ABSTRACT
The study’s main focus is on the availability of instructional resources for effective computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools, with Ifelodun Local Government Area in Kwara State as a case study. The researcher used a survey research design for the study and used a suitable sampling approach to pick 150 participants from chosen secondary schools in Ifelodun Local Government Area in Kwara State to be the study’s respondent. The responder was given a well-structured questionnaire, and a total of 141 replies were obtained and validated for the study. Simple percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to examine the data in frequencies and tables. According to the findings of the study, the availability of instructional material in Computer Science is limited, and most teachers are unwilling to improvise. The study finds that properly selected and used instructional materials aid in consolidating information in the learner’s mind and helping him recall topics that would have been easily lost, as well as boosting the overall quality of students’ learning experiences. As a result, the study suggests that the State Ministry of Education’s Education Board allocate funds to various Zonal Education Offices, Local Education Authorities, and principals for the purpose of maintaining and repairing damaged equipment. Teachers and students should improvise locally generated instructional materials for computer science teaching using resources from the school environment or raw materials from outside the school environment.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Science is a huge undertaking that nations rely on to grow technologically. As a result of its importance and relevance to life and society, science is receiving a lot of attention in education. Science is regarded as the foundation upon which current technological breakthroughs are based. Since the world is turning, countries all over the world, particularly emerging ones like Nigeria, are working hard to progress technologically and scientifically. Science, according to Ogunleye (2002), is a dynamic human endeavor aimed at comprehending the workings of our universe. This understanding allows man to learn more about the cosmos, which is why secondary schools teach science subjects like computer science, biology, agriculture, physics, and chemistry.
Importantly, excellent teaching of any subject will increase students’ interest in the subject while also improving their exam performance. The usage of instructional materials is required to produce an effective teaching and learning process. The many teaching aids or gear that a classroom teacher uses to facilitate his or her teaching for the achievement of the stated purpose are referred to as instructional materials. Agun (1992) defined instructional resources as things that benefit both teachers and students and help them learn more effectively in many areas.
Instructional materials include everything from homemade gadgets to high-tech machines, as well as people who aid the teacher in conveying knowledge and information so that students can learn more effectively (Ololobou, 2008). Materials allow students to become actively involved in the teaching process intellectually, perceptually, and physically because their sense organs are gates to learning (Jekayinfa, 2005). Print materials, audio-materials, audio-visuals, static/displays, and electronic materials were classified in the National Teachers Institute (NTI) teacher training manual, according to Ololobou (2008). The materials come from a variety of places, including community donations, improvised materials by teachers and students, distribution of materials by government and non-governmental organizations, and the establishment of resource centers. Any efficient use of instructional materials necessitates the organization of the instructional process with a combination of people, resources, facilities, and equipment to achieve the stated learning objectives.
Statement of the problem
Despite the need for technology advancement and the fact that Computer Science is a critical topic for technological advancement, pupils’ poor performance in secondary schools in Kwara State has become a cause of concern for educational stakeholders. Some scholars have attributed this dreadful situation to a number of factors, including inadequate and poor-quality teachers, and a lack of instructional materials, among others, because the use of instructional materials in secondary schools, particularly in the Ifelodun Local Government Area, is not encouraging. As a result, students’ motivation and interest in biological science are low. This is because, due to a lack of instructional materials in schools, teachers employ the verbalistic and theoretical technique of teaching and studying the subject. Despite the fact that there is a smattering of literature on instructional aids and efficient teaching and learning in other science subjects such as Biology and Chemistry, none has concentrated on Computer Science. Thus, the study attempts to investigate the availability of instructional resources for successful computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools in Ifelodun Government Area, Kwara State.
Objective of the study
The overall goal of this research is to look into the availability of instructional resources for successful computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools in the Ifelodun Government Area of Kwara State. The study aims to find out:
- To investigate the types of instructional materials required for efficient computer science education in secondary schools in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Government Area.
- To ascertain the extent to which instructional materials are available in secondary schools in the Ifelodun Government Area of Kwara State.
- To see if computer science teachers make up their own teaching aids when they don’t have any.
- To see if having access to and using instructional materials makes computer science teaching and learning more successful.
Research Question
What types of instructional materials are needed to teach computer science effectively in secondary schools in Ifelodun Government Area, Kwara State?
- What is the extent of instructional materials availability in secondary schools in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Government Area?
- In the absence of instructional tools, do computer science teachers improvise teaching aids?
- Is the availability and use of instructional material conducive to good computer science teaching and learning?
Significance of the study
Classroom teachers, curriculum developers, students, researchers, and parents will benefit from this research. Teachers will be more knowledgeable on how to assist and support their students in developing better instructional materials. If discussed in workshops and seminars, the findings of this study will guide the selection of instructional materials utilized in the teaching/learning process in Computer Science and other subject areas. The outcomes of this study will also aid in addressing the issue of a lack of instructional materials for biology teaching and learning. Parents will have a better understanding of how to encourage and assist their children in making improvised materials. This could take the form of obtaining local resources and providing funding for those who are unable to find them in their environment. Finally, the research will add to the body of knowledge and act as a resource for students and academics interested in conducting additional research in a related topic.
Scope of the study
The focus of this research is on the availability of instructional materials for effective computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools. The study investigates the types of instructional resources required for effective computer science teaching and the extent to which these materials are available. It will explore whether computer science teachers improvise teaching aids in the absence of instructional materials, as well as if the availability and use of instructional materials promotes. The research is limited to secondary schools in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area.
Limitation of the study
The researchers faced some limitations while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. Because there was a scarcity of literature on the subject due to the fact that it was a new discourse, the researcher had to spend more money and time sourcing for relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection process, which is why the researcher chose a small sample size of secondary schools in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State. As a result, the conclusions of this study cannot be applied to other secondary schools in Nigeria.
Leave a Comment