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ABSTRACT
The study focused on the effect of
the laboratory method of teaching on the achievement of J.SS II students in
mathematics in Lagos state. A total of 90 JSS 2 mathematics students were
involved in the study. The research design used in the study was experimental/
control group research design. The research instruments used for the study were
the mathematic Achievement Test (MAT) which was developed by the researcher and
the instructional packages which are the lesson plans for both the experimental
group and the control groups. Two hypotheses were postulated and tested at 0.05
level of significance. The results were analyzed using mean, standard
deviation, t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). From the findings, it was
revealed that the use of mathematics laboratory enhanced achievement in
mathematics. The findings also showed that no significant difference exist in
the achievement of male and female mathematics students taught using
mathematics laboratory. It was recommended that mathematics laboratory should
be established in all schools and laboratory method of teaching be adopted for
the teaching of mathematics in the secondary Schools.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title
page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of
contents vi
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of
the Study 1
1.2 Statement of
Problem 7
1.3 Scope and
limitations of the
Study 8
1.4 Purpose of the
Study 8
1.5 Research
Questions 9
1.6 Research
Hypotheses 9
1.7 Significance of
the Study 10
1.8 Definition of
Terms 11
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The Nature and Importance of
Mathematics 12
2.2 The problems of mathematics
Education. 16
2.3 Previous efforts to solve the
problem of Performance
I Mathematics 20
2.4 Existing methods of teaching
mathematics. 25
2.5 Gender effects on mathematics
and the effect of Age in mathematics Achievement. 32
2.6 Summary/
Review. 38
CHAPTER
THREE
3.1 Research
Design 40
3.2 Area of
Study 40
3.3 Population of
Study 41
3.4 Sample and Sampling
Technique 41
3.5 Research Instrument 41
3.6 The validity and Reliability of
Instrument 42
3.7 Procedure of data
collection 42
3.8 Method of data
Analysis 42
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS
4.1
Introduction 43
4.2 Research
Questions 45
4.3 Hypotheses
Testing 46
4.4 Summary of
Findings 50
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS,
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATION AND SUGGECTION FOR FUTURE
RESEARCH.
5.0 Introduction 51
5.1 Discussion of
Results 51
5.2
Summary 53
5.3 Conclusions 55
5.4
Recommendations 56
5.5 Suggestions for Further
Research. 57
REFERENCES
Appendix I
Appendix II
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The place of mathematics in man’s
way of life and development cannot be over emphasized. Generally, mathematics
is a very desirable tool in virtually all spheres of human endeavour, be it
science, engineering, industry, technology and even the arts. No nation can
develop scientifically and technologically if it neglects mathematics (Azuka,
2003).
Okereke, (2006) stated that
mathematics is the foundation of science and technology and the functional role
of mathematics to science and technology is so multifaceted and multifarious
that no area of science, technology, and business enterprise escapes its
application.
Umoinyam, (1997) referred to
mathematics as the foundation of science and technology without which a nation
can never be prosperous and economically independent.
According to Oyedeji, (2000) a major
objective of many curricular is to ensure that the children are equipped with
at least the basic mathematical skills which will enable them to think
mathematically and be able to apply this thinking to the rapidly changing
demands of the modern world. Hence mathematics skills are essential to every
individual in order to cope with life’s activities.
Mathematics is a key subject in the
school curriculum and is considered a knowledge that is indispensable to the
educated person. According to Azuka, (2003) all major professions in life today
require the knowledge of mathematics to practice. These professions include
engineering, accountancy, medicine, economics, banking, technology etc. In
offices, industries and other human establishments, mathematics is needed for
analysis, organization and evaluation of the information needed in order to
make new decisions.
Ukwu, (1995) states that “it is the qualities
and characteristics of this subject make everything about it a matter of
concern to every nation of the world. Mathematics is made compulsory in both
primary and secondary schools. In Nigeria Universities today there is hardly
any course one can study without a show of evidence of little knowledge of
basic principles of mathematics by way of a least a credit pass in an ordinary
level examination in the subject. In fact almost all the institutions of higher
learning have one or two mathematics courses that the entire students take as
general studies to equip them in their various disciplines.
In spite of the aforementioned
importance of mathematics, it has been observed all over the world that the
subject has peculiar features, nature and structure that make many people
afraid of it and loose interest in it (Ukwu 1995), Nigeria is one of those
countries that suffer most effects of the problems of poor performance and
under achievement in Mathematics, (Azuka 2003).
Galadima (2002) reported that almost
every year students manifest poor performance both in internal and external
examinations in mathematics. Supporting this report are the researches of
(Odili, 1986), Salau (1995), Amazigo (2006), Agwagah (2001) and Okereke (2006).
The West Africa Examinations
Councils (WAEC) chief examiners in mathematics (2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006)
consistently reported candidates’ lack of skills in answering almost all the
questions asked in general mathematics. Abakporo (2005) also reported that the
West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) had in mathematics for 11 years a credit
pass of not more than 36.91%. WAEC chief examiners (2003, 2005) further
observed that candidates were weak in Geometry of circles and three dimensional
problems.
According to their report, most candidates
avoided questions on three dimensional problems, when they attempted Geometry
questions, only a few of the candidate’s showed a clear understanding of the
problem in their workings.
Ojo (1990) and Adetula (1987) have
both attempted to find out some of the reasons why students perform poorly in
mathematics. Among the factors identified for the poor performance and failure
of students in mathematics in secondary schools was the teachers’ failure to
use the appropriate method of teaching.
Studies like those of Habor Peters
(2002) and Iji (2005) have pointed at teaching approaches and strategies used
in the classroom by mathematics teachers as one of the root causes of the
undesirable poor achievement of students in mathematics.
Also Okereke, (2006) attributed
students’ poor performance to factors such as the society’s view that
mathematics is difficult, shortage of qualified teachers, lack of mathematics
laboratory and lacks of incentives.
Abstractness attached to the
teaching of mathematics by some teachers scares some students who are supposed
to be best in the subject.
Ukwu, (2008) observed that the only
way to make the teaching and learning of mathematics effective, meaningful and
interesting is by the use of instructional materials or teaching aids and
pleasurable activities the learners like to do.
The present status of teaching and
learning of mathematics is far from being satisfactory. Mathematics is not a
spectator sport learning mathematics requires active participation of the
learners in the lesson and the best way to learn mathematics is to actively
engage in mathematics. Teachers should not dominate mathematics lessons.
Teachers follow age old methods such
as lecture method (Talk and chalk) in a classroom. As a result, the power of
thinking understanding and retention are not developed amongst students, owing
to which the student show less interest towards mathematics learning. Hence,
the traditional methods being used all along by teachers have failed to develop
the skills such as those needed in formulating, modelling and solving problems.
Students are not always able to remember and retain what they have previously
learnt. Simple geometrical shapes such as cubes, cuboids, pyramids, cylinders,
cones to mention but a few are studied in the classroom without presenting the
real objects to the students.
The abstract nature of mathematics
should be reached through demonstration and practical methods. In order to
develop the skills and provide practical experiences of mathematics concepts
assumptions, assertions and rules, a strategy is needed.
Agwangah, (1997) observed that the
problem of ineffective teaching can be tackled through planned and intelligent
application of the mathematics laboratory. Hence, in search for the method of
teaching that can cater for the cognitive affective and psychomotor aspects of
learning, the concern of this researcher is to ascertain whether the students
performance of mathematics in secondary schools could be improved upon by using
the laboratory method of teaching. Since mathematics is a subject which has to
be learnt by doing rather than by reading the doing of mathematics gives rise
to the need for a suitable method and a suitable place. Laboratory method and
mathematical laboratory are the proper answer to it. This activity method leads
the students to discover mathematical facts. It is based on the principles of
learning by observation and proceeding from concrete to abstract.
Mathematics laboratory is a place
where students can learn and explore various mathematical concepts and verify
different mathematics facts and theories using varieties of activities and
materials (Igbokwe, 2000). The use of mathematics laboratory helps to integrate
theory and practical work in mathematics teaching and learning. Ogunkunle, (2000)
enumerated the advantages of using mathematics laboratory which include:
i. Display
mathematical information
ii. Avenue
for experimentation through practical work
iii. Pool
of storage of mathematical materials for easy access
iv. Removing
abstractness and increasing effective teaching/learning.
Based on the advantages of
mathematics laboratory, it is expected that teaching and learning of
mathematics using the mathematics laboratory may help to reduce abstract nature
of the subject and increase the students’ interest in the subject.
1.2
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Mathematics is a subject feared and
hated by students and it is made compulsory for every school child and even in
many professions and careers. Evidence of poor performance in mathematics by
secondary school students pointed to the fact that the most desired
technological, scientific and business application of mathematics is not being
sustained. This makes it paramount to seek for a strategy for teaching
mathematics that aim at improving its understanding and performance by
students. The lack of mathematics laboratory and non-use of laboratory
techniques in teaching mathematics is one of the major factors that contribute
to poor achievement in mathematics by secondary school students (Ogunkunle,
2000). Therefore, this study is designed to find out the effect of using
mathematics laboratory in teaching on the achievement of Junior Secondary
School (JSS) mathematics students.
1.3
SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study involve only 90 Junior
secondary school (JSS II) students from three schools in Surulere Government
Area of Lagos State under Education District IV. The research work was limited
to elements within the sample frame owing to constraints of time, finance,
materials and personnel to assist in carrying out this study.
1.4
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to
investigate the effects of using mathematics laboratory in teaching Junior
Secondary School (JSS) students mathematics. Specifically, the study seek the
following
1. To investigate
the extent to which the use of mathematics laboratory will enhance the
student’s achievement in mathematics.
2. To compare the
achievement of male and female mathematics students taught.
1.5
RESEARCHER QUESTIONS
This study will attempt to answer
the following questions;
1. Is there any
significant difference in the performance of students taught with laboratory
method and those taught with the conventional method?
2. Is there any significant
difference between the achievement of male and female students taught with
mathematics laboratory?
1.6
RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following will hypotheses were
are formulated from the research questions:
Ho,: There is no significant
difference in the performance of the students taught mathematics using
laboratory method and those taught using the conventional method.
HO2: There is no
significant difference between the performance of male and female students
taught mathematics using the laboratory method and those taught using the
conventional method.
1.7
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This research is significant in the
following ways:
1. Identifying a
better teaching method that could be adopted by mathematics teachers so as to
improve the performance of students in mathematics.
2. The abstract
nature of mathematics will be reduced and will increase the students’ interest
in the subject.
3. It will lead to
self discovery of mathematics concepts, rules and formulae by students
themselves and mathematics will no longer be a question of cramming formulae
but a practical oriented activity which will guide students to discover things
by themselves.
4. When people see,
study, analyze and synthesize what they are doing, there will be insight and
any solution so obtained from this scientific method of reasoning will be a
confidence builder.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. Teaching
method is the system or orderliness that can be adopted to make learning
effective.
2. Learning:
Is a relatively permanent change in behavior or performance which comes as a
result of practice, experience or exposure rather than as a result of
physiological changes.
3. Performance:
Level of achievement exhibited by the learner in a course of study.
4. Laboratory:
a physical structure or room used for scientific research. It is also place for
making and storing teaching aids and also a process of instructions.
5. Instruction:
Is the process whereby one individual intentionally influences by structuring
the environment of the learner in such a way that the latter learns the desired
behavior/objective.
6. Secondary
school: Post primary institution preparing student for useful living within the
society and also for higher education.
7. Education
District: An Education District encompasses all the primary and post primary
schools in the local Government areas of Lagos State.
8. MAN:
Mathematical Association of Nigeria
9. STAN:
Science Teachers Association of Nigeria
10. NERDC: Nigeria Educational Research and Development
council.
11. NMC: National Mathematical Centre.
TOPIC: EFFECT OF LABORATORY METHOD OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF J.SS.II STUDENTS
Format: MS Word
Chapters: 1 - 5
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Delivery: Email
Number of Pages: 65
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