EFFECT OF LEARNERS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE PRODUCTION OF LEARNING MATERIALS ON PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN MATHEMATICS

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effect of learners’ participation in the production of learning materials on pupils’ achievement and retention in Mathematics. The study adopted a quasi-experimental non equivalent control group design. The sample of the study comprised of one hundred and twenty (120) primary five pupils drawn by simple random sampling techniques from four primary schools in Oji- River Local Government Education Authority of Enugu State.  The four schools were assigned to experimental and controls groups respectively. Six research questions and six null hypotheses guided the study. The null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant. The instrument used for data collection was researcher-made Mathematics Achievement and Retention Test basically on geometry aspect of Mathematics. The instrument was validated by five experts. To ensure content validity of the Mathematics Achievement and Retention Test, a table of specification was designed for the test. The Mathematics and Achievement Test was trial-tested to determine its internal consistency using the K-R0 (Kuder Richardson) procedure and this yielded a reliability estimate of 0.80. Estimate of temporal stability for Mathematics and Achievement Test was also determined using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and the coefficient of 0.79 was obtained. Mean, Standard Deviation and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used for the analysis. . Major findings of the study indicated that exposing pupils to learners’ participation in the production of learning materials significantly enhanced their achievement and retention in Mathematics.  Gender has no significant influence on both achievement and retention of pupils in Mathematics. There is no significant interaction effect of gender and learners’ participation on pupils’ achievement and retention in Mathematics. Based on the findings, a major conclusion is that learners’ participation in learning materials production during teaching is needed as an integral part of a balanced Mathematics development in the primary school.. This has implication for teachers in Mathematics classrooms and on teacher education program. Among the recommendations made were: Pupils should be made to participate in the production of learning material since it enhanced achievement and retention. Also, through conferences, workshops, seminars and enlightenment programmes, teachers should be encouraged to make learning pupil-centred and not teacher-centred. They should ensure that pupils are actively involved in the learning activity by allowing them to take active participation in every learning situation.