INDIVIDUALIZED SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION
AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN MATHEMATICS
Mbwas, C. D, Ajoro, M. D and Pofwon,
P.P
Department of Basic Studies,
Plateau State College of Agriculture,
Garkawa, Plateau State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The study investigates a more
appropriate instructional strategy targeted at improving student’s performance
in mathematics. In consequence, the present study was designed to examine the
effectiveness of individualized system of instruction in facilitating
achievement among thirty junior secondary two (JS II) mathematics Students in shendam
area inspectorate division. A pre-test post-test control group
quasi-experimental design was adopted for the study which made use of two
schools that served as experimental and control groups respectively. The
experimental group received instruction on the individualized system of
instruction while the control group received no such instruction. The treatment
which covered mathematics achievement test (r = 0.85) and the self-learning
instructional packages with self-assessment exercise (r = 0.82).
Data were
collected and analyzed using t-test statistics. Result indicated a significant
difference in the mean achievement score between the ISI and the control group.
On the other hand, no significant difference was found between the achievement
score of male and female students exposed to ISI. One of the implication of the
findings is feat abstract concepts could be taught using the ISI.
Background
The
general decline in the performance of students in science/mathematics subjects have
become a source of concern to parents and educators alike. Documented research
evidence (Abdullahi, 1982, Salami, 1991) has equally buttressed low academic
performance of secondary school students in the science disciplines (Mathematics).
Being the fundamental pivot of all the sciences, the woeful performance of
students in integrated science might have led to seeming inability of science
education programmes in Nigeria to sustain the base for technological
development. The reason for the dismal performance in mathematics may not be farfetched.
The methods of mathematics instruction at the secondary school level have
received wide criticisms among scholars and experts like (Ajayelemi, 1981;
Oladimeji, 1984) as being responsible for such performance.
As
a result of the identified problem, the attention of many mathematics educators
has continued to be directed towards the search of alternative and more
appropriate method for mathematics instruction. Much research energy has been
expended on other teaching methods (Nwaorgu, 1985; Obioma, 1982) aimed at
improving students performance in science/mathematics. However, not much effort
has been directed at empirical researches individualized system of instruction
(ISI) in relation to Nigerian students’ performance in mathematics (Salami,
1991; Madukwe, 1985). The personal system of instruction is a form of mastery
learning strategy propounded by Keller (1968). According to him the
personalized system of instruction emphasizes selection and alteration of the
responses as well as specification of contingency between the response and the
re-enforcer. The most notable feature of ISI is that it has a self pacing
characteristic that allows each student to progress through the course at
his/her own pace. Despite the paucity of research efforts on ISI in Nigeria,
research reports elsewhere (Williamson, Sewell & McCoy, 1991) indicate its
superiority over conventional methods of teaching as well as its non-sex
discriminatory nature in enhancing performance. Could be same findings apply in
Nigerian school setting? The quest for an answer to the pertinent question
informed the present study.
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