SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: T&fs

CONTRIBUTORS:

Idogho, J. A;
Obiadiegwu, C. C;
Utoh-Ezeajugh, T. C;

ABSTRACT:

This study investigates the inclusion of multimedia and drama activities in the curriculum, as an approach of promoting learners empowerment and transformation in the classroom and as an expansion of the Drama/Theatre in Education frontier. The research problem stems from the realization that, due to their short attention span, primary school pupils are easily bored with their subjects when taught with the traditional chalk-and-talk method of teaching. This study examines the effect and possible challenges of using Multimedia Drama Activities for teaching lower Primary pupils curriculum in Nigeria. The theoretical framework hinges on the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning and the Socio-cultural Theory both of which expounds that people learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone; and through guided participation in social activity. The study adopts a mixed-method research methodology. Pre- and post-tests were constructed to measure pupils' achievement in Arithmetics and English Language. The population of the study comprised (60) Primary Two Pupils purposefully selected from University of Benin Consultancy Nursery & Primary School, Benin City, Edo State; St Peter’s Demonstration Primary School Akure, Ondo State and SS Peter and Paul’s Nursery and Primary Schools Oye- Ekiti, Ekiti State. These were divided into experimental and control groups. Thirty (30) students in the experimental group and (30) students in the control group spread across the aforementioned three schools. The experimental groups were taught using Educational Videos while the control groups were taught using the traditional chalk-and-talk method of teaching. Descriptive analysis was used for the pre- and post-tests of pupils' Arithmetics and English language test for the experimental and control groups. The finding of the study indicates that there were significant differences in the post-test between the control and the experimental groups in favour of the experimental group. The study therefore recommends that the kindergarten and primary school curricula be expanded and enriched to include multimedia aids as these facilitate learners’ empowerment. In addition, Nigerian requires fresh perspective to the teaching-learning of the future generation; thus a shift from information transmission to real search and exploration through different media will only engender learners’ transformation.