INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the influence of instructional materials on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State. Guided by Dale’s Cone of Experience and Vygotsky’s Social Constructivist Theory, the study assessed availability, adequacy, and utilization of instructional materials, and their relationship with academic performance. Adopting a descriptive survey design, 650 SSS II students and teachers were sampled from 40 schools using multi-stage sampling. Data were collected with the IMSAPQ, which had a reliability coefficient of 0.84, and students’ examination scores. Mean, Pearson r, and t-test were used for analysis at 0.05 level. Findings showed low overall availability of materials, mean = 2.42, but high utilization of conventional resources, mean = 2.57. There was a significant positive relationship between utilization and academic performance and a significant difference in availability between public and private schools. The study concluded that effective use of instructional materials improves learning outcomes. It also recommended increased funding, teacher training on ICT use and improved monitoring of resource utilization.