IMPACT OF COMPUTER AIDED INSTRUCTION AND ENRICHED LECTURE METHOD ON INTEREST AND PERFORMANCE IN PHYSICS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

CHAPTER ONE

THE PROBLEM

1.1.      Introduction

Physics is one of the science subjects taught at senior secondary and tertiary levels of education in Nigeria. It is defined as that branch of science which is concerned with fundamental ideas about nature and attempts to establish relationships between different quantities as precise as possible. According to Okpala,(2001), physics is a physical science subject that is concerned mainly with matter as it relates to energy. The subject also deals with the study of laws that determine the structure of the universe with reference to the matter and energy in the universe (Ike, 2002). Physics is the most utilized basic science subject in most instruction and instruction-related professions. It is based on this that the Federal Government of Nigeria (FRN, 2013) placed the subject as one of the core subjects that each science student must be exposed to at Senior Secondary School level as stipulated in the National Policy on Education..

The importance of Physics for the development of a nation can not be over emphasized. As noted by Josiah (2012), the knowledge of physics facilitates the understanding of other disciplines: Physics is also a cross-cutting discipline that has applications in many sectors of economic development, including health, agriculture, water, energy, and information instruction. For instance, understanding of Physics is quite necessary for developing new instrumentation and techniques in the health sector: With the help of medical physics, the right equipment for the diagnosis of diseases and the efficient communication of medical data are acquired.

Adeyemo (2010) added that Physics is a unique subject, which promotes the acquisition of specialized science skills and knowledge, which explain the natural phenomena of life in the society. It is a subject that grew up with civilization as man’s quantitative needs increased. It has contributed to the development of the sciences and to the development of civilization.

The study of Physics enables learners and practitioners in the field to understand the changing and existing world. Physics as a school Subject helps to make sense of the universe and that is why physicists are always developing theories to describe the physical world, checking these theories for in consistencies, experiments to test these theories, making predictions on the basic of the experiments and progressing to apply the new knowledge for a better understanding of the universe (STAN,1990).

IMPACT OF COMPUTER AIDED INSTRUCTION AND ENRICHED LECTURE METHOD ON INTEREST AND PERFORMANCE IN PHYSICS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS