INFLUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON LEARNING AND TEACHING OF ECONOMICS, AND STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BASSA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE.

ABSTRACT This study is an examination of the influence of instructional materials on learning and teaching of economics, and students' performance in secondary schools in bassa local government area of plateau state. The objective of the study is to examine the teacher’s ability to develop/select appropriate instructional materials to promote learning of economics in Secondary Schools, To ascertain the influence of instructional materials used by the teacher on student’s understanding of lesson been taught, and To determine the economics teacher’s competency in the usage of instructional material to enhance the learning of economics in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. A sample of 109 respondents was taken from all secondary schools offering economics in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State. Descriptive survey research design was adopted while questionnaire was developed as a research tool used to obtain data from the respondents. From the data obtained, it has been confirmed that available instructional materials facilitate teaching and learning process, students understand the lesson very well when teaching materials are applied, the materials stimulate interest and motivate students.Instructional materials dictate success or failure of economics students and Instructional materials enhance the teaching process and make the students assimilate easily the extent to which instructional materials influence the teaching and application of Economics in senior secondary schools in Bassa LGA. Economics teachers are consistent in the use of instructional materials, the time allocated on the timetable is inadequate for the use of instructional materials in teaching economics, teachers feel reluctant in using Instructional Material in teaching. Economics textbooks used by teachers are adequate and they help improve the learners and selected instructional materials are effective in teaching and the learning process shows how competent Economic teachers are in the use of instructional materials in the teaching process. This study also confirmed that It helps in focusing attention and motivating learners, It lends support and authenticity to whatever the teacher says through the use of media, It makes learners to become real and concrete, Learning effectiveness is increased and It is used to aid teaching for the benefit of learners as well as the difference in the academic performance of senior secondary school students in Economics due to the use of instructional materials. The researcher recommends that government should be committed to the adequate funding of secondary education through appropriate budgetary allocation also, social and economic policies should be put in place by government to enable children from parents of low status to equal opportunity of advancing the cause of education of their children, furthermore, there should be an avenue for training and retraining teachers so as to equip them with the right tool to impact positively on students through the adequate implementation of instructional materials for easy learning and understanding.