CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Teaching is a central part of education. Its purpose is to build knowledge, understanding and skill, and it is best treated as a deliberate process that makes learning possible (Hattie, 2023). Teaching and learning are therefore two sides of one process, and teaching is judged by what learners actually take from it. In Nigeria, secondary education is meant to prepare learners for useful living and further study (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2013). Christian Religious Studies (CRS) contributes to this aim by helping learners form character and moral values (Osuji & Everlyn, 2021; Onatunde, 2026).

CRS holds an important place in the secondary school curriculum because it helps learners develop spiritual, social and ethical judgement that they can apply in a changing society (Osuji & Everlyn, 2021). Observed student behaviour and recurring poor results suggest that this aim is not always met. Studies of CRS performance in Nigeria link weak outcomes to inadequate instructional materials, ineffective teaching methods, limited teacher preparation, and limited instructional time (Kesmen & Mellemut, 2022; Onatunde, 2026). How the subject is taught therefore deserves close attention. Like other subjects, CRS needs methods and materials that help learners understand content and see its relevance to their lives.

Modern technology means teachers no longer need to rely on lectures alone. Instructional aids and media can supplement teaching and make abstract ideas more concrete. Research on multimedia learning shows that learners generally understand more from words combined with suitable visuals than from words alone (Mayer, 2021). Evidence from Nigerian classrooms is consistent with this. A study of senior secondary Islamic Studies students in Kwara State found that audio-visual media significantly improved achievement compared with charts (Muhammad-Jamiu, 2023). Participatory methods such as discussion also strengthen learning. A large review of studies found that active learning raises student performance compared with traditional lecturing (Freeman et al., 2014). It follows that teaching CRS with audiovisual resources and learner-centred methods may improve understanding, retention and, in turn, moral outcomes.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Teachers aim to make their message clear, communicate ideas effectively and help learners grasp unfamiliar content. In practice, much classroom time is still taken up by teacher talk, and heavy reliance on verbal explanation can leave learners passive (Hattie, 2023; Mayer, 2021). CRS is an important subject for moral formation in Nigerian secondary schools. Its aim is to help learners reach sound moral and social judgements (Osuji & Everlyn, 2021).

Even so, persistently poor performance and weak moral outcomes in CRS remain a concern. Recent studies attribute poor performance to inadequate materials, ineffective teaching methods, and insufficient teacher preparation (Kesmen & Mellemut, 2022; Oti et al., 2023; Onatunde, 2026). Where lessons rely almost entirely on lecturing, learners may find CRS dull and may not link it to their daily lives. Few studies compare the lecture, audiovisual and discussion methods within CRS. This study therefore investigates the effect of these three strategies on the teaching and learning of CRS in secondary schools.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study seeks to:

1. Examine the effect of the lecture method on the teaching and learning of CRS.
2. Examine the effect of the audiovisual method on the teaching and learning of CRS.
3. Examine the effect of the discussion method on the teaching and learning of CRS.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect of the lecture method on the teaching and learning of CRS?
2. What is the effect of the audiovisual method on the teaching and learning of CRS?
3. What is the effect of the discussion method on the teaching and learning of CRS?

1.5 HYPOTHESES

The following null hypotheses will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀₁: The lecture method has no significant effect on the teaching and learning of CRS.

H₀₂: The audiovisual method has no significant effect on the teaching and learning of CRS.

H₀₃: The discussion method has no significant effect on the teaching and learning of CRS.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will benefit students, teachers, religious instructors, curriculum planners, educational administrators, researchers and textbook authors.

Students. The study can improve learners' understanding of CRS and encourage active participation in lessons. Interest in the subject can then grow and negative attitudes toward it can change. Greater involvement can also support their growth in the affective domain and help them perform better in internal and external examinations through their own effort rather than examination malpractice (Onatunde, 2026).

Teachers. The findings will show teachers how lecture, audiovisual and discussion methods work in practice and what difficulties each presents. Teachers are the chief implementers of the planned curriculum, so this knowledge will help them change their methods when learners' achievement and interest call for it (Osuji & Everlyn, 2021).

Religious instructors and bodies. They will gain insight into how best to teach children the principles and practice of Christianity. This can support peace, harmony and peaceful coexistence in Nigerian society.

Curriculum planners. They will see the problems that limit the use of effective methods in implementing the CRS curriculum, and can address them in design and review.

Educational administrators. The findings will show the importance of a supportive learning environment, including classrooms, learning materials and libraries, for implementing the CRS curriculum (Oti et al., 2023; Onatunde, 2026).

Researchers and textbook authors. The study will serve as reference material for scholars in Christian religious education. Textbook authors can use it to update their treatment of teaching techniques.

Society. Effective teaching of CRS can promote positive changes in learners' behaviour. This can help reduce religious intolerance, conflict and violence in Nigerian society.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is limited to strategies for enhancing the teaching and learning of CRS in secondary schools. It focuses on three strategies: the lecture, audiovisual and discussion methods.

1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The researcher found few recent local studies that compare these three strategies within CRS, and so drew partly on studies from related subjects and from other contexts. Time and funding were also limited. These constraints did not affect the validity of the findings.

REFERENCES

Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2013). National policy on education (6th ed.). Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.

Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1319030111

Hattie, J. (2023). Visible learning: The sequel: A synthesis of over 2,100 meta-analyses relating to achievement. Routledge.

Kesmen, Y. S., & Mellemut, P. A. (2022). Effects of Christian religious studies literacy on academic performance and achievement of secondary students: A case study of secondary school 1 students in Quaan-Pan Local Government in Plateau State of Nigeria. African Journal of Education and Practice, 7(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.47604/ajep.1448

Mayer, R. E. (2021). Multimedia learning (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Muhammad-Jamiu, I. (2023). Effects of audio-visual media on academic achievement of senior secondary schools Islamic Studies students in Kwara State, Nigeria. Journal of Digital Learning and Education, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.52562/jdle.v3i1.390

Onatunde, O. E. (2026). Factors associated with mass failure of students in Christian religious studies in secondary schools in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State. Innovare Journal of Education, 14(5), 46–50. https://doi.org/10.22159/ijoe.2026v14i5.61391

Osuji, G. E., & Everlyn, O. S. (2021). Pedagogical approaches to the Christian religious studies curriculum: Implications for students' character formation. Godfrey Okoye University

Oti, C. J., Dike, C. B., Umeadi, L. C., & Oti, O. G. (2023). Availability and utilization of Christian religious studies (CRS) instructional materials in junior secondary schools: Implications for Nigeria's sustainable education and development. International Journal of Studies in Education, 19(1), 249–259