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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Essentially, home economics is meant to equip learners with skills and aptitudes to maximally enhance family life through the optimal utilization of its human and material resources. Home economics is one of the vocational subjects taught at secondary schools in the Nigerian educational system as a compulsory part of the curriculum. The Nigerian government, at all levels has over the years placed enormous emphasis on teaching aids is shaping efforts and strategies aimed at improving students standard of learning in the country but no one seems to capture the real factors as to why the standard of education in country still remain very low. Teaching aids refers to tools like an object (such as a book, picture, or map) or device (such as a DVD or computer) used by teachers to help learners improve reading, learning and other skills needed for academic excellence. In Nigeria today, many schools cannot boast of teaching aids and therefore government should endeavor to make education her priority to help improve our standard of learning by providing the required teaching aids to schools. Instructional materials or teaching aids are essential and significant tools needed for teaching and learning of school subjects to promote teachers' efficiency and improve students' performance. Teaching aids make learning more appealing and interesting. It also gives room for the students to participate actively in the class and helps the teachers to teach effectively. Ibeneme (2000) defined teaching aids as those materials used for practical and demonstration in the class situation by students and teachers. In addition, Obanya (2004) asserted that several studies carried out in some areas in Nigeria indicated that the results of Senior School Certificate Examinations were completely bad in nearly all subjects offered by the students. He stressed further that only about 10% of candidates ‘meaningfully passed' the examination. Abdu-Raheem (2011) asserted that non availability and inadequacy of instructional materials are major causes of ineffectiveness of the school system and poor performance of students in schools. Ahmed (2003) confirmed that teaching and learning take place under most un-conducive environments in most secondary schools in Nigeria and these schools lack many essential materials for academic excellence. Eniayewu (2005) posited that it is very important to use teaching aids for instructional delivery to make students acquire more knowledge and to promote academic standard. Afolabi and Adeleke (2010) identified non-availability, inadequacy and non utilization of learning materials as a result of teacher's poor knowledge as factors responsible for the use of lecture method. They recommended that students, teachers, parents, Parents/Teacher Association, government and philanthropists should be involved in improvising instructional materials for the teaching and learning in schools. Therefore, Ogbondah (2008) advocated for teachers' resourcefulness and as well encouraged them to search for necessary teaching aids through local means to complement the standard ones that are available to make their teaching to be more effective. Jekayinfa (2012) also identified the importance of improvisation of instructional materials as making learning concrete and real, substitutesone thing for another, allows the students to participate in the production of materials, economical and more teacher-student resource oriented. Abdu-Raheem (2014) submitted that improvisation of locally made teaching aids could assist to improve quality of graduates turn out from schools and standard of education generally. Abdu-Raheem and Oluwagbohunmi (2015) also corroborated the idea that resourceful and skilful teachers should improvise necessary instructional materials to promote academic standard in Nigerian schools. This study will therefore examine the impact of teaching aids for effective teaching and learning of Home economics in senior secondary schools.