ATTENTION:
BEFORE
YOU READ THE CHAPTER ONE OF THE PROJECT TOPIC BELOW, PLEASE READ THE
INFORMATION BELOW.THANK YOU!
INFORMATION:
YOU CAN
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT OF THE TOPIC BELOW. THE FULL PROJECT COSTS N5,000
ONLY. THE FULL INFORMATION ON HOW TO PAY AND GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT IS AT THE
BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. OR YOU CAN CALL: 08068231953, 08168759420
THE EFFECT
OF LABORATORY METHOD OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF J.SS.II
STUDENTS
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.
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.
HOW TO GET THE FULL PROJECT WORK
PLEASE, print the following
instructions and information if you will like to order/buy our complete written
material(s).
HOW TO RECEIVE PROJECT MATERIAL(S)
After paying the appropriate amount
(#5,000) into our bank Account below, send the following information to
08068231953 or 08168759420
(1) Your project
topics
(2) Email
Address
(3) Payment
Name
(4) Teller Number
We will send your material(s) after
we receive bank alert
BANK ACCOUNTS
Account Name: AMUTAH DANIEL CHUKWUDI
Account Number: 0046579864
Bank: GTBank.
OR
Account Name: AMUTAH DANIEL CHUKWUDI
Account Number: 2023350498
Bank: UBA.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL:
08068231953 or 08168759420
AFFILIATE
Comments
Post a Comment