The effect of the Availability and Utilization of Laboratory Apparatus in the Teaching of Physics: A Case Study of Secondary Schools in Karu LGA, Nigeria.

Abstract

The study examined the impact of the availability and effective utilization of instructional materials such as basic laboratory apparatus on the attitude of learners towards Physics and their sustained interest while offering the subject. Five students and one Teacher from each of the ten randomly selected senior secondary schools in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were used for the study. Data collected through the use of questionnaires from both the Teachers and the Students were analysed using percentages. The results show that the greatest hindrance to the effective teaching of Physics in these schools is not lack of the necessary laboratory apparatus and equipment but rather lack of their usage. It was also established that effective utilization of these materials have positive influence on the students’ attitude towards Physics which could indirectly affect their academic achievement in the subject.