A SURVEY OF THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SHORTHAND

A SURVEY OF THE CHALLENGES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING OF SHORTHAND

(A Case study of Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa)

Abstract

This research work is on a survey of the challenges in teaching and learning of shorthand in Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and the purpose of this study was to find out the factors that affect the teaching and learning of shorthand among others. The design of the study used was survey design and the instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. The sample used for the study was (45) forty five respondents of both lectures and students. Method of data analysis was the percentage method.  The findings showed that the teaching method employed by some lecturers is responsible for the poor performance of students. It was also observed that the students lacked aptitude and interest which had a negative effect on their performance among others. It was recommended that the department should organize regular seminars or workshop on teaching method for staffs or lecturers; it was also recommended that students should be admitted based on interest and aptitude, among others.   

     CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Shorthand is one of the major subjects in the department of office technology and management. Some students find shorthand to be very interest and creative, still others find it difficult and uninteresting.

It must be understood that shorthand being a skill course requires constant practice and intensive study. At the same time shorthand attracts special attention from both lectures and students of the course as it is usually given a pride of peace in various institutions where Office Technology and Management are a part of the curriculum.

Lecturers and students usually have different perspectives of the teaching and learning of shorthand, therefore this project is aimed at carrying out a comparative study of these views, so as to identify and seek to narrow the differences with a view to improving the teaching and learning of the subject.

Monroe (1987) Writing on the importance or directing high speed learning of an excellent discussion on the formation of the specific haloids and the development of major skills in shorthand, he emphasized the importance of having sufficient into autoimmune to enable focusing of attention upon the general task of writing and transcribing some students find transiting difficult, this is probably because they have not followed the right principles of writing outlines.

Shorthand writing is defined to the act of representing spoken sounds with established signs known as characters, strokes or outlines. Shorthand writing requires the writer to possess an excellent command of the English language and a high level of intelligence, a good memory, and the strength to write fast. The characters when written accurately can then be transcribed into words known as longhand, which could be typed or hand written. The longhand is a written word using normal letters or alphabets written in full English language. Longhand is the readable form of what is has been written in shorthand.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The poor performance of students in shorthand poses problems to both lecturers and students alike. It is an embarrassment to lecturers who spend a lot of hours in the subject and a sign of failure on the part of students. The performance of students in subjects taught is a pointer to the institution. This study however tends to look into closely at the possible challenges encountered in the course of teaching and learning of shorthand. To do this, the study will attempt to answer the following:

• What are the cores factors hampering student’s success in learning shorthands?
• Do students and lecturers have enough commitment and interest in the learning and teaching process?

These two variables are important in order to understand the factors responsible for students overall performance in shorthand.

1.3     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

• To find out the factors that affects the teaching and learning of shorthands.
• Examine the various elements that increase or reduce student’s interest in learning of shorthands.
• Examine the benefits of the usage of shorthands.
• Suggest solutions to the problems affecting the teaching and learning of shorthands.

1.4     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• What are the factors affecting the teaching and learning of shorthand?
• What are the elements that increase and discourage interest in learning shorthands?
• What are the benefits of the usage of shorthand?
• What are the solutions to the problems affecting the teaching and learning of shorthand?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The importance of the study stems from the fact that teaching and learning cannot be separated. Therefore, both players i.e. lectures and students must understand one another and work closely together if positive results are to be achieved. This study is important from the point of view that it will enable the correction of any erroneous impression held by both parties (lecturers and students).

It will enable the parties to learn from different views and areas of disagreement. The study will create an avenue for the all round improvement of the teaching and learning of shorthand.

Finally it helps to erase the erroneous impression held by students that shorthands is a difficult and unnecessary subject. The study will also assist in motivating students to develop an interest in the course.

 1.6     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study is limited to understanding the challenges of teaching and learning of shorthand with Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa as the case study, students and lecturers exposed to the subject are selected to further probe into a problem.

1.7     DEFINITION OF TERMS

• Drilling: A tough training by practice to enhance experience, this practice is carried out so as to build up ones skill.
• Shorthands principles: For students to write down in shorthand, guiding rules for writing shorthand.
• Transcription: This is the processing of writing in full (longhand) from shorthand notes or printed words.
• Short forms: Very frequently used words expressed in shorthand by some logical principles of abbreviations.