COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF MATHEMATICAL GAME AND INSTRUCTIONAL ANALOGY AS ADVANCEORGANIZERS ON STUDENTS ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of mathematical game and instructional analogy on achievement and interest of JS2 mathematics students. Six research questions and eight null hypotheses provided focus to the study. Literature confirmed that game activity was more physical (hands-on) than analogy activity which was more intellectual (minds-on). The design was quasi- experimental that employed a pre-test, post-test` non-randomized control groups. A total of 246 mathematics students stratified and randomly selected from students’ population of 3900 were involved in the study. Two instruments: Mathematics Interest Inventory (MIntIv) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were used  for  data collection and were validated by the experts and the reliability established to be 0.85 and 0.89 respectively. Also, mathematical  game, bridging analogy teaching plan and lesson plan were used as instructional tools. Results were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, 2 x 3 Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) and Z- test. From the findings, it was observed that; game and bridging analogy teaching enhanced both achievement and interest in mathematics more than lecture method; no significant difference  exists in the achievement and interest of male and female mathematics students taught with either game or analogy; there was no significant interaction between teaching methods and gender on students’ achievement in mathematics; and a non-significant interaction effect was observed between teaching methods and gender as measured by the students interest in mathematics. Since game and analogy enhanced achievement and interest of mathematics (male and female) students equally, by implication teacher effectiveness resulting from the use of these techniques will affect students in learning mathematics which may result to a remarkable achievement and sustenance of learners interest. The study recommended that mathematics teachers should provide instructional activities such as games and bridging analogy teaching before, within and after a mathematics lesson in order to relate mathematics to real life; and to ensure that mathematics teachers grasp the tenets of the two techniques, pre-service mathematics teachers should be trained on their uses during their training process and the in-serving mathematics teachers alsore-trained.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

Background to theStudy

For science and technology to successfully achieve the goals of sustainable development in any country, there is need to engage creatively in science and mathematics education. Bajah (2000) noted that no nation can make any meaningful progress in the information technology age, particularly in economic development without technology which has science and mathematics as its foundations. This is because the level of Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (STME) of any nation has been widely accepted to be indicative of that nation’s socio-economic and geo-politicaldevelopment.

In the National Policy on Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004), mathematics is one of the core subjects to be offered by all students up till the tertiary levels of education. This compulsory nature of mathematics carries with it the assumption that the knowledge of the subject is essential for all members of the society. In fact, mathematics competence is a critical determinant of the post- secondary education and career options available to young people (Okereke, 2006). Stressing on the importance of mathematics, Ukeje (1986) described the subject as the mirror of civilization in all the centuries of  painstaking calculation  and the  most  basic disciplinefor