Tag Archives: Mathematics

PEER GROUPS AND STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE

THE INFLUENCE OF PEER GROUPS ON STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OF KADUNA METROPOLIS, KADUNA STATE

ABSTRACT

The study was investigated the influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary schools of Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna state. Two research questions, two objective and two null hypotheses guided the study. The design of the study is descriptive survey, while the sample size of the study was 60 Senior Secondary Mathematics Students used in the Study were Randomly selected, while a Researcher self-developed 15-items, was used to get information from the respondents. Pilot study was conducted and split-half was used to obtain reliability coefficient of 0.69. The findings of the study revealed that there is no significant influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school in Kaduna metropolis. On the bases of figures, the researcher recommended that Students should effectively equip themselves with knowledge and technique of promoting performance in mathematics, in the secondary school student’s discussion with their peers to improve teaching and learning of mathematics.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Mathematics is a universal subject. The knowledge of it is not only necessary for successful schooling but also unavailable for human survival in everyday life. There is hardly any field of study where mathematics is not useful. The farmers, carpenters, hunters, house wives and so on. They make use of it even though they may not be aware. The importance of mathematics in it ramification cannot be overemphasized in our present scientific and technological age.

Chambers (2004) defined mathematics as an organized body of knowledge, abstract system of ideas, a useful tool a key to understanding the world, a way of thinking a deductive system and intellectual challenge, a language, an aesthetic experiences s creation of the human mind where the ability of suspect is only minor aspect. Mathematics is an essential tool for various purpose of life. Although we may not always be aware of it, we make so use of mathematics in our everyday life. In education mathematics plays an important role. It is the study of numbers, and the relationship between numbers, and various operations performed on them. It is the science of quantity, size and shape. It is also a way to communicate and analyze ideas, a tool for organizing and interpreting data and above all perhaps a method of logical reasoning unique to man.

Markarfin (2001) stated that mathematics is universal not only in the way it influence the basic sciences, applied science, engineering and technology but also, its influence on day to day activity. Odgwu (2002) explained that in recognition of usefulness of mathematics the Federal Government of Nigeria in her National Policy on Education (F R N, 2014), made mathematics a core subject to be offered at both the primary and secondary school levels of education. Peters (2001) submitted that mathematics remain the pivot on which any true science cannot succeed without going through mathematics demonstration. Aremu (1998) opine that the importance of mathematics as a necessary tool needed for the realization of national goals and objectives of our secondary school.

The success and failure of student’s performance in our secondary schools are determined by students’ interest in mathematics. Peer group are among the most influential social forces affecting adolescent behavior mundane decisions concerning clothing, hairstyle, music and entertainment to more significant decision concerning short and long-term education plans. During the formative adolescent years, peers are arguable even more important than parents, teachers, counselors and the peer influence of youth cam have long lasting consequences (Coleman, 1966). Parents recognize the importance of peer group and through their choice neighborhoods, schools and activities (Lareu et-al, 2003). Attempt to guide and direct their children’s friendship selection, in schools which can be increasingly challenging during adolescent. Peer group has always been menace in our societies, social relations and students’ performance.

Menheim (1998) claims that students throughout their school career will be grouped with their contemporaries to they will become accustomed to having the limitations and additions of each age group intensified. Taiwo (2004) wrote that the peer group outsides the home from which does not always conform with adult standard a and each child strive to abide with the ethics of the group they takes members with because rejection by the group may have negative effect on the learning of the child.

Regardless of socioeconomic status, parents wants their children’s to be surrounded by the best possible social networks, especially during adolescent period when youth are increasingly independent from parents. During these formative years evolutional goals take form, and youth make a series of decisions that shapes their educational trajectories even as their friendship network gain influence upon these decisions unfortunately the peer effects literature is lacking in two main areas. The first is that peer effect are assumed to be uniform across class, gender, race and ethnicity  is especially like to be important because adolescents are more likely to choose friends of the same racial and ethnic group (Hamm, Brown & Heck, 2005); Introducing t5the possibility that peers have differing effects by race and ethnicity. The second problem is that few studies focus on academic decisions that are directly influenced by friends, such as course or track selection and college choices, instead most studies of peer group effect focus on educational out comes that are indirectly influenced by friends, such as early cognitive development,  grades promotion and most commonly test scores ( Zimmerman, 2003). Hanushek (2003) have pointed out that if innovations to behavior form an important avenue through which peers effects outcomes, in mathematics the in ability to capture such behavior might lead to a serious underestimation of peer influences. Thus, behavior decisions may lie at the intersection between peers and performance effectively acting as a mediator through which the influence of peer passes prior to shaping students’ performance in mathematics.

The research intend to find out the level of students performance in mathematics and the problem associated with the performance of the subject as a result of peer group interaction as well as solution to the problem in the study area and even beyond are to be highlighted. There are many factors affecting performance in mathematics, peer group influence is one of the major factor especially in physical science, particularly mathematics which is consider as the mother of natural and applied science as well as technology( Morrish, 2001).

The peer group to examine here are between the ages of (15-20) years which are senior secondary school students. According to F R N, (2014) the system of education should be 9,3,4 system, which means 9 year for basic education and 3 year for senior secondary school and 4 year for higher education. In this study the researcher focus on senior secondary school students only.

Influence of peer group is strong during adolescent stage of child development as such parents are concern about the attitude and behavior of their children most especially during this time. Children behavior and attitude are change by the influence of their group especially when they reach the age of puberty children who had entered adolescent were most likely to respect what they are willing to follow within their peers on all matters whether positive or negative depending on the group interest. Also Cole (1991) made similar observations that “peer relation has an important in social development of adolescent and effect which can be positive or negative depending on the group norm and value”.

Peer group attitude have propounded influence of performance toward many values for example education in general and mathematics in particular, peer group plays a vital role in the performance of students in school, also it can be motivating factor for learning.

This study would focus its attention in finding out whether peers could affect the performance of senior secondary school mathematics students, because school are motivational influence, for example when students sense of belonging they may likely to adopt goals valued  by the schools likewise if students feel disconnected from the school they like to reject school goals. The teachers and adults can promote positive peer culture through increase awareness of adolescent social system enhance the status of peer performance in mathematics and avoid making performance in game of winners and losers.

Against this background the study is set to examine the influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school of Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

The low academic performance in school has brought the need to investigate the factors influencing learning. The peer group influence is one of the factors causing low academic performance. There is need to look into peer group relationship and individual approach to learning, membership of the peer group they belong and find out how factors such as sex, age, social status or ethnicity determine their membership in a group.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are to;

  1. Examine the concept and nature of peer group
  2. Find out the influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school in Kaduna metropolis.
  3. Determine the influence of peer group on male and female student’s performance in mathematics in secondary school of Kaduna metropolis.
  4. To investigate the effects of attitude of students towards mathematics
  5. To find out how teaching techniques and instructional materials would improve the lukewarm attitudes of students towards mathematics.
  6. Assess the impact of socio-economic background of students towards mathematics(Environmental factors)

1.4     Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

  1. What is the influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school in Kaduna metropolis?
  2. Is there any difference in the academic performance of male and female students in mathematics in senior secondary school of Kaduna metropolis due to peer group influence?

1.5     Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses would be tested at 0.05 level of significance:

H01.  There is no significant influence of peer group on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school in Kaduna metropolis.

H02. There is no significant influence of peer group on male and female student’s performance in mathematics in senior secondary school of Kaduna metropolis.

1.6     Significance of the Study

The study would be of great benefits and importance not only to the schools under study but would be a great benefit to curriculum planner’s, school administrators as well as classroom teachers and implementers of educational policies.

However, the findings of this research project will be beneficial to mathematics teachers in dealing with peer groups and how to improve their academic performance meet up with their regular counterpart. Likewise parents will take advantage of the ways of encouraging their children before and during academic pursuits.

1.7     Basic Assumption of the Study

The basic assumptions of this study are as follows;

  1. Peer group influences on academic performance of mathematics students in senior secondary school in Kaduna metropolis.
  2. Male and female students’ performance in mathematics in senior secondary school of Kaduna metropolis due to peer group influence.

1.8     Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This research work is strictly delimited to Chukun local government of Kaduna state. The researcher restricted the work to SS II students because they are neither beginners nor final year students. The research data collection, findings and conclusions are within some selected secondary schools located in Kaduna metropolis. The researcher used SET as content to be used which include definition of set, types of set, notation of set and relation of set.

1.9     Operational Definition of Terms

In the course of study, some terms were used in special way. The terms are as follows;

Academic Performance: This is the level of achievement attained through effort or skills during the learning processes (theoretical and practical) and has effect on standard of education.

Influence: These are the problems which hinder the effective teaching and learning of mathematics.

Peer Group: This is the association of close friends of the same sex which are bound together by common emotional attachment and have complex social system of which they possess certain code of conduct such as dressing code.

Peer: Students of same age status in senior secondary schools of Kaduna metropolis.

 

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FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS’ POOR PERFORMANCE

A SURVEY OF FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS’ POOR PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (SSCE) IN IDAH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Mathematics is intimately connected to daily life and everybody’s life-long planning. Shut out mathematics from daily life and civilisation comes to a standstill. It is in the light of this, that the research seeks to build and elicit among students and teachers the proper appreciation and interest in the value of mathematics to the individual and society. This is done with a particular focus on the senior secondary schools in Idah local government area of Kogi state, Nigeria. The relevant data and information was collected by a teacher questionnaire. It is based on the 4-points Likert scale responses. Simple mean was used to analyse the data. Numerical values 4, 3, 2, and 1 were assigned to the options respectively. The mean value for acceptance is X>2.5 otherwise reject. For each cluster the acceptance point is 12.5. The finding of this survey confirmed the fact that; the teacher factor, students’ attitude and commitment, methods of teaching mathematics, use of instructional materials and the school environment are to a great extent valid factors that influences the students poor performance in mathematics in the senior secondary school certificate Examination.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background to the Study

Osokoya (2003) defines Education as a continuous process which the society establishes to assist its members to understand the heritage of the past and to participate productively in the future. It is the leading out of the in-born powers and potentialities of the individuals in the society and the acquisition of skills, aptitudes, and competencies necessary for self-realisation and for coping with life’s problem. For Afe (2000), Education is considered as a tool to be used for the integration of the individual into the society to achieve self-realisation, develop national consciousness, promote unity, and strive for social, economic, political, scientific, cultural and technological progress. Education in science and mathematics therefore becomes bedrock and indispensable tools for scientific, technological and economic advancement in any nation. It gives the nation the capacity to apply technology for the exploitation of the resources of nature. Such exploitation will depend greatly on mathematics for laying the foundation for political, governmental, military, civil, scientific, technological advancement, economic development, socio-cultural and environmental peace.

There are number of questions which need to be answered at this stage. What then is Mathematics? Why should everybody learn Mathematics? What is the importance of this subject in life and in school curriculum? What shall be the advantage of devoting so much effort, time, and money to the teaching of Mathematics? The importance of mathematics transcends all the definitions and the prosperity of any country depends on the volume and quality of mathematics offered in its school system. Obe (1996) conceptualises mathematics as the master and servant of most disciplines and thus, a source of enlightenment and understanding of the universe. He further opines that without it, the understanding of national problems would be superficial.

Greaber and Weisman (1995) agree that mathematics helps the individual to understand the environment and to give accurate account of the physical phenomena around every person. To this end, Setidisho (2001) submits that no other subject forms a strong binding force among various branches of science as mathematics, and without it, knowledge of the sciences often remains superficial.

Emphasising the importance of the subject to the society, Robert (1987) stated that in the United States, mathematics has come to play important roles: in the engineering of highways, the search for energy, the designing of television sets, the profitable operation of most business, astronauts flying space-crafts, the study of epidemics, the navigation of ships at sea all depends on the study of mathematics. Ogunbanjo (1998) opines that all over the world, sciences has been accepted as a vehicle of technology, social and economic development. Mathematics is not only basic to these but is the language of science. In another related study, Igbokwe (2003) highlights the intricate link of mathematics to science and technology, and contends that without mathematics there will be no science and without science there will be no technology, and without technology there will be no modern society. These and many more reasons are why the Nigerian government believes that the subject should be taken seriously in our school system; and Nigeria in her march towards technological development, has not made mathematics a compulsory subject in the curriculum of the primary and secondary school levels of her educational system (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004) but also as a prerequisite to the study of science courses in her colleges, polytechnics and universities (JAMB Brochure, 19992-2007).

Shapiro (2000) defines Mathematics as the study of qualitative relations; put simply, it is the science of structure, order, numbers, space and relationships about counting, measuring and describing of shapes and objects. It qualifies in its own right as a science but it is often regarded as a language of and a link between all the sciences. Soyemi (1999) Mathematics is a body of knowledge that opens up the mind to logical reasoning, analytical thinking and the ability for creative thinking, deep focusing and clarity of thought and precision. It is the hub on which all scientific and technological studies find their bearings. In pure sciences it is the basis and language of study, in applied sciences and technology it is an indispensable tool of analysis, with the social sciences it is a scaffold and for the Arts the light that gives consistently and completeness to its study. Osafehinti (1990) observes that the learning of mathematics in schools represent first, a basic preparation for adult life and secondly a gateway to a vast array of career choices. And from the societal perspective, competence in mathematics is essential for the preparation of an informed citizenry and for continuous production of highly skilled personnel required for industry, technology and science. The progress of any nation depends upon her scientific and technological advancement which can only be built on a sound mathematical education capable of making the citizens effectively functional in the natural and applied sciences. The study of Mathematics therefore will go a long way to “equip students to live effectively in our modern age of science and technology” (NPE 2004).

Fakuade (1977) sums up this assertion; for the purposes of economic survival, the ordinary citizen needs to be able to compare and estimate values of articles, determine prices of foodstuffs, reckon distances and time, weigh evidence and be able to sift substances from chaffs. Thus in the complexity of the modern society everyman requires a certain amount of competence in basic mathematics for purposes of handling money, prosecuting daily businesses, interpreting mathematical graphs and charts and thinking logically.

In concluding this section therefore, Mathematics Education must contribute towards the acquirement of these values: knowledge and skills, intellectual habits and power, desirable attitudes and ideals that are indispensable tools for a successful and balanced human existence.

During the last fifty years there had been unprecedented efforts in curriculum reforms in Mathematics education in Nigeria, from the indigenous innovation of the Africa Mathematic Programme (AMP) (The Entebbe Mathematics (1961-1969), through the formation of Nigeria Educational Research Council (NERC) in 1969. In spite of the efforts made by these bodies, students’ failures rate in mathematics has been on the increase.

Similarly workshops and conferences have also been held to salvage the situation and gave a solid foundation to mathematic education, curricula developments and implementation. To name but a few of such events are: The comparative Education Study and Adaptation Centre (1976) that took care of the secondary level mathematics syllabus, the Benin Conference (1977) and The National Critique Workshop at Onitsha (1978).

Subsequently The National Mathematics Centre formulated and adopted the following objectives for teaching mathematics in Nigeria secondary schools:

  1. To generate interest in mathematics and provide a solid foundation for everyday living.
  2. To develop computational skills
  3. To foster the desire and ability to be accurate to a degree relevant to the problem at hand.
  4. To develop and practice logical and abstract thinking
  5. To develop capacity to recognise problems and to solve them with related mathematics knowledge.
  6. To provide necessary mathematical background for further education
  7. To stimulate and encourage creativity.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Observations and reports from examining bodies like WAEC, NECO and JAMB revealed that a high percentage of secondary school students continue to perform poorly in mathematics examinations. Despite the laudable efforts at developing an acceptable general mathematics curriculum students’ performance in the subject appears to be declining over the years. To alleviate the situation in the 1989, the National Mathematics Centre was established. Chief amongst its functions include:

  1. To encourage and support activities leading to the improvement of the teaching and learning of mathematical sciences at all levels.
  2. To tackle national set goals in the development of mathematical sciences.
  3. To inject mathematical education to the rarefied area of theoretical mathematics with a view to increasing the number of mathematicians.

Yet in the face of all these efforts the rate and degree of students’ poor performance in senior secondary school examination in mathematics must now be a problem of national concern. This sad situation is aptly described by Adeniyi (1988) who rightly observes, that one’s involvement in the marking of mathematics for the West African

Examinations Council (WAEC) is enough to get anyone sorrowful at the state of Mathematics in Nigeria secondary schools. Some candidates submit their answer scripts without writing anything in them. Some candidates merely recopy the questions, while a high percentage of those who try to write anything at all score below 40%. This is aptly confirmed with the release of WAEC result for May/June 2011 as quoted in the Leadership newspaper, “the West African Examination Council (WAEC) released results of the May/June 2011 west African senior secondary certificate examination, (WASSCE) with an abysmal 30% of the candidates making credit in English and Mathematics. Details of the results showed that the results of 81, 573 candidates representing 5.29% were withheld.

The question that readily comes to mind is; what are the factors responsible for the students’ poor performance in mathematics in secondary school examination? This project will therefore take a survey of the factors responsible for these failures, the effect on students and the future of our society, the attendant problems and proffer means of the changing the trend of students’ poor performance in mathematics.

The decline in the numbers of candidates opting to pursue the studies in the sciences has become a matter of considerable societal concern and debate among researchers (Jenkins, 1996). Consequently, the promotion of favourable attitudes towards science and learning of Mathematics is extremely critical and important. However, the concept of poor performance in mathematics is rather ill-defined, often poorly expressed and not well understood.

Fundamental to this quest are the questions that the researcher seeks to address:

  1. Are the teachers of mathematics adequately qualified and properly trained in the subject?
  2. Is the excessive workload and lack of teacher training facilities at the root of poor performances of student?
  3. Is the WAEC syllabus inadequate, irrelevant and ambiguous?
  4. Are parents as committed to the progress and success of their ward?
  5. How is the Mathematics taught in schools?
  6. Has the taste for learning being diluted by the answer-centeredness of most school teaching?
  7. Is WAEC, NECO, GCE and JAMB only servicing failures yearly with profit? Is that ethical?

1.3     Purpose of the Study

This study examines the factors responsible for the students’ poor performance in mathematics in selected secondary schools in Idah Local government area of Kogi State.

Specifically, it will examine;

  1. Teachers’ and students’ attitude to teaching and learning of mathematics.
  2. The nature of school environment.
  3. Teachers’ teaching methods, and
  4. Teachers’ use of instructional materials.

Schools are established to accomplish specific goals and objectives and incidentally one of the most common criteria of evaluating the effectiveness of any school system is the extent to which the students perform in their examinations.

1.4     Research Questions

To achieve the objective of the study, five research questions were raised.

  1. Does teachers’ attitude to the teaching of mathematics constitute a problem in the students’ performance in the SSCE Mathematics?
  2. What is the nature of school environment in which teaching is done?
  3. Does the students’ attitude and commitment towards mathematics constitute a significant problem in performance in SSCE mathematics?
  4. Does teaching method constitute significant problem in students’ performance in mathematics examination. How is mathematics taught in schools?
  5. Does the lack of instructional materials, educational facilities and inadequate supervision constitute a significant problem in students’ performance in SSCE mathematics examination?

1.5     Significance of Study

It is the sincere hope of the researcher that by carrying out this study of the factors responsible for students’ poor performance in mathematics and proffering solutions, the findings and recommendations would be of a great help to all stakeholders who have anything to do with the success or failure of the child in school; school administrators, classroom teachers, psychologists, teacher trainers, theorists, examination bodies, curriculum designers and professional associations.

It will equally guide and guard government at all levels and ministries of education, school guidance counsellors and parents. It is hoped that this study will help in improving the whole system in such a way as to induce better performance in mathematics examination at the secondary school level.

1.6     Scope of Study

The present study used five secondary schools in Idah local government area of Kogi state. These schools present students for the senior secondary school certificate examinations conducted by both NECO and WAEC.

1.7       Limitation of Study

The research work covered only five sampled selected schools in only one local government area. It also covered only public senior secondary schools.

1.8      Definition of Terms

To set stage for our survey of the factors responsible for the poor performance of students in mathematics, we present working definitions of some of the terms.

Factor: In this study, a factor is taken to mean any element, force, condition or circumstances that has a causal influence or can contribute to the students’ performance in mathematics.

Performance: Accomplishing or achievement of specific goals, objectives or set mark in any academic endeavour. It is one of the most common criteria of evaluating effectiveness of schools.

Curriculum: A sequence of potential experiences, set up in the schools to discipline children and youth in ways of thinking and acting whether it is carried out in groups or individually, inside or outside the school.

Innovation: is a way of changing and adapting for the purpose of attaining certain goals and aspirations.

Qualified Teacher: For this study a teacher who holds the following certificate is assumed to be qualified: NCE, B.Ed., B.Sc. (Ed), B.Sc. and PGDE.

 

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EFFECT OF PEER TUTORING TEACHING STRATEGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

EFFECT OF PEER TUTORING TEACHING STRATEGY ON SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT

This research work is carried out to investigate the effect of peer-tutoring teaching strategy on secondary school student academic achievement in Mathematics. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The design adopted was a Quasi-Experimental. Two hundred (200) students from four selected schools in Edu Local Government Area were used as research sample. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the sampled schools. The experimental group was exposed to peer-tutoring, while the control group was taught with conventional method. Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was used to collect data from both pretest and posttests. A reliability coefficient of 0.71 was obtained. The data were analyzed using t-test. The hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study are student taught with peer-tutoring strategy performed better than those taught with conventional teaching method and gender has no effect on their mathematics achievement scores. It was recommended that   Government agencies whose responsibility is to design and revise the curriculum for secondary schools should incorporate the use of peer tutoring in teaching.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

            The field of education has undergone a significant shift in thinking about the nature of human learning and the conditions that best promote the varied dimension of human learning (Applefield, Huber & Moallem, 2001 as cited in Gan, 2008). Several researchers had suggested that human learn best if they repeat same behaviour several times, and the theory behind this type of learning in most western schools is viewed through the viewpoints constructivist. (Gan, 2008).

            According to Facey-Shaw & Golding (2005) cognitive theories of learning attempt to explain how instructors can use information to improve students’ learning. However, constructivist theory suggests that human learn better if there is an interaction between previous knowledge and new knowledge. Thus, there has been a paradigm shift in the designing of instruction from behaviourists to cognitivists and now to constructivists (Cooper, 2008).

             According to Gan, (2008) the conventional teaching approach usually involve teacher starting the lesson by introducing the topic or concept, explaining it and then give some works examples. Lastly, the teacher gives home work to the students. In this kind of learning situation, students are not able to construct their own understanding since they are not actively participating in the teaching and learning process. Students are not able to think creatively, innovatively and critically since they perceivably received what have been taught to them.

            In addition some students are not able to keep with the teaching pace. Hence, in order to promote active participation of student’s teachers should adjust their teaching style to a more learner-centred once. One possible teaching approach is the peer-tutoring teaching approach. On the other hand, peer-tutoring are systematic, peer/mediated teaching strategies (Rohrbeck, Ginsburg-Block, Fantuzzo & Miller, 2003).

            To further buttress on the above statement, Ezengwu (2007) stated that majority of teachers in the field still employ conventional methods in the classroom teaching, these methods though not without some advantages are found to be didactic, stereotype, ineffective and non-result oriented. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) as cited in Anselm (2010) argued that to continue to progress in mathematics achievement, we must improve the quality of mathematics instruction received by all secondary students. Although many factors affect a student’s mathematics learning, one factor over which schools have the most immediate control is the choice of mathematics program to be implemented by teachers, administrators and curriculum developers.

            Peer tutoring is not a new idea, it is possibly as old as any form of collaborative or community action and has probably always taken place implicitly or vicariously (Topping 2005). But in a changing Higher Education landscape, more formalised and even assessed forms of peer teaching are becoming ever more popular. Indeed Peer tutoring schemes appear to becoming strategized; developing to meet calls for accountability, better assessment, and improved outcomes for students. (Anselm, 2010).

            Peer tutoring is a very old practice traceable back at least as far as the ancient Greeks.  Archaic Definitions of peer tutoring perceived the peer tutor as a surrogate teacher in a linear model of the transmission of knowledge from teacher to tutor to tutee. Later it was realised that the peer tutoring interaction was qualitatively different from that between a teacher and a student, and involved different advantage and disadvantages (Razia, 2012).

            Peer tutoring is an instructional strategy that consists of pairing students together to learn or practice an academic task. The pairs of students can be of the same or differing ability and/or age range. Peer tutoring encompasses a variety of instructional approaches including Cross-Age Tutoring, Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS), and Reciprocal Peer Tutoring (RPT). Variations exist among instructional approaches. However, the underlying theory is consistent: peer interaction can have a powerful influence on academic motivation and achievement (Light & Littleton, 2000; Steinburg, Dornbusch, & Brown, 2004; Wentzel, 2006). The research base also suggests that socialization experiences that occur during peer tutoring can benefit both the tutor and tutee by motivating students to learn and increasing their social standing among peers (Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L.S., Mathes & Martiniez, 2002; Rohrbeck et. al, 2003; Miller & Miller, 2008). When students understand the benefits of peer tutoring and have the tools to become effective tutors and tutees, they make greater progress than those who are not given any instruction on how to work together (Fuchs, Fuchs,  Hamlett,  Phillips,  Karns, & Dutka, 2007).

            Peer-tutoring consists of students partnership, linking high achieving students with lower achieving students or those with comparable achievement for structure reading and mathematics study seasons. Peer-tutoring refer to situation where one child provides instructional assistance and guidance to another child (Tan, Cheah & Choug, 2005).

            Furthermore, Nathern and Liz (2007) as cited in Ezenwosu, and Loretta (2013) noted that peer tutoring gives teachers the capability to accommodate a classroom with diverse learners to improve academic achievement across ability levels and content areas. According to Vygotsky (1987) as cited in Razia (2012) peers play a special role in children’s development. Although children’s relationship with their parents is more intense and enduring than relations with peers, interactions among age-mates are more free and egalitarian. The greater fluidity of peer relationships offers children the opportunity for a new kind of interpersonal experimentation and exploration.

            Schools across the country are adopting and using student centered instruction rather than the conventional teaching method of instruction. This method of teaching has increased student achievement in all subjects of the elementary classroom, as well as the use of mathematics in everyday life (Topping, Campbell, Douglas & Smith, 2003).

            Motivation was an additional benefit of using peer assisted learning to promote student learning in the mathematics classroom. Results have also indicated that learners were motivated in achieving their own success in mathematics (McMaster, Fuchs and Fuchs, 2006). Research on peer-assisted learning and its effects on students in mathematics, has proven to be a beneficial way in achieving success (McMaster et al., (2006); Nesselrodt & Alger, (2005); Robinson, (2005); Spencer, (2006).

            According to research on same-age and cross-age peer tutoring, significant gains were made in learners of all backgrounds (Cairo & Craig, 2005). Nebo (2012) stated that this conventional method of teaching has failed to recognize the uniqueness of the inquiry base nature of Mathematics and the learner’s individuality thus failed to encourage creative thinking in the learner leading to poor achievement of students. Based on this  educators and scholars are challenged to seek for an intervention or innovative methods that would enhance academic achievement of students in Mathematics some of these methods includes concept mapping, discovering method, co-operative learning, target task approach, peer tutoring e.t.c. (Okoye, 2013).

            According to Benjamin 2010 the benefits of peer-tutoring is that a struggling student can benefit greatly from having to prepare and teach the topic that they are studying to a tutor from the same age group as them. The formal lines that exist between a teacher and a student aren’t as defined with someone who is the same age as the person learning, and are therefore easier to cross and find common ground with that said student.

             Therefore, students need to be able to master problem-solving skills. One way to achieve this goal is through peer-assisted learning (also known as peer tutoring), which, according to Calhoon (2003), is defined as students working together to teach one another. According to Summers (2006), this style of learning is correlated to social constructivism because students use their own knowledge to assist each other with assignments and class assessments.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

            The low level of attainment of students in mathematics at every segment of educational system have given mathematics and even mathematics educators a high level of concern which is so because of the universally held assumption of the growth and development of mankind. A lot of research efforts have been focused on identifying factors that inhibit the learning of mathematics. According to Anselm (2010) Poor motivation, and lecture method have been highlighted as problems. The approached used by many mathematics teachers is one which does not give room for students to develop their intuition, imagination and creative abilities. As a results of this, mathematics educators are constantly interested on how and when to optimally adopt different mathematics instructional strategies in order to achieve the stated mathematics educational objectives. Obviously, the traditional mathematics teacher as information giver or textbook guided classroom has failed to bring the desired outcome of producing well thinking mathematics students to meet the present global challenges. (Anselm, 2010)

            Therefore, there is need to search for more effective instructional strategies that are likely to improve students’ academic achievement in secondary school mathematics. Hence, this study seeks to make a comparative analysis on peer tutoring type of co-operative based learning instructional strategy and the traditional teaching strategy in relation to mathematics achievement among senior secondary school students in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

            The general objective of this research is to investigate the effect of peer tutoring and conventional teaching strategies on the Mathematics achievement of Senior Secondary School Students in Tsaragi Emirate of Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

            Specifically, the research objectives include the following:

  1. To compare academic achievement of students using peer-tutoring method and conventional method of instruction.
  2. To compare male and female students academic achievement using peer tutoring method.
  3. To compare the effect of peer-tutoring and conventional method of instruction in student’s retention level in mathematics.

1.4     Research Questions            

The study was guided by the following research questions:

  1. What impact does Peer-tutoring and Conventional Teaching Strategies have on Student Academic Achievement in Mathematics?
  2. Does Gender have any influence on the Academic Achievement of Students in Mathematics using Peer-tutoring?
  3. What are the effects of peer-tutoring and conventional teaching strategies in student’s retention level in Mathematics?

1.5     Research Hypothesis

H01: There is no significance difference in academic achievement of students taught Mathematics using peer tutoring method and those taught using conventional teaching Strategies

H02: There is no significance difference between male and female performance in Mathematics when taught using peer tutoring.

H03: There is no significance difference between students retention when taught Mathematics using Peer tutoring and Conventional teaching Strategy.

1.6     Significance of the Study

            The quest to find an acceptable, relevant functional and conclusive method for teaching and learning of mathematics has been of great concern to mathematics educators. As a result, mathematics educators are constantly interested on how to optimally adopt different mathematics instructional strategies in order to achieve the stated mathematics educational objectives. Peer tutoring as learning aid may improve students’ feeling of success and help them develop confidence in mathematics through their direct involvement. This innovation when use helps in solving the problem of mere teaching-learning of mathematics syndrome by domination. Since the teacher-centered measures have not eradicated poor achievement from mathematics students, it is time to adopt alternative ways of arresting it. Hence, this study will provide the basis for mathematics educators towards the adoption of Class-wide peer tutoring as a measure against poor academic achievement.

            The study also significant, as the findings can improve on mathematics teachers’ ways of presenting their lesson appropriately, thereby making students’ to become interested, participate actively with mathematics concept. This will help to inculcate good cooperative learning habits on mathematics students to enhance good academic achievement through involvement in peer tutoring.

            The curriculum experts at large would benefit a lot from the outcome of this study.

1.7     Scope and Delimitation of the study

            The scope of the study is based on the comparative analysis of peer tutoring and teaching strategy on academic performance of Senior Secondary School Students in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

            The research work will be limited to the analysis based on the achievement test, and relevant text (literature). The topics to be covered are Differentiation and Integration. Other limitation of the study is: inability of the researcher to cover the entire population of the study.

1.7     Operational Terms Used

  1. Peer: Students of the same age/ability.
  2. Tutoring:  A person charged with the instruction and guidance of another
  3. Comparative: A systematic observation of the similarities or dissimilarities between two or more subjects or variables of study.
  4. Academic Performance: Evaluation of students’ expected performance on academic activities in the classroom.

 

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EFFECTIVENESS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING AND PEER-TEACHING STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of cooperative learning and peer-teaching strategies on students’ achievement and interest in Mathematics in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State. In addition, the study determined which of the two teaching strategies would be more efficacious in enhancing students’ achievement and interest in Mathematics. Six research questions and six hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The research work was quasi-experimental design type, specifically the non equivalent control group design. Two hundred and eighty three Mathematics students drawn from nine co-educational public schools within the Ezeagu Education Zone of Enugu State were used for the work. Simple random sampling technique was applied in choosing the schools as well as assigning each of the teaching approaches to the sample schools. The cooperative learning and peer –teaching groups were the experimental groups while the conventional teaching method group was treated as the control group. Validated Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) and Mathematics Interest Inventory (MII) were administered to the students as pretest and posttest for collection of data. The MAT had reliability index of 0.98 while MII had reliability index of 0.93. The mean scores were used to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. From the findings of the research work, teaching approach used in difficult mathematics concepts is significantly responsible for the perennial poor performance of students in secondary school mathematics and more of cooperative learning should be used as it has better effect on students interest and achievement in learning difficult mathematics concept than the peer teaching, a number of implications were discussed. Recommendations and suggestions for further studies were also made.

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Factors Influencing the Attitude of Students towards the Study of Mathematics in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

 

Students have many different perceptions of mathematics. Most business and athletics leaders will talk about how the individual’s attitude directly affects their performance in the office or on the field. Attitude towards mathematics plays a crucial role in the teaching and learning processes of mathematics. It affects students’ achievement in mathematics. The teaching method, the support of the structure of the school, the family and students’ attitude towards school affect the attitudes towards mathematics. This study looked at how students’ attitudes impact the mathematics performance of the students in the classroom. Five selected school in Katsina – Ala Local Government Area of Benue State were the focus of this study. Students were surveyed by the researcher on their attitude towards mathematics education. The findings revealed that attitude and gender difference have a significant impact in the performance of students in mathematics. It also revealed that positive attitude towards mathematics leads students towards success in mathematics. Attempt to improve attitude towards mathematics at lower level provides base for higher studies in mathematics. It also causes effect in achievement of mathematics at secondary school level.

 

Chapter One

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study 

There is no disagreement on the vital importance of mathematics to both the scientist, the technologist and even to every layman in his everyday life (Omenka, 2013). Mathematics is the key element and activity in the day to day living that every human being practices in one form or the other (Kurumeh, Akure, and Oguche, 2007). The knowledge of mathematics is an essential tool in our society (Baroody, 1987). It is a tool that can be used in our daily life to overcome the difficulties faced (Bishop, 1996). Due to this, mathematics has been considered as one of the most important core subject in a school curriculum. More mathematics lessons are likely to be taught in schools and colleges throughout the world than any other subject (Orton, Orton, & Frobisher, 2004).

The Nigerian education accorded mathematics a special position in the school curriculum. In fact, it made a core-subject for both Arts and Science students. All the junior secondary schools students have to pass it at the junior secondary school certificate examination before they are allowed to register for senior secondary school examination. In other words mathematics is one of the core-subjects both at the junior and senior secondary school levels. It is also required that a student gets a credit pass in it to get admission for science related courses in the universities.

However, the standard tests and evaluations reveal that students do not perform to the expected level. The student under achievement in mathematics is not just a concern for particular countries, but has become a global concern over the years (Pisa, 2003).

Despite the relevance of mathematics and the efforts made by the government to improve the student’s achievement in mathematics, the result is not yet satisfactory. The West African Examination Council, WAEC (2004) Chief Examiner’s Report shows that 1,090,503 candidates sat for external out of which only 10.5% passed. In 2005 out of 1464,301 candidates that sat for external only 15.2% passed mathematics. In 2007, out of 1,484,611 candidates, only 18.5% passed mathematics. National Examination Council, NECO (2006) reported that many of the candidates exhibited lack of knowledge of basic principles needed to tackle some of the mathematics problems.

Several studies and researches have been done in many countries to find the factors that influence the student’s performance in mathematics. Among these factors, student’s attitude towards mathematics is one important factor that has been consistently studied. Often, the studies on relationship between student’s attitude and the student’s academic performance show a positive relationship (Mohd, Mahmood, & Ismail, 2011; Bramlett & Herron, 2009; Nicolaidou & Philippou, 2003; Papanastasiou, 2000; Ma & Kishor, 1997). Hence students’ attitude towards mathematics is a major factor that might influence the performance of the students. Due to this, several studies have been conducted in different countries in order to find out the students attitude towards mathematics (Tahar, Ismail, Zamani & Adnan, 2010; Tezer & Karasel, 2010; Maat & Zakaria, 2010; Bramlett & Herron, 2009; Köğce, Yıldız, Aydın, & Altındağ, 2009; Tapia & Marsh, 2004; Fennema & Sherman, 1976) and hence to use these data to suggest the low performance of students and factors affecting it. The aim of this research is to find out the factors influencing the attitude of secondary school students towards mathematics in some schools in Katsina-Ala, Benue State. The research focuses on finding the students’ attitude towards mathematics and also finding the significant difference between student’s attitudes towards mathematics with regard to the gender of the students.

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