ASSESSMENT OF THE AVAILABILITY, ADEQUACY AND UTILIZATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

This study investigated the availability, adequacy and utilization of instructional materials in the teaching and learning of Basic Science and Technology (BST) in Junior Secondary School students in Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The sample for the study is Junior Secondary School teachers from fourteen (14) public Junior Secondary Schools selected from a population of 102 teachers. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study while the simple random sampling technique was used in selecting the sample. A 20-item Basic Science and Technology Curriculum Instructional Materials (BSTCIM) checklist was adopted for the study. A pilot administration of the instrument was conducted to test the reliability of the instrument and a reliability coefficient of 0.784 was obtained using Cronbach’s alpha reliability method. The instrument was administered to Junior Secondary Schools teachers by the researchers after permission from the schools’ authorities and thereafter they were collected and collated for analysis. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages presented in tables. The study revealed that instructional materials are available though not adequate, but the available ones are not effectively utilized by the teachers. It is recommended among others that school management should always review the availability and adequacy of instructional materials and make useful requests/ provision where and when applicable, the utilization of instructional materials should be regularly monitored for effectiveness.