EFFECT OF CARTOONS ON PUPILS' INTEREST AND ACHIEVEMENT IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria's 2004 National Policy on school, one of the fundamental disciplines in the primary school curriculum is basic science and technology. According to McGraw-Hills (2005), science is the body of knowledge concerning the composition and behaviour of the natural and physical world, based on verifiable facts such as experiments. It is possible to think of science and technology as a method for arranging information about a certain topic, particularly one that has to do with social and behavioural elements of people.

As stated by Egguna (2010), the term "science" may be used to describe an institutional pursuit of information about the natural world and environment, a method of gaining new knowledge via observation, inquiry, and experimentation, or a result (body of knowledge). It is impossible for anyone to remain ignorant of the profound impact that modern science and technology have on human life.

According to the McGraw-Hills (2005: 828), the term environment is "the sum of all external factors, both biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) to which an organism is exposed to." Here, the biotic factors include influences by members of the same and other species on the development and survival of the individual. It is important to note that for each environmental factor, an organism has a tolerance, in which it is able to survive. For this reason, different individuals or species have different tolerance ranges for particular environmental factors. This variation represents the adaptation of the individual to its environment. In general, the environment provides all support systems, in the air, on water and on land, as well as the materials for fulfilling all developmental aspirations.

Nwabuisi (2008: 6) defined Education as “a process of the development of potentialities, and their maximum activation when necessary, according to right reason, and to achieve thereby his perfect self fulfillment.” Education is not, and cannot be, an end in itself. It is used here to mean the consciously planned systematic imparting or acquisition of knowledge in a system called school. This is known as formal education. A good education consists in giving the body and the soul all the beauty and all the perfection of which they are capable. “Education alone can conduct man to the enjoyment which is best in quality and infinite in quantity”.

Continuing, Nwabuisi (2008) insisted that education implies that something worthwhile is being transmitted or has been transmitted in a morally acceptable manner.

Education is, therefore, a means of life and living. The implication of this is that the greater part of education should be functional. The ultimate end of education is man’s happiness, implying the attainment of the “summon boum”, that is "highest good possible" (Nwabuisi 2008: 6). Education as described in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004), is a veritable tool for social transformation and development. It is a dynamic instrument of change, which can be used to bring about redress, correct imbalance in development and make for quick development of economic, political, sociological and human resources of a nation or people. Only an educated people can command the skills, new ideas, guided orientation, expertise, and others necessary for sustainable economic growth and better quality of life. This qualitative and functional education is what the child needs to survive in the environment. Primary education, according to the Federal Government of Nigeria in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004), is the education given in institution for children aged 6 to 11 plus.

Primary education is important for developing countries, including Nigeria, because it provides the competencies required for living, especially to those whose education is terminated at the primary school level (Okafor in Nwabuisi, 2008). It is obvious that no nation can develop if a large number of its people are illiterate. A literate society therefore emerges where primary school education is available, functional and qualitative (Chukwu, 2001).

Neylor and Keogh (1999) stated that cartoons are preparatory drawings, any large sketch or design on paper, which represents scenes with or without reproduction of sounds, and are usually humorous. They are drawings that put forward a range of views about everyday event. The pictures have captivating power that stimulates pupils to discuss their ideas about the humorous pictures. They are used as assessment and teaching tools. For this study, cartoons are amusing drawings that tell story of every day event on a paper or in a video.

Cartoons are adventure stories in picture form representing the daily but dramatic activities of people. They help to explain complicated subjects and contain valuable information in teaching or entertainment forms (Cosby, 2003). Hand (2000) stated that the use of cartoons as instructional materials brought about a new relevance to the educational system in America and beyond. They were added to give more information and boost the narrative flow of stories.

Eneh (2011: 397) observed that poor environmental sanitation habits are exhibited by the growing population of Nigerians, who have “mobile consumption habit” and “throw-away mentality.” This leads to ugly litters and heaps of refuse around schools, markets, hospitals and residential houses, thereby spoiling the beauty of the environment, in addition to environmental health hazards associated with pollution.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2007:79-80 Appendix1 pg 91) reported colossal figures of cases of major diseases and deaths, which point to unhealthy and degraded environmental situation that may require early inculcation of environmental awareness to address. This may help to transfer in-depth knowledge and creation of sufficient interest in children in the value of natural resources, the ecological process that maintains or destroys them.

Hornby (2001) defined interest as the feeling of curiosity to know more. Attribute of interest include: wanting to know more about something; the quality that something has when it attracts somebody’s attention or makes him want to know more about it. Levels of interest tend to underpin achievement of pupils in the subject. On the other hand, apathy or lack of interest result to poor learning and achievement.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Investigation revealed that the situation necessitates the active raising of public awareness of the fragile state of the environment and the need of keeping it clean and healthy in order to achieve stability in one's mental, social, and physical well-being. As primary and secondary school students will be tomorrow's users and leaders, better environmental education instruction may be necessary as part of the sanitation push to address public outrage over towering piles of solid waste.

Unlike the traditional teaching approach, this enhanced instruction could make use of cartoons. Such environmental education education aims to impart in-depth information and raise awareness levels in order to assist youth in appreciating the importance of natural resources and the ecological processes that either preserve or deplete resources.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to determine the effect of cartoons on the interest and achievement in environmental education component of Basic Science and Technology by primary school pupils of different sexes in schools in different locations. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows to:

1. Determine the mean achievement scores of primary school pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons;
2. Find out the mean interest scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by cartoon method;
3. Investigate the effect of gender on the mean achievement scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons.
4. Find out the effect of location on the mean achievement scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons.
5. Determine the mean interest scores of rural and urban pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons.
6. Determine the mean interest scores of male and female pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by use of cartoons.

1.4 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What is the mean achievement scores of primary school pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons?
• What is the mean interest scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by cartoon method?
• What is the effect of gender on the mean achievement scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons?
• What is the effect of location on the mean achievement scores of pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons?
• What is the mean interest scores of rural and urban pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by using cartoons?
• What is the mean interest scores of male and female pupils taught environmental education by conventional method and by use of cartoons?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H₀1: There is no significant interaction effect on the interest, gender and location of pupils taught environmental education with cartoons.
• H₀2: There is no significant interaction effect of achievement and gender on the interest scores of pupils on environmental education.
• H₀3: There is no significant interaction effect of treatment and location on the achievement of pupils in environmental education

1.6 Significance of the study

This study will benefit from this study by developing environmental education skills and a greater awareness of environmental cleanliness. Through sanitation culture, environmental education guarantees that future generations will live in a clean and healthy environment. The study would theoretically help academics studying early childhood education since it will highlight and provide light on how cartoons encourage even the most reluctant students to share their thoughts, giving instructors access to their ideas.

Since they become active in the management and upkeep of a clean and healthy environment, they will practically profit from the outcomes. In addition, the study will help them do better in Basic Science and Technology, if that is the case. The kid will benefit from the problem-solving strategy included in the research by having more information and the abilities needed to think creatively and to assist the teaching-learning processes.

Additionally, the study will help kids, families, and society as a whole by promoting student-led inquiry, hands-on learning, and group activities to maintain a clean and healthy environment. The study's findings will be helpful to higher education institutions that give in-service training to instructors, such institutes and faculties of education. These results will include information about using cartoons to teach basic science and technology.

Furthermore, the results of this study, provided they are presented at a workshop or seminar for educators, will make curriculum planners more aware of the use of cartoons in teaching environmental education in elementary schools. This will lead them to support the inclusion of cartoons in the curriculum for other subjects, particularly Basic Science and Technology, assuming that the use of cartoons in teaching is beneficial. If the study's results are encouraging, education curriculum designers will gain from them since they will be able to create adequate project activities and chances for teachers to support the students' natural learning process.

Finally, the findings of the research will be helpful to elementary school teachers, who will get fresh knowledge from it on how to use cartoons to teach even the most delicate issues.