EXAMINING EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF TEACHING MATERIALS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL OF GEDEO ZONE

The purpose of this convergent parallel design with mixed methods research was to examine effective utilization of teaching materials in secondary school of Gedeo Zone. The researcher examined the existence of internal and external factors affecting teacher’s effective utilization of teaching materials. Mixed methods involving qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection were used in order to triangulate the data and increase the validity of empirical material. Sample respondents of teachers were selected from six secondary school found in Gedeo zone by using simple random sampling technique. A total of 280 questionnaires were distributed to 212 teachers and 68 school leaders. The return rate was 203(72.5%) from both groups. Interviews were conducted with Gedeo zone education officer and school pedagogical center officers. Percentage, frequency, means, standard deviations, weighted mean and ttest were used to analyze quantitative data. In contrast, qualitative data were analyzed by constructing a description of the participants’ views and perspectives. The findings revealed that current practice of teaching material utilization in secondary schools were unsatisfactory. For instance teacher’s content taught in class room not supported by teaching materials, in most school no internet connection and no technical assistance to support ICT knowledge of teachers. More of there is no any projector, slide projector in and sufficient teaching aids in secondary schools. The internal factors of teachers that affect effective utilization of teaching materials were less motivation of teachers to improvise teaching aids, some of them unwilling to use teaching materials due to less commitment to utilize it. Consequently the external factors are insufficient teaching materials and lack of materials to prepare teaching aids. It is concluded that principal’s unsatisfactory support to alleviate the problems on teaching materials utilization created a gap on teacher’s skill on solving problems in their technical perspective of teaching materials utilization. Thus teachers’ content taught in class room failed to support students by utilizing teaching materials. The internal and external factors severely affects teacher’s upgrading their knowledge to modernization and less effective in utilization of teaching materials in secondary school of Gedeo zone. Finally, the research recommends school principals suggested supplying teaching materials in collaboration with woreda education officer and they are advised to facilitate in providing training for teachers on how to use computer and basics ICT skills. Teachers advised to use teaching materials that exist in pedagogy center while teaching students. Pedagogy officer suggested inviting teachers to pedagogy center to visit teaching aids beyond give awareness creation for teachers concerning teaching materials found in this center.