ABSTRACT
This study was aimed at investigating the problems affecting the
effective teaching of physics practicals in Ovia South West Local
Government Area of Edo State and to suggest ways of improving the
teaching of physics practical if possible.
The hypotheses formulated for the study were:-
i. There will be no significance difference between the
performance of students with adequate laboratory facilities and those
without.
ii. There will be no significant difference between the
performance of students taught by professionally qualified teachers in
physics and those taught by non-qualified teachers.
iii. There will be no significance difference between the
performances of students exposed to more practical than those who are
taught only during the advert of examinations.
iv. There will be no significant difference between the
performance of students with laboratory and those with no laboratory.
v. There will be no significant difference between the
performance of students motivated and those who are not motivated.
From the findings of the research work, hypothesis 1, 2, 3, and 5 were accepted while hypothesis 4 was rejected.
Based on these findings, appropriate recommendations were made.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Man was able to progress to a high degree of civilization through the
careful study of the causes of natural phenomena. These studies led to
the accumulation of a large body of information, which is embodied in
quantitative laws and theories, which in turn led to further
discoveries. From these scientific discoveries, the inventive mind of
man developed the machine and industrial processes which are in direct
proportion to the degree of civilization.
The study of science cannot thus be complete without experiment work,
but if we recall some few years back, we would see that physics has
always been taught in most of our secondary schools, as a body of
theoretical knowledge and little or no attempt has been made to approach
the teaching and learning of physics in a practically oriented way.
According to Searl (1972) “As far as science is concerned,
experimentation is always exploratory or perhaps it would be more
accurate to say information seeking. Experiments are undertaken to
obtain new knowledge, to confirm predictions and to test the validity of
assertion of others.
Since course, materials, equipment, laboratory facilities and
appropriate experiments are necessary for the effective teaching of
physics practicals and learning of physics as a whole; one is not
astonished to find students within Ovia South West Local Government Area
records low percentage passes than others in the Senior Secondary
School Certificate Examination in physics.
Judging from these facts, it could be stated that science laboratory
and experiments are success determinants in the school physics
practicals and therefore the importance of laboratory equipment cannot
be over emphasized.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The effective teaching of physics practicals in secondary schools in
Ovia South West Local Government Area is the concern of this study. This
problem is looked at from various perspectives, which are;
- Are there laboratories in these secondary schools?
- Do these laboratories have adequate facilities for the effective teaching of physics practicals?
- Are there qualified and trained teachers to mange the laboratory?
- Are the students exposed to any form of practical?
- Do the students show positive attitude as these been motivated towards physics practicals?
1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The purpose of this study is to identify some of the major problems
that are associated with the teaching of physics practicals in some
secondary schools in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State.
Having identified such problems, the researcher hopes to suggest
possible solutions, which might help to reduce to the barest minimum the
number of such problems. And it is hoped that the study would assists
in future other researcher who might be interested in conducting a study
in this field.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
It is the hope of the researcher that the work will acquaint the
physics teachers with the problems of physics practicals teaching. Apart
from this, it will also be of immense use to other teachers in
Chemistry, Biology and Agricultural Science who are faced with similar
problems. Furthermore, it will make the physics students know where
emphasis should be laid to further enrich the study and learning of
physics.
Finally, this study will serve as a pointer to school administrators
and educational planners as to what must be done to give students a
progressive education.
1.6 HYPOTHESES
In other to study the factors affecting the teaching of physics
practicals of the students in some selected in some selected secondary
schools in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State; the
following hypothesis are formulated as:
1. There will be no significant difference between the
performance of students with adequate laboratory facilities and those
with no laboratory facilities.
2. There will be no significance difference between the
performance of students taught by professionally qualified teachers in
physics and those taught by non-qualified teachers.
3. There will be no significant difference between the
performances of students exposed to more practicals than those who are
taught only during the advert of examinations.
4. There will be no significant difference between the
performances of students with laboratory and those with no laboratory.
5. There will be no significant difference between the
performance of students motivated and those who are not motivated.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS USED
QUALIFIED: Teachers who posses NCE, B.Ed, M.Ed with Physics as a major discipline
LABORATORY: It is a place providing opportunities for experimentation, observation of practicals in the filed of physics.
SECONDARY SCHOOL: This refers to post primary institution in which students take WAEC examination.
WAEC: It means West African Examination Council. It
is an examination set for every eligible final year students of
secondary school in Nigeria and some other West African Countries.
POINTER: A guideline to teachers