A study of teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude and achievement in geography among higher secondary school students

Today, teaching profession has become very challenging, complex and versatile due to various reasons such as there is explosion of knowledge and information and there after radical changes are taking place in the content areas of all discipline of humanities, science and social science. Hence, teacher must hold scientific attitude and comprehensive views of their chosen subject, teaching skills and dealing the students. The quality and extent of learner's achievement are determined firmly by teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude, competent, sensitivity, and dedication of the students. Effective teaching and scientific attitude largely influence the achievement of students in geography subject.Teaching effectiveness and scientific attitude bringing up quality in higher secondary education. Effective teaching and scientific attitude mould and shapes the behaviour and do best at the stage for their achievement. Teaching effectiveness and scientific attitude can contribute significantly in improving the quality of education and achievement of students in geography subject. For recognising teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude and achievement in geography subject, it is essential to identify and estimate some of the major patterns of learner's characteristics. An adequate assessment and evaluation based study is essential to assess the teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude and achievement in geography subject among the higher secondary students. Hence, the present study was undertaken and it is an attempt to find out the teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude and achievement in geography subject among the higher secondary school students of Murshidabad district, West Bengal. Despite of many studies on teaching effectiveness related areas, till now no research has been conducted on Teaching Effectiveness, Scientific Attitude and Achievement in Geography among higher secondary school students in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. The findings of the study will be helpful for the state government, policy makers, principals, teachers and parents to know the achievement of students in geography subject and quality of teaching in schools and how teaching effectiveness and scientific attitude are working towards the achievement in geography among higher secondary school students. And it will also overcome the research gap in this area.

The purposes of the present study were: 1. to examine the relationship between teaching effectiveness, scientific attitude, and achievement in the geography of higher secondary students. 2. To study the scientific attitude towards a geography of higher secondary school students in respect of gender variation. 3. To examine the scientific attitude towards a geography of higher secondary students in respect of location variation. 4. To study the difference in geography teaching effectiveness as experienced by higher secondary students in terms of gender variation. 5. To study the difference in geography teaching effectiveness as experienced by higher secondary school students in terms of locality variation. 6. To study the impact of teaching effectiveness and scientific attitude over the achievement in geography of the higher secondary students.

Method of the Study: In the light of the nature of the study, the Descriptive survey method is adopted for the completion of present study.Population:Population of the study covers all the higher secondary school students of Murshidabad district, West Bengal.Sample:For the present study, a sample of 294 higher secondary school students were selected. Out of which 161 were male students and 133 were female students.Tools for data collection: The data were collected with the help following data collection tools.1. Teaching Effectiveness Scale developed by Subhash Sarkar and Abhijit Deb (2014). This scale consists 40 items divided into Four Dimensions-I. Preparation, II. Presentation, III. Application, IV. Management.2. Scientific Attitude Scale developed by Sukhwant Bajwa & Monika Mahajan (2017). This scale consists 49 items in five Dimensions-I. Rationality, II. Curiosity; III. Open Mindedness, IV. Faith in Scientific Method, V. Aversion to superstition. 3. Geography scores of students of class eleventh (Grade-11th) were treated as achievement in geography.Statistical Techniques: The data were analysed with the help of different statistical techniques on the basis of research objectives.

Major Findings: 1. The results indicate that effective teaching has a significant effect on the development of scientific attitude and achievement in geography among the higher secondary students.2. There is significance difference in scientific attitude towards geography of secondary students in respect of gender variation.3. There is significance difference in scientific attitude towards geography of higher secondary students in respect of location variation.4. There exists a significant difference in geography teaching effectiveness as experienced by higher secondary students in terms of gender variation.5. There is no significant difference in geography teaching effectiveness as experienced by higher secondary students in terms of locality variation.