1.1 Introduction
Instructional materials have been observed as a powerful strategy to bring about effective teaching and learning. The importance of quality and adequate instructional materials in teaching and learning can occur through their effective utilization during classroom teaching. Instructional materials here include all the tools that the teachers can use to make the learning more interesting and memorable. Instructional methods consist of principles and methods used by teachers to enhance and relate the training to learners. It is defined by the process that you use to instruct people on a particular topic. Each instructional method has its use. Instructional methods are kinds of instructional ways or activities used to guide the facilitation of learning in each phase of the instructional process (Teachmint, 2021).
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, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Biology as a subject of life and living things needs to taught not just theoretically but practically for it be functional and to lay the base foundation needed for science and technological development.
Erickson (2005) noted that for a science teaching and learning to be effective every student must be given an opportunity to handle the materials of science and experience science personally. Biology is the study of life and living things, so a resourceful teacher does not have any reason for teaching biology, supporting him Asiabaka(2010:266) education is the key to national development, it provides the intellectual capability needed by man to enhance the human and material resource for scientific and technological advancement.
To advice the objectives of senior secondary education, the teaching and learning process have to be in order. Thus, Curriculum is planted at different levels of education system by different people. The curriculum of any school is carried out for the purpose of bringing about a change in the behavior of students, It is part of the school academic programme which the school presents to the student in response to societal demand. According to onyedikachi(2011), in educational setting it is impossible to teach without tools. We use new tools to spice up the teaching and learning process to make it possible for students to teach themselves. This is why Ezekoka(2008) states that instructional materials constitute an important component in the teaching and learning environment. She viewed it as the vehicles that carry messages or information from a transmitting source (teacher) to the receiver (learner).
Since the objectives of any biology teaching determines the content, materials and materials needed for achieving such: objectives. The materials use for enhancing instructional effectiveness are aspect of media employed for achieving the instructional objectives recent emphasis on teaching and learning method is on that in which learners are made to have active participation. Active participation of learners will increase motivation and also minimize abstraction associated with learning. Thus, increasing learning experiences (Afokloi and Adeleke, 2010:406). This can be facilitated by making use of instructional materials and resources which can minimize abstraction associated with learning. Teaching can only be effective when adequate and relevant instructional materials in teaching.
To this end, Onasanwa and Omosewo(2011) defined instructional materials as a system components that may be used as part of instructional process which are used to disseminate information message and idea or which make possible communicable in the teaching process.
Teaching aids are important catalyst of social re-engineering and change in learners. The role of instructional materials or teaching aid to enhance teaching for desired social and behavioral changes cannot be fully accomplished without the use of instructional materials. In modern teaching and learning situation, the utilization of instructional materials have become prominent because several experts and scholars are of the view that teaching will be better done if teaching aids or audio-visual aids are used and skill, students learn better if they are exposed to use the teaching materials no matter how prototype it would be.
It is against this background that the researcher deemed it necessary to investigate the effect of using instructional materials to teach biology in senior secondary schools in Orlu local government area of Imo State.
1.3 Statement of Problems
The ultimate goal of any instructional activity is to facilitate effective teaching and meaningful learning and the teacher is responsible for the translation, and implementation of educational policies, curriculum, instructional materials package and assessment of a school outcome. When a curriculum is developed without adequate support by appropriate and sufficient materials and information technology support, there is a waste and when teachers are inadequately trained to interpret the curriculum and to create and use learning materials there is also a waste (Amoo, 2002).
It has been observed that public schools lack basic instructional facilities, in some cases students are achieved to buy chalks and other instructional materials for the teaching and learning process. Consequently, students academic performance have been poor as it can be seen over the years through public examination and other examinations. In our senior secondary schools, teaching materials needed for teaching biology subjects are not made available to teachers and at affordable price to students where necessary, the teachers and students are therefore denied of the requisite exposure to such materials. This study therefore pose as a question, what are the effect of using instructional materials to teach biology in senior secondary school in Orlu local government area of Imo-state.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the Effectiveness of Instructional Materials in Teaching and Learning Biology in senior secondary school using Orlu local government area of Imo State as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To determine whether there will be any difference in the academic performance of secondary schools students in Biology due to the use of instructional materials.
- To ascertain if teachers use instructional materials in teaching and learning of biology in senior secondary schools in Orlu.
- To examine the influence of instructional material utilization on the teaching of Biology in Senior Secondary Schools; and
- To ascertain how effective teaching and learning can be achieved in the classroom situation by using instructional materials.
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:
- Will the use of instructional materials influence the teaching and application of Biology in senior secondary schools?
- Do teachers use instructional materials in teaching and learning process in secondary schools in Orlu L.G.A.?
- To what extent can senior secondary school students' learning of Biology be influenced by the use of instructional materials?
- How frequently do biology teachers utilize visual instructional materials during biology lesson?
- What are the problems associated with the effect of instructional materials in biology instruction?
- What are the challenges hindering teachers from using instructional materials in teaching and learning process in secondary schools?
- How can effective teaching and learning be achieved in the classroom situation by using instructional materials?
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: The use of instructional materials will not have significant influence on the teaching of Biology in senior secondary schools.
- H1: The use of instructional materials will have significant influence on the teaching of Biology in senior secondary schools.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Instructional material does not have significant impact on secondary school students' learning of Biology.
- H1: Instructional material has significant impact on secondary school students' learning of Biology.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: There will be no significant difference in the performance of students in Biology due to the use of instructional materials.
- H1: There will be significant difference in the performance of students in Biology due to the use of instructional materials.
1.7 Significance of Study
This study is significant in many way as I will be beneficial to educational management, policy makers, teachers and students, through the following ways:
- To the educational managers, state government and federal government, it will enable them to organize seminars and workshops for teachers soars to improve their quality of secondary school education. The study will serve as a feed back to the education sector especially the department of teachers training and development, curriculum and evaluation.
- The findings of this study if discussed at seminars and workshops in the area of this study, it will enable teachers have a clear knowledge on effectiveness use of instructional materials and also learn to take appropriate measure to improve the situation.
- To the students, the study will help them if adequate instructional materials are provided, it will help them to reach learning and understanding classroom instruction very well.
- Finally, the findings of this study will be beneficial to scholars and researchers since it will serve as reference materials on the related topics and also show case ways of improving students academic performance and to achieve better learning.
1.8 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the Effectiveness of Instructional Materials in Teaching and Learning Biology in senior secondary school. This study covers all the public secondary schools in Orlu local government area of Imo-state. It will also cover the utilization, functions, constraints, and types of Instructional materials.
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.
- 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
Instructional Material: What the teacher uses to make the lesson more interesting and understandable.
Utilization: The act of using something to achieve a purpose
Effect: This is the change (outcome) that is brought about in a person(s) or something by another person (s) or thing; that is the way in which an event, action or person changes someone or something.
Academic Performance: This is regarded as the display of knowledge attained or skills, shown in the school subjects such achievements are indicated by test scores or by marks assigned by teachers. It is the school evaluation of students' classroom work as quantified on the basis of marks or grades.
