Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to determine “The Effects of instructional materials on academic Performance of Students in Geography in Buea Municipality”. The study was aimed at finding out the success of instructional materials on the academic performance of students in Geography. These instructional Materials were print materials, Visual Materials and Real things.  The study was conducted in public, private and confessional secondary schools in Buea Municipality. The target population was 50 students. Questionnaire made up of three closed ended questions which were administer to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data collected from respondents and this was done with the aid of Chi-square. The main finding of this study revealed that instructional materials has a significant effect on the academic performance of students in Geography in Buea Municipality. And the specific finding revealed that print materials, Visual Materials and Real things being instructional Materials have a great impact on the academic performance of students in Geography.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Pedagogic practice in Cameroon need increasing recognition and extra distinguished attention laying emphasis on appropriate use of instructional material which encourage the use of enquiring, teaching and solving problem approaches by teachers on one hand inferential and critical thinking by student of the other hand (Tambo 2003). The use of instructional material during teaching and learning in class facilitate and enable easy understanding students as easy delivery of lesson by teachers learning becomes very difficult when teachers and students make less use of instructional material in teaching and learning process. This result to poor students’ performance in class assessment and even public examination. According to Farant (1969, P 136) Pictures and charts use in teaching should fulfill as many of the requirement as possible.

 

1.1 Background Of The Study

The frequent use of instructional materials in teaching and learning process especially Geography, offers students and teachers exciting and motivating means for involvement, active participation and even timely feedback. During the period of my teaching practice one and two, I notice that there was inadequate use of instructional material in the teaching of Geography. It is common for teachers in the classroom rushing through explanation of complicated concepts expecting students to grasp the concept within a few minutes of the lesson time. This often makes some geographical concepts to be difficult for students to understand without the use of print, visual material and Real things.

 

1.2 Statement Of Problem

During teaching practice student teachers from the University of Buea, training college use teaching aids in developing their lesson. This activity has been given more credit because students usually perform better if not best when their teachers use print, visual materials and real things to teach. According to NDAMET. T. 2015 learners are classified into three categories; The Kinestic, the visual and the Auditory learners and he pointed out that visual learners will learn best when real things or visual materials are used. For the time that I spent in secondary school, during my teaching practice one and two, I notice that some teachers use instructional materials to deliver lessons while some do not and others do so irregularly. This may affect students’ performance in private and public exams. These effects may be failing of exams, scoring below average.

 

1.3 Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to find out the influence of instructional material on academic performance of students in the Buea Municipality. This study wills find out the degree to which print and visual materials and real things has on the academic performance of students in schools in the Buea Municipality.

 

1.4 Objective Of The Study

The objective of this study is to find out how the use of

1. Print material in teaching affect students’ academic performance
2. Visual materials in teaching affect students’ academic performance
3. Real things in teaching affect students’ academic performance.

 

1.5 Research Question

From the research objective already stated, the research questions below have been formulated.

1. How does the use of print material in teaching affect students’ academic performance?
2. How does the use of visual material in teaching affect students’ academic performance?
3. How does the use of Real things in the teaching affect students’ academic performance?

 

1.6 Hypothesis

Research hypothesis 1

HA: There is a significant influence between the use of print materials and students’ academic performance in Geography

HO: There is no influence between the use of print materials and students’ academic performance in Geography.

Research hypothesis 2

HA: There is significant influence between the use of visual materials and students’ academic performance in Geography.

HO: There is no influence between the use of visual materials and students’ academic performance.

Research hypothesis 3

HA: There is a significant influence between the use of real things and students’ academic performance in Geography.

HO: There is no influence between the use of real things and students’ academic performance in Geography.