Abstract
This study is on effect of instructional aids on the academic performance of junior secondary student. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected secondary schools in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up principals, vice principals administrative, senior staff and junior staff was used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
The primary purpose of teaching at any level of education is to bring a fundamental change in the learner. To facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate instructional aids that best suit specific objectives and bring about outcomes (Tebabal and Kahssay, 2011). Until today, questions about the effectiveness of instructional aids on student learning process have consistently raised considerable interest in the thematic field of educational research (Hightower et al., 2011). Moreover, research on teaching and learning constantly endeavour to examine the extent to which different teaching techniques enhance success in students’ learning. Quite remarkably, regular poor academic performance by the majority students is fundamentally linked to application of ineffective instructional aids by teachers to impact knowledge to learners (Adunola, 2011). The teacher initiates communication and influences students to think in a particular ways as guided by the instructional aids. However, whether the teacher authoritatively leads communication throughout the instructional process or whether the teacher takes up facilitation role is a matter of choice. The instructional aids used by teachers in sharing knowledge with students is considered as a factor capable of influencing students’ academic performance at all tiers of the education system (Tella, Indoshi, and Othuon, 2010).
Instructional aids are print and non-print items that are designed to impart information to students in the educational process (Bradley, Mbarika, Sankar and Raju, 2005). Among these items are textbooks, charts, magazines, newspapers, audio-visual, pictures, recordings, slides, transparencies and many more. The use of instructional aids in secondary schools has been widely researched and the findings indicate that the benefits of using them are immense. The integration of instructional aids in classroom practice is believed to bolster the quality of instruction by fostering student-centred pedagogies (Abdo and Semela 2010). Furthermore, according to Mateer, Purdom, Ghent and Porter ( 2012) the use of relevant instructional media in the classroom is invaluable since it engages students, aids their retention of knowledge, motivates interest in the subject matter and helps to illustrate the relevance of many concepts taught and enhance students academic performance. Instructional aids can be teacher-centered, learner-centered or mixed approach. Quite often, teachers prefer aids that make their work easier based on their beliefs, personal preferences and norms of their disciplines (Watson, 2003). In this regard, some teachers believe that lessons should be teacher-centered, where the teacher is the expert and the authority in presenting information (Ahmad and Aziz, 2009). Nevertheless, teacher-centered aids are associated with inadequate stimulation of students’ innovative capacities, intellectual thinking, and memorization, cramming of facts, poor knowledge retention and high dependency among students of business studies (McDowell, 2001; Tanner, 2009). Although teachers have the discretion to choose methods for delivering lessons to their students, Chika (2012) observes that learner-centered pedagogy is a powerful strategy for improving learning achievement in business studies’ examinations and application of knowledge and skills acquired. Business Studies is taught in the junior secondary school level as one of the basic subjects that will enable students acquire further skills which are common and fundamental to all personal and occupational activities (Inyang, 1998). Business activity affects the daily lives of all Nigerians as they work, spend, save, invest, travel and play. It influences jobs, incomes and opportunities for personal enterprise. Business has significant effect on the standard of living and quality of life of people, and on the environment in which they live and which future generations will inherit (Ekanem, 2008). Eventually, all students will encounter the world of business, whether they work in urban or rural areas. They must be prepared to engage in business activity with confidence and competence. According to Ikerionwu in Sola (2010) instructional aids are objects or devices, which help the teacher to make a lesson much clearer to the learner. Instructional materials are also described as concrete or physical objects which provide sound, visual or both to the sense organs during teaching (Agina-obu, 2005). Instructional materials are in various classes, such as audio or aural, visual or audiovisual. Hence, this study seeks to examine the effect of instructional aids on the academic performance of Junior Secondary School Student in Business Studies.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
As noted by Odundo (2003), students of business studies who experience a mismatch between instructional aids used during teaching and their preferred styles often feel that their learning needs are being addressed using an unfamiliar language. The mismatch poses a difficulty for some students in internalizing the materials delivered, leading to lower grades. Similarly, Zeeb (2004) indicate that students whose styles are not matched with instructional methods that are chosen by teachers are less likely to develop interest in learning. In the absence of learner interest in a subject, concentration level drops and learning achievement is greatly impaired.