IMPROVISATION AS A TOOL FOR ENHANCING THE KNOWLEDGE OF BASIC

TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS.

Odesanmi Atinuke
Department of Vocational and Technology Education,
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.
odesanmiatinuke@gmail.com.
+2347035408911

Abstract

Basic Technology must be taught with adequate teaching materials, if there is going to be any
meaningful skills and technical achievements. And there is the need to enhance teachers’
knowledge on the use of improvised teaching materials for academic achievement among
students. The quality of any meaningful and technical skills acquisition by pupils in the
classroom is determined by the teachers’ level of knowledge and their improvisation skills.
This paper described improvisation as a tool for enhancing the knowledge of Basic
Technology Teachers and the relevance of improvisation in the classroom teaching and
learning activities by using relevant literature in highlighting the meaning, qualities, benefits,
strategies, applications and challenges of improvisation as an instructional tool. Using
context analysis methods, the application of improvisation strategies in teaching Basic
Technology to allow for self expression, development of higher order thinking skills and
possession of more comprehensive and intimate relationship with the subject matter was
emphasized. Shulman’s improvisational framework which advocated for the need for
teachers to master two types of knowledge namely context and curricular knowledge was
explained and relevant suggestions were made among others that teachers should have
proper knowledge on improvisation for self-reliance and should display right attitude to
improvisation in the classroom.
Keywords: Improvisation, Tools, Enhancing, Knowledge and Basic Technology.

Introduction

Teaching and learning activities are interesting when improvised teaching materials are used

effectively and efficiently. In a situation where pupils are taught with improvised teaching

materials, they tend to master or know what the teacher is saying and will be able to explain it

in their own understanding (Dekuffin & Coehra, 2013). Infact Basic Technology is more of a

practical subject that the students be given opportunity to gain firsthand experience on the

filed through the use of effective strategies of teaching Basic Technology.

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A Chinese proverb cited by confucious in Ukaini (2004) says that what we hear, we forget,

what we see we remember and what we take in doing, we understand. The author explained

further that in teaching, seeing is being regarded as more important than hearing and that is

why teachers need to improve their knowledge of the use of improvised teaching materials

for effective teaching and excellent academic achievement among students.

Mkpa (1989) referred to teaching materials as the aids or resources which the teacher and the

entire class utilize for the purpose of making teaching and learning more effective. For this

effective communication to take place in technology classes, researchers suggest the use of

interactive approach to Basic Technology teaching with audio, visual and audio visual

materials to stimulate students’ interest and improve their academic achievements.

Esu, A., Enukoha, O. and Umorem, G. (2004) assert that these teaching materials are the

pivot on which the wheel of the teaching-learning process rotates. They help to promote

greater acquisition and higher retention of factual knowledge as well as contribute to the

development of attitudes and behavior change. They challenge pupils’ creativity and help to

overcome physical disabilities and hindrances to learning in the subject matter. Instructional

materials which include audio, visual and audio visual materials Igwe (2005) could be the

potential materials that would bring about better instruction in lower and middle level schools

in Nigeria.

Uzoegwu (2001) agreed that these materials enhance learning by making acquisition,

retention and recall easy. When these materials are effectively used, students have the

privilege of multiple learning and gain wide range of experience while teaching becomes

easier and enjoyable to the teacher. Today, Basic Technology teachers make use of standard

technology equipment. Improvisation and substitutions of teaching materials are encouraged

where the original is absent or inadequate. Besides, it makes Basic Technology teaching more

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meaningful and real when local materials are used for instructional purposes. (Olasehinde,

2004). And in some cases where there is a problem assessing modern technology material,

the Basic Technology teachers can resolve to improvise or manipulate the use of locally

gotten materials as the essential resources for his teaching. Omosanya, S.A. and Adegbija,

M.V. (2008) noted that improvisation demands adventure, creativity, curiosity and

perseverance on the part of the teacher. The author added that such skills are only realized

through well planned training programme on improvisation. In view of this, Okafor (2000)

opined that only highly creative, resourceful, committed and educated teachers can resort to

acquiring and improvising scarce resources.

Improvisation as defined by Oke (2006) is the art of using alternative materials and resources

locally available to facilitate teaching whenever there is lack or shortage of specific first-hand

teaching aids or equipments’. Rightly conceived, it means substituting something in place of

another to serve unique function. Hence, improvisation here could be viewed as a creative

response by the teacher to specific needs and challenges of the actual teaching situations.

Eyetsemittan (2000) is of the opinion that improvisation gives new concept of things outside

the range of ordinary experiences to the learners and makes learning last longer in them.

Improvisation is applicable to almost all facet of knowledge like arts, sciences, education,

medical sciences, engineering and non-academic spheres. The process of teaching requires a

good deal of improvisation since it touches the cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains

of learners. When improvisation is utilized in a small group collaborative teaching and

learning activities in a learner-centered environment, it can be a powerful teaching tool.

Research evidence demonstrated that it can promote spontaneity, intuition, interactivity,

inductive discovery, attentive listening, non verbal communication, adlibbing, role-playing,

risk-taking, team building, creativity and critical thinking (Crossan, 1989, Moshavi, 2001,

Sawyer, 2004, Spolen, 1999).

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Basic Technology before, now known as “Introductory Technology” was structured to assist

learners to develop interest in both sciences and technology later in their future educational

pursuit. The aim is that at the end of Junior Secondary School, technological appreciation

would have been attained and a solid foundation laid for students’ entrance into a vocation of

their choice. This is the statement with the National Curriculum for Junior Secondary School

Uwaifo (2011). Basic Technology can by appropriate training ensure for students full

employment even in our present dwindling economy by equipping them with life-long skills

for self employment.

Qualities of a Good Improvised Teaching Materials

Improvised teaching materials needs to fulfill certain criteria to be useful in lesson delivery.

This qualities includes:

i) Relevance to the lesson

Okoro (2008) pointed out that improvised teaching materials used in the classroom

and workshops must be a replica of the actual materials that students are expected to

meet in the world of work. Curriculum materials ought to be relevant to the lesson

they are meant to illustrate so that those lesson would become alive to the students

being trained. A lesson on building foundation for example would be better illustrated

by taking the students to a construction site where foundation is been laid directly

than bringing pictures of foundation to show to the students. Any improvised teaching

materials needs to be relevant to the lesson at hand otherwise it will be a waste of time

of the students and teachers.

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ii) Arousal of Students’ interest

The arousal and sustenance of students’ interest to learn in a particular subject matter

depends solemnly on traits the improvised teaching material possesses. When

teaching aids are not interesting, the students may find the subject difficult to

comprehend. Man by nature is endowed with five (5) sense organs which include;

hearing, sight, smell, touch and taste. In the absence of machines, equipments, the use

of improvised teaching materials helps to sensitize these senses to establish positive

permanent change in behavior of learner, especially in skill acquisition. The use of

improvised teaching materials thus motivate students to learn

iii) Appropriateness of the Age of Students for whom they are designed

If the book content designed for the students is too hard, they would not understand

the meaning of the curriculum content, so any teaching aid that would be considered

appropriate to elicit effective skill training must fit the age. Books, visual and audio-

visual materials must reflect this. In the same vein, wall charts, maps, recorded

programs are to be made simple for the students to comprehend. Materials used in

teaching technical students should be effective and a replica of the types of materials

they would use at higher levels or world or work when they get employed or are self-

employed.

iv) Concept Simplification.

A communication process should be simplified rather than being complicated so as to

help the students acquire saleable skills, with the help of improvised teaching

materials. Egbulie (2011) pointed out that usually when concrete materials are used

for illustration purposes, concepts are simplified and easily communicated. Any

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 improvised teaching materials that cannot achieve the principle of concept

simplification should be discarded.

Benefits Derivable from the Use of Improvised Teaching Materials

There are lots of benefits accruable from the use of improvised teaching materials. Below are

some of the benefits;

 Better teaching and learning is achieved: Instructional materials help to make

teaching and learning more comfortable, effective, and realistic enabling the teacher

to teach more competently and learners to learn faster

 They help to improve students’ academic performance: Teaching materials when

appropriately employed by the teacher can help to improve students academic

performances also develop reality and continuity of experience by making learned

materials more permanent in students.

 They reduce the habit of loitering around in schools: When instructional materials

are well used, it makes students to focus their interest on their studies and therefore

reduce the habit of loitering, truancy and sneaking out of the school.

 They help in the achievements of educational goals: Since teaching materials and

equipments induce students to settle down and learn, they help in the achieving of

educational goals.

 Learning process becomes more clear and interesting: Instructional materials such

as audio, audio-visual materials help the teachers of Basic Technology to create a

learning atmosphere that is more lively and less monotonous and tedious

 Learning process becomes more interactive: Teaching materials that can be seen,

touch, felt and experience can help to motivate the students to want to ask questions

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 and learn more about that subject matter. A relationship (social) is established

between effective use of teaching materials and teaching/learning process.

This relationship formed helps the students to associate the materials or facility with the

concept of facts they were taught, thereby enhancing internalization and retention of Basic

Technology concepts and facts in mind.

Strategies for Enhancing Teachers’ Knowledge of Improvisation

1. Trust: In order for a group of teachers to be successful and productive, the members

of the group referred to as “players” must trust one another.

2. Acceptance: Teachers must be willing to accept a new idea in order to explore its

possibilities. Teachers must offer to improve using ideas, words or movement and

must build on it. In other words, teachers must say Yes accept the offer, build on it,

contribute and discover new ideas. It is this process that harnesses the power of

collaboration. The brainstorming that occurs can lead to innovative solutions

(Koppett, 2001)

3. Attentive Listening: Teachers must be aware of the partners with whom they are co-

creating in order to increase their understanding of each other and to be able to

communicate effectively.

4. Spontaneity: This allows teachers to initiate words and actions, building trust with

the other teachers. This enhances co-creation in the moment without the opportunity

to revise (Keefe, 2002).

5. Story-telling: This strategy often results in memorable content, when teachers

develop the ability to create a story on their dialogue.

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6. Non-verbal Communications: This involves the use of facial expressions and body

language to help communicate attitudes, character and trustworthiness.

7. Warm-ups: They are strategies that provide opportunities to develop trust and safe

environments when the teachers can feel free to explore the world of improvisation.

This activities focus on changing teachers into an improvisational mode to allow them

to improvise verbally and physically (Koppett, 2001).

Application of Improvisational Strategies in the Teaching of Basic Technology. (A must

known for teachers)

Creativity and improvisation has been an important role in teaching Basic Technology

(Azzara, 2002). It indicates that improvisation happens when an individual has internalized a

Basic Technology concept and is able to understand and to express basic technology ideas

spontaneously. In researching the application of improvisation within the context of Basic

Technology, Azzara stated that improvisation allows self expression and to develop higher

order thinking skill and possess a more comprehensive and intimate relationship with Basic

Technology.

It is important to develop improvisation in the community. Develop an atmosphere where

improvisation, spontaneity and interaction are nourished, understand improvisations a way of

life and not just an activity believe that improvisation may be developed and that all teachers

have the potential to improvise, observe that improvisation can affect other Basic Technology

skills and incorporate a model to develop improvisation skills that will help the teachers as

well as students. In an attempt to find an answer on how teachers can improve Kenny &

Gellrich (2002) suggested two strategies: transcendence and deliberate practice.

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Transcendences as stated by Kenny & Gellrich (2002) is a state of consciousness that reaches

beyond the knowledge accumulated within you, whereas the primary objective of deliberate

practice is to stimulate the development of improvisation skills through the bases of acquired

knowledge. It is important that group activities complement individual practice. Although

individual practice is beneficial to the development of technical and theoretical principles,

improvisation emphasizes more collective participation.

Creative improvisations generally occur in a collective participatory atmosphere as opposed

to an individualized teaching and learning context. The ability of teachers to react and create

Basic Technology materials or media through unpredictable dynamics and variables is one of

the most distinct aspect of improvisation (Lidia & Sara, 2010). To teach learners according to

standards, teachers need to understand improvisation and strategies deeply and flexible so

that they can help learners create useful cognitive maps and relate one idea to another.

Teachers need to see how improvisation connect across fields and to everyday life. This kind

of understanding provides a foundation for improvisational content knowledge that enables

teachers to make ideas real to the learners (Shulman, 1987). He introduced the phrase

improvisational content knowledge and sparked a whole new wave of scholarly articles on

teachers knowledge of their subject matter and the importance of their knowledge for

successful teaching.

In Shulman’s improvisational framework, teachers need to master two types of knowledge:

a) Content, also known as deep knowledge of the subject itself

b). Knowledge of the curricular development.

Content knowledge encompasses what Shulman (1992) called structure of knowledge,

theories, principles and concepts of a particular discipline, while knowledge of the curricular

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development is the awareness of the rudiments and wherewithal of the ruse and

administration of the curriculum for the designing and adequate planning of the contents of

curriculum for teaching and learning processes.

Challenges Facing the Improvisation of Teaching Materials for Basic Technology by

Teachers.

Resistance to Change: Majority of Basic Technology teachers in the country still hold on to

textbooks method of teaching whereby a teacher stands in front of the students and teach

directly from the textbooks because they believe that the utilization of teaching materials will

displace them of their normal duties.

Irregular supply of Electricity: Inadequate power supply constitute a problem to the

teachers because some improvised teaching materials cannot function without electricity.

Financial challenges: Here, money is needed for the procurement of some improvised

teaching materials. Implementation has failed due to lack of funds

Lack of adequate trained personnel: Majority of Basic Technology teachers that are

available to teach the subject are not well trained on the use of this equipment let alone

improvise when such equipment are not readily available.

Large Class size: Here, the size of the class can be an hindrance to the improvisation of

teaching materials because large class size will be difficult to manage and control resulting to

poor students participation in the class.

Maintenance: Poor maintenance and handling of teaching materials by the students will

discourage the teacher from getting another one made especially when it involves money to

get the locally made material’s done.

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Lack of exposure to equipments: Basic Technology teachers are not exposed to some of

these equipments let alone improvise and know how to make use of them.

Conclusion

The idea of adopting improvisation as an instructional tool is very important to teachers’ day

to day teaching and learning activities and in order to make the process of instructions very

interesting, active and participatory teachers need adequate knowledge about it. The process

of improvisation gives teachers’ the knowledge of creativity, manipulative skills and critical

thinking.

Suggestions

From all the challenges facing improvisation by teachers, one would suggest that the

following steps when taking would go a long way to assist teachers in having good

improvisable knowledge and application of teaching materials for Basic Technology.

i. Urgent steps should be taken by the government, stake holders as well as regulatory

bodies to set up or organize constant seminar, symposia and workshops that will

promote teachers knowledge of improvisation.

ii. Funding of education should be joint responsibility of all stakeholders i.e Federal,

state, local and private individuals.

iii. The problem of epileptic power supply should be addressed without further delay as

some of these improvised teaching materials are electrically driven.

iv. Improvised teaching materials should be used in lesson delivery since it helps in

saving cost of looking for readymade instructional media which are more costly.

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v. Teachers should have proper knowledge of improvisation for self-reliance and feeling

of confidence during instruction delivery.

vi. Improvisation should be encouraged in secondary school as these provides

employment opportunities for youths that are unemployed in the community.

vii. Basic Technology teachers should use improvised teaching materials in the classroom

at all times as it saves time during instruction delivery.

viii. Since improvisation allows the teachers and learners to display their skills of

creativity in teaching and learning activities for better understanding and assimilation

of concepts being taught in the classroom, government should implement a policy on

the use of improvised teaching materials.

ix. There should be a policy on proper maintenance and handling of teaching materials as

well as small class size for easy management, control and adequate participation of

pupils in the classroom.

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