ABSTRACT
This research is on an appraisal of
infrastructural facilities and personnel for teaching physics in senior secondary
schools in Adamawa state. The main objective of the study is to examine if
there is adequate infrastructural facilities for teaching Physics in senior
secondary schools in Nigeria. Specific objectives are: To examine the quality
of personnel teaching Physics in Nigerian senior secondary schools, To identify
the relationship between infrastructure and performance in Physics in senior
secondary schools in Nigeria.
In the methodology, data used for the study was
gotten from the primary data which is the questionnaire. The population of the
study consists of 100 employees. In analyzing the data collected for the
purpose of carrying out this research, the statistical tool known as the
Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPC) and the statistics were used. The use
of sample percentage was also employed. Tables were used in presenting the data
for the purpose of the simplicity and clarity. Findings from the study
reveals that majority of the respondents are of the opinion that there are no adequate infrastructural facilities for teaching physics in
Nigeria.
The
outcome of this study will educate stakeholders in the education sector and the
general public on the state of infrastructural facilities and quality of
personnel available for the teaching of Physics in the Nigerian Senior
secondary schools.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title Page - - - - - - - - - i
Approval Page - - - - - - - - ii
Declaration - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - v
Abstract - - - - - - - - - vi
Table of Contents - - - - - - - vii
CHAPTER
ONE – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - -
1.2 Statement of General Problem - - - -
1.3 Objective of the Study - - - - - -
1.4 Research Questions - - - - - -
1.5 Hypothesis
- - -
- - -
- - -
1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - -
1.7 Scope of the Study - - - - - -
1.8 Definition of Terms - - - - - -
CHAPTER
TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
2.2 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - -
2.3 Empirical
review - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
3.2 Research Design - - - - - - - -
3.3 Area of the Study - - - - - - - -
3.4 Population of Study - - - - - - - -
3.5 Sample size and Sampling Techniques - - - - -
3.6 Instrument for Data Collection - - - - - -
3.7 Validity of the Instrument - - - - - - -
3.8 Reliability of the Instrument - - - - - -
3.9 Method of Data Collection - - - - - - -
3.10 Method of Data Analysis - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis - - - - - -
4.2 Characteristics of the Respondents - - - - -
4.3 Data
Analysis - - - - - - - - -
4.4 Testing Hypothesis - - - - - - - -
4.5 Summary
of Findings - - - - - - - -
4.6 Discussion of Findings - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - - -
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - -
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - -
References
- - - - - - - - - -
Appendix - - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Poor schooling has proved to be
the greatest barrier to political, social and economic transformation in many
African countries. School
infrastructural facilities have been observed as a potent factor to
quantitative education. The importance to teaching with provision of adequate
instructional facilities for education cannot be over-emphasized. Pertaining to
the teaching of physics in secondary schools, Infrastructural facilities
include equipments and materials that are available to facilitate students learning
outcome. It includes good buildings for classrooms and laboratories, laboratory
equipments, experiment materials/apparatus, books, audio-visual, software and
hardware ofeducational technology; so also, size of classroom and laboratory,
sitting position and arrangement, availability of tables, chairs,chalkboards,
shelves on which instruments for practicals are arranged (Farrant, 1991
andFarombi, 1998).
According
to Oni (1992), infrastructural facilities constitute a strategic factor in the
functioning of a secondary school system. This is so becausethey determine to a
very large extent the smooth functioning of any teaching and experimentaldemonstrations
and even other extra-curricular activities. He further stated that
theiravailability, adequacy and relevance influence efficiency and highperformance.
In his words, Farombi (1998) opined that the wealth of a nation or society
could determine thequality of education in that land; emphasizing that a
society that is wealthy will establish good schools withprofessional personnel
(quality teachers), learning infrastructures that with such, students may learn
with ease thus bringing about goodacademic achievement. Writing on the role of
facilities in teaching, Balogun (1982) submitted that no effectivescience
education programme including physics can exist without equipment for teaching.
This is because facilities enable thelearner to develop problem-solving skills
and scientific attitudes. In their contribution, Ajayi and Ogunyemi(1990)
reiterated that when facilities are provided to meet relative needs of a school
system, students will notonly have access to the reference materials mentioned
by the teacher, but individual students will also learn attheir own paces and
there is room and necessary equipment for the teacher for further research and
constant practice. The net effect of this is increased overall academic
performance of the entire students.
In recent times, there has
been a growing public anxiety about the poor performance of students in Physics
in Nigerian schools. Studies showed that large numbers of students seem to
learn very little physics at school, learning tends to be by rote and students
find learning of Physics to be difficult (Salau, 1996). The quality of the
personnels handling Physics in Nigerian schools has also been questioned over
time by parents, science educators, and the general public and even by the
government (Okebukola, 1997). Physics teaching in Nigerian schools has been
criticized because of the poor performance of Nigerian students in Physics
relative to their counterparts in other countries. This is evident from the
Second International Science Study in which Nigerian students came second to
last in secondary science among the participating countries of the world (STAN,
1992).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The current situation of Physics
teaching and learning in Nigeria is a concern to all including government and
the society at large. Research indicates that many students found Physics as a
subject to be difficult, boring and not interesting to them (Salau, 1995,
1996). Large class sizes, inadequate funding, insufficient curriculum
resources, poor teaching skills and lack of supports for teachers among other
factors further limit the quality of Physics teaching and learning in Nigerian
schools (Okebukola, 1997). To solve these lingering problems one needs to
develop a realistic picture of what is currently happening in the teaching and
learning of Physics in Nigerian schools and also to identify the factors that
are limiting the quality of personnel training. Furthermore, one needs to
develop a reasonable ideal picture for which the nation can strive towards
within the existing resource limitations.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives for this study:
1. To
examine if there is adequate infrastructural facilities for teaching Physics in
senior secondary schools in Nigeria.
2. To
examine the quality of personnel teaching Physics in Nigerian senior secondary
schools.
3. To
identify the relationship between infrastructure and performance in Physics in
senior secondary schools in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Are
there adequate infrastructural facilities for teaching Physics in senior
secondary schools in Nigeria?
2. What
is the quality of personnel teaching Physics in Nigerian senior secondary
schools?
3. What
is the relationship between infrastructure and performance in Physics in senior
secondary schools in Nigeria.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will educate stakeholders in the education sector and the
general public on the state of infrastructural facilities and quality of
personel available for the teaching of Physics in the Nigerian Senior secondary
schools.
2. This research will also serve as a
resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out
further research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to
provide new explanation to the topic
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study will cover the level infrastructural
facility and personnel available for teaching Physics in senior secondary
schools in Nigeria.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously
engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down
on the time devoted for the research work.
REFERENCES
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Teaching, Supervision and Administration in Primary Schools inAjayi, A.O &
Akinwumiju, J.A. (Eds): Personnel
Performance and Capacity Building.
Ibadan, Nigeria.
Balogun, T. A. (1983). Interest in science and technology
education in Nigeria. Paper presented at the 12th International Symposium
on Interest in Science and Technology Education, Lagos-Nigeria.
Farombi, J.G. (1998). Resource Concentration, Utilization
and Management as Correlates of Students’ Learningoutcomes: A study in School
Quality in Oyo State. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, university of Ibadan.
Farrant,J. S. (1991). Principles and
practice of Education (Tenth Impression Singapore Longman.
Okebukola, P. A. O. (1997). The state of science education in
Nigeria. Paper presented at the ELLSA-British Council Primary Science
Forum, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Oni, J.O. (1992). Resource and Resource Utilisation as
Correlates of School Academic Performance.Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, University
of Ibadan
Salau, M. O. (1995). An analysis of students' enrolment and
performance in mathematics at the senior school certificate level. Journal
of Studies in Curriculum, 28-36.
Salau, M. O. (1996). The effect of class size on the achievement
of different ability groups in mathematics. Journal of The Science Teachers
Association of Nigeria, 31(1&2), 55-61.
STAN. (1992). Raising the standard of performance in public
examinations in science, technology and mathematics. Position paper No. 4.Ibadan:
STAN