EFFECTS OF INTERACTIVE E-NOTE AND PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGIES ON STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS IN KADUNA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Mathematics serves as the bedrock for the development of science and technology, but many secondary school students perform poorly in the subject in public examinations especially in Kaduna State, Nigeria. This has been attributed to the use of ineffective instructional strategies by teachers and has become worrisome. This necessitated experts advocating the need to complement mathematics teaching with tools that could engage learners in active learning. Previous studies concentrated largely on computer assisted instructions, concept mapping and cooperative instructional strategies to improve students’ achievements to the neglect of Interactive e-note Mathematics Instructional Strategy (IMIS) and Problem-Solving Strategy (PSS) which might be capable of enhancing students’ achievement in and attitude to mathematics in junior secondary schools students. This study therefore was designed to determine the effects of IMIS and PSS on junior secondary school students’ achievement in and attitude to mathematics in Kaduna, Nigeria. The moderating effects of gender and school type were also examined.

Gagne’s Behaviorist and Bruner’s Discovery Learning theories provided the framework, while the pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design using 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. Two Local Government Areas (LGAs) were randomly selected within Kaduna city. Three each of private and public schools were purposively selected from the two LGAs based on availability of functional computers and standby electricity generators. Schools were randomly assigned to IMIS (134), PSS (134) and control (132) groups. Treatment lasted 12 weeks. Instruments used were Mathematics Achievement Test (r = 0.87), Students Attitude to Mathematics Questionnaire (r = 0.79) and instructional guides. Data were analysed using Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance.

Participants’ age was 12.60 ± 2.30 years and 59.0% were female. Treatment had a significant main effect on students achievement in mathematics (F(2,385)=7.01; partial ƞ2=0.04). The participants in IMIS had the highest post achievement mean score (21.48), followed by control (20.42) and PSS (20.30) groups. There was a significant main effect of treatment on students’ attitude to mathematics (F (2,385) =65.45; partial ƞ2=0.25). The participants in IMIS had the highest attitude mean score (105.39), followed by PSS (100.35) and the control (97.51) groups. School type had significant main effects on students achievement (F(1,385) =27.63; partial ƞ2=0.07) in and attitude to mathematics (F(1,385)=15.73; partial ƞ2=0.04) in favour of students from private schools. Gender had no significant main effects on students’ achievement in and attitude to mathematics. Treatment and school type had a significant interaction effect on mathematics achievement (F(2,385)=12.23; partial ƞ2=0.06) in favour of students’ from private school in control group. Treatment and school type had significant interaction effect on attitude to mathematics (F(2,385)=5.9; partial ƞ2=0.03) in favour of students’ from private school in IMIS group. There was no significant three-way interaction effects on achievement in and attitude to mathematics

Interactive e-note and problem-solving instructional strategies enhanced students’ achievement in and attitude to mathematics in Kaduna, Nigeria. Therefore, the two strategies should be adopted as modes of instruction, particularly in public secondary junior schools.