INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT IN PHYSICS (EDUCATION PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Physics is one of the most important branches of science and a core subject in science which plays important role in the day-to-day activities of man. It occupies a very sensitive position in all science-oriented courses such as engineering, mining, medicine and many others. Students who will pick up careers in sciences and engineering must have undergone training in physics in their secondary school level and must not only be good in physics but must have passed the subject at least at credit level in the senior secondary school examination (SSCE). Besides, physics enables learners to understand the world around them, what happens around them. It helps them to solve simple problems they encounter daily. Fahmy (2000) stated that the most physics aspect of physics is that it applies to our daily lives. The importance of physics in making the world worth living are too numerous to mention. However, it is disheartening to know that despite its key role, it is plagued by persistent low enrolment and under-achievement by students. This has elicited a lot of concern and generated researches to establish the causes of repeated failures. Some of these had been ascribed to poor teaching methods, limited number of professionally trained teachers, lack of instructional facilities, unavailability of suitable practical equipment, inadequate funding among others (simon, 2000; stokking, 2000; ogunniyi, 2009; owolabi and oginni, 2013; bello, 2012). Attempts have been made by educational stakeholders to find ways of improving students’ performance in the subject some of which have focused on identifying appropriate teaching methodology (bello, 2011; orora, wachanga and keraro, 2005, kibett and kathuri, 2005), improving on teachers’ mastery of content and provision of instructional materials (omosewo, 2009
