Factors affecting the selection of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of basic science in secondary schools, Imo State Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the factors affecting the selection of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of basic science in secondary schools, Imo State Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive survey design to find out how factors affecting the selection of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of basic science in public secondary schools in Owerri Municipal Council, Imo State. Two hundred (200) respondents comprising teachers and students from seven (7) public secondary schools in the council were interviewed using a modified five-point Likert instrument (questionnaire). The data collected were coded into SPSS and analyzed with descriptive statistics. The results showed that 103 persons strongly reported they don’t have availability instructional materials, 68 persons agreed that unfavourable time allocation affects instructional materials used by teachers to develop lesson plan, 69 persons strongly agreed that lack of skills is one of the factors affect instructional materials used in the teaching and learning of basic science in secondary schools. Also, 148 persons strongly agreed that instructional materials should be made available in schools and teachers should be encouraged in using materials during teaching. Then, lack of instructional materials/facilities and non-utilization were among the major causes of poor performance of students in basic science in Owerri Municipal Council. In conclusion, it was understood that non availability of instructional materials, unfavourable time allocation, lack of skills, lack of facilities like basic science laboratory were major factors affect teachers, school administrators and government in teaching and learning of the basic science. Therefore, Government or public school authorities should help to provide instructional materials such as modern textbooks, charts, posters, computers, flip chart, and audio recordings, because basic science in secondary schools cannot be adequate learned without instructional materials.