THE EFFECT OF LABORATORY EXPOSURE ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PRACTICALLY BASED SUBJECTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WAKISO DISTRICT.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

APPROVAL ii

DEDICTION iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT vii

ACRONYM viii

ABSTRACT ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.OINTRODUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH STUDY 3

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY 4

1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY 4

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS 4

1.6 SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH STUDY 5

1.6.1 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE 5

1.6.2 CONTENT SCOPE 5

1.6.3 TIME SCOPE 5

1.6.4 THEORETICAL SCOPE 6

1.7 SINGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 6

1.8 DELIMITATION OF THE RESEARCH STUDY 7

CHAPTER TWO 8

LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.O INTRODUCTION 8

2.1 THEORETICAL REVIEW 8

2.2 RELATED LITERATURE 9

2.2.1 STUDENTS’ ATTITUDE CHANGE TOWARDS SCIENCE SUBJECTS 9

2.2.2 INFLUENCE OF EXPOSURE TO LABORATORY FACILITIES ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN BOTH ADEQUATELY AND INADEQUATELY EQUIPPED LABORATORIES ii

2.2.3 EFFECIENT UTILIZATION OF EXISTING LABORATORY FACILITIES BY SCIENCE TEACHERS FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING OF SCIENCE SUBJECTS 13

2.2.4 FREQUENCY OF PRACTICAL EXPOSURE TO STUDENTS IN ADEQUATELY AND INADEQUATELY EQUIPPED LABORATORIES 18

2.2 CONCEPTION FRAME WORK .20

CHAPTER THREE 22

METHODOLOGY 22

3.OINTRODUCTION 22

3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN 22

3.2 STUDY AREA 22

3.3 STUDY POPULATION 22

3.4 SELECTION CRITERIA 22

3.5 SAMPLING SIZE 22

3.6 SAMPLING STRATEGY 23

3.7 DATA COLLECTION 23

3.8 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENT 23

3.9 DATA QUALITY CONTROL 24

3.10 PROCEDURE 24

CHAPTER FOUR 25

DATA PERSENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 25

4.O lntroduction 25

4.l Description of Respondents 25

4.2 Influence of exposure to laboratory facilities on students’ performance in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 27

4.2.2 Laboratory Rules and Safety Measures 33

4.2.3 Laboratories Apparatus, Chemicals, Models and Specimen 33

4.2.3.1 Laboratory Apparatus 33

4.2.4 Availability of Chemicals in the four Sampled Schools 35

4.2.6 Specimen for Biology Subject Teaching 37

4.3 Frequency of exposure to laboratory facility on students in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 38

4.3.1 Timetable on use of Laboratories 39

4.4 Student attitude change towards practically based subjects in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 39

4.4.1 Availability of Human Resources, Laboratory and Use of Laboratory on Students Performance 39

4.5 Efficient utilization of existing laboratory facilities by science teachers to enhance teaching of the science subjects 40

4.6 Summary .40

CHAPTER FIVE 41

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 41

5.1 Introduction 41

5.2 Influence of exposure to laboratory facilities on students’ performance in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 41

5.3 Frequency of exposure to laboratory facilities on students in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 42

5.4 Students attitude change towards practically based subjects in adequately and inadequately equipped laboratories 44

5.5 Efficient utilization of existing laboratory facilities by science teachers to enhance teaching of science subjects 45

5.6 Conclusion Based on the Finding 45

5.6.1 Availability of Laboratories in secondary schools in Wakiso District 45

5.6.2 Use of Laboratories in Secondary schools in Wakiso District 45

5.6.3 Availability of Human Resources 46

5.6.4 Teachers’ Opinions 46

5.7 limitation of the research study 46

5.8 Recommendations 46

5.8.1 Practical Recommendations 47

5.8.2 Policy Recommendation 47

5.8.3 Recommendations for Further Studies 47

REFERENCES 48

APPENDIX I 53

APPENDIX II 57

APPENDIX III 60

APPENDIX IV 62

APPENDIX VI 64

APPENDIX VII 65 

ABSTRACT 

The study on the effect of laboratory exposure on students’ academic achievement in practically based subjects in secondary schools in Wakiso district. The research is guided by four objectives: First to examine the influence of exposure to laboratory facilities on students’ performance in adequately equipped laboratories and to those in inadequately equipped laboratories, Second to investigate students’ attitude change towards practically based subjects in adequately equipped laboratories and in to those inadequately equipped laboratories. Third to Examine the frequency of exposure to laboratory facilities on students on students in adequately equipped laboratories and those in inadequately equipped laboratories and their performance fourth to Investigate the efficiency of utilization of existing laboratory facilities by science teachers to enhance teaching of science subjects. The study was conducted in four secondary schools in Wakiso district. The study examined the availability of laboratories, examine the use of laboratories, and assess the availability of science teachers, and science teachers ‘perceptions how laboratories availability influence students’ performance in science subjects. The problem was that students’ performance in science subjects is appalling in secondary schools, Survey research design was used and the study employed quantitative approaches where observation, checklist, school records and likert scales were used for data collection. In that essence, a sample of 140 students from the classes of senior three and four students of sound mind were considered from the four schools randomly to provide the data which was used. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentages and ratio. Findings revealed that schools did not have laboratories; instead they had science rooms which lacked laboratory space. It was noted that apparatus and chemicals were either insufficient or absent in all sampled schools; instead schools improvised that equipment by using locally available materials in their environment. Experiments were done in large groups with little students. There was an acute shortage of science teachers. It was recommended that, policy makers need to ensure that students enrolment should match with the availability of laboratory facilities, more laboratories need to be built in schools and more science teachers be trained.