THE EFFECT OF THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE INSTRUCTION OF MATHEMATICS AND ENGLISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ABSTRACTS

The purpose of this study was to examine the eect of the use of technology on the instruction of Mathematics and English I secondary schools within the Nigeria public schools system who participated in a pilot program on the use of geometer sketchpad (GSP). Three of these schools were randomly programmed on how to use GSP to teach geometry. Each school sent a teacher to a summer in-service training program on how to use GSP class and a traditional geometry class taught by the same teacher were the study participants. Student’s mathematics FCAT results were examined to determine if the GSP produced any eects. Student’s scores were compared based on assignment to the control or experimental group as well as gender and SES. SES measurements were based on whether students qualified for tree lunch. The findings of the study revealed a significant difference in the FCAT mathematics scored of students who were taught geometry using GSP compared to those who used the traditional method. In conclusion, the use of technology (particularly GSP) is likely to boost students FCAT mathematics test scores. The findings also show that the use of GSP may be able to close known gender and SES related achievement gaps. The results of this study promote policy changes in the way geometry is taught to 10th grade students in Nigeria Public Schools.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The world is experiencing a third wave of social and technology transformation as the society is becoming more oriented to the information and communication technology (ICT). ICT is one of the various factors that are drastically influencing educational success in the educational section. Ademu (2004) sees ICT as a set of technological tools and resources used to communicate and create disseminate to store and manage information. The information dissemination is easily possible through computer technologies in teaching and learning of mathematics and English in secondary schools. Markauskaite (2006) opines that the introduction of computer technology into teaching and learning is a giant stride towards the quality of education. The use of ICT is extremely compactable with the industrial form of learning (IFL) that is propounded by distance learning institute (DLI) the emphasis by such institution make it highly imperative that each stage of learning process is associated with skills that dierent learning pandered by using a different learning devices. This have prompted the cognitive theories like skinners to propound the usage at teaching machine which greatly reinforce the stimuli provided by the learning processes.

The relevance of information communication cannot be over emphasized in our day to day activities of learning for the purpose of this research work emphasis will be on the uses and influence of ICT in the learning of mathematics and English in secondary schools, mathematics and English occupies a unique position in the school curriculum. Mathematics and English is central to many science related courses such as medicine pharmacy, bio-mathematics and English and so on. It is obvious that no students intending to study these disciplines can do without mathematics and English. These factor and others have drawn attention of researchers and curriculum planners towards mathematics and English as a subject in school curriculum (Kareen 2003), in spite of the importance and popularity of mathematics and English among Nigerian students performance at senior secondary school level have been the focus of researcher for some time now. It has been observed that poor performance in science courses are caused by poor quality of science teacher, overcrowded classrooms and lack of suitable and adequate science equipment among others (Abduilahi 1982: Bajah 1979, Kareen 2003: Oguniyi 1979) student perform poorly in mathematics and English, because the heterogenous in terms of ability level. In addition the laboratory are ill-equipped and the mathematics and English syllabus is overcrowded and loaded (Ahemed, 2008: Ajayi 1998).

The potential benefit of information communication technology (ICT) cannot be over emphasized or underestimated in the contemporary worlds as there is plethora of establish finding on the instructional values of computer particularly in advance countries. There are now several ICT package on dierent subject. It is obvious that the current trend in research all over the world is the use of computer facilities and resources to enhance student learning. This may be the reason why Handel man and ethal (2004) opined that many exercise that depart from traditional method are now readily accessible on the web (Ps 21) even though teacher do not use these facilities they further showed that the interactive approaches to lecturing significantly enhance learning. In a review of empirical studies on ICT cotton (1997) concluded among owner that the use of ICT as a supplement to conversational instruction produces higher achievement that the use of conventional instructional computer based on education (ICT and other computer appreciation) produces higher achievement than conventional institutions alone, they retain what they have learned better with ICT than with effective owner instructional methods, such as teacher directed instructions and tutoring. Furthermore information communication technology have been found to enhance students performance than the conventional instructional methods in counselor education (Kaper, Robinson and Asadokehoe 2005).

However mill; (2001) findings recall that ICT was found to be as effective as classroom for fact based on learning but not as effective for topic requiring critical thinking or mathematical problem solving. In addition the time required for learner to use ICT was higher overall than conventional classroom instruction. Student taught using traditional instruction combined with the use of computer perform significantly better than student taught using traditional instruction in a large college setting (Akour, 2006). Similarly college students taught using lecture methods only (Basturk, 2005) bored on the review of several studies and short coming on studies company ICT with conventional instruction ICT can be considered as eective as tradition instruction. In order to encourage the participation of mathematics and English in secondary school, it is ideal that an approach which have a high level of stimulations particularly auditory and visual perception system with a high level of involvement, attention and concentration emotional arousal making the activity fun and stany recognition eect, using mental references models in particular use by the students is the basis for information communication technology (ICT) this is the reason why this work ismcarried out the level of usage and the influence of ICT in the teaching of mathematics and English using Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State as a case study.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problem associated with the growth of ICT that have being focused upon in this work are political factors, economic factors, cultural factors and technological factors. Among the major problem associated with the application of ICTs the focus will be laid on socio-political factors, human and administrative factors, economic factors and technological factors. Further the work based on several case studies derive important conclusion and also provide permanent suggestions to ensure of information communication technology (ICT) in the third world.