of that planning aids in the learning how to plan better. Errors of timing, motivational
techniques and pupil expectations can be evaluated and future plans modified. Expected outcomes are more
likely achieved through continued emphasis on realistic plans.

Classroom planning is the foundation for sound classroom management and discipline. Focused activities are
the result of adequate planning. Pupils recognize and respond to the situation where the instructor is
floundering. When is not sure of him/herself, the lesson content or sequence.

The planning of the years or the day’s work for a group of pupils is a creative endeavor. The inventive teacher
finds the potential for stimulating the exercise in situation analysis. An objective is identified, the situation
carefully analyses and the procedures considered that lead to the attainment of goals. Plans well for more
successful teaching.

Adequate planning takes time, thoughts and energy. The reading of related lesson materials, searching for
additional resources, the making of charts and other needed materials all requires time, sometimes more time
than seem available.

Teachers do make four kinds of plans; varying in scope and specificity:

i) The long ranges plan- which usually covers a semester or a years. In these case the broad
overall objectives for the years is considered. Large blocks of time mapped out for the
various content areas, unit or activities and these in turn ordered into logical or
psychological sequences
 ii) Unit plans are developed for varying periods, which may range from a few days to
several weeks. The units are usually concerned with the study of the questions or problem
or unified content areas or current affairs.
iii) The daily lesson plan developed from the above two plans elaborates in details the
various activities to carry out during the days. It is more specific than either note above.
Actually, it is a serious of plans, blended together into the daily schedule.
iv) The daily schedule identifies the usual sequence of the activities for each day, arranging
them in some logical order based on psychological and psychomotor abilities of pupils.

SCHEME OF WORK AND LESSON PLAN.

It is a forecast of the work you expect to cover in each lesson. It should be compiled at the beginning of the term
for each subject and if you are teaching more than one class, separately for each class.
Before starting to write the scheme of work, you must know how many lessons you will have in each subject
during the term. 1st study the official syllabus to be used. Then decide the number of lessons to be allocated to
each of the learning topics.
This will depend upon the previous learning and general ability levels of the learners. If your pupils are slow
learners, you must select those topics of greatest importance and concentrate on them. You must write down the
topics in the order in which you propose to teach them. Lesson by lesson, so that each lesson is related to the
learning of the previous ones.

Alongside the topic, you write notes on the method and material to be used in the lesson. This is your scheme of
work.
Schemes of work for subjects covering a term work are usually written in the front of the lesson book in
columns headed weak no. Lesson no., methods, resources and pupils works.
A scheme of work must give a suggested allocation of time for the teaching of the section of the syllabus and
perhaps give recommended textbooks.

A scheme of work is a schedule drawn to show how the teacher, will cover the work during a certain
period of time. Usually it covers at least one term.
It has at least eight columns as follows.
The following is a sample of a scheme of work
Kenyatta University, department of Educational Communication Technology
Scheme of work format.
Teacher’s Name Mr J M Kinga Reg no……………. Subject Business Studies
School: Excellent high school Class Form 1 Year 2006 Term ii

General objectives…………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Week Lesson Topic/ sub topic Objectives Learning Learning Remarks

 activities resources/references

Week, lesson, Topic, Subtopic, specific objectives, Teaching Activities, learning activities,
references/resources, Remarks
1. Week: Usually this is the number of weeks in a term. It indicates what will be covered in week I, II,
………… up to the last week.
2. Lesson: These are number of lessons either in a day/ week in a term. Each lesson should be scheduled
for at 35 minutes to 40 minutes depending on the time.

Topic:
Usually there are different topics that need to be covered. Most of the topics are sub-divided into some sob-
topics to make them easy to be covered. Each topic should act as a foundation for the topics to follow.
Therefore the teachers should build on there topics to make the learners understand the fill the topics better.

Sub-Topics
In most cases, topics are subdivided into sub-topics to make it easy for the teacher to teach and for the learners
to understand. The teacher should ensure that each sub-topic acts a foundation store for the following sub-
topics. In case the sub-topics are not covered in a systematic manner than it will be difficult for the students to
understand the concept as expected.
Specific objectives
These are objective that are specific to that topic/ sub-topic. When starting the objectives, they should be in a
measurable manners and such words as “know” should never be used since they cannot be measured.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES
These are the activities that are usually performed by the teacher for example, Explaining the concepts, asking
distances to the students asking the students to discuss in-groups etc.
The teaching activities should be systematic otherwise the students may not get the concept clearly.
Learning activities
These are the activities that are performed by the learners. They include listening, watching, discussing in
groups, and giving answers to the rest of the class.
This activities are important for they gives an immediate answers to them on whether the students are
understanding or not it also make the students to develop participatory skills which are essential for effective
learning.

Resources / References
These are the necessary resources that are required to make the teaching effective. This includes the textbooks
required to teach, chalk manila papers and pens for drawing diagrams for demonstration, etc.
This resources/references should be prepared well in advance before the lesson and if they are required to be
bought, they should be done well in advance
Diagrams are very necessary for they make the work of the teachers to be easy and also make the students to
understand better.
Remarks
This is usually done after the Topic/sub-Topic has been covered the remarks usually indicate the level of
coverage.

Advantages of scheme of work

i) It help the teacher to plan what he/she will cover within a given period
ii) It assist the teacher to prepare the necessary resources required for effective teaching in advance
iii) The teacher will be able to compare what he/she has covered within a given time and what she / he
was meant to have covered and take remedial action
iv) In case of change of teachers, then the teacher taking the course subject will be able to see how
much has been covered and how much has been left
v) Incase some teaching approach are not appropriate, then the teacher can develop new teaching
approach that are beneficial to the students
vi) It help the education official to compare what is to the students 300 with what the teacher claim,
he / she has covered.
Disadvantages
i) It does not indicate the level of understanding and whether the topic has been covered
appropriately
ii) Some teachers usually indicate that the topic is well covered while it has been shallowly covered
or not covered at all.

LESSON PLAN
A lesson plan is a schedule showing how the teacher will cover a certain topic within a given duration, mostly
40 minutes. Planning is the foundation of creative teaching. Today's lesson planning is complex process
demanding a high level of knowledge and skill. The main reasons have been that we have expanded our
objectives in the secondary school to include helping the pupils to become proficient in those intellectual skills
unique to particular subject as well as helping them to acquire information. Our objectives also include work
habit, general problem solving skill and skill in working co-operating with others. The function of school today
is providing for the maximum growth of each individual in the classroom. Lesson plans must be modified from
class to class. Even the plan you make with a specific group in mind will require modification as you put them
in operation. Students usually work intelligently, intensively and enthusiastically at a task when they understand
it purpose. Thus teacher's plan today include how to involve pupils in the planning, how to adjust the plans so
that their insight and suggestions may be taken into account and how to allow for weakness and strength as
pupils work toward the solution to the problems.
Effective planning calls for the mastery in making several types of the plans. The efficient teacher must be able
to establish objectives and identify necessary areas of growth for the entire year
DAILY LESSON
No successful teacher enters a classroom without plans for the daily lessons. Over-all plans are structured in the
unit, but day-to-day plans need to be specific. Some suggestions for daily lessons plans are:
v) Keep them simple. Don't make essays out of the plan. Don't attempt to cover too much
ground.
vi) Use the same format consistently, once you have decided upon the form. Of course,
improvements in the form are in order.
vii) Whatever form is utilized, include a space for teacher self-evaluation.
viii) Make the lesson plan an integral part of the unit.

Characteristics of a lesson plan.

 It is an outline not an essay. Plan should on the desk to merely a reminder of the way the work of the
classroom will be carried out while the class is in progress
 The plan for teaching must at all times be kept flexible, a number of alternative procedures should be
provided for the lesson plan
 It should be prepared far enough in advance of its use to give it time to stick in the a teachers head. The
preparation of the lesson plan is not something that can be done at the last minute,
 It should both guide and reflect teacher-pupil planning. If the lesson plan represent only the thinking of
the teacher, then the claim that real teacher-student planning exist is false.

THE RATIONALE OF DAILY LESSON PLAN

There are a number of acceptable forms that might be used in planning lessons. One such general form is
suggested here:
i) Objectives
ii) Concept ( Topic or problem Procedures(Teaching-learning activities) resources
materials( references, apparatus e.t.c)
iii) Evaluation
OBJECTIVES
In stating the objectives, specific goals of immediate concern should be indicated rather than repeating the
broader objectives of the entire unit.
Part II of the daily lesson plan (concept-problems-resources) is obtained primarily by selection from the similar
part of the unit plan. Changes and adaptation of the pre-planned unit may be needed as details are developed by
the teachers and the students.
In planning the teaching-learning procedures some teachers find it helpful to sub-divide the area into
introductory, developmental and summary.

In the introductory phase there is a concern with how to get the lesson started, how to obtain motivation in the
students and the like.
In the developmental phase, the teacher plans how to keep his lessons moving and recognizes the limits of the
attention span of his students with the dependent need for a variety of activities.
In the summary phase, ways are planned for generalizing the accomplishments of the lesson and planning to
next day's work.
Specific assignments often are made hare, although assignments should emerge from whatever part of the
lesson most naturally suggests them.
In judging the success of the lesson, space must be provided for self-evaluation by the teacher: what phase of
the lesson was especially successful? What went wrong and why? How can the lesson be improved?
Self-evaluation by the teacher is stressed as a important aspect of the daily lesson plan because through a
periodic review of these evaluation the teacher recognizes his improvement or needs for improvement in certain
areas.
Good organization is conducive to effective learning, but does not alone necessarily produce such learning.
Lesson plan has four columns i.e. the time, step teaching activities and learning activities. A sample of a lesson
plan is as follows.
LESSON PLAN
Name: R M Kinga reference ……………………
SCHOOL: KAJINGA HIGH SCHOOL Time……………………
CLASS: FORM 1 SOUTH DATE: 3RD JUNE 2004
WEEK No:……………………………………………LESSON NO
SUBJECT: Business Studies
TOPIC: Satisfaction of Human Wants
SUBTOPIC: characteristic of human want
OBJECTIVE: By the end of the lesson, the student should be able to define what
is Human wants and std characteristics.
REFERENCE: Business in studies by KIE PG 29 – 240

Time Steps Learning activities Resources / references.

5 minutes Step 1 Students discuss with their neighbors
introduction what human wants are and some students
gives the answers to the class
Students listen attentively, giving relevant
25 minutes Step 2 body
examples and copying notes
Step iii Students gives oral answers and asks
5 minutes
questions and questions
answers
Summary and
5 minutes The students listen.
conclusions

SELF-Evaluation
Record your own assessment of the lesson and make comment on the effectiveness or otherwise of the teaching
for the purposes of remedial work.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________
Or

NB:
The lesson plan and the scheme of work should go hard in hard. Generally the teachers should consider the
needs of the class for a short period within the long-range plan i.e. the scheme of work. In developing the plans,
the teachers should consider the abilities, interests and needs of the learners. Many prospective teachers find it
difficult to write a lesson plan because they do not know about the interest of the students.

Thus the teachers should bear in mind that their planning should be done in a real live situation with specific
child in mind. A successful daily lesson plan should
a) be tailored for a specific group of children
b) Provide for a wide range of pupil achievement in the classrooms through individual projects,
group work etc
c) Involves all pupils in the class

Students-teachers and beginning teachers should often change the lesson plans if need arises. The teacher must
always be ready to deviate from planned procedures if a better learning situation arises
The student teachers and teachers should make the pupils to see the relation of current work to
i) What occurred previously
ii) Future lessons
iii) Major goals
Smooth transition is made from one day to the next by using planning on the previous pupil learning reviewing
past lesson and projecting the purposes for the current lessons. Interval summaries and evaluation aids in
clarifying progress toward overall established goals and modify either goals or procedure when necessary.
Summaries aid the pupil in integrating and synthesizing learning. An experienced teacher once told a beginner
that effective teaching involves three areas i.e. tell them what you are going to teach them, teach them and ask
them what you have taught them.

LESSON IV
TEACHING STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES

Background information.
A competency description is a summary of a specific activity including the expected behaviour, activities
performed, the order in which these activities are carried out, equivalent need and the range of performance
standards. Once the teacher has identified / stated the competencies expected, then she/he should classify the
types of learning involved. This is important in that competencies in different categories are developed in
different ways. Learning may be classified into the following categories (or domains)
i) Cognitive.
ii) Affective.
iii) Psychomotor.

Cognitive behaviour involves the ability to recall specific information, the application of information and the
process of analysis and decision-making. Therefore the teacher when planning on the strategies to apply should
identify the cognitive behaviour expected.

Affective behavior, which in most cases is frequently hidden from observation, are values which a leaner places
upon what is being learned including attitude towards learning.

Psychomotor behaviour are those requiring muscular (or motion) movements. These three types of behaviour
must be combined to produce a competency that is required in an individual.
As a teacher you should ensure that any cognitive or psychomotor behaviour is accompanied by effective
behaviour. This effective behaviour is usually the direct results of cognitive or psychomotor behaviour acquired
by the learner during a successful or unsuccessful learning experience. In most cases a student who succeeds in
a learning activity is frequently motivated to try harder and learn more, while a student who is unsuccessful in a
given subject may develop a bad taste for it.
Because of their importance, then the teacher should give top priorities to the development of desirable affective
behaviour, especially when students have been previously conditioned by negative learning experiences. The
teacher should plan for each student to attain competence at the highest possible level.

The teacher should realize that today emphasis is on preparing students for unpredictable situations, in which
they must assess situations, forecast probable outcome and make judgment. When discussing cognitive domain,
the teacher can classify cognitive competencies according to:
1) Evaluation. This requires a decision or judgment: i.e. the student should be able make judgment and thus
he is able to select the data or actions that will be appropriate for a given situation.
2) Analysis/ synthesis: This implies carefully considering and weighing all facts from multiple sources and
determine possible causes of action.
3) Application involves using the previous learning in a new situation in his or her own words.
4) Comprehension: involves demonstrating of material without necessary relating the materials to other data.
This then implies that the student reveals understanding of materials by explaining
5) Knowledge requires recalling facts, terms and principles in the form in which they were learned.

The above information can be demonstrated by the following Bloom’s taxonomy (classification system) that
shows the levels of cognitive domain analyzed for observable behaviour. The observable behaviour is the one
expected from the student.

Level of cognitive domain analyzed for observable behaviour

Levels of cognitive Observable behaviour
domain
Judges which data or action are appropriate for a
High Evaluation
given situation

Analysis/synthesis Gather facts from multiple sources and determines

possible courses of action

Application Uses previously learned facts in a new situation

Comprehension Reveals understanding of material by explaining it in

low Knowledge own words
Recalls facts and terms and discriminates among items
.
Nb
Analysis Breakdown of communication into its constituents, parts such that relative hierarchy of ideas is made
clearers and / or the relatives between the ideas expressed are made clear
Synthesis- putting together of parts to form a whole: analyzing and combining pieces in such a way as to
constitute a pattern or structure not clearly there before
In any subject, some students will not be capable of reaching the analysis/ synthesis or evaluation level of the
cognitive domain.. For example all students might be required to operate the spirit duplicator (application);
however only a few students will achieve the decision making level of selecting the most efficient means of
duplicating programs for a school events in terms of the constraints of time and cost (evaluation).
The only purpose for acquiring and comprehending facts is the application of facts to other learning: thus
practically all learning must be developed to at least application level.
This principle applies to cognitive skills as well as other cognitive learning. Because cognitive learning skills is
the habit of making complex mental responses without giving conscious thought to the thinking pattern, this
skills always occur at the application level.

The following table shows sample competence in general business and those communications that are in the
cognitive domain. The figure includes the level to which the competence should be developed and the reason
for choosing the level.

Cognitive general business competencies classified by level.

Competencies Level of cognitive domain Reasons(stdt bhvr)
Make and defend decision
High. Using given facts, decide on the Evaluation
best course of action and defend decision
logically
Regularly differentiate between Analysis / synthesis Analyze answers logically
logically and illogical answers

Mentally add, subtract, multiply and Applies previous learned

application
divide simple numbers accurately knowledge

Affective domain
Blooms and others have classified affective behaviour in observable and non-observable behaviour of a student.
Four of these five involves responding and therefore classified as either high- level responding or low level
responding.
Level of the affective domain analyzed for observable and non-observable behaviour.
Observable and non-observable behaviors
Levels of affective domain

Observable; reveals by consistent, automatic

High: High level of responding
responses to situation that affective behavior
Internalizing
pattern.
Non-observable: recognizes values of behavior and
Organizing
establish some system of exhibiting desired
behaviour.
 Non-observable: sees the values of this attitude or
Low level of responding traits and recognises how it can be important.
Valuing Observable; reacts by answering questions,
participating in discussion, working with others and
following instructions
Responding Non-observable. Begins to think about behavior to
be developed

Receiving
low

The lowest (receiving) involves mere observation of the behaviour of other. The student is usually passive. As
the student reaches the next level (responding) some reaction is evident to the observer. As the student responds
he / she is probably analyzing the worth of the activity and formulating an altitude (valuing) from this point the
student responses enter high level responding by planning to exhibiting the behaviour (organizing).

Determination of a standard of performance in the initial formation of effective competence poses special
problem for the teacher. The teacher must decide just which observable behaviour will reflect the desired
affective task and how well that behaviour must be performed.

Only by repeated observations of each students can the teacher determine whether a student exhibit a specified
behaviour consistently. A teacher who is able to get a student who enters the class with a negative attitude to
respond positively, even at a low level, has accomplished much. Thus the teacher should consciously plan for
the development of desirable affective behaviour, otherwise their acquisition is left to chance The importance of
affective behaviour to success in a competence based program dictates the inclusion of the competencies along
with those in the cognitive and psychomotor domain.

Psychomotor domain
The various level of the psychomotor are necessary to facilitate in the acquisition of a motor skill and are
divided into three categories:
1) Acquisition.
2) Application.
3) Communication

All students should ultimately be able to perform at levels within the application or communication category.
This classification is useful in helping teacher pinpoint a student’s progress in developing a motor skill.
Cognitive learning is always involved while the learner is performing at levels within the acquisition category.
For example the learner in typewriting must know the machine parts to be manipulated, the correct keys stroke
and the correct hand position i.e. cognitive learning at the knowledge and comprehension levels. To these
cognitive learners adds the physical movements of reaching for and striking the keys (psychomotor behaviour in
the acquisition category)

Summary
An important and fast growing trend in business education today is the competence based education movement.
A basic component is the competency, which is a task (specific activity done by a worker or consumer) that is
performed to a certain standard. The needs of the learner and the needs of business do help the teacher to
implement a learning system by which intelligent consumers and employable workers may be developed. Level
of cognitive learning to be achieved depends upon the desired competency. However, most affective behaviour
essential for success should be developed to the highest level so that the behaviour is a consistent response in
the individual's behaviour pattern.
Since the levels of the psychomotor domain are steps through which a learner moves in acquiring a
motor or muscular skill, then they are useful for the teacher in evaluating a student's development of a motor
skill.

Thus classification of competencies by domain and level enables the teacher to assist the student in planning for
learning or behaviour changes and in establishing strategies helpful in acquiring the desired behaviour.

Key points to note

1) Before the teacher came up with the strategies, he / she should identify the needs of the learner. For the
learners to get the most satisfaction from the available resources, he / she must acquire cognitive and
affective learning which will enable him or her to make the most intelligent decision possible as a
consumer, producer and citizen. The philosophy of basic education is that general business has something
for all students, both boys and girls regardless of major concentration, ability level, reading level or age.

2) The teacher should identify competencies required from the students after the lessons. This then will
require the teacher or curriculum consultant to use professional judgment in determining tasks and
standards and the competencies, in business. This can be done by identifying topics that have been
recommended by the researcher as essential in general business, topics from general business textbooks or
topics identified by other.
3) The teacher should identify the criteria for evaluating the students and these then means that he / she need
to plan so as to measure whether or not a student has attained the competence.
4) The teacher should also construct the performance goals to be achieved. The goals should be developed in
such a way that they can state.
a) A measurable behaviour
b) The condition under which performance will be conducted.
c) The product to emerge from the performance.
d) The criteria or standard on which performance will be based.

Realistic performance goals provide the basis for learner and the teacher to know exactly what is to be
accomplished.

5) The teacher should pre-test and match the learner with goals. To do this, the teacher should attempt to
analyze who the students are. Many students came to class with very little knowledge on the subject and
with a lot of expectation from the teacher. These characteristics will affect the teachers' decision regarding
the level at which to start a topic, depth of treatment and variety and extent of teaching learning activities.
Factors such as age level, maturity level, reading level, attention span, social economic home conditions,
environmental limitations, and student motivation need to be considered. He should also needs to know the
specific competencies of individual students. These can be done by pre-testing the students using either last
item identified at the time performance goals were written or alternative forms of test items. This is done
due to the diversity of the student, for some may poses some or all of the competence while other will lack
all of them.
6) For teaching to be effective, then the teacher should apply appropriate learning principles such
a) The learner must perceive what is to be learned as relevant. In this case, if the learner can be shown that
their understanding of business education will give them an edge over persons who do not understand the
system, then they will be willing to learn than if the proposed learning is simply memory exercise.
b) Learning results from the learners' interaction with his or her total environment.
c) Learning is facilitated when the learner can associate new behaviour with previous learned behaviour.
d) Learning proceeds more effective when the learner is an active participant in the learning process. When
students are actively involved, they will get more from the learning than if they are passive. Strategies
which employ doing, making, reacting to speakers, collecting, interacting, writing, constructing e.t.c, Will
facilitate learning more than passive activities such as listening or even reading.

LESSON 6
Teaching- learning strategies
A strategy is a course of action to achieve the goals / objectives of the subject. Depending on the objectives to
be achieved, the following strategies can be used.

Individual instruction and group

Individual instruction is mainly used when the students are not many. This strategy has been developed and
implemented by certain teacher all over. In case of big groups, provision can be made for questions to be
written and handed to a monitor who sorts them and gives them to the speaker or a questions and answer period
can be conducted simply by having a student stand and ask a question. Other instructions in business education
may involve viewing movies, filmstrips or other media.
Though sometimes guest speakers and use of media would also be appropriate for small groups, other strategies
that involve developing listening and speaking skills and affective behaviour can also be used.
Other modes of instructions involves case problems, projects, slides, reading, films, transparencies, bulletin
boards, audiotapes and videotapes, lectures games and simulations.
i) Transparencies
These overhead projectors have come to be a mainstay of general business teachers.
They can be used by the teacher or the learner and can be used in small groups, large groups or individuals
instructions. Transparencies are popular because they offer advantages not available with other methods or
media.

ii) Slides
A series of slides can be developed on almost any topic in general business. A series could show places of
business displaying the credit cards that are accepted there and students can deduce the universal acceptance of
credit cards.
Once the slides are developed, they can be used from year to year with occasional updating of particular slides.

iii) Slides and sound

The synergistic effect of a slide /sound presentation is greater than either medium used alone because the
presentation get attention, holds attention and is current. Slides/ sound only can be developed for use of
introductory, developmental or culminating activities and can be used with a large group or single student in a
study level. Ten to fifteen minutes seems to be optimal time span.
The following steps may be used in developing slide/ sound presentation in general business.
1) Decide on topic and objectives. The teacher should clearly define the topic and purpose at the outset.
2) Write the script. Start with an outline of important points to be covered and develop the script from the
outline.
3) Outline proposed slides. Sometimes done simultaneous with script, the decision on proposed pictures might
be used readily apparent as the script is developed.
4) Take slides. Group the prepared pictures so you do not have to make repeated trips to one location.
5) Prepare tittles and credit slides. The title slide sets the stage for what is to follow and the credit slide gives
credit to the person(s) who developed the units. This becomes especially important if the unit is shown by
someone other than the person who made it.
6) Decide on sound key points can be narrated at the time the same points are presented
on the slide. Any music used should contribute to the overall theme and in addition
should be music with which students can identify.
7) Record sound: in most cases, more the one person is involved in recording because of
 Various sound being combined. It may be sensible to record narration on the tape, sounds effects on music
on another tape and finally to use the third tape combining two. The narrator should have a pleasant voice
on tape because an accent, twang or raspy vice will spoil on other wise good unit, the narator should be
thoroughly familiar with the material so it came out naturally, not as though he/she were reading.
8) Synchronize slides and sound. The presentation can be developed to utilize the automatic sector of slide
projection so that the slides can be changed manually in response to click on the second track. Ultimately
the slides can be changed mainly in response to one on an accompanying script The time duration in every
script will differ. It should be clear that the script should appear on the screen at the opposite sides appear
on the sound track.
9) Evaluate and revise once devised the unite should be clarified by professional colleagues and students
and revisions made as necessary

FILM SCRIPT
Good film script designed specifically for the general business classes are of fairy recent origin. To be more
effective film script which are correlated with sound on record or cassettes tapes can be used and in most cases
they can be used for group instruction or individual instruction
In many developed countries most business teachers will probably utilize commercially available film script
though teachers and students may develop there own.
A series of film script correlated with audiocassettes and study guides enables the student to progress at his or
her own rate.

FILMS
Films are considered to be an excellent teaching medium and good films are available for general business
class. Films are positive motivators because they combine sight, motivation and sound and enable students to
visit places they would otherwise not see.
Audiovisual departments of teachers training institute states or country boards of education and business
education periodical is all sources of information on film availability.
Teachers should be aware that the films would lose their effectiveness if they were not shown at the time
students are studying topics of the film. To avoid this film should be ordered in advance of the screening date.

FIELD TRIPS
The teacher should think of field trips site in his or her own community depending on what he/she is teaching
Every community has business establishments, which might provide appropriate field trips for general business
class. For the trips to be effective the teacher should explain to the tour director the objectives of the trips.
Before arranging for the trip determines what your students’ experiences and interests are. Due to logistic
problems, such as transportation and taking students out of other classes, it is recommended that a small group
should taken to one place and another to different place and the group later present what they found to the rest
of class. To be effective, most of the information should be recorded in videotape, slides e.t.c and shown to the
class

Projects

In preparing a report on a business establishment, students can gather information by visiting the company
individually or by finding published materials in news papers or magazines. The students can also do library
research or visiting business films or labor halls. Some other project are particularly well suited for students
who may not posses well developed verbal skills and consequently do not do very well on written reports.
Incase of such students, they can prepare a visual type of project such as a bulletin board or mobile.

Bulletin Boards and other visual media

Bulletin boards are used to stimulate students’ interest and acts as a learning medium. This bulletin board
should correlates with the topic being taught. This bulletin board should be prepared in advance for them to be
effective. With time and with some guidance, students themselves should be able to develop attractive bulletin
boards, which will appeal to other students.

A mobile is a free-hanging art object characterized by a theme. Each part is hanged from a central core by a
wire or a string. Labels, seals of approval, government publication and data taken from magazine and
newspapers might be potential parts of mobile on sources of consumer information.

Student should be encouraged to prepare mobile which are then displayed in the classroom, hanging out of easy
reach of the students but not out of sight. Mobiles and other visual media should be changed regularly so that
the visual will correlate with the topic under discussion.

Posters and Montages are other visual art firms, which may lend themselves to the general business classroom.
The main advantage is that they stimulate questions and arouse the interest of students who are not in the
general business class thus providing a natural recruiting opportunity for the business dept.

Guest speaker
For this strategy to work, then the guest speaker should have some expertise in the topic under discussion and
should be briefed beforehand on what is expected of him or her and how to handle expected questions. The
student should be briefed before hand.

RESOURSES
An abundance of flee and inexpensive materials is available from many sources in addition to complete
published learning system which have features such as a text book, student activity guides, transparencies and
filmstrip’s.
Teachers’ source books, speakers at conventions, workshops and business education periodicals are all sources
of information on current materials.
In addition business films trade association and labor unions provide materials. It’s imperative that the teacher
evaluates available materials and chooses carefully those, which will assist the students in attaining the
performance objectives he or she is expecting.

LESSON 8
LEARNING ACTIVITES AND RESOURCES

The kind of interaction expected from the students will determine the learning activities that will be used by the
teacher. Learning activities can be classified into four classifications

A) READING; in this case, the teach utilize a variety of learning activities that will involve the students
in reading. Among the possibility are reading of textbooks, programmed materials, and transparencies
and computer printout.

b) TRANSPARENCIES: They are used to supplement textbooks and have the following advantages;
1. The overhead project is easy to operate with only controls such as an on/off,
a knob to focus and one to raise or lower the image.
2. The teacher faces the class and can control the sequence and timing of the presentation depending on
the pupil reaction.
3. The teachers control the projector and can initiate and encourage classroom interaction.
4. The teacher can build ideas from simple to complex by using overlays and masks.
5. The groups can see the transparencies without darkening the room.
6. The teacher time is conversed.
7. Any student who need to view transparencies more than once in order to understand the process being
illustrated may handle the transparences and study them as long as necessary.
8) Good transparences are available commercially though the teachers can prepare their own.

B) Programmed materials; materials are presented in small segments requiring the

 Students to supply an answer or a word to compete the sense and providing immediate feedback in
the form of correct answer

COMPUTER PRINTOUT
Use of computer is often associated with individually prescribed learning. Typed (hard) copy is received from
the computer terminal. The teacher needs the copy and responds on the questions by typing the response on the
terminal keyboard. The computer items analyze the respond and direct the students to the next step.

(NB)
Because in teaching we rely mostly on writing materials, then the teacher, when selecting the teaching material
must ascertain
i) The reading level of text books or other materials so that student and materials may be matched
ii) The reading level of each student so that appropriates materials may be used.

WRITING
Learning activities that involve the students in writing includes reports, daily assignments, workbook exercises,
modules (learning packets and packs) and quizzes.
Teachers who view written communications next in importance to oral communications provide a variety of
learning activities in which students can express themselves in written form.
Reports that require book research may encourage students’ to plagiarize while complete reports on topics
students have researched in person give students more opportunities to creative writing.

LISTENING, SPEAKING AND DISCUSSING

Listening can be improved by involving the combination of written and verbal instructions.
Incase of listening for ideas the students can be trained in this area by having to write down the main points
presented during a speech after the speaker has finished. If students compare their statement, they begin to
sharpen their listening techniques. Writing helps to focus the listener.

Another means of developing listening ability is through playing tapes or records after the students have been
prepared for the experience and know what they are listening for.
Students answer specific questions and receive immediate enforcement when they discover whether answers are
right or wrong.

Other additional learning activities are listening to teachers and listening to guests' speakers. Sometimes
lecturing tends to limit the students' participation and therefore they should be minimuzely used. This can be
useful as a learning activity if
i) Limit the lecture to a maximum of 15 minutes whenever possible.
ii) Design the lecture to meet a specific goal
iii) Know the material and organize it thoroughly.
iv) Train students to take note.
v) Use attention-getting device such as questions and illustrations.
vi) Direct the lecture to the students as individuals not as mass
Vii) Be realistic about what the class will absorb and retain.
xi) Avoid extending the lecture behold the pupils attention span
x) Avoid assuming that students have understood all you said
xi) Avoid using lecture extensively

GUEST SPEAKER
If a guest speaker is to be used then the teacher should plan with the group prior to the presentation. He can hold
a preliminary group discussion with the listeners so that he can find out what they want to learn from the
speaker.
To provide for student participatory Robert Hop pock suggest that the group should be given the suggested
questions in advance rather than taking class time to develop the entire list.

TEACHER-LED DISCUSSION

Many times, a teacher selects to lead a class discussion in order to develop a concept, discuss its implications
and solve problems. Most developmental and problem solving discussions lead by the teacher demand active
participation and therefore the teacher must be skillful in
(i) Setting the stage
(ii) Asking questions which utilize the developmental approach
(iii) Guiding student participation
(iv) Stimulating disagreement
(v) Appraising progress
(vi) Handling progress
(vii) Handling arguments
(viii) Leading into summaries and conclusions

BRAINSTORMING

Teaching may employ this technique in problem-solving situations. Four basic rules apply in brainstorming.
(i) Teacher or leader makes no judgments or comments on each idea as it is recorded on a
flip chart or chalkboard.
(ii) Use of imagination is encouraged; the more creative the suggestions the more others are
encouraged to think.
(iii) A large number of solutions are the goal, to make it more likely that one or more idea
will be appropriate.
(iv) Building on the idea of another is encouraged.

When all ideas are recorded, the leader begins involving participants in evaluating ideas and discarding those
not appropriate and retaining those, which are feasible.

STUDENT-LED GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Students should be encouraged to interact with no intervention from the teacher. The teacher’s responsibility is
to supply guidelines for structuring the discussions groups, identifying the goals of the discussion, setting the
time limit, preparing a report and evaluating the performance of the participants.

For discussion to be meaningful then each member of the group must prepare for the interaction by such
activities as researching a topic in the library, watching a film, interviewing people who can make a meaningful
contribution or just analyzing his/her own thought on the topic.

Group discussions are considered to be more effective in enabling students to achieve high levels of cognitive
and affective behaviour than one of the traditional teacher-centered classes.
Although group discussions are time consuming, the learning gained through participation is likely to be
retained for a longer time span than that of spoon-fed by the teacher.

PERFORMING AND OBSERVING

They require active participation and provide the common experiences upon which a group might base
discussion.

Learning activities that involves either performing or observing the performance of other includes role playing,
skits, debates, panel discussions, field trips, demonstrations, projects, television, computer games and
simulations and work- experience.

ROLE PLAYING

According to Price, et al, role-playing is a method of human interaction that involves realistic behaviour in an
imaginary situation. It
(i) Presents alternative courses of action
(ii) Develops better understanding of problems
(iii) Develop better understanding of other people’s points of view.
(iv) Prepare students for meeting future situation
 (v) Increase spontaneity and encourage creative interaction
(vi) Gives students practice in what they have learned.
(vii) Illustrates principles from the course content
(viii) Maintains and/or arouses students interest
(ix) Stimulate discussions
(x) Develops more effective problem-solving ability
(xi) Develops desirable attitudes.

A common role playing situation is the initial job interview, with one team of actors and the other team, the
wrong way of handling one’s self.

SKITS
Students do enjoy dramatizing and therefore skits, which are usually short, and humorous, dramatic
presentations are useful in illustrating the right and wrong ways of doing things. Skits do provide valuable
common learning experiences for a group prior to discussion.
FIELD TRIPS
They supply a wealth of information that can be used in discussions. Students should always be appraised of
what they are to observe. By doing these, then they become active observers and are able to make notes on
things seen and heard.

DEMONSTRATIONS

Students learn more by seeing than by hearing and demonstration combines seeing and hearing.
Steps of demonstration includes:-
(i) Explanation and demonstration by demonstration
(ii) Imitation by observers
(iii) Evaluation by demonstration and observer
(iv) Re-demonstration if necessary
(v) Observer imitation
(vi) Re-evaluation by demonstration and observers

A teacher planning for demonstration should consider the following factors

(i) Demonstrations from the front of the room are frequently ineffective teacher therefore the teacher
should demonstrate to a small group or to an individual so that each person can see each step of the
operation.
(ii) Teacher should consider the use of videotaping demonstration.
 (iii) Demonstrations should not be considered a one-time method of presenting materials. It may be
necessary to repeat them for students whose performance indicates that they cannot imitate the
demonstration.

COMPUTER

They have three functions as learning resources

(i) They are used by students as tools in problems solving
(ii) Computer Managed Instructions (MCI) utilizes the computer for pre-testing, testing and
maintaining students’ records.
(iii) Computer Assisted Instructions (CAI) utilizes the computer for supplying drills/ tutorial
programmed (software) to students sifting at terminals
Experiments have proved it to be an effective learning resource for many students.

TELEVISION
There is efficient evidence that when television is integrated with other learning resources, the results are
affective. Television permits the teachers to bring into the classroom discussions by outside specialist, lectures
by prominent figures or demonstration of new office equipment

SIMULATIONS
They are not only a means of evaluating students but also valuable learning activities.
A simulation is a production of a real situation, containing elements, which the author identifies as necessary to
the goals.

ADVANTAGES
(i) There is fast feedback i.e. the time factor can be shortened so that students can quickly see the
consequences of their actions.
(ii) The teacher has control over the variables and can introduce peripheral elements that exist on the
job after the students have begun to develop confidence.
(iii) There is a low risk factor and the teacher can minimize the consequences.
(iv) The cost of operating a simulation can be less per students than that incurred with on-the-job
training.
GAMES
Blucker describes a game as “a contest conducted according to a set of rules and undertaken in pursuit of
educational objectives as well as for enjoyment. Due to this, then they have become popular as learning
activities.

WORK EXPERIENCE
It consist of programs that use the co-operation efforts of the school and community to direct students in
developing occupational understanding from direct participation in the work environment.
These work experiences in education are of three types.
(i) Exploratory work experience
(ii) General work experience
(iii) Vocational work experience

Exploratory work experience is meant to help the students determine their own suitability (or lack of it) for the
job studied
General work experience provides maturing experience for students through supervised employed and in-school
instruction.

Lesson 9
SELECTING APPROPRIATE SUPPLIMENTARY MATERIAL

Teachers who are genuinely concerned with serving students most effectively are aware that even the best
textbooks and workbooks on the market do not provide a sufficient variety of material for meeting the diverse
needs represented in the usual classroom.
Additional materials are necessary for:
i. The reinforcement of specific skills through meaningful problem solving and decision making
activities.
ii. The acquisition of more realistic office experience in working conditions work production and the
quality and quantity office standards within the classroom.
iii. The accommodation of individual differences and special needs.
The continued provision of new and perhaps better materials is insured through the strong concern of dedicated
educators to implement recent research funding in the development of instructional materials.

When selecting material to act as a supplementary, the following need to be considered:

1) The content is pertinent to the individual objectives of the course(s) in which it is to be used. Only
those instructional materials, which contribute towards the achievement of the behavioral objectives of
the course, should be involved in the instructional program.
 2) The content is up to date and closely correlated with that of the textbook(s) with which it is to use. The
teacher must ensure that the subject matter is correct, that the procedure and terminology are in accord
with the current accepted practice and that the content level of the set selected does not exceed the
point of instruction at which the student(s) is working. The visual component must be attractively
formatted, easily readable and void of racism and sexism.
3) The time required for effective utilization can be accommodated within the instructional program.

4) The cost is consistent with the financial resources available. Regardless of how valuable a particular
item of supplementary material might be to the teaching-learning process, it might be too expensive in
certain situations and thus inappropriate for selection.

Priority should be given to those materials considered most likely to benefit the greatest number of students in
their achievements.

SELECTING APPROPRIATE COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Teachers should determine the specific resource available to them in their community and select those that can
be used to enrich and vitalize the business and office program.
Effective learning occurs when the Community serves as a laboratory and the scene for learning is extended
beyond the limits of the classroom. Either bringing the resources to the classroom or sending the students into
the community can utilize community resources.
Community and business contact contribute greatly to successful school programs of ………. education and
vocational guidance.
The use of community resources in business classes improves school-community relationship and the result is
greater student interest.
There is need for careful planning by the teacher and the ………… in the use of Community resources. The
following procedure is useful when selection of Community resources:
1) Determining Community resources: These to be done through a survey by the student and teacher. The
method and scope of the survey must be understood by all individuals involved in the activity. The
purpose of the survey which is to determine specific business community resources available should be
clearly understood by all participants.
Other means of determining community resources can be used. For example;
a) Newspapers can provide information about activities of community and business organizations,
reorganization and expansion plans by companies, personnel changes in business exhibits unusual
merchandise and case illustrating legal principles.
b) Contacts through students and former students are important to the teacher in providing helpful
information about the community
 c) Participation by teachers in the activities of local businesses and professional organization provides
opportunities to meet and work with different community teachers.

Resource people
These are people who have special ability and / or accomplishments and they do provide valuable current
information and greatly that influence students. Such people include elected/ appointed government officials,
business owners, executive, and employees with considerable experience beginning worker or former students.
The basis of needing a resource person should be based individuals accomplishments and ability to demonstrate
and/ explain business procedures.
Both in-class and in-business discussions by resource people are useful for making course content seem more
real to students. On decision whether or not the student should visit the business or resource person coming the
following factors are important to consider whether
i. It is a demonstration or a task to be given facilities and equipment needed for the demonstration.
ii. Kind of surrounding most desirable to involve the students actively
iii. Number of students
iv. Manipulation facilities available
v. Who of the resource persons

Field trips
A field trip affords an excellent means of utilizing the community as celebratory to supplement classroom
experience. The effectiveness of a field trip is dependent upon the carefulness with which the trip is organized.
A well organized field trip can provide students with an unparallel educational experience to meet business
people, observe business activities in their natural setting, under stand job requirements and employment
possibilities correct wrong impressions about business and increase their understanding of the local business
community.
Any field trip should correlate directly with the topic being studied and supplement text discussions. If students
are to realize the maximum values from an educational trip, the teacher and student should plan and evaluate the
trip and capitalize on the experiences gained.

Business Forms and Materials

The use of forms from local business acquaints students with a greater variety and provides familiarity with
forms they will be using if they obtain jobs with local business. Samples of accounting forms, letterheads and
correspondence forms from local businesses serve as excellent teaching examples.

Work experiences
A well-coordinated work experience program for advanced students is an excellent way to use the business
community to supplement and enrich classroom laboratory experiences. With the cooperation of local
businesses, teachers can arrange one day on the job programs to acquaint students with actual business and
office procedures.
Selecting appropriate textbooks supplementary materials and community resources. Instructional materials are
usually second to teacher but in selecting the most suitable materials and aids is usually a major problem to the
teacher.

Selecting Appropriate Textbooks

Selecting appropriate secondary books lies with the ministry of education but when the books are approved for
secondary schools it is upon the teacher to select the most appropriate textbooks.
Selection by a committee comprised of teacher(s) representatives for the course and representation from the
administration is more desirable than decisions by the principal, superintendent business education consultant or
department head alone.
These tasks should be pursed with competence and concern. Necessary, xxxx and yone have come up with a
criterion to be used when selecting the appropriate textbooks.
1. Nature of the contents
The textbooks should provide those topics of instruction important in the particular subject with a
minimal amount of irrelevant materials. Topics reflecting changing social, economic and technological
conditions must be included.
Those participating in the textbooks selection need to ask themselves whether the topics included and
the order of in which they are represented facilitate the achievement of the behavioral objectives
developed for the specific course for which the textbooks are being considered.
2. Author: The ultimate view of a particular textbook can be assessed to a great extent by the degree to
which the author is knowledgeable in the subject and uses in the instructional methodology of the
subject.
3. Schools that use the text: Where a textbook has been in the market for sometime, then it is advisable
to seek first hand reactions from teachers in reputable schools in which the book has been used.
4. Date of publication or of revision: If a textbook is to reflect recent technological change, as well as
change in recommended instructional methodology, it must be revised at regular intervals. A late
copyright date cannot be accepted on face as evidence that a textbook has been updated .
5. Language used: Emphasis has been put forward to ensure that a textbook is readable, understandable
and interesting for the level of students who will be utilizing it. The writing style, level of vocabulary
and size of print need to be considered.
6. Textbook Construction: Today’s students are favorably impressed with and obviously prefer a
textbook that is convenient, in size and ……….. to attractive colors. The quality of the paper and the
durability of the binding are more important than general appearance.
Textbooks Illustrations: In evaluating the effectiveness of textbook illustrations, the following guidelines are
necessary: be fairly …………., be well printed, be of a reasonable size, relate to the text material, appear on the
same page with the ………. they are supposed to illustrate, or at least on the pages opposite the principles, have
catchy, yet meaningful, captions so that they will
LESSON NINE
Course Delivery and Assessment

Teachers should consider the factors that will have an implication of course delivery and some common issues
that need to be considered involves:
1) The choice of effective methods of teaching, learning and assessment.
2) Developing the learning environment.
3) The integration of the student’s experience of different course elements, such as contributing academic
disciplines, the concept and themes of professional knowledge and action and the position . The
development of the position experience.
4) Ensuring that professional competence remains the central and integrating focus of the course.
Beyond the teacher’s qualifications, the methods of teaching and learning need
to be improved through:
i. New partnership between employers and educators.
ii. The development of employment-based learning.
iii. The growing importance of continuing professional development.
iv. The increasing expectations of both students and their various sponsors.
v. The exigencies of funding resources.

Emerging issues in Business

Business teachers must not only be well grounded in basic principles of Management, but must also serve and
accept the challenges to continually search for those emerging changes which students must cope with in the
future.
Due to this challenges, such as government laws and regulations, communications, marketing shifts and world
competition, there is need for sound course content as the basis of classroom instructions. To effectively teach,
teachers need to be alert to these changes, which may have a significant effect on businesses hence a significant
effect on the content included in business studies/education being offered at secondary school level. Business
education must be flexible and willing to incorporate new methods and ideas in their classes as on before this
change occurs in the business world.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

Assessment is the process of seeking and obtaining t information about the students progress in the learning
through observing, recording and evaluating their performance ( Lang et al 1995). Continuous assessment is
viewed as a formative evaluation procedure concerned with finding out, in a systematic, manner, the overall
gains that student has made in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes after a set of learning experiences. The
thrust of this approach is that student assessment should take place as often as possible without the need to wait
until the end of the semester or year ( Digolo 2002)
Rationale for continuous assessment
Continuous assessment deals with learning achievement beyond the cognitive domain by embracing assessment
of manual skills and dexterity in the psychomotor domain as well as the assessment of interests and attitude in
the affective domain. The results from continuous assessment therefore broaden the scope of the assessment of
the student’s performance by providing information the augment data from summative evaluation. By their
nature, summative assessment tend to have a weakness of concentrating on the cognitive domain and even end
up focusing on the recall and comprehension cognitive levels only.

Summative evaluation therefore tends to encourage memorization and regurgitation of facts without taking into
account the uniqueness of the individual being tested.

The weakness of summative evaluation gives rise to the need for alternative assessment method to complement
summative evaluation. There is need for continuous Assessment approach since it is systematic, objective,
comprehensive, cumulative, guidance oriented and carried out by the classroom teachers. Continuous
assessment is said to be systematic in the sense that it requires an operational plan, namely the
measurement to be made, instrument to use, when administered and keeping of records.

It is comprehensive in that several types of instrument are used thus covering many aspect of the learned
behavior.
It is cumulative in that any decision made at any time about any student takes cognizance of the previous
decisions made about the student

It is guidance oriented since the information obtained serves as a basis from which further growth and
development of the students.
The teacher should administer it since the teacher is the expert in the specific unit being assessed and is the one
who is in close contact with the students and therefore provide reliable and valid assessment of the students on a
continuous basis.

Types of assessment.
In class assessments.

1 Essays: These help measure a student’s ability to organize, interpret, interpret, evaluate and apply knowledge.
Essays are categorized into extended response ( no major boundary are set) and restricted essays ( with set
boundaries on the answer required and on the organization) Essays provide in depth analysis of issues.
2 Short answer questions: These are used where the assessment is to cover a wide content area. They are not
suitable for testing complex learning outcomes.

3 Objective tests: these take the form of “Multiple Choice”, “true –false” or “Matching “questions.
4 Direct observation: This mode of assessment may be used in evaluating complex interpersonal areas where
no alternative forms of assessment are available. The teacher can tell a lot about students by observing the
performance and interaction in the classroom. It can be improved by the use of observation checklist and rating
form
5 Oral “viva-voce” examination. This entails the oral presentation of written papers such as term paper. This
mode is used where one wishes to discriminate among top students by providing a challenge with in-depth
questioning. They can be used for individual or groups and their main purpose are
a) Testing the ability to speak
b) Determining the subject knowledge
c) Gauging the ability to work together in groups.

6 Open book exam. These would involve challenging exams at which the students have the option to refer to
their classroom notes and textbooks
7) Quizzes. These are impromptu short written tests whereby one or two test are given without notice.
8) Test. Tests may be set at interval of a week, fortnight, month or any other specified period. Such tests are
set after a unit or theme is covered. It is expected to find out how far the themes are comprehended.

Out of class assessment

1) Project: A project is a task that requires library reading, gathering information, analysis and writing
the test project report. Such an activity is done under the supervision of the class teacher who guides the
students on the technicalities of doing the project.

2) Assignments. Giving assignment is one of the ways by which student’s progress is monitored. In this
method students are assigned topics either as individual or as groups. They are expected to do the
library search before writing the assignment. They may consult books, newspaper, parents, other
students or friends for information. The assignment used to reinforce teaching and enables students to
consolidate wide varieties of information acquired through the teaching. The teachers examine and
awards marks based on the report and any activities given on the basis of the trip.
3) Fieldwork( Field and attachment) this can be conducted in any subject. It normally requires the study
to be carried out in a natural setting. It calls for the student’s skills in observation, mastery of concepts
and accurate recording. Before embarking on a field trip., the teachers usually discusses the broad
theme to be studied with the class, areas to visit and the tasks the students are expected to learn. The
teacher makes all the preliminary arrangement with the school and at the field. During the visit the
students are expected to make observation and discuss the observation. The student’s are then asked to
write a report. The teacher examines and awards the marks based on the report and any activities given
on the basis of the trip.
4) Self-assement. In this mode the students assess themselves. It encourages openness and honesty about
assessment. It is used to improve the students understanding of their personality and performance.
5) Case study. This involves the analysis of an industrial problem and developing a solution. A case
presents an interesting situation and puts the students in the role of a decision marker.
Before the teacher conducts a performance goal for each competency, he/she plans the evaluations to be used in
measuring whether or not a student has achieved a stated competency.
Evaluations can be either criteria referenced or norm referenced.

A criterion referenced test measures whether the learner meets stated standards.
A norm referenced evaluation measure how the learner achieves in comparison with other students.
In competency-based program, only criteria-reference evaluations are appropriate.
Either written or performance tests may be used. Written tests include matching, multiple choice, completion,
and short answer or essay items.
Performance tests include individual performance, role-playing simulations, on the job training, field
experience, actual employment and consumer activity.

Before the teacher can select an appropriate evaluation instrument, he/she must consider the domain into which
the required learning falls (cognitive, affective or psychomotor) and the levels within these domains into which
each competency is to be developed.

CONSTRUCTING PERFORMANCE GOAL

A performance goal states a measurable behaviour the product to emerge from the performance, the conditions
under which performance
Performance will be conducted and the criterion under which performance will be judged.
Performance goals give the student a concrete idea of what is expected and how the result of the performance
will be evaluated.

COMPONENTS OF PERFOMANCE GOALS

Constructing a performance goal involves the four steps:
1) Determining the actual behavior to be performed so that a verb may be selected to convey the action
and the level of the dominant domain.
2) Determining the result of the performance a product created or a process to be observed.
3) Deciding on the relevant condition under which performance will take place.
4) Deciding on the criteria against which performance will be evaluated.

When testing the cognitive and affective domain, the following charts may be useful. Verbs used are at
different levels of the cognitive and affective domain includes

Cognitive Domain
 _Simple and low level complex and high level
Knowledge Comprehension Application Analyse/ Evaluation.
Define, Identify, Compute, describe, Apply, classify, synthesis Assess,
list,name, recognise, differentiate, connect, Analyse, arrange, conclude,
state distinguish, match, demonstrate, construct, create, decide,
order, organize, select, interpret, relate, design, detect, defend,
sequence translate, use develop, estimate, judge,
explain, formulate, predict
weigh

The teacher constructing performance goals generally works with either the cognitive or effective domain.
Cognitive competencies are performed on the job are of the affliction level or above, and therefore should be
applied at the application, synthesis and evaluation. This then will assist the teacher in creating realistic goals.
Incase of effective domain, then the following chart can be used.

Affective domain

Low-level Responding
Exhibit (Specific behavior)
Demonstrate (Specific behavior sought)_ High-level Responding
Consistently exhibit (Specific …….. Sought)
Consistently demonstrate (Specific ………. Sought)__

A teacher planning for the performance recognizes that the action must be demonstrated or exhibited and the
appropriate verbs are “demonstrated” or “exhibit”.
If the teacher plans to require the student to perform at a high-level, then the adverb “consistently” precedes the
verb. The teacher recognizes that a student who demonstrates the behavior during multiple observation has
acquired the behavior as part of the total behavior pattern.

Evaluation
Because competence are often stated in terms of minimum competencies or essential competencies, the
criticism has been made that that student success in a Competency Based Education (CBE) program cannot be
changed Identifying individual differences to the prospective employer can be difficult. In CBE, criticism
reference tests are based upon the standards for entering the occupation or for successfully working with
individuals in the occupation.

Since the criteria is stated in advance, no misunderstanding in the part of the teacher and student on the
evaluation exists. The system is usually a “pass” or “no pass” system.
Since majority of business educators teach in a school system that require grades, where parents are reluctant to
accept anything less than evaluation based in a grading system and employers ask the school to differentiate
prospective employees do some type of grading scale, then attention must be given to some means of assigning
grades.
Business teachers have always based grades in skill areas of production ability. Those students with the higher
votes of production receive the higher grades.
All students are evaluated on the standard rather than on comparison with the progress made by other students.

Competence based objectives can be prepared for those tasks that every beginning worker in an occupational
area must perform and additional ones prepared for tasks that may be performed by a beginning worker or a
worker with some experience.
For grading purpose, students may receive a passing grade if they accomplish those competency based
objectives that all beginning workers must be able to perform.

Additional Credit or a higher grade may be assigned for the completion of additional competency-based
objectives. Grading may also be based upon the satisfactory performance of the required competency-based
objectives plus paper-and-pencil tests. These may test cognitive understanding from the learning activities.
Grades on the paper-and-pencil tests constitute part of the grade and the grade of competency-based objectives
in the other part.

Flexibility is a must as business teachers attempt to implement CBE and use criterion-referenced measures.
Rather than being frustrated by an instructional system that has many restrains, the teacher should examine the
way in which the best of CBE may be incorporated into the existing educational system.

The standards for CBE include:

i. Rule-relevant competencies that include standards are identified and stated.
ii. Competencies are specified to students prior to instruction.
iii. Criterion reference measures are used to measure achievement of competencies.
iv. a system exists for documenting the competencies achieved by each student.