EFFECTS OF PRACTICALS ON STUDENTS’ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS

EFFECTS OF PRACTICALS ON STUDENTS’ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS

CHAPTER  ONE

BACKGROUNG OF THE STUDY

         The inclusion of physics in the senior secondary school curriculum and recent great emphasis on practical activities on the educational achievement of physics are connected with the various roles that physics as a subject plays in improving science and technology.

        Physics is a branch of science that deals with nature and  matter , their formation how they are formed under different conditions. It  involves  many other discipline such as Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, Agriculture. Since physics is the study of matter in relation to energy which is geared towards proving individuals for biological physics and chemical studies as professional in the nearest future it therefore should not be taught in abstract resulting to mere accumulation of theoretical knowledge, However, the physics teacher should enrich the teaching learning process with use of adequate relevant instructional resources so as to better actualize the laid down objectives for the importation of physics knowledge in order for the student to achieve their educational goal and objective and solve social, medical and agricultural problems.

        It is important to note at this point in time that the effect of practical activities on student performance in physics can be cause by non effective teaching of physics and learning.  Akinpelumi(  1981) defines teaching as a conscious effort on the part of an experienced person  to import information knowledge and skill through communication to less_experience  person.

         Farran (1982) says, there is a story relationship between the component of teaching learning and educational achievement  process which involve the teacher, learner and the instructional materials. In this relationship, the teacher interacts with the learner and the institutional material at the same time for proper achievement of goal.

Since learning can be summarized as a process of a acquiring skill, subject matter, habit, altitudes perception interest, social adjustment and ideals. However Education is the total learning experience which one acquire under the guidance of an approved, trained, qualified and competent person which one  function are performed excellently in the society which belongs. However instructional materials are tools or devices used for illustrating concept in a subject matter. They range from elementary devices to highly sophisticated machine specially design to help one of the ways by which the student can be encourage to perform well is by introducing practical activities through the use of appropriate learning resources. These  includes textbook, periodic charts, model, pictures and displays, computer and audiovisual materials.

The researcher is of the opinion that the effective use of instructional material, is of relevance to the. This can be achieved through careful  explanation of concept, process and manipulative skills by the teacher academic performance of student in physics knowledge thereby ,removing the tedious difficulty of abstract explanation and field satisfactorily result. Physics therefore, should be offered in school not just as school requirement and prerequisite for further study but also as means of helping an individual to be aware of the physical process in his immediate environment using a method that is creatively practical oriented.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

     Practical work constitute an integral part of science, it involves various activities it has been discovered that physics is very expensive in nature. For example, the equipment (pulley, stop watch, pendulum bob e c t.) are fragile and easily be destroy during practical. Also the lens, the prism and expensive and despite that, most of them are dispose after every experiment student are exposed to hazards and some of them would tamper with harmful chemicals. There are also no store room to keep the bulky chemical and apparatus in school.

      In teaching practical physics, the strive to operate in an environment characterized by grossly in adequate instructional materials and poorly motivational factors. Specifically, this research is to find out the relative effect of practical activities on Student Educational Academic Achievement in physics in Secondary School of the important of integrity theory with practical work. To what extent does practical affects student performance and why student fail to show interest in learning physics.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

a)     Do facilities for practical activities affect the students” academic achievement.

b)    Do student learning conditions and facilities affect academic achievement

c)     Do teacher interest and motivation have effect on the academic achievement of student”.

d)    Would the student attitude toward physics have an effect on their future pursuit?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

           This research is design to find out the effect of practical activities on academic achievement of student in physics. To examine the effective communication of teachers using teaching aids. To find out whether the instructional materials made for the purpose of achieving its goal functions or not.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

            IT is the sincere desire of the researcher to establish the fact that practical work helps student to acquire basic skills and scientific knowledge which improves their performances by revealing the chemical process that takes place in chemical reaction and also the final product of the reaction. This brings about long term memory on the part of the student.

           Practical activities motivates learners to develop some independent leadership skills like setting up apparatus and equipment, observation of physics processes and results collection and interpretation of data and also the improvising of local model making themselves relevant and competent. Practical activities encourage learners to be focus and mind setting despite the climatic and atmospheric condition of the laboratory which the learner is not tired or feed up since they can predict what will the solution gives

SCOPE OF STUDY

      In this study, the investigation was restricted to a few teacher and student of the following Secondary School in Owo Town due to shortage of time and finance

Owo High School

New church Grammar School

St Louis Grammar School

Methodist High School

St Catherine Grammar School

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

        If there is any slight deviation from the extent situation to seek to highlight it must be due to the fact that most secondary school principal and teacher refuse to accept the deficiency of laboratory equipment in  their school for fear of low admission and recognition of the school by government agency.

      The research work was also limited by time and money as a student prepared to test and examination very soon there might not be time to visit all the secondary schools schedule for survey and there not be sufficient financial support to transport to all the appropriate area probably planned to visit the research work was also limited by the correction of appropriate teachers for instance where chemistry teachers was appointed to set up laboratory for physics practical forgetting that the apparatus use in the chemistry laboratory was not the same with that of physics. This can also limit the study of good performance of physics student in practical’s.