ABSTRACT

The study examined the utilization ofvisual aids by teachers for improving the students’ academic achievement in economics; availability of visual aids, characteristics ofvisual aids, importance of visual aids, and factors affecting the use of visual aids on students’ academic achievement in economics. The study adopted Survey Research Design. Ten (10) Government and private secondary schools were used. It had the population of 400 economics students and 20 Economics teachers. Sample of 80 students were randomly selected with 20 economics teachers given a total of 100 respondents. The instrument used for collection of data was a questionnaire designed by the researcher for the teachers and students of economics. The instrument used in this study was validated by three experts in the field of measurement and evaluation in the college of education Michael Okpara University of agriculture umudike to determine the face and content validity of the instrument. The data collected for the reliability test was used to calculate the reliability coefficient using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r), which gave 0.80. Four research questions and four null hypotheses (Ho) were formulated to guide the study. Mean and standard deviation for answering research questions and t-test was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level ofsignificance. The analysis yielded the following findings that good and relevant textbooks were the visual aids available to be used to influence students’ academic achievement in economics. That visual aids should possess characteristics of visibility, simplicity, attraction, and clarity. That visual aids are important to influence students’ academic achievement in economics. That teacher’s qualification and experience were the major factors affecting the use of visual aids to influence students’ academic achievement in economics in secondary schools. Recommendations were made in line with the findings, which include the economics teachers should endeavor to use and try to improvise visual aids for effective teaching of economics in secondary schools. Government should ensure the adequate employment of dedicated and qualified economics teachers and make funds available and sponsor the teacher’s attendance at conferences, seminars, and workshops on utilization ofvisual instructional aids in economics.