INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND PUPILS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN EKET LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Instructional materials are print and non-print items that are designed to impact information to student in the educational process. Instructional materials include items such as kits, textbooks, magazines, newspapers, pictures, recordings, slides, transparencies, videos, disc, workbooks, And electronic media including but not limited to music, movies, radio, stop ward CD-ROMS, and online services. (Udoh etal 2005).

        Instructional material, according to Bello (2004). Plays a very important role in the teaching-learning process. It enhances the memory level of the pupils. At this time education has spread wide and the entirely oral teaching cannot be the key to successful pedagogy; therefore, the teachers has to use instructional material to make the teaching-learning process interesting (Obi, 2001). The use of instructional material can enhance the learning achievement perhaps academic performance of pupils in primary schools.

        Ekanem (2004) states the important elements of behaviour that provide the base for learning theory. Situations, the situation consists of all the objects, persons and symbols in learner environments. Experience in situation prepares a person to respond to similar situation in the future. Situation must be created in which learner may feel satisfaction. Personal characterize under this heading we include all the abilities and all the typical responses that the person brings to the situation. Use of instructional material can appeal to the individual attention by creating interest. Goal: the goals direct efforts, the teacher problem of motivation is essentially one of arranging situation with instructional material in which the learner will see goals he/she wants to attain. Interpretation person interprets situation in order to take action if relevant aids are made available, it will be easy for a teacher and pupil to predict that what can be expected to happen if various actions are taken. Action: a person chooses whatever action he expects to give him the greatest satisfaction.

        The use of instructional material can facilitate the decision of a person toward taking right action. Consequence: action failing by their result are called consequences, if instructional material is used, the prediction would be rewarding and consequence will justify the work done by person, he will feel full satisfaction.

        Bellow and Olowonefa (2004) view that, instructional materials used efficiently and actively to facilitate the teaching-learning process in most of the advanced countries. However, the situation is not good in most of the developing countries as well as in Nigeria. Firstly, only the lower quality and the less quantity of instructional materials are provided to schools. In this way, the availability of instructional material is very less.

        Secondly, teachers are not trained properly for using instructional materials in the classroom. Thirdly, teachers do not take interest in using the instructional materials. The Government of Akwa Ibom State is spending a huge amount of money in the education is very low. There are many factors that are responsible for this sorry state of affairs. Less availability and deficient used of instructional materials is one of them.

        This factor needs to be instigated thoroughly the actual data. Therefore, considering the vitality of the problem, this study investigates the effect of the instructional materials pupil academic performance in primary schools in Eket Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State.

1.2    Statement of the problem:

The issue of poor academic performance of pupil in primary school in Akwa Ibom State has been of much concern to all and sundry the problem is so much that it has led to the widely acclaimed fallen standard of education in Eket Local Government Area in particular the quality of education depend on the quality and qualities of teacher available which play a crucial role in educational attainment, because the teacher is ultimately responsible for translating policy into action with the pupils. It is worth nothing that the teaching and learning process depends on the quality of material available focused. Consequently, where educational concepts are not readily available it utilization become impossible and pupils academic performance cannot be encourage. Some blame it on the Nigeria educational system, others on the teachers, still others focus the blame on schools and their administrators, furthermore, pupils themselves are considered as a factor just like poor approach to a concept by teachers, lack of infrastructures and learning materials are potential sources of failure.

It is on this note that this work focus on instructional materials and pupils academic performance in primary schools in Eket Local Government Area.

1.3    Purpose of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine instructional materials and their influence on the academic performance of primary school pupils.

Specifically, it is

(i)                  To assess the influence of availability of instructional material on pupils academic performance in Eket Local Government Area.

(ii)                 To determine the extent of the used of instructional material and pupils academic performance in Eket Local Government Area.

(iii)                To examine the impacts of instructional materials and pupil academic performance in Eket Local Government Area

1.4    Significance of the Study

Learning material supplement teaching and provides with the use of instruction, it is generally agreed that, with the use of instructional materials, pupils gain more, than when materials are not applied to teaching the study therefore is significant in the following ways:

(i)                  It will stress the need for teacher to make use of instructional material when teaching.

(ii)                 This study would make both the school administration and the government to see the need to providing instructional material in the primary sector.

(iii)                The use of instructional materials will not only help in the enhancement of teaching but will also help pupil in enhance learning

(iv)               It will stress the need for the government to provide fully equipped libraries and resource centers for the schools, which aid the development to competent manpower in the field of education.  

1.5    Research Question:

     i.        To what extents does the availability of instructional material influence pupils academic performance in Social Studies in Eket Local Government Area.

    ii.        To what extents does the used of instructional materials enhance the academic performance of pupils in social studies in Eket Local Government Area.

  iii.        How does the impact of instructional materials enhance pupils’ academic performance in Social Studies in Eket Local Government Area.

1.6    Limitation of the Study

This study has witnessed some setbacks due to short time frame, unwillingness of some staff and pupils to participate in the exercise and financial constraints in the form of transportation to and for the different schools selected together the necessary data; this research study is restricted to Eket Local Government Area in Akwa State.

1.7    Delimitation of the Study

The research work is delimited to Eket L        ocal Government Area, and the study centered on pupil academic performance in primary schools.

1.8    Definition of terms:

For clarity sake, the following term defined thus:

Academic Performance: the level of knowledge or skill attained by pupils students in a given subject usually designated by a test score or grade obtained by a pupil in the primary school.

Primary Education: is education given to institutions for children aged six to eleven pulse (N.P.E 2004:15). Since it is therefore given the needed priority.

Learning: this is a relatively experience of practice.

Teaching: voluntary or intentional activities aimed at including learning.

Instructional materials: these refer to things or teaching equipment used to illustrate facts of concepts. They include pictures, diagrams, charts, models, tapes etc.

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