Challenges of the Use of Instructional Materials in Geography Classroom in Secondary School: Nepal

Abstract

Geography is an optional subject in the secondary schools in Nepal. This paper is an attempt to examine the challenges of using instructional materials in the geography classroom in community secondary schools in Kathmandu district of Bagmati Province. Geography teachers were selected by purposive sampling offering geography as an optional subject in secondary school. The semi structured interview method was used for data collection. The interviews were recorded on an audio recorder and transcribed. After collecting data, analysis of the data was made through the interpretations of the raw data by interpretative method. The results reveal that the challenges of using materials are non-availability of materials,laziness of the teachers, lack of skill and strategies, financial constraint,lack of appropriate materials in textbook, time constraint, lack of support from authority, lack of geography resource room etc. The remedies of the challenges of using materials are the organizing of training and workshop for teachers on how to use instructional materials, provision of funds by the authorities and government, regular supervision, the improvisation of the local materials and the provision of the various instructional materials which are necessary for teaching etc.