CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Science can be defined as the knowledge about the physical world based on facts that can be proven experimentally, Omebe and Omiko, (2015). It can also be defined as the systematic process of making enquiry about the living and non-living things in our environment.
Mathematics is a branch of science that deals with numerical relations, manipulations and application. We live in a specific and technological world where there is hardly any aspect of science that does not require a good working knowledge and understanding of mathematics for analysis and results, Adelad, (2013). And the study of mathematics is the basis for national technological development and prosperity.
However, despite the importance of mathematics, the performance of students at lower and higher levels of the education has not been encouraging. Students perform poorly in both internal and external examinations. Akinmadehan (2014) opined that cases of failure in internal and external examinations have been very rampant. For example, results of mathematics in the school certificates have been very poor over years.
The development of any nation is measured by among other factors, the level of reasonability of the higher percentage of the nationals. In other words, the development of any nation ties seriously to the rational index of the collectivity of the persons constituting the nation. This is what the learning of mathematics facilitates in all individuals. Toulmin (2013) observed that an appreciate scientist masters the current interpretive standpoint of a science in the course of being uncultured into the professional community of that science. Analogously a mathematics lecturer also initiates and guides the learners acculturation into the interpretive standpoint he/she looks with regards to general mathematics concepts in the process of which the learners construct their beliefs and better standpoint. Moreover, an intuitively developed person can be said to be that man, whose reasoning is found to be very logical and precise.
However, there have not been remarkable improvements in the interest of students toward Mathematics, mostly in problem solving. Students’ performance in Mathematics depends on many factors and stands out to show how well a student is doing. Festus (2017), contend that performance appears generally to be the fundamental goal behind every life struggle, but the positive platform has consequential effects of improving the worth of the student and can only be achieved through acquisition of positive learning attitudes.
The extents to which students’ attitudinal interest change toward Mathematics are yet to be empirically investigated. On this lies the overall inspiration of this present study Mukherjee (2012) explained attitude as someone’s feelings, thoughts and predispositions to behave in some particular manner towards some aspects of his environment. Attitude regarding students’ learning has to do with the feelings or opinions that they have towards the subject as an organized body of knowledge. This can be positive or negative depending on their perception of problem-solving in Mathematics. Yunus and Ali, (2012) and Najdi, (2013) showed that most Mathematics students have negative attitude towards Mathematics hence low attitude towards problems-solving in Mathematics. They lack interest in the subject and syllabus and do not grasp the concept of Mathematics.
The inadequate teachers’ approach to the materials and poor non-formal instructional materials were also identified as reasons for the negative attitude of students towards Mathematics. They suggested the development of positive attitudes in students towards Mathematics problem-solving through suitable instructional methods.
This suggests that a properly planned and executed problem solving instruction enables learners to: reflect on their past experiences to determine if the latter can be applied on the present problem situation, support their problem solving actions with evidence or valid arguments rather than anything for granted, consider other possible ways of solving a particular problem, try varying conditions of the problem to see if the same solutions procedures will be required. It is therefore through problem solving that learners’ thought processes can be shared and translated into action, thereby making them develop confidence in their ability to solve mathematical problems. However, if the teacher spends most of the time drilling learners in routine operations, he kills their interest, hampers their acquisition of independent thinking and denies them the opportunity of discovering their talents.
The overwhelming importance of problem solving is the opportunity it provides for teachers and pupils to enter into the spirit of enquiry, and through that spirit to establish different styles of teaching and learning. Through problem solving, learners are exposed to different strategies of solving problems. They become curious to see the nature of solutions they get to challenging problems. With time, the learners are motivated to solve variations of given problems and then more complex problems. This means that learners refine and sharpen their problem solving skills by solving more problems and this forms the basis for future problem solving endeavours. Under the problem solving method of teaching, there are specific strategies that are used during the instruction. These include Problem-based learning (PBL), cooperative learning and collaborative learning, all which embrace learner-centred approaches.
Demonstration method is a teaching method used to communicate an idea with the aid of visuals such as flip charts, posters, power point, etc. A demonstration is the process of teaching someone on how to make or do something in a step-by-step process. As you show how, you “tell” what you are doing. Demonstration strategy refers to the type of teaching strategy in which the teacher is the principal actor while the learners watch with the intention to act later. Here the teacher does whatever the learners are expected to do at the end of the lesson by showing them how to do it and explaining the step-by-step process to them (Ameh, Daniel and Akus, 2017). Mundi (2016) described it as a display or an exhibition usually done by the teacher while the students watch with keen interest. He further added that, it involves showing how something works or the steps involved in the process.
Demonstration involves showing by reason or proof, explaining or making clear by use of examples or experiments. Put more simply, demonstration means 'to clearly show'. Teacher demonstrations are important because they: provide students with experiences of real events, phenomena and processes, helping them learn, raise students' interest and motivation. This strategy improves the understanding of complex skills and principles. Students can pay their attention and follow along with the learning process. Knowledge becomes permanent because this method requires different human senses.
Berkeley (2015) noted that good teaching occurs when students learn. Therefore there is need for teachers to ensure that whatever method of instruction they adopt in classroom promotes learning among students’. It is envisaged that the use of problem-solving method of instruction in teaching Mathematics will help students to acquire desirable scientific attitude as well as improve their attitude and achievement in Mathematics generally. Therefore, this study intends to examine the effects of problem-based learning and demonstration strategies on secondary school Mathematics students’ academic performance in Ekiti state.
Statement of the Study
There have been so much cry and agitation from the educational stake holders about the poor performance of students in Mathematics. Several factors have been identified as responsible for the poor performance of the students in Mathematics. One of such factor has to do with idiosyncrasies of classroom interaction which are in parts traceable to the insufficient interaction between the teachers and students.
It is on the basis of those outlined facts that this study was carried out to find the comparative effects of problem-based learning and demonstration strategies on Mathematics student’s academic performance in senior secondary school in Ekiti state.
Purpose of the Study
The broad objective of this study is to examine the effects of problem-based learning and demonstration strategies on secondary school Mathematics students’ academic performance in Ekiti state.
Significance of the Study
The findings of the study will be of immense benefit to the nation, students, science teachers, future researchers and curriculum developers to the relevance of Problem-based Solving techniques to effective teaching and learning of Mathematics. To the nation, the findings of the study will improve students’ performance in Mathematics and increase the number of students who will go into the study of important science courses like engineering, pharmacy, medicine, etc. This course of study has Mathematics as a pre-requisite and promotes national and economic development as well as increasing the number of scientifically skilled and literate citizens.
To the students, the findings of the study will help the students to achieve more in Mathematics through the use of problem based learning and demonstration strategies especially to promote their performance which will make them have interest in science courses in higher schools of learning and also appreciate environmental sustainability. To the teachers; the findings of the study when applied, it will make teaching and learning process more effective and move effective because students’ performance will be enhanced thus enabling the realization of the stated instructional objectives which is the goal of any academic enterprise. To future researchers; the results of this study will serve as a base line data for future researchers into other methods of teaching. It will also serve as a reference material for future studies finally to the curriculum developers, the findings of this study will be used for suggesting/integrating instructional materials and implementing the use of problem based learning and demonstration strategies.
Scope of the Study
This study is limited to senior secondary schools in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State. It covers senior secondary school class one (SS I) students. The study has two variables; the dependent variable is the students’ performance in Mathematics while the independent variable is the problem based learning and demonstration strategies.
Research Questions
The following questions are generated to guide the study:
1. Is there any significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using problem-based learning and demonstration strategies in pre-test and post test?
2. Is there any significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using problem-based learning strategy and conventional method in the pre-test and post?
3. Is there any significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using conventional method and demonstration strategies in the pre-test and post?
4. Is there any significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students taught mathematics using demonstration strategy?
5. Is there any significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students taught mathematics using problem-based learning?
6. Is there any significant effects of problem-based learning and demonstration strategies on the performance of students in post test?
Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance guided the study.
1. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using problem-based learning and demonstration strategies in pre-test and post test.
2. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using problem-based learning strategy and conventional method in the pre-test and post.
3. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of students taught mathematics using conventional method and demonstration strategies in the pre-test and post.
4. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students taught mathematics using demonstration strategy.
5. There is no significant difference in the mean performance scores of male and female students taught mathematics using problem-based learning.
6. There is no significant effects of problem-based learning and demonstration strategies on the performance of students in post test.
Definitions of Terms
The following terms are operational defined in this study;
Demonstration strategy: is a teaching method used to communicate an idea with the aid of visuals such as flip charts, posters, power point, etc.
Learning: This is the process of acquiring new ideas which involve change in behavior after acquiring new concept.
Problem-Based Learning (PBL): is a constructivist educational approach where curriculum and instruction are organized around carefully crafted ill-structured problems.
Teaching: This is the process of transferring ideas through methods by the teacher to the students’ in order to ensure learning.
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