ABSTRACT

This study was designed to investigate the effect of the use of instructional materials on academic achievement of students in physics in umuahia north local government area. A quasi-experimental research design was used for the study this was in non-randomized pre-test, post-test control group design. This study was guided by four research question and three null hypotheses. The population of the study is 4293. This consists of 243 physics teachers and 4050 physics students (2014/2015) drawn from secondary school in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. The sample comprised of 180 students and 180 teachers giving a total of 320 students and teachers. The sample was drawn from local government out of 17 local governments in Abia State. students were purposively selected at intact classes' level in two schools that had not below 45 students per class and 80 physics teacher selected were randomly sample out of 30 secondary schools in Umuahia North Local Government area of Abia State. Intact classes of Senior Secondary (SS1) from the sampled schools were assigned to two groups the control and experimental group from each school. Two set of instrument was designed for the study. The instruments used to collect data for the study was physics teacher questionnaire and 'Students Achievement test in physics' (SATP). It consisted of 50 multiple choice test items. The test items were constructed by the researcher based on the objectives of the content areas. Physics teacher questionnaire and Students' Achievement test in physics (SATP) was validated by three experts in the Department of science Education, College of Agricultural and Science Education, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike. These experts ensured both face and contents validity of the instruments. The inputs that they made were incorporated in order to update the final copy of the instrument. The SATP instrument was administered to 45 students in the school that was not used for the main study. Mean method of reliability was used and the scores were computed using Cronbach Alpha and yielded a coefficient 0.72. The entire research question was analyzed using mean scores and average mean scores while chi-Square was employed in testing the hypothesis I and t-test statistic was used for testing hypothesis 2 and 3. The results reveals that the availability and the use of instructional materials in teaching of physics influences the academic performance of physics students, reveals that teachers experience influences the use of instructional materials in teaching physics and lack of instructional materials in secondary schools affect the use of instructional materials. Based on the findings it was recommended that Regular supply of instructional materials should be embarked on by the Governments at all levels