The Impact of Instructional Materials on Learners’ Performance in Social Studies in Junior Secondary Schools
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to find out the effect of using instructional materials in teaching social studies in junior secondary school, specifically, the study intends to:
- Find out the effect of instructional material on the academic performance of students in Social studies.
- Determine if the competence of the teacher will affect the selection of instructional material for the teaching and learning of Social studies
- Determine if there is a significant difference in the performance of students taught with instructional materials and those taught without them.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Learning Theories about Instructional Materials
Learning according to Kimble and Germezy (1991) is a qualitative permanent change in a behavioural tendency as a result of reinforced practice”. Learning as inferred state of the organism, should be distinguished from performance, on observed state of the organism. Learning events consist of stimuli, learner and responses. According to Mukherjee (1978), learning may be held to be an inference from some performance of the organisms manifesting a change of behaviour. But changes of behaviour can be brought about in an individual by the influence of drugs or tiredness. Such changes in behaviour are temporary and they do not imply any gain to the organism, for his survival, and hence they can be excluded as example of learning. To understand what psychologists mean by learning, one has to distinguish between the kinds of changes and their related antecedents, which are included in learning and the related kinds of changes, and their antecedents which are not included as learning. There are a number of learning theories, these learning theories fall into two broad categories, namely; connectionist and cognitive theories. Under connectionists heading the researcher considers the explanation of Thorndike and Skinner, while under cognitive, Gestalt psychology was outlined and explained.
The theory of E.l.L Thorndike (1914-1949)
The Thorndike the basis of learning is an association of some sort between sense impression and actions, between stimulus(s) and response(s). His major theoretical statement as the law of effect. This is its simplest form stated that the setting up and strengthening of any association and connection between a stimulus and a response depend not only on their occurring together, but also on the effects that follow their occurring together. These effects may be satisfying and rewarding of annoying and punishing. He attempted to define these effects objectively and more in terms of behaviour that could be observed. By a satisfying state of affairs is meant one which the animal does nothing to avoid, often doing things which maintain of renew it. By annoying state of affair is meant one which the animal does nothing to preserve, often doing things which put an end to it. (p. 132). Later, experimental work made Thorndike to modify the law of effect suggesting that reward is more important and effective than punishment in the learning situation. He retained the view that reward strengthens connections and associations, but now saw punishment as weakening them only indirectly. Punishment does its connection with the stimulus. According to Thorndike‟s terms, what really happens when an operator learns an industrial task like drilling, where he picks up a component, places it in a jig, brings down the drill with a certain pressure, etc. The clearing processes here is seen as establishing a series of corrections between specific stimuli and specific responses, set up by the effects of reward and punishment on the occurring together or the stimuli responses. Thorndike emphases the relevance of an analysis at the level of the senses and the motor response mechanism of the effectors and muscles. This is an approach to the learning process in 9 terms of determining the relevance stimuli and responses are common to connectionist theories, and has proved very useful in training
The Theory of B. F. Skinner
Classical learning theory was observed almost exclusively from studies of animal learning and its value within educational technology has probably been overrated. However, certain basic concept should be mentioned, the most relevant being secondary reinforcement. Stated simply, the assumption was that, animals would act in order to reduce the strength of an internal psychological need (primary drive). Primary reinforcement, as it was postulated, directly reduced primary drive (e.g longer or thins) while secondary reinforces were stimuli closely associated with this process. A classic demonstration was by Cowle (1973) who trained chimpanzees to use tokens in a vending machine to obtain food and subsequently to solve discrimination problems in order to obtain the tokens alone. It is still generally argued that most human learning is governed by secondary rather than primary reinforcement. Skinner sees the organism as essentially active in the environment, emitting behaviour. Any aspect of that behaviour may be reinforced by the environment. The job of the trainer is to ensure current organization, structuring, programming in the training department, that the right bit of baheviour is reinforced. This amends that he needs to be clear as to what the right bits of behaviour is. The trainer according to skinner, must start with a precise statement of desired terminal behaviour. He must to also ensure that, the appropriate stimulus, the right type of behaviour and the reinforcement (mastery) are corrected in they individual‟s experience, programmed instruction attempts to do all this. Skinner‟s view on reinforcement myths be summarized as follows:-
(a) He re-affirm Thorndike‟s earlier contention, that positive reinforcement is to be preferred to punishment. Since positive reinforcement is so important we need to breakdown the learning tasks, as in programmed instruction, to ensure that the individual will make responses that are correct and so may be reinforced positively.
(b) The timing to reinforcement is crucial, because the sooner it is even after the correct response the better. Again in programmed instruction the correct response is followed in Skinner‟s terms by immediate reinforcement. As we shall see, this parallels what the trainer does when he provides the trainer with knowledge of his result.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to the impact of instructional materials on learner’s performance in social studies in junior secondary school
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on the impact of instructional materials on learner’s performance in social studies in junior secondary school. 200 staff of selected secondary schools in uyo government of Akwa Ibom state was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was on the impact of instructional materials on learners’ performance in social studies in junior secondary school. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of instructional materials on learners’ performance in social studies in junior secondary school
Summary
This study was on the impact of instructional materials on learners’ performance in social studies in junior secondary school. Three objectives were raised which included: Find out the effect of instructional material on the academic performance of students in Social studies, Determine if the competence of teacher will affect the selection of an instructional material for the teaching and learning of Social studies and Determine if there is a significant different in the performance of students taught with instructional materials and those taught without them. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected secondary schools in Uyo local government of 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 principals, vice principals administration, senior staffs and junior staffs were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
The study concluded that the importance of instructional materials in the development of learners’ intellectual abilities and attainment of teaching/learning objectives cannot be over-emphasized. The students taught with instructional materials have excellent achievement scores compared with those taught without any material. It was also noted in the study that there is no significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on students’ achievement in Social Studies.
Recommendation
- Students should corroborate the efforts of other stakeholders in improvisation of instructional materials to enhance learning and promote academic performance in schools.
- Teachers should always try their best to make use of available instructional materials where necessary to make their lessons more interesting.
- Teachers of Social Studies are encouraged to search for necessary instructional materials that can appeal to the senses of learners, arouse their interest, encourage their participation, make learning more meaningful and promote academic standard
References
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