Abstract: The study was carried put to investigate the influence of educational media resources utilization and the teaching of biology in secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area. Twenty (20) teachers were randomly selected from ten (10) schools in the area for the study. Two research questions were formulated and a survey research design was adopted for the study. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage method. The result showed that educational media resources utilization play an importance role in the teaching of biology.
Educational Media Resources Utilization and the Teaching of Biology in Secondary Schools
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
In the past decades, the teacher was seen as the center and pivot upon which teaching and learning process revalue. The teacher had to initiate the lesson in the class, operate and conclude while the learners were passive, to be filled or impacted with knowledge. The teacher was seen as the all in all without whom formal learning would not take place.
However, in the modern day school environment presents a new episode; a paradigm shift from teacher traditional talk-chalk phenomenon to a situation or process where learners can be actively involved and learn by them while the teacher leads or facilitates. This is achievable through educational materials and media resources.
The evolution of educational media resources utilization in the school system has presented teaching and learning in a new light. Educational media resources may
include textual materials, images, sound and video formed into an integrated multisensory interactive application or presentation to convey a message of information to a group of learners (Oshinaike and Adekunmisi, 2012). Felterman (1997) viewed educational media resources as those resources used for instruction that include one or more media such as graph, video, animation, image and sound in addition to textual information.
Mesiru (2009) explain that educational media resources involve the channels through which, message, information and knowledge are conveyed and or disseminated. Through such resources stimulation can be passed and obtained. Instructional media resources form the mean of information/communication between the teacher and learners transmit to convey meaning or expression; intent feelings, emotion, skills, values, belief and knowledge to produce desirable observable and measurable impact.
Educational media resources also involve concrete or physical objects which provide sound visual or both to the sense organs during teaching (Agina-Obis, 2005) this media resources used in teaching-learning’ process are in various classes, such as audio Oral, visual, or audio visual. Audio instruction resources refers to those, devices that make use of the sense of hearing only, likely radio, audio tape recording etc. visual media resources in the other hand are those devices that appeal to the sense of sight only, such as the chalk-board, chart, slide and film strip. An audio-visual media is the combination of devices which appeal to the sense of the hearing and seeing such as television, motion picture and the computer. It is believe that the utilization of media resources can improve the teaching of biology and other science subjects.
Many studies have shown that academic performance of secondary school students and environment in science is poor (Atanbin 2003, Ama, 2013). The reason adduced this poor performance include adequate educational resources utilization, teacher variables, school location, sex difference, learner attitude, among others. Inadequate educational resources and utilization forms the major cause of poor teaching of science as highlighted by Ayeleye (2006(. The inadequate resources include laboratories, science equipment, specimens and media resources to be used for teaching science.
Daluba (2012) posits that effective teaching of science depend on science teacher pedagogical content knowledge and availability of instructional media such as textbooks, other media resources, laboratory equipment, chemicals and reagents. The forgoing ascertains shows that education media resources are important for effective delivery of quality science (Biology) education to learners. Moreover, in the modern world where scientific and technological advancement is so rapid coupled with a change to the global science curriculum due to knowledge explosion and technological development, the demand for qualitative science teaching is imperative (Eule and Chukwu, 2000).
Qualitative science teaching depends largely on adequate provision and proper utilization of educational media resources at secondary school where its foundation is laid.
It is against this background that the researcher seeks to investigate the influence of educational media resources utilization in the teaching of Biology in secondary schools in Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Educational Media Resources Utilization and the Teaching of Biology in Secondary Schools
1.2 Statement of the Problem
It has been observed over the years that secondary school students in Uruan Local Government Area performed poorly in Biology both in terminal and certificate examinations. The issue of poor performance of students is attributed to ineffective teaching which could be associated with unavailability of non-utilization of essential science educational resources. Common observation shows that most of the secondary school in the area lack well equipped science: laboratory, adequate instructional materials and media resources that could aid effective teaching of Biology and other science subjects.
Some schools could have the needed educational resources yet the teachers might neglect utilizing them in the teaching-learning process. This could lead to poor performance and interest of students in science, Besides, Biology being one of the science subjects is activity based and need active involvement of the learners to exercise their hands in the learning materials, visualize; manipulate, practicalize learning, explore the environment etc. in order to fully master the contents of the subject; proper utilization of educational media resources (both visual and audio visual) must be made so as to promote effective teaching of Biology. This study is undertaken to investigate the influence of educational media resources utilization on the teaching of Biology in Uruan Local Government Area.
