The Effect of the Use of Science Instructional Materials on the Performance of Students in Chemistry in Senior Secondary School (SSS) Class: A Case Study of Egor Local Government Area of Edo State
Chapter One
Research Objectives
- Determine the instructional materials for teaching and learning Chemistry in secondary schools in Egor Local Government.
- Ascertain the extent to which Secondary School students learning Chemistry are influenced by the use of instructional materials.
- Evaluate the state of instructional materials available for the performance of students in Chemistry in Egor Local Government.
- Determine whether there is any difference in the academic performance of secondary schools students in Chemistry due to the availability and use of instructional materials.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
The concept of instructional materials
Teaching at any level requires that students be exposed to some form of simulation. Ikerionwu, (2000), refers to instructional materials as objects or devises that help the teacher to make learning meaningful to the learners. Instructional materials, which are educational inputs, are of vital importance to the teaching of any subject in the school curriculum. Wales (1975), opined that the use of instructional materials would make discovered facts glued firmly to the memory of students. A teacher who makes use of appropriate instructional materials to supplement his teaching will help enhance student‟s innovative and creative thinking as well as help them become enthusiastic, Ekwueme and Igwe ( 2001).
Instructional materials refer to objects or devises which help the teacher to make learning meaningful to the learners, (Ikenionwu, 2000). Ezegbe, (1994), classified them into two; visual materials made up of reading and non reading materials, and audio visual materials comprising electrically operated and none electrically operated materials. According to Aduwa Et Al, (2005), these materials and instructional materials include, audio tapes recorders, video tape recorders, slide projectors, still pictures, programmed instructional film strips, maps, chart, graphs and many more; offer a variety of learning experience individually or in combination to meet different teaching and learning experiences. Ngaroga, (2007), talks of teaching and learning materials as those that are accessed in the School environment, collected and brought. They can be three dimensional, two dimensional real objects and others are electronic. The “term chemical instructional resource” is defined as any form of specific chemical apparatus (Structured or unstructured), image, ICT game, tool, paper, or everyday material which could be utilized to provide a chemical teaching or learning (Dorine, Et. Al, 2007).
Instructional materials can be improvised,(SMASE Project, 2010). Onasanya et al: (2008), Adebimpe (1997) and Aguisiobo (1998) noted that improvisation demands adventure, creativity, curiosity and perseverance on the part of teachers. Such skills are only realized through well-planned training program on improvisation. Odii F, (1990) asserts that improvised instructional materials may be used as practice devices with which the students build accuracy, understanding and efficiency. According to Dada (2006), improvised instructional materials involve the fact of producing and using alternative instructional materials aimed at facilitating instruction. Again, Ikwuas and Onwiodiket (2006) state that improvised materials involve selection and deployment of relevant instructional elements of teaching and learning processes in absence or shortage of standard teaching and learning materials, for meaningful realization of specified educational goals and objectives. Abimbade (2004) had earlier noted that the approach of using improvised materials in Chemistry classroom assist in proper introduction of new skills, develop understanding as well as show the appropriate way of doing things.
Instructional strategies need to be identified where the use of manipulative are often suggested as some of the effective approaches to improve student Chemistry achievement (Gurbuz, 2010; Sherman & Bisanz, 2009). Chemistry manipulative-based instructional techniques are approaches that include opportunities for students to physically interact with the objects to learn target information (Carbonneau & Marley, 2012). For example, at the elementary level, teachers use play money to help students learn basic arithmetic functions. The use of manipulative in Chemistry instruction has been cited as a strategy to allow students draw on their practical knowledge (Burns, 1996). Concrete objects that resemble everyday items should assist students in making connections between abstract chemical concepts and the real world (Brown, Neil, & Glernberg, 2009).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The research design adopted for this study is descriptive survey; the office of human research protection (OHRP) defined a descriptive survey as any study that is not truly experimental. The research study is set out to evaluate Chemistry instructional materials in teaching and learning in secondary school in Egor Local Government.
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Population of the Study
The populations for this study were all the Chemistry teachers in the secondary schools in Egor Local Government. There are twenty-six (26) junior secondary schools in Edo state with the total population of seventy-eight (78) teachers.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF DATA ANALYSIS
Research Question One: What instructional materials are available for teaching and learning of Chemistry in secondary schools?
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
This study examined the evaluation of Chemistry instructional materials for teaching and learning in secondary schools in Egor Local Government. The research work was guild through four research questions and three research hypotheses. All seventy-eight (78) teachers from twenty six (26) secondary schools in the study area were selected due to the small population size. The research work was guided through four research questions and three research hypotheses which form the basis the administered questionnaire. A well structured questionnaire was used is greater necessary information from the sample respondents while all information collected was subjected to frequency counts and percentage with all hypothesis tested at 0.05 level of significance using t-test statistic.
Based on the analysis of data collected from administered questionnaire, it was gathered that most of the instructional materials for teaching and learning Chemistry are not available in secondary schools in Egor Local Government. Educational instructional materials influence the performance of students in Chemistry in secondary schools.
Conclusion
The result of the study seems to imply that teacher experience and qualification influence the level of assessment and utilization of instructional materials material in teaching and learning of Chemistry in secondary schools in Moro L.G.A, Egor Local Government, based on the findings of the study. The study also revealed that most of the instructional materials for teaching and learning Chemistry are not available in secondary schools in Egor Local Government. This means that most of the instructional materials identified for teaching of business subjects are not made available in the schools
Recommendations
Instructional materials materials are important materials needed for the realization of instructional objectives and education goals, thus the level of use of these instructional materials in teaching and learning should be improved upon in view of the conclusion drawn. However, it was recommended that;
- Curriculum planners and implementation and educational policy makers should sensitize the school and teachers on the need to put more emphasis on utilization and improvision of instructional materials materials in teaching and learning of Chemistry.
- The government as a matter of policy should recruit more qualified graduate teachers to teach at junior secondary school level most especially Business studies.
- Adequate instructional materials should be provided for effective teaching and learning process.
- Criteria for instructional materials selection should be based on its suitability to function for the purpose it is designed for.
- Finally since the study encourage the use of instructional materials materials for more practical teaching and learning process the graduate of Chemistry like. Other areas will be people who are well prepared for their job performance and this will ease the employers’ problem of on job training of workers thus enhancing production.
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