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AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF DIFFICULT CONCEPTS IN MATHEMATICS AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF PLATEAU STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, GARKAWA

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS PERCEPTION OF DIFFICULT CONCEPTS IN MATHEMATICS AND THEIR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF PLATEAU STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, GARKAWA

1Ajoro, M. D. 1Mbwas, C. D., and 2Mbwas, Luka
1College of Agriculture Garkawa, Plateau State, Nigeria.
2 Federal College of Education Pankshin, , Plateau State, Nigeria.

ABSTRACT
An analysis of student’s perception of difficult concepts in Mathematics and their academic achievements was investigated among some selected students of Plateau State College of Agriculture, Garkawa. A sample size of 50 Students was drawn from 457 students who constitute the pre- national diploma of the college within the period 2010/2011 academic session. Two hypotheses were raised and tested at the 0.05 Level of significance.
The instrument used to gather data was structured questionnaire and in some instance Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT). The reliability coefficient of MAT was 0.74 using the test-retest method. The data collected was analyzed using the Pearson r product moment. The results showed that, there is significant difference in the level of difficulty between each of the classes of concepts in Mathematics as experienced by the students. Regardless of method of teaching Mathematics, there is no significant relationship between student’s academic achievement and their conception of Mathematics terms. Student’s who perform better at the end of the term were those who really do not have problems with majority of the concepts. It was recommended that curriculum planners, text book writers should simplify these areas of concepts that are found to be problem areas. Teachers on their own part should expedite enough effort by making available instructional materials while presenting these categories of concepts that are found to be difficult to students or rather organize field trip to help bring to focus abstract concepts to concrete reality conforming to the adage that said ‘’ it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times”

INTRODUCTION
Mathematics by its nature consists of many abstract concepts and ideas that give problem to students. The teacher of Mathematics in the secondary school is therefore, face with the daunting task of unraveling this mystery. The first step is to make the subject appealing to students as a prerequisite for effective teaching and learning of any subject Land (2003). The role of Mathematics teacher is primarily to help students develop Mathematics manipulation skills concept. The teacher himself must understand the nature of such concepts and how it develops. Concepts hold that, students learn by incorporating or adding new concepts into the pre-existing concepts.

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