Application of Audio-Visual Aids in the Teaching of Biology in Secondary Schools

Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the influence of Application of Audio-Visual Aids in the Teaching of Biology in Secondary Schools in Onna local Government area of Akwa Ibom State and the population consists of all the senior secondary two (SS2) students offering biology in the study area. The total population was one thousand four hundred and three (1403) students. Three research questions and three research hypotheses were postulated to guide the study. The study employed quasi-experimental research work. The sample size for this study was one hundred (100) biology students. The instrument used in gathering the needed data for the study was the researcher’s made questionnaire called” Application of audio-visual Aids and the teaching of biology Questionnaire (AAVATBQ). Data obtained was analyzed using independent t-test statistical method.

The findings revealed that the use of audio-visual aids significantly influence the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Onna local government area. Based on the result of the findings, it was recommended among others that teachers should use audio-visual aids in the teaching and learning of biology as this will help to arouse students’ interest towards the learning of the Biology.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Teaching and learning processes are very crucial at all levels of educational development. If well planned and directed, they are the keys to success and progress of individual. Therefore, best methods have to be used in order to enhance effective teaching and learning. Audio-visual aids according to Dike (2009) do not only increase the motivation of the teachers and learners; they add clarity to the topic taught and make learning more interesting. Permanent learning according to Njoku ((2014) is the goal of education in that the learners should be able to retain what is taught  audio-visual aids make learning more permanent since they appeal to more than one sense.

Ode and Omokaro (2012) revealed that learners retain most of what they hear, see and feel than what they merely hear. This concept bears credence to the old chines adage which says ‘what I hear I forget what, what I see I remember and what I I know Arnett (2010, as cited in Claiborne and Drewery, 2013). A visual instruction encourages the use of audio-visual aids to make abstract ideas more concrete to the learners.  Therefore, the teacher’s duty is to make learning live, not just something to remember but part of living experience. This can be done effectively by employing the use of audio-visual aids in teaching and learning of biology as a mean of imparting knowledge to learners. Educators have come to realize that the most effective teaching and learning take place when an individual has direct experience with the subject under study, in order word, learners learn best by doing.

However, there has been no consensus on the workability or otherwise of the use of audio-visual aids in teaching and learning of numerous work done by researchers and authors of reputes. On the contrary, there has been a surge in the number of people who feel worried about the negative aspects in the use of audio-visual aids.

At present, education is under constant changing and multiplicity in policies, methods and procedure can be clearly observed. At different levels of education system change is always welcome as per required but change should always being harmonize with certain aspect that is, society, religion, state etc.

The present situation calls for comprehensive change in almost every level of education so that practical and dynamic approach can be given to existing and new field of education. The crux of this modern education is to awaken the hidden curiosity and interest of the learner, nourishing his or her behaviour, attitudes and believes in order to develop basic and essential skills of lifelong learning and ability to think critically and in beneficial manner.

Students should be given confidence to ask, inquire, explore and be creative and initiators. In fact an inquisitive mind is the beginning to lifelong learning that surely leads to success. But in recent year the superiority is shifted towards students.  Audio-visual aids make a lesson or lecture more interesting and a memorable experience not only for students but for teachers as well as they play a vibrant role in focusing the attention of individual student towards the teacher or the topic. They appeal to the senses especially hearing and looking. It is not wrong to say that human senses are doorways to acquire knowledge, therefore, when something appeals to senses curiosity increases which lead to clear and concrete understanding of the concept. It was on the basis of the above observation that the study was carried out to determine the influence of audio-visual aids in the teaching of Biology in secondary schools in Onna local Government Area.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

As a result of advancement and development of modern technology varieties instructional materials can be used to make learning more vivid and effective. This means that students can perform better whenever they are taught with these instructional materials particularly audio-visual aids as their comprehension and demonstration and co-operation are expected to enhance tremendously in teaching-learning process. Unfortunately, most of the biology teachers neglect the use of audio-visual aids in teaching the subject probably, due to non-availability of the materials or lack of techniques for using them. Mavida (2012) reiterated that the utilization of instructional materials such as audio-visual learning aids make students to participate effectively in the teaching and learning process, hence ending with quality education that enable them to suit in the current society in relation to technological changes.

Generally, it is agreed that audio-visual learning aids assist in the learning process and students find it easy to grasp the materials in classroom when audio-visual learning aids are used. However, use or non-use of learning aids was not only problem in public secondary schools in Onna Local Government Area; material shortages, motivational inadequacy and poor learning environment were some of the problems. However, the relationship between usage and non-usage of audio-visual learning aids and the teaching of Biology in schools have had not so far been established, despite other problems. It is against this backdrop that this study is aimed at finding out effect of application of audio-visual aids in the teaching of Biology in secondary schools in Onna Local Government Area.

Originally posted on April 27, 2021 @ 10:23 am