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.