K.ALUKO

This research work was carried out to assess utilization of instructional materials in primary schools in Egor Local government area Benin City. This study intends to assess the utilization of instructional material among early childhood teachers, and in this regard, Four (4) research questions were generated to guide this study. The main purpose of this study specifically intends to; find out the challenges and factors that hinder the use of instructional materials. The focus of the study was on the availability and challenges of the utilization of instructional materials by teachers in early childhood schools and it isrestricted to primary schools within Egor Local government area Benin City, Edo state. A descriptive survey research method was adopted. The target population of this study comprises of both public and private preschool teachers with sample size of hundred(100)respondents being teachers from twenty-five (25) randomly selected primary schoolsinEgor local government area of Benin City and with the use of questionnaire as theinstrument to collect information from the respondents. The instrument was divided into two sessions; twenty (20) items researcher developed questionnaire was used for data collection. The targeted population for the study consisted of 100 respondents being teachers. The responses were collected and analyzed using frequency counts, mean, standard deviation and the independent sample test and the Cronbach reliability statistics was used and it gave reliability index of 0.85. The major findings of the study show that there are inadequate instructional materials in primary schools and chalk/white board are the most common types of instructional
materials in primary schools. The study further revealed that the use of instructional bmaterials influence pupils assimilation process and their ability to learn. Recommendations were made for improvement bearing the importance of instructional materials in primary schools.

The research work investigated the impact of technology on academic development among pre school children in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. To guide this study four research questions were raised: What is the status of technology in the schools, what is the attitude of teachers to the use of technology, will the use of technology in early childhood education improve learning, will the use of interactive digital tools affect the social and emotional development of pre school children. descriptive survey research was adopted with the use of questionnaire to collect information from the respondents. The population of the study was two hundred and ten (210) private pre schools in Oredo Local Government Area. The sample size used for the study was 25% of the total population. ballot method was used to draw the sample in each school selected, twelve (12) private schools was selected and visited in Oredo Local Government Area. Ten (10) subjects from these schools was drawn through
purposive sampling technique giving a total number of one hundred and twenty (120) subject . The research instrument used in this study was a structured questionnaire titled Investigating the impact of technology on academic development among pre school children. It was divided into two sections: section A sought to elicit information about the bio-data of the respondents, while section B was on the Investigating the impact of technology on academic development among pre school children in Oredo Local Government Area, Benin, Edo state. This section consists of sixteen (16) items. The likert scale of four points was used, SA-4, A-3, D-2, SD-1 points respectively was used for the study. The reliability of the instrument was carried out using test
re-test method which gave the reliability score of 0.70. The data collected through the questionnaire was analyzed by the researcher using the simple percentage, frequency count, mean, standard deviation to interpret the result for the various findings and questions listed in the study. The study concluded that it is important that teachers beliefs, roles and experiences
are considered, if changes are to be made to foster and optimize opportunities for young children’s learning and how the roles and experiences influence and shape the ways in which teachers implement and integrate technology among pre school children context. The study also reveals the positive impact of technology and how it makes learning more fun and also helps in
enhancing children engagement in the classroom and also the negative impact of technology on pre school children if not handled well. Findings revealed that technology have significant impact in children learning outcome, based on the findings it was recommended that researchers and educators should encourage the use of technology in ECE from the perspectives of children
and families, technological resources center should be established in various early childhood education centers in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State.