EFFECT OF SELF-INSTRUCTION STRATEGY ON PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS

Abstract

This study examined the effect of self-instruction strategy on pupils’ achievement and interest in mathematics. The study adopted a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pre-test-post-test control group design involving one experimental and one control group. The population of the study consists fifty-two (52) primary five pupils from two primary schools in Nsukka Central in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Two instruments used for data collection were researcher-made Mathematics Achievement Test and Mathematics Interest Inventory. The instruments were validated by five experts. To ensure content validity of the Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT), a table of specification was designed for the test. The MAT was trial-tested to determine its psychometric indices and reliability coefficient. Its internal consistency reliability coefficient was determined using the K-R0 (Kuder Richardson) procedure and this yielded a K-R20 estimate of 0.73. To test for its stability a test-retest was carried out, and using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, the calculated Pearson r was 0.69. The internal consistency of the Mathematics Interest Inventory (MII) was established using Cronbach Alpha reliability method, and an estimate of 0.77 was obtained. Mean and Standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses. Major findings of the study showed that exposing pupils to self-instruction strategy significantly enhanced their achievement in mathematics. Using self-instruction strategy increased the pupils’ interest in mathematics. Gender has no significant influence on both achievement and interest of pupils in mathematics. There is no significant interaction effect of gender and self-instruction strategy on pupils’ achievement in mathematics. There is no significant interaction effect of gender and instruction in self-instruction strategy on pupils’ interest in mathematics. Based on these findings, conclusions were drawn and the educational implications were extensively discussed. Among the recommendations made were: Teachers should expose pupils to the use of self-instruction strategy by giving them opportunity to practice the strategy and gain mastery of it. Teachers themselves should be taught the self-instruction strategy. The Self-instruction strategy could be incorporated into teacher-training programme.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Education has become one of the most powerful instruments through which a child acquires knowledge, skills, habits, values and attitudes in modern societies. It is also used for laying the foundation for sustainable growth and development of a nation. This explains why the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004) stipulates that every Nigerian child has a right to education for the purpose of engendering national development. National development is achieved through pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education. At the lower and middle basic education which is from primary 1-6, the child is expected to develop the ability to read, write, and do arithmetic. According to the National Policy on Education (FRN, 2004), primary education is the education given to children aged 6 to 11 plus. It is at this level that the rest of education system is built upon; it is the key to the success or failure of any educational system. The World Bank (2006) has rightly stated that primary education is the foundation of all learning and the first phase of lifelong education. Primary education is one of the levels of the educational system, and it runs for six years. It is aimed at developing basic skills as well as transmission of the culture of the people to younger generations.

These basic skills prepare a child for future life in society. In other words, primary education helps to eradicate illiteracy which seems to be one of the strongest predictors of poverty. Primary education appears to be the only level of education that is available in both developed and the developing countries as well as in urban and rural areas.