ABSTRACT
The study investigated the effects of Mind Maps Instructional Strategy on Students’ Achievement and Interest on Measures of Central Tendency. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The study adopted quasi-experimental design, specifically, the non-equivalent pre-test, post-test control group design. The population of the study comprised two thousand nine hundred and seventy-four (2,974) Junior Secondary One (JS1) Students in the (36) Secondary Schools in Umuahia Education Zone. Two hundred and fifteen (215) students drawn from three schools in the Zone form the sample of the study of which ninety-nine were male students and one hundred and sixteen were female students. The study adopted multi-stage sampling procedure; firstly, purposive sampling technique was employed to sample co-educational schools and simple random sampling technique was adopted in selecting three (3) schools from the zone, from the three sampled schools, simple random sampling technique (toss of coin) was used in selecting intact classes of Junior Secondary one (JS1) Students of 2018/2019 academic session for experimental and control groups. Two validated instruments namely, Mathematics Achievement Test on Measures of Central Tendency (MATMCT) and Mathematics Interest Scale on Measures of Central Tendency (MISMCT) were developed by the researcher and used for the study. The reliability of both instruments was established before commencement of treatment. Mean and Standard Deviation were used to answer research questions while, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was adopted in testing hypotheses at p<.05 level of significance. The analyses of the findings revealed that mind map instructional strategy has statistically effect on students’ interest and achievement in measures of central tendency; it also revealed that gender had no statistically significant effect on students’ interest and achievement and the interaction of teaching method and gender on students’ interest and achievement in measures of central tendency is statistically significant. The study revealed that the use of mind maps teaching strategy enhanced the interest and achievement of students and also mind map teaching strategy boost the interest and achievement of both male and female students. The researcher made some recommendations which include that teachers should adopt Mind Maps teaching strategy in our school system; schools should make provisions for in-service training of their teachers and authors of mathematics textbooks should write their text to be student centered and activity-based.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table of Contents vi
List of Tables viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
of the Study
1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 12
1.3 Purpose
of the Study 13
1.4 Research
Questions 13
1.5
Hypotheses 14
1.6 Significance
of the Study 15
1.7 Scope
of the Study 17
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF
RELATED LITERATURE
2.1. Conceptual
Framework 19
2.1.1 Concept
of Mind Maps 19
2.1.2 Inquiry-Based
Learning 26
2.1.3 Achievement
in Mathematics 28
2.1.4 Interest
as a Factor in Learning 31
2.2 Theoretical
Framework 33
2.2.1 Piaget
Theory of Cognitive Development 33
2.2.2 The
Constructivist Theory of Human Learning 38
2.3 Empirical
Studies 46
2.3.1 Studies on Teaching Methods and Students’
Academic Achievement 46
2.3.2 Studies
on Gender as a Factor in Mathematics Achievement 49
2.3.3 Studies
on Teaching Methods and Students’ Interest in Mathematics 51
2.3.4 Studies
on Mind Maps 53
2.4 Summary
of Related Literature 55
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research
Design 58
3.2 Area
of the Study 59
3.3 Population
of the Study 60
3.4 Sample
and Sampling Techniques 60
3.5 Instrument
for Data Collection 61
3.6 Validation
of the Instrument 61
3.7 Reliability of the Instrument 62
3.8 Method
of Data Collection 62
3.8.1 Experimental Procedure 63
3.8.2 Control of Extraneous Variables 64
3.9 Method of Data Analysis 66
CHAPTER
4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Results 67
4.2 Major
Findings of the Study 75
4.3 Discussion
of Results 76
CHAPTER
5: SUMMARY CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 80
5.2 Conclusion
81
5.3 Educational
Implication of the Findings 82
5.4 Recommendations 83
5.5 Limitations
of the Study 83
5.6 Suggestions
for Further Research 84
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
Tables Pages
4.1 Mean Interest Scores and Standard Deviation of
Students taught Measures
of
Central Tendency using Mind Map and
Conventional Method.....................67
4.2 Mean
Achievement Scores and Standard Deviation of Students taught
Measures of
Central Tendency using Mind Map and Conventional Method.....68
4.3 Mean
Interest Scores and Standard Deviation of Male and Female Students
taught Measures of Central Tendency using Mind map
Strategy......................69
4.4 Mean
Achievement Scores and Standard Deviation of Male and Female Students taught Measures
of Central Tendency using Mind Map Strategy.......70
4.5 Analysis
of Covariance (ANCOVA) of Students Interest on Measures
of
Central Tendency
..........................................................................................72
4.6 Analysis
of Covariance (ANCOVA) of Students Achievement on Measure of Central
Tendenc..................................................................................................73
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
TO THE STUDY
Education is the best legacy a nation can give to her
citizens. This is because education is very important in the development of any
nation or community. Education is a vital instrument for human development. It
is a viable tool for the achievement of sustainable development of any economy.
The goal of any educational system is to make its citizens individually
independent and to contribute meaningfully towards the growth and development
of the country (Obioma, 2005). Education
is the process of transmitting what is worthwhile to members of the society
(Okafor, 2001). Education embraces all those experiences of the individual
through which knowledge is acquired and intellect enlightened. According to
Egbuo (2003), education is what goes on from one generation to another
generation. The importance of education in achieving the goals of National
Policy on Education cannot be over-stressed (Nwagu, 2002). At Primary,
Secondary and Tertiary level of education an objective is to be achieved.
The broad
aim of secondary education
within the overall
national objectives is: Preparation for useful living within the society
and preparation for higher education
( F.R.N, 2013).
Specifically, the secondary education should:
§
Provide
an increasing number of primary school pupils with the opportunity for
education of a higher
quality irrespective of
sex, social, religious,
and ethnic background.
§
Diversify its curriculum
to cater for
the differences in
talents, opportunities and roles possessed by or open to students after their secondary
school course.
§
Equip
students to live effectively in our modern age of science and technology.
§
Develop
and project Nigerian culture, art and language as well as the world’s cultural
heritages.
§
Raise a
generation of people who can think for themselves, respect the
views and feelings
of others, respect
the dignity of labour, and appreciate those values
specified under our broad national aims, and live as good citizens.
§
Foster
Nigerian unity with an emphasis on the common ties that unite us in our
diversity.
§
Inspire its
students with a
desire for achievement and
self-improvement both at
School and in later
life.
The secondary
school is expected to provide body of knowledge that will lead to the
achievement of the broad objectives. In this era of science and technology,
these objectives cannot be achieved without mathematics. The role of mathematics
in the society has been variously recognized and acknowledged as the key to the
science and technology based courses, and as useful to man in his daily living
(Aminu, 2010).
Ale (2011)
stated that Science, Technology and Engineering cannot thrive without a solid
mathematics foundation. Eguavon
(2012), also remarked that
mathematics is the
pivot of all
civilization and technology development. According to Dedron
and Itard (2014), mathematics arose from the need for areas and volumes. Furthermore, Adegboye (2009), described
mathematics as universal language of communication. It is proved to be the sharpest tool through
its application in different subjects and in everyday life. Mathematics helps to
enumerate, calculate, measure, collate, group, analyze and relate knowledge
(Osafehinti, 2016). All these
were signals given
to mathematics as a descriptions tool
for sustainable development. Odo (2010), pointed out
that mathematics is
a model for thinking,
developing scientific structure, drawing conclusion
as well as for solving
problems. Perhaps it is because
of the importance
of mathematics that
the study has
been made compulsory in secondary
schools.
Mathematics according
to Butler and
Wren (2001), can
contribute to the realization of
the general aims
of education and
mathematics education in particular by:
§ Developing habits of effective critical thinking. This
means developing logical reasoning both inductively and deductively;
§ Providing competence in the basic skills and understanding
for dealing with number and form;
§ Fostering the ability
to communicate thought
through symbolic expressions;
§ Developing the ability to differentiate between relevant and
irrelevant data and to
make relevant judgment
through the discrimination of values;
§ Developing
intellectual independence and aesthetic
appreciation and expression;
§ Advancing the cultural
heritage through its
own total physical
and social structure.
In spite
of the social,
cultural and disciplinary
values of mathematics worldwide, students seem to lack
interest in the subject. Obioma (2014)
defined interest as condition
of wanting to know
or learn about
something or somebody. Whichever way interest is
defined, whether as a cause of attention, an aspect of attention or as
identical with attention, its special significance lies in its intimate
connection with the mental activity or attention. Interest is the focusing of
the sense organs on or giving attention to some person, activity, situation or
object. It is an outcome of experience rather than a gift. It could either
result or cause motivation. It could also be regarded as a pre-determinant of
one's perceptions (McClnermey, Dowson, Young and Nelson, 2005). It could be a
temporary or permanent feeling of preference. It could also be viewed as a
condition in which an individual associates the essence of certain things or
situation with his needs or wants.
McClnermey, Dowson Young
and Nelson (2005) asserted that genuine interest is the accomplishment of the
identification, through action of the self with some object or idea. These
researchers further stated that this is necessary because of the necessity of
that object or idea, for maintenance of a self-initiated activity. Interest
according to McClnermey, Dowson, Young and Nelson is a name for the fact that a
course of action, an occupation or pursuit absorbs the power of an individual
in a thorough going way. Going by this definition, interest thus seems
particularly useful as the relationship between identification, absorption and
the maintenance of a self-initiated activity which offers a straight forward
way to analyze classroom activities.
According to Shiefele (2001), interest is a
content-specific motivation of characteristics composed of intrinsic
feeling-related and value-related initiatives with an organized force. Shiefele
has distinguished two conceptions of interest: Individual and situation.
Individual interest is understood as a long-term direction of an individual
towards a type of object, activity or area of knowledge. It is defined as a
relatively stable evaluative orientation towards certain domains (Shiefele, 2001)
or towards particular classes of objects, event or ideas (Krapp, 2000).
Individual interest has personal significance and is usually associated with
high levels of significance and value, positive emotions and increased
reference value (Krapp, Hidi and Rerninger 2002). In this framework, individual
interest developed remains a stable and enduring factor in one’s learning over
an extended period of time. Anderson (2002) opined that interest most often is
directly tied to the content or instruction, and it also directs and enhances
learning. Most researchers like Krapp, Hidi and Renninger (2002), believed that
interest emerges from an individual's interaction with his or her environment.
Many researchers now have adopted the distinction between
situational and individual (or personal) interest. The personal interest
approach tends to focus on individual differences whereas the situations
interest approach centers on creating appropriate environmental settings to
stimulate and motivate learning.
Research has shown that students perform poorly in
Mathematics because of lack of interest in the subject. Therefore, teachers are mostly blamed for students’ poor achievement in
mathematics. For instance, Agwagah (2013) recognized that, the teaching of mathematics
still follows the traditional
pattern which is
identified to be
ineffective and a
major factor responsible for
the poor achievement
of students in
mathematics. Adedayo (2001), stated
that the problem
of failure at the
secondary school
level has always been
attributed to teachers’
failure to use
appropriate method of teaching. Obioma (2014) also attributed
pupils’ poor achievement in mathematics to be dependent on the teachers’ use of
inappropriate methods of teaching such as descriptive and lecture method.
Consequently students lose interest in learning. When one is interested in an activity he is likely to achieve highly in
that activity. In other words
interest is believed
to be an
important variable in learning. It is a quality that arouses
concern or curiosity.
However, interest to do something implies
giving ones attention to such because the person enjoys finding out about it or
doing it. When something is interesting, it attracts attention of people
because it is special and exciting. Okpara (2015), asserted that although
pupils’ poor performance
in school subjects
may be related to their lack
of interest and commitment
to their studies
and inadequate support
from their parents and
even the government,
all that the
teachers are used
to, is the conventional methods
rather than strategies
that involve pupils’ participation. Ammo (2002) also relates the failure
of students in mathematics to the teachers’ incompetence or ineffectiveness and
lack of interest in the subject by the students. According to Oyadiran (2011),
students display poor performance due to lack
of interest in the subject,
inadequate preparation and
failure to use instructional materials to teach
mathematics. Consequently students are scared of the subject.
The annual
WAEC examination results indicate poor performance of students in senior
secondary certificate examination (S.S.C.E) in mathematics as many
of the candidates
scored marks below
pass level (Chief Examiner’s Report, 2013). Factors identified by the Chief Examiner’s
Report as being responsible for the poor performance include poor preparation
of students for the examination and failure to observe the rubrics.
Furthermore, Chief Examiners’ Report (2014) stated that many of the questions demanded fundamental
understanding of the subject and these questions were devoid of guess work. The rubrics were clear and
unambiguous, yet the candidates performed poorly. One of the suggestions for
remedy by the Chief Examiners’ Report
was that teachers should emphasize to the students that the concepts of the
senior secondary school mathematics
depend on their
understanding of mathematics concepts at
the junior school
level. Hence, students’ poor
performance in mathematics at
a higher level
is a reflection
of a weak
foundation in mathematics at the
lower level. In other words, performance
at the higher level depends on what is learned at the lower level (primary and
junior secondary school level).
However, from
the Chief Examiners’
Report (2015), the
summary of candidates’ weakness
on the West
African Senior Secondary
Certificate Examination (WASSCE)
in Nigeria included
solving problems in measures of
central tendency. Again, the performance of the candidates did not improve
significantly in 2015. The difficulty level of the paper was of the required
standard. The rubrics were clear and unambiguous. A summary of candidates’ weakness include
use of histogram to
estimate the mode
(Chief Examiners’ Report
2015).
Secondly, questions from Measures
of Central Tendency
comes out every
year at both junior
and senior secondary
certificate examinations (J.S.C.E and S.S.C.E.) respectively. Based on the
continuous poor performance of students on mean, median and mode the researcher
chooses the topic. According to the secondary school curriculum, measures
of central tendency
(mean, median and
mode) are first taught in Js1. The summary of the students’ performance in
J.S.C.E results in mathematics from the year 2011 to 2016
of five schools in Umuahia Educational Zone of Abia State is disheartening .
This poor performance as mentioned
earlier is carried forward to the senior secondary school level. The results
show that in Junior School Certificate Examination (JSCE) only 20% of the
candidates scored credit and above
on the average in the five schools in the year 2011, 08% in 2012, 26% in 2013,
13% in 2014, 06% in 2015 and 12% in 2016 (see Appendix E). Students’ poor
performance in mathematics at the Junior School level as reflected in the summary above, is carried forward to
the senior secondary school level.
Joel and Aride (2006) believe that the subject favours boys and should be
undertaken by boys. Joel and Aride believed that mathematics is gender biased.
Gender is used to refer to specific cultural patterns of
behaviour that are attributed to human sexes. Gender relates to cultural
attributes of both males and females (Akpochafo, 2009). Gender according to
Lahey (2003), is a psychological experience of being a male or female. It has
to do with personality and central components of self-concept. Unlike sex,
which is concerned with the distinction between male and female based on
biological characteristics, gender encompasses other personality attributes as
roles, orientation and identity based on individual’s conceptualization of
self. For instance, Singh (2010) opines that gender refers to a socio-cultural
construct that connotes the differentiated roles and responsibilities of men
and women in a particular society. This definition implies that gender
determines the role, which one plays in relation to general political,
cultural, social and economic system of the society. According to Betiku
(2002), gender refers to all the characteristics of male and female, which a
particular society has determined and assigned to each sex. Also, Onyeukwu
(2000) sees gender as the dichotomy of roles culturally imposed on the
sexes. Avulata and Oniyama (2009) once
described gender stereotype in school as “hidden curriculum” which sends out
messages to girls to conform to role expectation. In most societies, gender has
roles based on the women folk, preventing their participating in, and
benefiting from development efforts (UNESCO, 2000). This has created a big
psychological alienation in the minds of the female students (Joel and Aride,
2006). As a result, boys dominate Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and
Environmental studies classes while the girls go into reading languages and
Arts.
United Nations (UN) adopted various resolutions to ensure
equal opportunities for all gender in education and empowerment. In 2002,
UNESCO conference in Harare called for setting up of structures in Africa at
the National level to develop, absorb and use Science and Technology to
distribute developmental tools among the various genders. Okeke (2007),
affirmed that the proportion of girls in science classes in secondary and
tertiary institutions or in employment as scientist, engineers, and technologists
in Nigeria is quite low. In line with the above claim, Akpochafo (2009),
reported that in Nigeria as in many African societies, there is gender bias, a
situation in which cultural beliefs and structural arrangement favour men over
women. This can be witnessed in most elective positions contestable by men and
women. People always see women as not fit to govern or rule since men are
involved. The idea that female should be under and submissive to men have
created negative influence in the life of women folk.
Explaining further, Anele (2008), is of the view that the
socio-cultural practices of the African societies have placed men on the
position, which give them domineering influence on women folk. In an argument
for, and attempt to debunk a belief that seems to be general in Africa to
create a kind of relief for gender equality, Okoye (2007) argued that because
of various biological differences in human make-up such as those between male
and female, people assume that one sex may have a learning edge over the other
sex. Okoye added that, there is practically no significant difference between
the intelligence of males and females that can be traceable to gender
difference.
Apart from gender, other factors identified
by (Amoo, 2011)
that are responsible for students’ poor performance in mathematics
are the overloaded and unrealistic nature of the curriculum, teacher “teach
all” policy at primary and Pre- Primary levels
of education, delay
in the payment
of teachers’ salary,
recruitment of unqualified
mathematics teachers and the
societal call for certificate without proficiency lead students to cheat in
order to pass examination (that is
through examination malpractice). The question then is what is the way out?
Identification of a problem they say is a step towards its solution (Betiku,
2002). To the researcher, there is need to search for a strategy where
students must be
given sufficient opportunity
for creative activity where each student can bring out his own measure
of talent and thereby display his personality. This process might be enhanced
by having the students in small groups,
to discuss the
concepts taught and
connections to be
drawn. Along this line, a
student develops awareness of his or her own knowledge organization. Hence this
study was motivated by the desire to adapt mind map teaching strategy in the
teaching of measures of central tendency in junior secondary schools.
Mind
Map according to Wikipedia encyclopaedia is a diagram used to represent words,
ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radically around a central
key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualize, structure, classify ideas,
and as an
aid in study,
organization, problem solving
and decision making. Mind map according to Hugh (2003), is a convenient
graphical tool that helps one think
and learn by putting complex thoughts or interconnected ideas into simpler
forms or ideas. Hugh concluded that mind
map can be used to take lecture notes,
plan an
essay / dissertation / thesis, outline
a presentation/seminar, revise a
topic being studied, make notes from
textbooks, summarize articles/chapters, organize one’s thought about any topic
(whether academic /emotional/personal).
Mind
map, or radiant thinking as it is sometimes called, is a technique that allows one to both brainstorm
and structure his thoughts using graphics,
colours, and words
in a free-ranging
map (Kennedy, 2009). Furthermore, Brinkmann (2001) stated
that mind map may show connections between mathematics and the rest of the
world. As a mind map is open for any idea someone associates with the main
topic, non-mathematical concepts may also be connected with a mathematical
object. Thus it becomes obvious that mathematics is not an isolated
subject but is related to most different areas of “the rest of the world”.
Mind map
may be seen as a diagram used to develop and organize information (sub ideas) in such a way that the central (main)
idea is in the centre (Hemmerich, 2014).
Simply put, it is a mnemonic technique for sorting out both simple and
complicated ideas. In other words, the structure
of a mind
map allows one
to organize hierarchically mathematical knowledge.
The
special structure of a mind map according to Hemmerich, has an open
structure, one may
just let one’s thoughts flow,
every produced idea may be
integrated in the mind map by relating it to already recorded ideas. Mind maps
drawn by students provide information
about the students’ knowledge. The
students, in their small
groups, construct mind
maps, discuss the concepts
to be used
and the connection
to be drawn.
The students’ growth in the understanding of a topic can be checked when
asking them to create a mind map. In other words, the connections students make
as the map is drawn enables the teacher to evaluate their achievement. Each
mind map has a unique appearance and strong visual appeal. Thus, the learning
process is speeded up and information recalled faster unlike the lecture
teaching approach.
Lecture
method of teaching is the oldest teaching method applied in educational
institution. This teaching method is one way channel of communication of
information. Students’ involvement in this teaching method is just to listen
and sometimes pen down some notes if necessary during the lecture. One of the
problems in this method is to grab the attention of students in the classroom
and also many students in the class cannot follow the theme.
An issue of
urgent attention at this point is to look for appropriate instructional
approach that will foster interest in mathematics. Since all science and
technology based courses and programmes are highly dependent on mathematics,
effort should be geared towards the application of an instructional approach
which is capable of boosting the interest and achievement of students in
mathematics at all levels of the school system. Hence the researcher sees a
need for use of
a teaching strategy
that will improve
the achievement of both male and
female students in measures of central tendency. Thus, the needs to investigate
the effectiveness of mind map instructional approach on students’ interest and
achievement in measures of central tendency.
1.2
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Students’ achievement in
mathematics over the years have been poor in both the junior and senior school
certificate examinations as indicated by the chief examiner’s report. The poor
performance of learners in mathematics calls for reconsideration of the
instructional methods in use in our secondary schools for teaching mathematics.
Teaching and learning of mathematics in most of the
secondary schools in Nigeria has generally taken a pattern where teachers
mostly use instructional strategies characterized as teachers centred. The
instructional methods expose students’ to minimal practical activities and
group discussions.
There is
therefore a need to adopt an instructional strategy that provides learners with
the opportunity to construct knowledge rather than being recipients. This
approach will allow learners own the learning process, acquire knowledge,
skills and understanding. This will boost the learners’ interest in the learning
process and improve the academic achievements in mathematics of learners and
reduce if not eliminate totally the poor performance of students witnessed so
far in mathematics today. Based on this background, the study sought to
investigate effect of mind map instructional strategy on interest and
achievement of Junior Secondary School Students in Mathematics.
1.3
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of the
study was to find out the effects of mind maps on achievement and interest of
junior secondary school students in Mathematics in Abia State. Specifically,
the study sought to determine:
1.
The
effect of mind map instructional strategy on students’ interest in measures of
central tendency.
2.
The
effect of mind map instructional strategy on the achievement of students in
measures in central tendency.
3.
The
differential effect of mind map instructional strategy on the interest of male and female students in measures of
central tendency.
4.
The
differential effect of mind map instructional strategy on the achievement of
male and female students in measures of central tendency.
5.
The interaction
effect of method and gender on students’ interest in measures of central
tendency.
6.
The
interaction effect of method and gender on students’ achievement in measures of
central tendency.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The research questions formulated to guide this study were
as follows:
1.
What
are the mean interest scores of students taught measures of central tendency
using mind maps
method (Experimental group) and those
taught with lecture method (control group)?
2.
What
are the mean achievement scores of students taught measures of central tendency
in the experimental and control group?
3.
What
are the mean interest scores of male and female students taught measures of
central tendency in experimental group?
4.
What
are the mean achievement scores of male and female students taught measures of
central tendency in experimental group?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The
following null hypotheses (H0)
were formulated to guide this study,
and were tested at .05 level of
significance.
H01: There
is no significant difference between the mean interest scores of students taught measures of
central tendency using mind maps and those taught using conventional method.
H02: There is no significant difference between the mean
achievement scores of students taught measures of central tendency using mind
maps and those taught using conventional method.
H03: There is no significant
difference between mean interest scores of male
and female students taught measures of central tendency using mind maps.
H04: There is no significant
difference between the mean achievement scores of
male and female students taught measures of central tendency using mind maps.
H05: There is no significant interaction effect of method and
gender on interest of students in measures of central tendency.
H06: There is no significant
interaction effect of method and gender on achievement of students in measures
of central tendency.
1.6
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
findings of the study might be of immense benefit to parents, students,
teachers, teachers training institutions, text book writers and supervisors of
education. The activities and tasks used in the study would be of immense
assistance to parents to be able to monitor the activities of their children. The
result of the study might make students have a better understanding of the
measures of central tendency. Their involvement in creating mind maps might generate interest and hence facilitate better achievement. The
result might help students in the following ways:
The
student can develop ideas fast. This is because you draw your ideas in the form
of keywords, shapes, and arrows. You can review your ideas fast, because other
ideas surround the main idea.
It
is widely accepted that a mind map can greatly stimulate your brain in new ways
than normal linear notes in teaching. Using mind mapping tools enable a student
to generate a lot more new ideas, identify the right relations among the
information stored in your brain and ultimately improve the student retention.
Mind maps give the student the freedom to think out of the box and stay
creative all day long. Ultimately, the student will be able to remember more.
Facilitate
the study process and makes it fun: one of the biggest advantages of mind
mapping is that the student can study with ease. Not only that the student will learn faster,
but they will also be able to have fun in the teaching and learning process.
The use of colors, keywords and images can boost their creativity while giving
them a feeling of happiness and self-content. They will become more motivated
to remember all those important details.
Mind mapping tools make it easy to add ideas.
It’s as simple as adding more branches to a virtual tree.
The students will benefit from the result of
the study as mind mapping method will teach them how to focus on relationships
and links that exist between ideas in order to help them connect facts. Mind
mapping helps them to create a deeper understanding of the measures of central
tendency (topic of interest), which means the students will get a perfect
overview of all related ideas, concepts and thoughts.
The findings of the study
will be beneficial to the teachers who could lead to the adoption of this
instructional strategy in teaching mathematics. This may make the teaching of mathematics more
interesting and thus improve teachers’ effectiveness. This could secure the
attention of the learners in the course
of instruction and
therefore enhance greater interest and learning of mathematics
by learners.
The findings might help
the teachers in the following ways to:
Structure the
concepts, factual content, and procedures that constitute the knowledge base of
the discipline around the organizing principles (big ideas) of the domain.
Link new knowledge to
what is already known by presenting concepts in a conceptually and logically
sequenced order that builds upon previous learning within and across grade
levels.
Focus on depth of
understanding rather than breadth of content coverage by providing learners
with multiple opportunities to practice and demonstrate what they learn in a
variety of contexts.
Include structured
learning activities that, in a real or simulated fashion, allow learners to
experience problem solving and inquiry in situations that are drawn from their
personal experiences and real world applications.
Develop learner’s abilities to make meaningful applications
and generalization to new problems and contexts.
Incorporates language, procedures, and models of inquiry and
truth verification that are consistent with the accepted practice of experts in
the domain.
Emphasize interdisciplinary connections and integration and
helps learners connect learning in mathematics with the issues, problems, and
experiences that figure prominently in their lives outside of the classroom.
The
result would furnish the teacher training institutions such as Institutes
of Education, Faculties
of Education, and
Colleges of Education
with useful methods, learning
strategies and materials
that are useable
in secondary schools since
educational institutions organize
in-service (Sandwich)
courses for secondary
school teachers. Thus
the in-service trainers would
acquire the knowledge
and as well
disseminate the information.
The
result of the study would benefit the text book writers with additional
information and variety
in the manner
of presenting the
mathematical materials and instructions that will work in Nigerian
school setting.
Supervisors
and inspectors of education will also
benefit from such conference at the state and federal levels. This, it is hoped
will ensure improvement in mathematics methodology in the school to enhance
achievement and to generate students’ interest
in the subject.
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study
was delimited to
junior secondary one
(JS1) students in Umuahia
Educational Zone of Abia State. The JS1 students were used
because measures of central tendency are contained in their curriculum. The
topic covers the following contents.
a.
Mean as the average
b.
Median
as the middle number
c.
Mode as
the number with the highest frequency
d.
Word
problem on mean, median and mode
The topic was used because it is one of
the topics in mathematics that
students find difficult as highlighted earlier.
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