ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT OF IMPROVISATION IN TEACHING AND LEARNING BASIC SCIENCE IN UPPER BASIC SCHOOL LEVEL IN ANAMBRA EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the extent of improvisation in teaching and learning basic science in upper basic school in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. The study was guided by two research questions and it adapted a descriptive survey research design. The sample involved 30 teachers selected through purposive sample technique and
370 students selected through simple random sampling techniques from the population of 1756 (teacher and student) from government owned senior secondary schools in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. A 25-item questionnaire developed by the researcher and validated by experts was used to collect data for the study and reliability index of 0.82 was realized using Pearson product movement correlation coefficient. Data obtained were analyzed and reported using mean and standard deviation. The findings indicated among others, that despite the challenges such as lack of professional training some teachers encounter in the provision of improvisation instructional materials during teaching and learning that high number of teachers sees improvisation as inevitable if the real instructional materials are not available and thus, improvised instructional materials for effecting teaching and learning to take place. It facilitates student understanding of the subject matter faster,
helps student to concretized some abstract concept and develop high retentive memory amongst others. Therefore, it was concluded that improvised instructional materials foster student academic gains. The effective utilization of improvised instructional materials should be sustained. Based on the findings, workshop and seminars should be organized for serving
basic science teachers on improvisation and utilization of essential material resources in the teaching and learning of basic science, teachers who carries out improvisation should be rewarded and motivated adequately. Only this would ensure programme effectiveness.