Development of an alternative individualized instructional model for Nigerian public schools : an exploratory study

The purpose of this study was to introduce individualization of instruction as an alternative model of instruction into the public school system in Nigeria. In order to do this, the existing system of instruction was described. It was found that the traditional system was patterned after the old traditional British system of education. The traditional system was described as teacher-oriented and one which was not geared toward recognizing individual differences among the students. A detailed review of literature was presented outlining studies by American and non-American writers on individualized instruction.

Fifty Nigerian students were interviewed to collect data for the study. The students were male and female, graduate and undergraduate students whose ages ranged between 23 and 40. There were three different categories of interview questions relating to (l) the methods of instruction, (2) the materials, and (3) the method of evaluation used to measure student performance. Students were requested to respond to the interview questions in terms of "what actually occurred" in the system and 'what they would prefer" as the most applicable method of instruction. The data collected were analyzed in percentage form to determine students' rating of each of the interview questions. A comparison of the data on 'what occurred" and what 'would prefer" was done to determine the extent to which the proposed alternative approachindividualized instruction-would be accepted.

Analysis of the data showed that the subjects perceived certain methods, materials, and evaluation approaches that conveyed the concepts of individualization of instruction more appropriate than approaches relating to the traditional method. In light of the results of the study, it was concluded that the students perceived the proposed nontraditional individualized method as an acceptable instructional method. A series of recommendations were presented to show how the nontraditional approach could be introduced without necessarily invalidating the effectiveness of the existing model prematurely.