AVAILABILITY, EXTENT AND EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR  TEACHING – LEARNING OF CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

AVAILABILITY, EXTENT AND EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR  TEACHING – LEARNING OF CHEMISTRY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS (A CASE STUDY OF AKOKA LAGOS  STATE)

proposal

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

The present digital age of human existence had brought about changes in every aspect of human life such as the way we work, the way we live, the way we eat, the way we communicate, the way we transfer or carry money and the way we teach and learn. In the education sector, many new teaching materials are being provided in addition to the old ones. In many schools these teaching materials are not always available in the right quantity, but teaching and learning must go on in the school. Thus, there is need to look at the classroom practices of the chemistry or science teachers which would help them to perform their duties effectively in a situation where the teaching materials are in short supply or not available. Effective teaching and learning is done with instructional materials; Nachias (2000), Owo (2009) and Nwagbo and Ugwuanyi (2015) observed that innovative pedagogical practices using technology and improvisation enhance teachers effectiveness.

Teaching chemistry in crisis situation means teaching and learning of chemistry or any of the basic sciences in austere economy. The austere condition may arise as a result of thefollowing (i) war time (ii) population explosion in schools (iii) economic recession and (iv) high cost of science materials.

Teacher made resource (instructional) materials refer to improvisation. Omiko (2007) stated that improvisation in austere period is very fundamental and crucial because it reasonably reduces cost of procuring new and imported materials. Students learn the working principles in the improvised materials they make or help teachers to make; it creates and develops technological awareness in the students.

Owo (2009) observed that the quest for teacher made materials (improvisation) began in response to the scarcity and expensiveness of science equipment in Nigeria. Hence the improvisation of some of the science instructional materials from locally available material will help to get enough science teaching materials for the growing number of secondary schools in Nigeria. Omiko (2015) opined that many institutions of higher learning have set  up Department of Educational Technology aimed at training teachers in the production and use of different software and hardware materials. In some cases the difficulties encountered in purchasing and improvising instructional materials make some science teachers to change their attitude and interest towards science subjects.

Davies in Omiko (2015) and Owo (2009) noted that Educational Technologies normally concern themselves with the choice of designing and creating better in instructional materials which help science teachers to be more efficient instructional delivery. Brown (1969) and Okpala (1991) suggested that science teachers should not use inadequate instructional materials and equipment as an excuse to resort to poor teaching, instead they should learn to improvise the essential instructional materials required in teaching their subjects. Dike (1989) observed that the essence of producing instructional materials is to facilitate the teaching- learning process properly if science skills are to be acquired.

The fact that science is a living subject and practical in nature coupled with the impact of population explosion in schools, information and knowledge explosion in science as well as demand for science education in the country necessitated huge material resource requisition for science teaching, Maduabum (1990). In this connection, the case of Nigeria’s Economic downturn and galloping inflation being the case, it will be very difficult to adequately fund the procurement of some of the high and heavy equipment like the electronic instruments (computers), and other expensive equipment for science teaching or replacement of the unsuitable and perhaps the unrelated sophisticated imported spare parts; this calls for urgent need to produce materials locally so as to save science and the nation’s economy from total collapse because of huge foreign exchange involved. Edger in Owo (2009) remarked that the need for innovative materials in schools is as result of great quest for education due to changes in the society. Some teachers instead of understanding that teaching aids are used for making teaching more effective believe that they make the teacher’s work easier. Some teachers see instructional materials as a decoration and not a too to be used in teaching, or are meant for teaching practice students only. Dienye and Gbamanja (1990) and Asiegbu (1986) stressing on the problems of effective utilization of instructional materials stated that in our present education system, untrained teachers are employed to teach in our secondary schools and colleges. Because of insufficient training many of the teachers do not recognise the potentials of many simple teaching aids available at very little cost or how to use them.

The chemistry teachers ought to know the procedures for constructing alternative instructional materials with which they can help their students to visualize whatever topicthey want to teach. Dike in Omiko (2015) noted that, if instructional materials are to be improvised, emphasis should be laid on using cheap and locally available materials. A chemistry teacher must be conversant with the types, characteristics and advantages of instructional materials before he/she could improvise. Omiko (2007) listed the benefits derived from the use of improvised instructional materials to include; (i) It makes students to participate in creative and analytical thinking when they are involved in making those needed instruments (ii) concepts taught using improvised materials become clearer to the students because those concepts are learnt through play-like activities (iii) It encourages a systematic integration of a variety of resources in a teaching-learning experiences. (iv) Being actively involved in improvisation, the working principles are learnt and in this way the students acquire problem solving skills, manipulative skills, scientific attitude and knowledge needed in solving the daily scientific and technological problems.

Based on the above stated benefits derived from the use of improvised materials in teaching science, it therefore becomes necessary to find out which of these instructional materials that are available in our secondary schools and if teachers improvise and use the non-available instructional materials in teaching chemistry and possible hindrances to these teachers improvisation efforts. Thus, the need for this study.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

Considering the need for technological development, coupled with the fact that Chemistry is a very vital subject for technology development, its teaching and learning as well as students’ academic performance in it have become a source of concern to the researcher. It is surprising that despite the efforts of government, individuals and non-government agencies in enhancing the educational development in Nigeria, the Lagos State Post-primary School Management Board (2010) has shown that the general academic performance of students in Chemistry has declined greatly. It was also observed that poor performance of students in Chemistry has been so high in many Nigerian public schools in the recent years (Federal Ministry of Education 2014). This raises a question on the method and instructional strategies employed. Teachers seems to adopt the verbalistic and theoretical method as a way of teaching and learning the subject rather than using instructional materials (Olagunju, 2000). Esu, Enukoha and Umoren (2004) affirmed that the use of instructional materials facilitate learning of abstract concepts by helping to concretize ideas and stimulate learners’ imagination. Moreover, instructional materials help to increase active participation in the learning process while saving teacher the much energy involved in all verbal instructions. In the same vein, Mathew (2012) stated that the use of instructional materials make teaching and learning effective as it enables learners to participate actively in classroom instruction. The question now will be, to what extent does the use of instructional materials affect learning and students achievement in Chemistry in Secondary Schools in AKOKA, Lagos State.

1.3 Objective of the Study

This study will be aimed at investigating the availability, extent and effective utilization of instructional materials for  teaching – learning of chemistry in secondary schools(a case study of Akoka Lagos state). Specifically this study will sought to:

1. Determine the level of use of available instructional materials in teaching Chemistry in secondary schools in Lagos State
2. Determine the extent to which the chemistry teachers improvise and use the inadequately available instructional materials.
3. Identify the factors or obstacles which may hinder chemistry teachers from making and using improvised instructional materials in teaching.
4. Determine the effect of teaching experience on the chemistry teachers’ effort at improvisation of instructional materials.

1.4 Research Questions

Three research questions will guide the study.

1. What is the level of utilization of available instructional materials necessary for the teaching and learning of chemistry in secondary schools in Lagos State of Nigeria?
2. To what extent are the chemistry teachers in our secondary schools improvise and use the inadequately available instructional materials in teaching chemistry?
3. What are the obstacles faced by the chemistry teachers during improvisation of the non-available instructional materials?

1.5 Hypotheses of the study

The following null hypothesis will be formulated to guide the study. The null hypothesis will be tested at the alpha level 0.05 of significance.

H01:    Teacher’s teaching experience is not a significant factor in chemistry teachers efforts at improvising and using of instructional materials for chemistry teaching (P<0.05)

1.6       Significance of the Study

The study is expected to be of great advantages to the teaching and learning of Chemistry and other subjects offered in the upper basic school. Instructional materials help to facilitate teaching, creation and distribution of contents during learning. Thus, a study focusing on the use of instructional materials based  on contents would definitely ensure quality materials for effective teaching and learning to achieve educational goals and objectives. This study might guide the Educational service Divisions of the Federal and State Ministries of Education, Local Government Areas; officials in charge of materials selection for teaching and learning in selecting appropriate materials to teach Chemistry. This study could gear up designers of materials to review some aspects of their works towards achieving the goal of contributing to students’ adequate acquisition of the necessary skills in science and technology. Also, the result from this study might enable the designers to improve the contents of the materials to make the users of the materials gain more from the materials.

Similarly, for a teacher to succeed in the classroom, instructional materials should be used to complement the teachers work and to open channels for communication. Findings from this study would contribute significantly to the effective learning of Chemistry in upper basic schools. The result of the research would help education stakeholder such as students, teachers, schools, administrators, parents, government and society to better understanding the benefit of relating Chemistry curriculum with instructional Chemistry materials.

This study will open up science teachers’ mind to the effectiveness of the materials they use for Chemistry. The study will make teachers to see the need to use the materials and make necessary suggestions to officials from Ministry of Education as guides in selecting materials.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study on availability, extent and effective utilization of instructional materials for  teaching–learning of chemistry in secondary schools it will be focused on secondary schools in Akoka Lagos state). The researcher will restrict the study only on the following :-

• Availability of instructional materials required for the teaching of Chemistry,

(ii) Utilization of instructional materials required for the teaching of the basic    technology,

(iii) Frequency at which of available instructional materials are utilized in Chemistry.

Perceived impact of the available instructional materials required for the teaching of Chemistry.

 

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