1.1 Introduction
Laboratory Management is responsible for providing advice and information to scientists on health and safety, particularly on how to carry out risk assessments and on appropriate control measures during biology practical. The use of laboratories to be effective requires the best management. The existence of a laboratory is very dependent on its management. A laboratory in a school is important for a school to improve the quality and quality of student education. With a laboratory, it is hoped that students can more easily understand the material being studied while doing the practice. Science Laboratory Management is a valuable field of science in an effort to improve students or students to improve the quality of education and teaching.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Biology as one of the science subject is defined as the study of life and structure of living things. Biology is the study of living things and concerns itself with the study of the structure, behaviour, distribution, the origin of plants and animals and their relationship with their environments. Abugu (2007) stated that biology is a natural science in which we study living organisms – plants and animals. In all the sciences, biology geared towards simplifying theoretical content, so as to enhance effective instruction and learning of the subject. Allan, Rob and Jonathan (2000), stated the reason for emphasizing practical activities in biology like a realization of practical; work to be predecessor to real science knowledge.
Practical work stimulates learner interest in the science subject they are studying, when they are made to personally engage in useful activities; knowledge obtained through practical; work and experience, promote long term memory that theory alone cannot do, from this reason, it becomes obvious that a learner acquired more in any science lesson, if giving the opportunity to do activities, ranging from manipulating apparatus, classifying, designing, experimenting, hypothesizing to make inferences and verifying results. Hence, there is an urgent and serious need to justify the exposition of the students biology practical activates as well as studying its effect on student’s achievement in biology. Unfortunately, the ugly situation observed in the majority of our secondary school and students in lack of exposure of the students to practical activities. This contributes to persistent poor performances in biology.
The proper use of laboratory and demonstration of experiments are the indicators of student performance. Science laboratories are important only when they are used in the school setting. If Science laboratories are provided to schools, there are three possibilities that they remain unused, used inefficiently and used efficiently. Furthermore, Science laboratories are provided to schools with deficient quality and less quantity of equipments, apparatus, materials, and chemicals owing to limited funds. However, Biological Science Laboratory Apparatus may contribute to higher level of academic achievement if used effectively and properly with national commitment.
Unfortunately, the terms school laboratory or lab and practical have been used, too often without precise definition, to embrace a wide array of activities. Typically, the terms have meant experiences in school settings where students interact with materials to observe and understand the natural world. Some laboratory activities have been designed and conducted to engage students individually, while others have sought to engage students in small groups and in large-group demonstration settings. Teacher guidance and instructions have ranged from highly structured and teacher centered to open inquiry. The terms have sometimes been used to include investigations or projects that are pursued for several weeks, sometimes outside the school, while on other occasions they have referred to experiences lasting 20 minutes or less. Sometimes laboratory activities have incorporated a high level of instrumentation, and at other times the use of any instrumentation has been meticulously avoided.
Laboratory Practical works and safety practices run concurrently in laboratories. This is reflected in one of the objectives of the adequate practical teaching in biology science, which is to teach public how to handle safety materials that could be dangerous. Child center or activity method is one of the recognized methods of teaching biology. This method of teaching ensures a high degree of student participation. The success of practical lesson and the realization of the positive goals of teaching biology in secondary school depend on the measures taken to measure the safety of both the students and teachers (Ahmed, 2001).
Conclusively, many lives can be saved if necessary safety measures are considered or taken appropriate in the biology lessons or practical. The indispensability of the Biological Science Laboratory Apparatus to the teaching of biology cannot be over emphasized. Science laboratory is an important component in the learning of science subjects but it depends upon the degree to which it is efficiently used, only the availability of Science laboratory is not a guarantee of students’ performance until both the students and teachers actually use Biological Science Laboratory Apparatus facilities efficiently (Lewin, 2000).
Therefore, in Enugu East Local Government Area where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the views of Biology Students on the Problems of Laboratory Management and Safety in Secondary Schools.
1.3 Statement of Problem
Investigation revealed that not much attention has been giving to the performance of the students in senior secondary school subjects most especially in biology and biology practical aspect of biology in schools has been blamed on such factors as the inability of the school authorities to provide materials and equipment for practical work, teachers failure to recognize the importance of practical work in science teaching. The study and mastery of Biology is a major objective of Nigeria education. The achievement of these objectives requires the concern of both the government and private owners of schools in collaboration with classroom teachers. There is a great need for proper provision and Biology science Laboratory Apparatus in the Teaching of Biology also utilization of instructional materials in order to achieve the objective of the emphasis laid on the importance of biological science laboratory apparatus in the teaching of biology in senior secondary schools at all levels of our educational system.
Provision and improvisation of Biology science Laboratory Apparatus and their proper utilization in delivering instructional on biology lesson, undoubtedly will improve the teaching and learning outcome of the subject and the learners. Despite the consensus on the importance and place of biology in teaching of Biology, there is a glaring absence of these materials and poor utilization by teachers.
The resultant effects of the absence of these Biology science Laboratory Apparatus and their poor utilization on students include mass failure in Biology examination in most schools. The problem of this study therefore is the extent of the importance of biological science laboratory apparatus in the teaching of biology in senior secondary schools. It is in view of the above that the researcher intends to investigate the view of students on the problems of laboratory management and safety in secondary schools
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to evaluate the Opinions of Biology Students on Issues with Safety and Management in Laboratories. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To ascertain the effect of poor management of laboratory equipment on student performance in biology;
- To investigate the role of biology teachers in the management of laboratory equipment;
- To ascertain the role of student in the management of laboratory equipment;
- To examine the relationship between improvised teaching materials and student performance in biology;
- To know whether there is any significant difference between the mean scores of male and female students taught biology using practical methods; and
- To investigate whether there is any significant difference between the mean scores of urban and rural schools students taught biology using practical methods.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Is there any difference in the mean scores of students taught biology using practical and theory methods?
- Is there difference between the mean scores of male and female students taught biology using the practical methods?
- Is there any difference between the mean scores of rural and urban students taught biology using practical method?
- What is the effect of poor management of laboratory equipment on student performance in biology?
- What is the role of biology teachers in the management of laboratory equipment?
- What is the role of student in the management of laboratory equipment?
- What is the relationship between improvised teaching materials and student performance in biology?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Poor management of laboratory equipment does not have any effect on student academic performance in biology
- H1: Poor management of laboratory equipment does have an effect on student academic performance in biology
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Biology teachers do not play any role in the management of laboratory equipment.
- H1: Biology teachers do play a role in the management of laboratory equipment.
1.7 Significance of Study
The relevance of the study is stated as follows:
- The study will also be useful to biology student, as the also have a significant role to play in the management of biology laboratory;
- It will be of great importance to the management of secondary schools in the appointment and employment of qualified personnel to man the affairs of the biology laboratory;
- It will also be of great importance to researcher who intends to embark on a study on a similar topic as the study will guide them and serve as reference point to further studies; and
- Finally, the study will be of importance to students, teachers, lecturers, academia’s and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the study focuses on the Evaluation on the Opinions of Biology Students on Issues with Safety and Management in Laboratories using some selected secondary school in Enugu East Local Government Area, Enugu State as a case study.
1.9 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
1.10 Definition of Terms
Laboratory Management: Laboratory Management is responsible for providing advice and information to scientists on health and safety, particularly on how to carry out risk assessments and on appropriate control measures
Learning Outcome: Learning outcomes are statements of the knowledge, skills and abilities individual students should possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence of learning experiences.
Management: Management is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a not-for-profit organization, or government body.
Laboratory: A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed.
Laboratory Apparatus: The laboratory apparatus depends upon the type of laboratory you are in and the experiment you are going to perform.
