CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Background of the Study:
Mathematics is a fundamental discipline with applications across various aspects of human life, influencing private, social, and civil domains. It is a core subject in basic and secondary education, playing a crucial role in shaping logical thinking and problem-solving skills. However, the contemporary educational landscape has witnessed a decline in students' performance in mathematics, especially in senior secondary school examinations. Contributing factors include a lack of commitment and passion from both teachers and students, leading to poor understanding of mathematical concepts and low achievement.
The significance of mathematics extends beyond academic settings, permeating fields such as sciences, architecture, engineering, and various industries. Universities often require at least a pass in mathematics for admission, emphasizing its importance in science-related courses. Despite its ubiquity and relevance, many students exhibit a fear of mathematics, contributing to poor performance.
Teacher-related factors, such as teaching methods, mastery of the subject, and classroom behavior, have been identified as crucial elements influencing students' mathematics achievement. However, evidence from continuous assessment records and examination reports in Akwa Ibom State reveals consistent failure rates in mathematics. The West African Examination Council (WAEC) Chief Examiner's Reports highlight low achievement, with a significant percentage of candidates failing to obtain credits in mathematics.
Low-achieving mathematics students, characterized by consistently poor performance and a lack of confidence, require special interventions. Environmental factors, including peer influence, teacher relationships, cultural aspects, and school-related issues, contribute to these challenges. Recent studies emphasize the need for effective learning strategies, as rote learning methods prove ineffective for complex tasks.
Statement of the Problem:
The problem at hand is the persistent low achievement in mathematics among senior secondary school students in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Despite teachers' efforts and various teaching strategies, students continue to struggle, leading to poor examination results. The specific challenges include a lack of effective teaching strategies, inadequate student learning strategies, and the prevalence of rote learning methods. Additionally, gender differences in mathematics achievement remain a subject of controversy, with inconsistent findings in previous research.
The study aims to investigate the impact of teacher factors, including teaching methods and mastery of the subject, on students' mathematics achievement. By understanding the specific challenges faced by low-achieving students and identifying effective teaching strategies, the research seeks to contribute to the improvement of mathematics education in Akwa Ibom State. Furthermore, exploring gender differences in mathematics achievement can provide insights into potential disparities that may inform future interventions.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of the study is to determine the effects of teaching probability to JS2 students using dice game on students’ achievement in mathematics in Eket, Nigeria.
Specifically, the study is aimed at the following objectives:
- To determine the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game and lecture method.
- To determine the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by ability level.
- To determine the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by gender.
1.4 Research Questions
- What is the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game and lecture method?
- 2. What is the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by ability level?
3. What is the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by gender.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The following research hypotheses help to answer the research questions.
Ho1: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game and lecture method.
Ho2: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by ability level.
Ho3: There is no significant difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught probability using dice game by gender.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The study would be relevant to all stakeholders in the teaching and learning process, such a teachers, students, educationalist, curriculum designers and policy makers at the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions of learning.
The findings would help them to proffers greater means of promoting effective, efficient and conducive classroom instructions during teaching and learning. The study findings would encourage teacher that come across it to help boost their classroom teaching with the use of concrete materials which may help to keep learners busy and active thus increasing their participation and curiosity level. The findings would also educate the teachers the more on the importance of the use of concrete materials to serve their energy by making the lesson more interactive and practical.
The findings of the study would shift the responsibility for learning on the thereby making teaching and learning students- centred, encouraging collaborative learning among students and as well phasing out the traditional abstract method of teaching mathematics. The findings would helps improve students’ interactions ability by simulating the learn imagination.
Generally, the results of this study, if properly disseminated through publication, seminar, workshops, in-service training of teachers, symposium, have the potential of providing useful information to the teachers, school administrators examination bodies, parents, school psychologists engineers, scientists, and other professionals and bodies on the teaching probability in SS2 and SS3using and student’ achievement in mathematics.
The present study under investigation will help to enhance in knowledge of the teachers in teaching probability effectively and hence making the concept quite interesting to students.
1.7 Delimitations of the Study
The study was delimited to JSII mathematics students in Eket Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State. It was restricted to collaborative strategy, expository strategy and the use of dice game in the teaching and learning of probability aspect of mathematics. It was also delimited to students’ achievement in mathematics.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
Empirical studies were mainly carried out in foreign countries and most of the studies were done among primary grade pupils.
1.9 Definitions of Terms
Concrete Materials: this refers to the tools which are constructed for educational purposes (dice, cubes, cuboids, solid figures etc) and real life objects (coloured paper, rubber bands etc).
Activity Method: This is a teaching method which is student centred. In this method students are allowed to participate actively in the class activities.
Lecture Method: This is a teacher strategy in which the teacher presents content of the material to be learned to students with less participation of the learners in the process. The students under this strategy are passive.
Experimental Group: This refers to the group who received instructions with dice game.
Control Group: This refers to the group who received instructions without dice games.
