TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
OF THE STUDY
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
1.3 PURPOSE
OF THE STUDY
1.4 RESEARCH
QUESTION
1.5
RESEARCH
HYPOTHESIS
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
1.7 OBJECTIVES
1.8 LIMITATION
OF THE STUDY
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 PERCEPTION OF
TEACHERS’ IN THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OFMATHEMATICS
2.2 TEACHERS
QUALIFICATION AND ACHIEVEMENT
2.2.2 TEACHING AIDS
2.3 THE MATHEMATICS TEACHER
2.3.1 EFFECT OF TEACHERS’ GENDER ON STUDENT
PERFORMANCE MATHEMATIC
2.3.2 GOOD STUDENTS ATTRACT TEACHERS
2.4 STUDENTS PERCEPTION IN THE TEACHING AND
2.4.1 STUDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS MATHEMATICS
2.4.2 CLASSROOM LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
3.1
INTRODUCTION
3.2
POPULATION
OF THE STUDY
3.3 RESEARCH
DESIGN
3.3
SAMPLING
AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
3.5 ADMINISTRATION
OF INSTRUMENT
3.6 CONSTRUCTION
OF INSTRUMENT
3.7 METHOD
OF DATA COLLECTION
3.8 METHOD
OF DATA ANALYSIS
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.0 INTRODUCTION
4.1 DEMOGRAPHIC
PRESENTATION OF RESPONDENTS
4.2 ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ RESPONSE
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 SUMMARY, DISCUSSION AND
RECOMMENDATION
5.1
SUMMARY
OF FINDING
5.2 DISCUSSION
OF RESULT
5.3 RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
APPENDIX: QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Teaching
is a complex system which affects what will happen in classes through the
interactions among the factors of teachers, students, curriculum, local setting
and others (Stigler and Hilbert, 1998). Rubenstein (2004) supported teaching as
a complex endeavor. The knowledge base behind mathematics teaching includes the
knowledge of mathematics of connections among mathematical ideas, of student’s
learning and school culture. The process of teaching involves creating a
learning community, challenging students to make sense of mathematical ideas
and supporting students’ developing understanding. Rubenstein (2004) stated that
teachers are considered as one of the most important factors playing on role in
students’ achievement and teaching process.
Effective
mathematics learning is one in which students and teachers interact in ways
that allows students to have an opportunity to maximize how much they learn.
These are variety of ways in which students and teachers interact in a learning
environment. Some interactions result in student learning classroom discussion,
teachers and students initiated questions. Cooperative group work, peer
tutoring and a host of other feedback system such as assignments, examinations
and electronic responses system such as the personal responses system (PRS) and
the personal data assistant (PDA) are instructional strategies that provide a
measure of two-ways communication in which information about what is taught and
what is learned is exchange between two people on the other hand, there are
instructional strategies in which students sit passively in classrooms where
there is one-way communication from teachers to students. On many colleges and
university campuses. For example, the professor operates as the proverbial
“Sage on the stage” and the didactic lecture is the model way of teaching. And although
the lecture is an efficient method for transmitting information from a teacher
to a large group of students, telling information to some one does one does not
mean that learning take place in order to determine whether is occurring-infant
to ensure that learning is taking place, there must be teacher-student
assessment interactions along with the instructional interactions.
Assessment
interactions between students and teachers occurs when teachers gather
information about students learning and use that information help students
better understand concepts and principles and apply knowledge, not just learn
factor. This type of assessment interaction referred to as formative assessment
is defined as follows: Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and
students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust on going teachers
and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional
outcomes (council of chief school states officers, 2008). It is clear from this
definition that formative assessment is a process that may employ tests or
various other types of assessments, but it may also employ interactive
instructional strategies such as classroom discussion, assignment, homework,
quizzes, project, investigations electronics response system or oral question
to guide and improve students learning (Angelo and Cross 1993, Fennell, 2006)
creating an interactive learning environment inside the mathematics classroom
in which students are engaged in mathematic learning can be challenging.
Student
may experience discomfort about their own level of mathematics content
knowledge and may shy away from participating openly in class discussion or
responding to teachers’ oral question. Further, this complex negotiation of
teachers talk, students talk and classroom dynamic while remaining on task
require certain skills and know how. In some models of “best practices” in
mathematics teaching and learning these classroom dynamic are viewed as a
social Endeavour (Cobb and Bauersfield, 1995) in which the classroom function
as a learning community where thinking, critiquing disagreeing and agreeing are
encourage. When this dynamic work well, the result can be the creation of a
learning environment in which critical thinking and quantitative reasoning
develop, students learning thrives, and students take increasing responsibility
for their own learning.
According
to Motani and Garg (2002), a successful learning environment is one in which
students and teachers interact easily, continuously and without any inhibition.
In this type of learning environment, students learning is not left to chances,
rather, teachers knows whether their student understand intended concept. The
key to this success is the implementation and use of an instantaneous feedback
system. Instantaneous feedback enables teachers to intervene immediately when
students misunderstand a concept or principle which is important in meeting the
learning objectives. A teacher may have to adjust a teaching strategy, provide
different example or often alternatives explanations. In making these
adjustments, teachers’ shows that they recognize and appreciate that previous
attempt at teaching the concept or principle were not effective.
Guskey
(2003) stated that making adjustments in teaching instantaneously with the aim
of reaching all students, and especially less successful students, leads to
improved learning for all students. Mathematics teachers can use several
strategies to get and give feedback about how well students are learning
materials that is being taught.
Motanic
and Garg (2002) observe that there are electronics and non-electronic mechanism
for getting feedback. Non electronic mechanism may include class discussions,
cooperative group work, board-work, seatwork or answering questions that are
posed orally. While these interactive strategies are effectives, a major short
coming is that at any particular time, only a subset of the students in the
class are actively providing information to the teachers about their learning
and receiving feedback from the teachers. In order to engage more student in
the interactive activities. Even when teachers employs interactive assessment
strategies such as assignment or examinations to determine what and how much
students have learned, care must be taken so that these strategies are
effective in improving students learning. One reason that care must be taken is
because the feedback to students does not occur during the instruction. When
students respond to question on an assignments or examination, they may have
moved on to “learning” new content. If understanding the old content and if
there were misunderstanding of the old content that were not addressed
immediately when it was presented, then the cumulative effect of understanding
couples with no correlative feedback could put students at risk of under
performance or even failure. A second reason is that students generally focus
on doing what is necessary to get the highest grade possible on assessment
strategies used by students in this content may result in very little learning.
In
addition to this, the writers will agree with the view of Tyler (2000) which noted that learning of
mathematic should take place through the active behaviour of the students and
impressive teaching of the teacher.
Finally,
according to Tyler
(2000) said it is not what the teacher does, but through what the students does
that learning takes place.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In
general, mathematics has been playing important role in the development of the
society both locally and internationally. But this study will lay an emphasis
on the perception of teachers in teaching mathematics in schools with 50%-100%
students as mathematics learners with their perception in learning mathematics.
One could observe that out of thousands of students passing out from the
secondary school every year, very few of them (about 0.52%) choose mathematics
as a discipline. Even those that choose the subject as a career does so when
there is no other alternative. There is shortage of qualified mathematics
teachers in some schools, somebody that read Economics, Geography, Biology, and
P.H.E etc. are assigned to teach the subject mathematics. This type of arrangement
has an advert effect on the performance of students in mathematics and allied
subject such as the science and the applied science which are of great
importance to the nation, socially, economically and technologically.
More
so, the study will encourage the mathematics teachers to keep up with the
reform and the development in the educational literature to be skillful enough
for realization their role. If this is realized by the teachers, students
learning level will be realized. In conclusion, the study will help to improve
and overcome some of the problems the secondary schools teaching encountered
when teaching mathematics which is likely to improve students’ performance in
mathematics.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This
study was aimed at examining different facts within the teaching and learning
of mathematics in Nigeria
secondary schools. This is an area that has been researched however there are
certain as facts that research have not attended yet. Overview of many aspects
of attitudes towards mathematics including a review of instructional is still
unclear how the school environment affects the development of studies attitudes
towards mathematics. As a result the researcher believes that it is important
to investigate and identify factors influencing students’ attitudes towards
mathematics subject. Therefore, the present study was motivated to access whether
the perceptions of the senior secondary school students toward mathematics
played any role in their attitudes towards mathematics.
The
present study was structured to investigate from the point of view of each student
the most important school related determinants of likely and disliking
mathematics. The particular value of the present study is that it should
identify and categories different perceptions and outcome of different
students.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The
purpose of this study is to reveal the perceptions of teachers in teaching
mathematics with different kind of teaching methods and to assess the
perceptions of senior secondary school students towards mathematics i.e. to
what extent do students believes the school influence their attitudes towards mathematics
i.e. whether they like or dislike mathematics.
Furthermore,
it will also determine if there is difference in students’ perception of
interaction that occurs between themselves and their teachers across section of
their mathematics.
Finally,
this present research was to explore the general attitude of the students
towards mathematics and to established the factors that influence such as well
as determining whether gender differences affects students towards learning
mathematics or not.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
The
following research questions will be addressed in this study.
1.
How
does the teacher’s perception on different teaching methods aids in the
teaching of mathematics.
2.
Does
the effective use of textbooks and instructional aids influence students’
attitude towards learning mathematics.
3.
Does
the learning environment have effect on the students’ attitude towards mathematics?
4.
Does
students’ belief has as influence on their attitude towards mathematics.
1.7
RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
H0
– There is no significant difference between the teachers’ perception
and the use of varying teaching methods in teaching mathematics.
H1
– There is significant difference between the teachers’ perception and the use
of varying teaching methods in teaching mathematics.
H0
– The students belief do not have any influence on their attitude towards
mathematics.
H1
– The students’ belief has an influence on their attitude towards mathematics.
1.8
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
significance of this study is to identify the factor which influence the
attitude of students towards mathematic in the senior secondary school.
Also,
the teacher would identify their deficiencies and limitations as regards the
teaching and learning of mathematics and make necessary adjustments where
necessary.
More so, as mathematics becomes part
of daily life, the need for proper teaching and learning has become extremely
essential. Because of this increase in need demands have also been placed in
school to educate students and make them “ mathematically equipped”
Additionally, attitude are not only feeling that help prevent accesses but also
place a limit on students learning. If a person does not like mathematics,
he/she may feel anxious when expected to utilize this, such a person is
unlikely to want to learn and obtain skills or participate in assignment that
require `the use of mathematical knowledge, on the other hand, students who
exhibit positive attitude towards a subject are more likely to actively engage
during and after instruction. When students dislike mathematics, his/her
attitude is reflected in action resulting in limited engagement with
mathematics. So in a sense the attitude affect subsequent actions. It is
acknowledge on the present study that there are many other factors that
influence students attitude towards mathematics.
Moreover,
the aim of this presents study is to give a deeper understanding of the ways in
which factors such as classroom environment, teachers, students attitude,
parents, gender difference and students attitudes towards mathematics plays
role in how students views mathematics in senior secondary school in Nigeria.
It is almost impossible to develop mathematical skill when factor related to
students attitude are not identified as a matter of urgency, and feasible
strategies and interaction programme organized. Such strategies might help in
addressing the problem and hopefully
encourage students in adopting meaningful and positive attitude towards
mathematics.
Finally,
the students would be alerted on both positive and negative effects their
attitude, perception towards mathematics at their level will have on their
present and future career.
1.7 OBJECTIVES
The objective of this study is to
find out the following:
v Whether the qualification of
mathematics teachers in school makes the teaching of mathematics difficult.
v Whether lack of adequate and enough
instructional materials in senior secondary school make the teaching of mathematics
difficult.
v May be lack of provision of library
in school and whether the average class sizes of the students in school affect
the teaching of mathematic.
v To know whether the teachers have or
adopt adequate and appropriate teaching methodology in teaching of mathematics
in our secondary school.
v To know the problem encountered by
the teachers of mathematics.
1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study will be limited to the
ijebu-ode municipality
of Ogun State. It deals
specifically with the perception of students and teachers in teaching and
learning of mathematics within the municipality. This restriction is necessary
in order to carry research in within the relatively short period of time
allowed.
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Mathematics: Mathematics
in a strict sense is the abstract science which investigates deductively the
conclusion impact in the elementary concept of spatial and numerical relation.
It has also be defined as a science size and numbers of which arithmetic
algebra, trigonometry and geometry are the branches.
Roux
(1994) defined attitude to be a “positive or negative emotional relationship
with or predisposition towards an object institutional or person” pointing to
get another definition.
Becker
and Wiggins (1991) defined attitude as “enduring non-verbal features of social
and physical world, and they acquired through experience and exert a directive
influence on behaviour “both these definitions reveals that, an attitude can be
understand as an emotion that has an influence on the behaviour of human
being”.
Factor: Factor
is defined as any of the conditions and influences that act in other to bring
about result. It is also referred to as generally anything that has some casual
influence some effects on a phenomenon.
Teach: To show
somebody how to do something so that they will be able to do it themselves or
to give lesson in a subject to a class or pupil.
Learn: To gain
knowledge or skill by study, experience or being taught or become aware of.
Perception: The
ability to see, hear or understand things.
Interact: To
act so as to affect each other.
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