Assessing teachers’ knowledge and practice of piagetian theory for social skills development of primary school pupils in ijebu-ode, ogun state

Abstract

This study assessed teachers’ knowledge and practice of Piagetian theory for the development of social skills among public primary school pupils in Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The target population comprised 583 teachers and 26,159 pupils. A multistage sampling technique was employed, resulting in a sample of 25 teachers and 25 pupils drawn from five randomly selected primary schools. Three research instruments were deployed for data collection: the Observational Checklist of Social Skills of Pupils, the Teachers’ Knowledge on the Use of Piagetian Theory Scale, and the Observational Scheme on Teachers’ Practice on the Use of Piagetian Theory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency counts, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (Pearson Product Moment Correlation). Findings revealed that teachers possessed a high level of knowledge regarding Piagetian theory (M = 1.01, SD = 0.280), yet the practical application of this theory in classroom instruction remained moderate (M = 2.91, SD = 0.589). Pupils demonstrated generally good social skills (M = 3.64, SD = 0.667), with empathy and respect identified as the weakest domain. Correlation analysis indicated no statistically significant relationship between teachers’ knowledge of Piagetian theory and pupils’ social skill development (r = .085, p = .685), nor between teachers’ practice and pupils’ social skill development (r = –.274, p = .185). The study recommended that targeted professional development programmes be organized for teachers to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and classroom practice, and that schools should design structured activities to enhance pupils’ empathy and interpersonal respect.