CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF STUDY

Improvisation are those things that enables students to have mental picture of what has been taught and to retain the message in their memory for a very long time e.g. Radio, Television, Charts, Micro-Projectors, Still Pictures, Specimen e.t.c. It can be referred to as those things that the classroom teacher uses to impact knowledge to pupils in the classroom in order to achieve his objectives.

          According to Ogunmola, (2002) cited that improvisation are those visual or audio visual materials which facilitate the assimilation of organization. Infact, for effective teaching and learning to take place, importance of improvisation are can exist without adequate use of integrated science education programme can exist with adequate use of integrated equipments examples of such equipment are integrated, monitor, keyboard, typewriter, mouse, scanner, printer, duplicating machine e.t.c these science equipments are indispensable to a good integrated science teaching and training and learning.

          It is no gain saying that interest in learning integrated sciences increasing in Nigeria. Each local government area is trying t o improve on the production of technology. This is justify for integrated science has totally assured great importance interest role of national power and productivity. According to the new trend of integrated science, teaching has as shown a radical departure of traditional expository mode, in favour of practical and inquiry method to the inclusion of problems solving and active involvement of people in the open minded fielding practical exercise.

In view of this, it can therefore be assumed that unique facilities and equipment are available in secondary school. For practical works pupils will not derive much from the attempt to learn integrated science. It has been stressed by Howard (2003) when he said what we learn is what we do” doing what we learn in integrated science requires the use of practical work. We also have the bear in mind that at least some of the pupils would or may need to become professionally integrated list. Such pupils need the equipment to be able to develop necessary practical skills. Beside, the basic sources of integrated science experience is of course of direct contact which objects and events it’s in nature outside the classroom

          Specifically some specific educational reasons to have equipment for teaching was summarized by Balogun (2000) as follows

1. It enables the learners to develop functional and manipulating skills
2. It enables the learner to develop problem solving skill and scientific attitude

The acquisition of these skills is the contribution of integrated science education in the general preparation of the youth with emphasis on activities based on child centered learning coupled with pupils enrolment into school in the face of corresponding decline economy. It is against the background that we can appreciate the significance of the question “the important role of integrated science equipment in secondary school

1.2. STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS

There are many problems and obstacles which hinder the effective teaching of integrated science in our secondary schools. Despite the importance attached to the subject there is no  secondary school in Egor local government area in Edo state where the range of resources available for the teaching of integrated science can be described as being in anyway adequate

          This arises as a result of inability of these materials especially now, due to foreign exchange restriction and large populations of secondary schools pupils.

          The aspects of this problems will be dealt with in this study which has the survey of material resources required by the teaching of integrated science. In secondary school in Egor local government area of Edo state.

          The following specific questions can be asked does teachers in secondary school improvised or substitute for importance of improvisation which are not easily obtained

          Are there enough materials resources for integrated teaching in secondary school? What are the materials that can be improved?

1.3    OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

          The purpose of the study is to survey the materials resources available for the teaching of integrated science in secondary school in Egor local government area.

The study will examine

1. The availability of improvised facilities in our schools
2. Whatever and how integrated science teacher in  secondary schools improvise for  materials which are not easily obtainable
3. The type of materials that can be improvised

1.4    SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          It is hope that the findings of this study will be beneficial to educational agencies in Egor local government area of Edo state.

          It should be of great important to educational administrates in the distribution of resources to schools

          Further more, the result of the finding will be of great benefit to the integrated science teachers in other impact the required integrated science skills to the pupils

1.5    SCOPE OR LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          The scope of the study will cover many materials resources available for the searching of integrated science and the type of materials that can be substituted or improvised.

          This study is therefore intended to show through the use of questionnaires. The availability of standard and improved integrated science equipment or facilities in ten (10) randomly selected secondary schools in Egor local government Area.

1.6    RESEARCH QUESTION

1. To what extent is the importance of improvisation in the teaching of integrated science in  secondary school
2. Do teachers in secondary school improvise for importance materials which are not easily obtained.
3. Do students in secondary school easily remember topic taught with improvised materials than those topics taught without improvised materials?
4. Do students in secondary school find it easy to put into practice what they are taught with the use of improvised material?
5. Does the importance of improvisation led to better performance of students in secondary school.

1.7    DEFINITION OF TERMS

Terms that are related to the study are defined below in order to remove somatic ambiguity in their usage.

1. FOCUS. To give attention, effort e.t.c. to one particular person or subject.
2. IMPROVISED. To make or do something using whether is available, usually because you do not have what you really want.
3. INDISPENSABLE. Essential, too important to do without.
4. SCIENCE. Knowledge about the structure and behaviour of the natural and physical world.
5. INTEGRATED. An electronic or machine that can store, organized and find information do calculate and control other machines.
6. INSTRUCTIONAL. That teaches people something.
7. MATERIALS. Things that are needed to do a particular thing.
8. RADICAL. Concerning the most basic and important parts of something.

10 TECHNOLOGIES. Scientific knowledge used in practical way.