The Challenges of Teaching and Learning Algebra in Senior Secondary Schools
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the problem encounter by teachers in teaching of algebra in senior secondary schools
- To ascertain the relationship between algebra teachers and students
- To ascertain the problems teachers encountered while teaching algebraic concepts, that adversely affect students’ appreciation and achievements in algebra classes
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Literature on the past research point out that most of the challenges that pupils often encounter when solving equations are attributed to their inadequate understanding of the pre requisite knowledge. As Skemp (1971) indicated, mathematics is hierarchical in nature, so learning of higher order concepts is successful only when related lower order concepts are fully grasped by the leaners. Van de Walle (2004) posited that pupils need to make connections between old and new knowledge: They need to engage in reflective thinking, sifting through existing ideas to find those that seem most useful in giving meaning to new concepts being learnt. In his book, the process of Education (1960: 11-16), Bruner also indicated that; “if earlier learning is to render later learning easier, it must do so by providing a general picture in terms of which the relations between things encountered earlier and later are made as clear as possible” His argument was that schools should not waste time by postponing the teaching of important areas and he further indicated that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development. This notion underpins Bruner’s idea of the spiral curriculum which states: “A curriculum as it develops should revisit the basic ideas repeatedly, building upon them until the student has grasped the formal apparatus that goes with them (p. 13)”
Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching
While Shulman’s influential idea of pedagogical content knowledge is foundational to our research, the focus here is on mathematical knowledge for teaching, whether that knowledge might be categorized as subject-matter, pedagogical, or curricular content knowledge in Shulman’s framework. The theme is mathematics: mathematical knowledge for teaching is mathematics used in teaching and valuable for teachers to know. It is this body of knowledge – and particularly, knowledge for algebra teaching, that we aim to delineate, describe, and study. Ball and Bass (2000a) have taken a similar approach to mathematical knowledge for teaching elementary school mathematics. They describe mathematical knowledge for teaching as a “kind of understanding [that] is not something a mathematician would have, but neither would be part of a high school social studies’ teacher’s knowledge” (p. 87). In conceptualizing and framing questions about mathematical knowledge for teaching at the elementary level, Ball and colleagues (Ball, 1988; Ball et al., 2000a, 2000b) examine mathematics teaching to generate hypotheses about how teachers access and deploy mathematical knowledge in their teaching.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study the problems of teaching and learning algebra at the secondary schools
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on the problems of teaching and learning algebra at the secondary schools. 200 staff of selected secondary school in Uyo, Akwa Ibom was selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain the problems of teaching and learning algebra at the senior secondary schools
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of teaching and learning algebra at the senior secondary schools
Summary
This study was on the problems of teaching and learning algebra at the senior secondary schools. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the problem encounter by teachers in teaching of algebra in senior secondary schools, to ascertain the relationship between algebra teachers and students, to ascertain the problems teachers encountered while teaching algebraic concepts, that adversely affect students’ appreciation and achievements in algebra classes. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected secondary schools in Uyo. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up principals, vice principals adm, mathematics teachers and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
In conclusion, it has been established that majority of the secondary school students in Nigeria have a negative attitude towards solving algebraic problems. It is therefore, recommended that these negative attitude needs to be overcome, so that later in life these students will not suffer lack of algebraic problem solving skills which is very important and fundamental in their future employment success and everyday life.
Recommendation
Teachers should cultivate the habit of delivery their lessons from the simple to the complex topics in algebra.
The government should see to the employment of qualified mathematics teachers who have adequate understanding of all the branches of mathematics in order to ensure an in-depth and successful transfer of the content knowledge of algebra
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