Efficacy of Laboratory Instructional Strategy on Students’ Geometry Performance, Retention and Attitude among Junior Secondary Schools, of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Efficacy of Laboratory Instructional Strategy on Students’ Geometry Performance, Retention and Attitude among Junior Secondary Schools, of Kaduna State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

This study set out to investigate laboratory instructional strategy on geometry performanceretention and attitude in some selected secondary schools in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. A sample of N=290 students were drawn from 5,483 randomly selected from the secondary schools in Zaria Educational Zone.

The subjects were divided into two groups, the experimental group N=150 and the control group N=140. The study adopted the pretest, posttest experimental and control group design. A pretest was administered before the treatment to establish group equivalence in ability.

The subjects in the experimental group were then exposed to the treatment using mathematics laboratory instructional strategy, while the control group was exposed to the conventional method for a period of six weeks.

Two instruments were developed and validated for data collection. They are (i) geometry Achievement Test (GAT), and (ii) Attitude Towards Geometry Inventory (ATGI)five null hypotheses were tested. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis.

The t-test for independent sample statistic was used to test for the hypotheses on performance. Mann-Whitney u- test tool of least significant difference was used to test the attitude of the subjects to the laboratory instructional strategy.

INTRODUCTION

Education is the totality of life experiences that people acquire and which enable them to cope with and derive satisfaction from living in the world. It is on this premise that it is believed that the quality of a nation‟s education is proportional to the level of its prosperity.

Today, it is a reality to say that the standard of living of a nation is dependent on the level of science and technology of that nation. While science is the bedrock of technology, mathematics is the gate and key to sciences. According to Aguele(2005), the level of mathematics that determines the level of science and technology component of any nation.

Mathematics has made inroads into every human pursuit. Mathematics is already the most important subject of learning for all. A conceptual understanding of mathematics has come to be a universal necessity for enlightened living.

In Nigeria, emphasis is being placed on a minimum „credit‟ in mathematics at WASSCE/NECO examination as prerequisite for admission to most of the Faculties and Departments in post secondary institutions in Nigeria. Nwabueze(2010) says that for Nigerian secondary school students, mathematics is a nemesis. Yet it is a compulsory subject pursuant to any course of study in the university.

REFERENCES

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Agwagah UNV (2007): The Teaching of Number Bases in Junior Secondary Mathematics: The Use of Base Board ABACUS. J. Math Association of Nigeria. (Mathematics Education Series) 26(1): 1-7.
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CSN Team.

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