COMPARATIVE
EFFECT OF STANDARD AND IMPROVISED
MATERIALS ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SCIENCE JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
ABSTRACT
The study is aimed at comparing the effect of standard and
improvised instructional materials on students’ academic performance in Basic
Science. To carry out the study, fourresearch questions
were reviewed in line with the purpose
of the study. four hypotheses were
formulated and were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The design of the
study was quasi-experimental design consisting of pre-test, post-test
statistics were used the population of the study consisted of all students in
secondary schools class one in Ikere Ekiti. 60 students were randomly sampled
from two secondary schools in Ikere
Ekiti. The data collected were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential
statistics such as mean, standard deviation, t-test and ANCOVA. The findings
showsthat there was no significant difference between
students mean performance in the two groups (i.e. real and improvised) at
pre-test. As such, hypothesis one was upheld and not rejected, consequently,
equality of the baseline knowledge of the study subject prior to the treatments
application is hereby established for the two groups involved in this study. Recommendation
were made which include that, Basic Science teachers should make instructional materials
available in every lesson, especially materials that are relevance to the
students or at least ask them to bring some of these improvised instructional
which can be sourced from their immediate environment. Also Basic Science
teachers should always try to substitute standard materials with improvised
materials. This is to enable students and teachers exhibit their manipulative
skills, without fear of the cost and time of replacement
or causing harm to both parties, as poised with the use of standard materials.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Approval page iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of contents vii
Abstract xi
CHAPTER
ONE:INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 5
Purpose of the Study 6
Research Questions 6
Research Hypotheses 7
Significances of the study 7
Scope
of the Study 8
Limitation
of the study 8
Definition
of Terms 8
CHAPTER TWO:
LITRATURE REVIEW
Theoretical
Framework 10
Conceptual
Framework 15
Meaning
of Improvisation 17
Studies
on the use of improvised material 19
Philosophy
and objectives of Basic Science 22
Studies
on Science Students’ attitude towards Science Subjects 25
Studies
on the Impact of real instructional Materials on Students performance in
science 28
Studies
on science students performance and strategies 31
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
Research
Design 33
Population
of the Study 34
Sample
and Sampling Techniques 34
Instrument
for Data Collection 34
Validity
of Instruments 35
Reliability
of the Instrument 35
Administration
of the Instrument 36
Data
Analysis Techniques 36
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULT
AND DISCUSSION
Data
Analysis 37
Socio-demographic
Characteristics 37
Test
of Hypotheses 38
Discussion 41
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIION
Introduction 43
Summary
43
Conclusion
44
Recommendation
45
Suggestions
for further research 46
References
47
Appendix 1:
Questionnaire 56
Appendix II: Pre-test
and Post –Test 57
Appendix III: Name of Schools 61
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the study
Basic science is an strict and a core
science subject in Nigerian secondary schools. Its teaching often requires
creativity and improvisation. To make Basic
science concepts comprehensible to students, Basic science teachers should employ creative teaching methods and
be prepared to respond to queries and explain concepts in a typical manner (Nbina,
2012). The widespread poor performance and the negative attitude towards Basic science in junior secondary
school students have largely been ascribed to lack of proper teaching methods.
Teachers who adapt appropriate improvisation materials in teaching Basic
science will likely be more successful in imparting science knowledge to
the novice in their classes. Samba and
Eriba (2011) see improvisation as the act of using alternative materials and
resources to facilitate instructions whenever there is lack or shortage of
specific first hand teaching aids. The authors see improvisation as the choice
of the best instructional material which enables the teacher to achieve some
carefully specified educational objectives. Stiggins (2008) added that there are
various methods used to increase class participation and performance among
students.
Science is the foundation upon which the bulk of
present day technological break through is built. Nowadays, nations all over
the world including Nigeria are striving hard to develop technologically and
scientifically, since the world is turning scientific and all proper
functioning of lives depend greatly on science.
Owolabi (2013)
defined science as an integral part of human society. Its impact is felt in
every sphere of human life, so much that it is intricately linked with a
nation’s development. Science as a field of study has done a lot for mankind.
For instance, life has been made a lot easier for man as a result of the
advancements in science. Through science, man has been able to have better
understanding of his environment and this has enabled him to manipulate the
conditions of his environment to suit his own benefit. Science has also made it
possible for man to acquire his desired needs easily. It has reduced human
needs to the barest minimum. Ogunleye (2000)
observed that science is a dynamic human activity concerned with understanding
the workings of our world. This understanding helps man to know more about the
universe. Without the applications of science, it would have been impossible
for man to explore the other planets of the universe. Also, the awareness of
the existence, of other planets would not have been realized without science.
Science comprises of the basic disciplines such
as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. Many investigations have shown
that students in Secondary schools are not very much interested in science (Esiobu, 2005;
Okonkwo, 2000).
Besides, Physics as one of the science subjects has remained one of the most
difficult subject in the school curriculum NERDC (2005).
A study by Owolabi (2004)
revealed that the performance of Nigerian students in ordinary level Physics
was generally poor. This was stated by the author to be, due to poor teaching
strategies being the most important factor. Jegede O.J and Okebukola
P.A.O. (1992) reported that factors responsible for student’s
general poor performance in science, technology and mathematics to include poor
teaching method. Others include; poor laboratory facilities, inability of the Basic science teachers to put across
ideas clearly to the students and inadequate number of learning facilities in
schools as against consistent increase in the number of students.
Basic science as a science subject is
activity oriented and the suggested method for teaching it which is guided
discovery method is resource base (NTI, 2007).
This suggests that the mastery of science concepts cannot be fully achieved
without the use of instructional learning materials. The teaching of Basic science without learning materials
will certainly result in poor performance in the course. Franzer, B.J.
Okebukola, P.A.O and Jegede, O.J (1992). (2012) stressed that; a
professionally qualified science teacher no matter how well trained would be
unable to put his ideas into practice if the school setting lacks the equipment
and materials necessary for him or her to translate his competence into
reality.
Ibe Bassey, G.S. (2012)
opined that science is resource intensive. Furthermore, in a period of economic
recession, it will be very difficult to adequately find some of the electronic
gadgets and equipment for Basic science in
Schools. A situation that is further compounded by the galloping inflation in
the country and often un-relatedness of some of the imported sophisticated
materials and equipment; hence the need to produce materials locally.
Researchers such as Ogunleye (2000),
Okonkwo (2000),
Mkpanang (2005)
and Obioha (2006)
reported that there were inadequate resources for the teaching of Basic science in secondary schools in Nigeria. They further
stated that where there were little resources at all, they are not usually in
good conditions, while the few that were in good conditions were not enough to
go round those who needed them. Hence there is need for improvisation.
Omosewo (2008)
and Akinsola (2000),
considered the human factors as the teacher’s professional commitment,
creativity, mechanical skills, initiative and resourcefulness. They found that
many of Nigerian science teachers were aware of possibility of improvisation
but many exhibited poor attitudes towards improvisation. They also noted that
very few teachers practice improvisation while majority depends on imported
equipments and claim that improvisation is time-consuming and fund depleting.
The authors also noted that students too, possessed little or no interest in
improvisation.
Onasanya (2008),
Adebimpe (1997)
and Aguisiobo (1998)
noted that improvisation demands adventure, creativity, curiosity and
perseverance on the part of the teacher. The author added that such skills are
only realizable through well-planned training programme on improvisation. Akinyemi and
Orukota (1995) noted that improvisation whether they cost less than
standard manufactured ones or not they cost money. He added this money is
usually not readily available for the teacher.
The objectives of any educational process
determine the contents, methods and materials needed for achieving such
objectives. The materials used for enhancing instructional effectiveness are
aspects of media employed for achieving the instructional objectives. Ibe Bassey (2002)
described instructional media as system components that may be used as parts of
instructional processes which are used to disseminate information message and
ideas or which make possible communicable in the teaching-learning process.
Experience over the years has shown that
teachers have been depending on excessive use of words to express, to convey
ideas or facts in the teaching-learning process. This practice is termed the
“chalk-talk” method. Today, advances in technology have made it possible to
produce materials and devices that could be used to minimize the teachers
talking and at the same time, make the message clearer, more interesting and
easier for the learners to assimilate (Onasanya, 2008).
According to Soetan (2010),
graphics include charts, posters, sketches, cartoons, graphs and drawings.
Graphics communicate facts and ideas clearly through combination of drawings,
words and pictures. The use of graphics in teaching creates definitiveness to
the materials being studied. They help to visualize the whole concepts learned
and their relationships with one another.
Statement of the Problem
The
Nigeria vision 20-20-20 will be in mirage if the poor academic performance of
students in sciences is not check on time (Federal Republic of Nigeria FRN
2013). The researchers observed that memorization of facts have replaced
experimentation in some of Nigerian schools. Hence, technological advancement
and breakthrough remain a hope of many decades to come.
Dependency on expensive imported
standard materials that are always insufficient in supply, which also makes
students to view science as a foreign concept that should be memorized rather
than understood, is the worry of this research. This is made manifest in poor
achievement and low interest in science generally, and in Basic science particularly among secondary school students in Ikere
Ekiti. Science educators believe that achievement of students at their full
potentials and sustained interest in science especially Basic Science , could
be a function of appropriate lesson delivery techniques on one hand, but also
of the relevance, adequacy and applicability of the materials and equipment
upon which science lessons are based. The present researcher therefore
investigated the effect of standard and
improvised materials on the academic
performance of students in Basic Science .
Purpose of the study
The major
purpose of this study is to investigate the comparative effect of standard and improvised materials on academic performance in Basic Science .
Specifically
the study investigated:
1. The
comparative relationship in the academic
performance of students taught Basic science using improvised materials and instructional materials
2. Sex
influence on the use of improvised instructional material and real
instructional materials
3. The
attitude of students towards the use of improvised and real instructional
material in learning Basic Science .
4. The
influence of real instructional materials
and improvised instructional materials on students’ academic achievement
Research
Questions
The
following research questions guided the study.
1. Does
students taught Basic science using
improvised material perform better than students taught using standard instructional materials?
2. To
what extent does students Sex (male and Female) influence the use of improvised instructional
material and real instructional materials?
3. What
are the attitude of Basic science students
towards the use of improvised and real instructional materials?
4. To
what extent does real instructional materials and improvised instructional
material influence students’ academic achievement in Basic Science ?
Research
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level
of significance guided the study:
1.
There is no significance difference
between the pretest mean scores of students in the real and improvised
materials groups.
2.
There is no significant difference in
the performance mean scores of male and female students in each of the real and
improvised materials groups.
3.
There is no significant difference in
the student’s attitude towards Basic
science fore and after treatment.
4.
There is no significance difference in
the performance mean scores of students in the real and improvised materials
groups after treatment.
Significance of the
Study
The
following group of people is expected to benefit directly from this study,
particularly if the real and improvised materials enhance achievement and
interest in secondary school students. They are secondary school students, Basic science teachers and government
authorities. Others are educational administrators, stakeholders in education,
parents and the general public.
The
result of the study would enhance student’s use of improvised materials. This
study will also serve as a basis for student’s further research work. Manipulating these materials will awaken in
them a curious mindset about science and its relevance to their immediate
environment. Thus they will no longer view Basic
science as a bag of abstract concepts but an interesting reality. Basic science teachers will carry out
practical activities with ease and without fear of inability to replace materials; their
creativity and manipulative ability will equally be challenged as they will
source materials that will give the required result. For the government
authorities, huge sums of money spent on the importation of Basic science materials and equipment
will be used to develop other areas of the educational sector and as incentives
for teachers.
School
inspectors, examiners, curriculum developers and college tutors will now
increase their emphasis on the importance of hands-on activity in science education,
and to reject material deficiency as an excuse for any absence of practical
work.
Scope of the study
This study
is aim at investigating the comparative effect of standard and improvised materials on academic performance of students in Basic
Science . The scope covers all secondary schools in Yaba Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
Limitation of the Study
Problems arise during the course of
writing this research project such that literature reviews of authors were
scanty but the researcher was able to deal with the challenges in order not to
allow these problems to affect the outcome of this study.
Definition of terms
Improvised material: According to Ihiegbulem (2007), it
is the act of substituting for the standard equipment or instructional
materials not available, with locally made equipment or instructional materials
from readily available natural resources. National Teacher Institute in Omachi
(2000) defines improvisation as the act of using alternative materials and resources
due to lack or insufficient hand teaching ads to facilitate instruction from
these opinions, improvisation entails the production of equipment using
available local and cheaper resources and the use of such equipment for
effective teaching
Real material: Real materials have been defined by various authors. For
example, Obanya (1989) viewed them as didactic materials thing which are
supposed to make learning and teaching possible. According to Abdullahi (1982),
instructional materials are materials or tools locally made or imported that
could made tremendous enhancement of lesson impact if intelligently used.
Ikerionwu (Isola, 2010) referred to them as objects or devices, which help the
teacher to make a lesson much clearer to the learner.
Teaching: This is a process of transferring knowledge
from one person to another or the act, practice or profession of a teacher
Basic
Science : This is scientific enquire
that comprises all science subjects.
J.S.S.
Junior secondary schools, A middle school (also known as intermediate school or
junior high school, is a school for students older than the elementary school,
but not yet in high school
Academic Performance: this is the outcome of education, the extent to which a students,
teacher or institution has achieved their educational goals.
Comparative: this is a syntactic construction that serves to express a
comparison between two (or more) entitles or groups of entitles in quality,
quantity or degree.
