CONCEPT MAPPING AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification
Approval Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Appendices
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE:Â Â Â Â INTRODUCTION
1.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Background to the Study
1.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Statement of the Problem
1.3Â Â Â Â Â Â Purpose of the Study
1.4Â Â Â Â Â Â Research Questions
1.5Â Â Â Â Â Â Hypotheses
1.6Â Â Â Â Â Â Significance of the Study
1.7Â Â Â Â Â Â Scope of the Study
1.8Â Â Â Â Â Â Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO:Â Â Â REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Theoretical Framework
2.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Conceptual Review
2.3Â Â Â Â Â Â Review of Empirical Studies
2.4Â Â Â Â Â Â Summary of Literature Review
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
3.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Research Design
3.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Area of the Study
3.3Â Â Â Â Â Â Population of the Study
3.4Â Â Â Â Â Â Sample and Sampling Technique
3.5Â Â Â Â Â Â Instrumentation
3.5.1Â Â Â Validation of the Instrument
3.5.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reliability of the Instrument
3.6Â Â Â Â Â Â Procedure for Data Collection
3.7Â Â Â Â Â Â Method of Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR:Â RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Answering the Research Questions
4.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Testing the Hypotheses
4.3Â Â Â Â Â Â Summary of Findings
4.4Â Â Â Â Â Â Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1Â Â Â Â Â Â Summary
5.2Â Â Â Â Â Â Educational Implications of the Findings
5.3Â Â Â Â Â Â Conclusion
5.4Â Â Â Â Â Â Recommendations
5.5Â Â Â Â Â Â Limitations of the Study
5.6Â Â Â Â Â Â Suggestions for further Study
References
Appendices
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Â Â Â Background of the Study
Learning is a purposeful, conscious and complex process. Moreover, an important feature of learning is that it involves a complex interactive system including environmental, social, motivational, emotional and cognitive factors (Baron& Byrne, 2023; Huffman, 2022; Joyce, Weil & Cathown, 2022).
In fact, the national policy on education 2013 stresses for the paradigin shift from the behavourism to constructivism to enhance conceptual learning in science and development of attitude towards learning of science. Thus, this curriculum demands such teaching-learning strategies that may involves students in their own knowledge construction, placing them as centre of learning activity and teacher as a facilitator.
However, concept mapping is one of the teaching-learning strategies under constructivism having its orientation in Davis Ausubel’s Assimilation theory (1968) of cognitive learning, which aims at fostering meaningful learning by students. Therefore, concept mapping as a learning strategy uses a rich social environment, where learners work individually and in groups to scaffold and mediate learning of each other (Oakley, 2021).
CONCEPT MAPPING AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS
Specifically, concept mapping is a technique of visually representing the structure of information, concepts and their relationship. Without reservation, learning through concept mapping has long lasting effect on memory demonstrated in the form of better results in delayed post test as compared with other manipulative learning strategies like experimental method and concept mapping (Hilbert & Renkl, 2017, Donnell, Dansereau & Hall, 2022).
Furthermore, Gravett (2021) added that interactions, collaboration, dialogue and discourse are key concepts in facilitating understanding of educational activities. The author further stated teaching method should succeed in revealing the subject contents to the students and the teaching method used for instruction, be it in the classroom or in the laboratory should have a scientific character.
It is therefore important to investigate didactic method validity in view of laying down guidelines to improve the practice of teaching mathematics and promote creative and critical thinking among students. Therefore, it was on this background that the study is carried out to investigate concept mapping and academic performance of students in mathematics.
1.2Â Â Â Statement of the Problem
Undeniably, the importance of Mathematics as a tool for science and technology is continually increasing. While science and technology have become so pervasive, Mathematics education has continued to dominate the school curriculum and remains a key subject area requirement in higher education and employment sector.
Despite the high position offered to Mathematics in Nigeria education system, many students struggle to learn Mathematics and often do not achieve success through their learning. Thus, this may stem from the fact that, they do not construct appropriate understanding of fundamental Mathematics concepts through their learning strategies. This has left the students with poor performance in both public and internal examinations (Obodo, 2022).
It is also disheartening that approaches and strategies for teaching and learning of this subject at secondary levels of education are not probably being put to use effectively that could promote learners activity and provide learners’ guided practice enabling them to retain concepts taught and solve problems (Achor, Imoko & Uloko 2023). Therefore, it is against this backdrop that this study was carried out to examine concept mapping and academic performance of students in mathematics.
1.3Â Â Â Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to investigate concept mapping and academic performance of students in mathematics. Specifically, this study will seek to:
- Investigate whether students taught Mathematics using the concept mapping method perform better than those taught using conventional method.
- Find out gender difference on academic performance of students in Mathematics when taught using concept mapping.
1.4Â Â Â Significance of the Study
This study would be significant in the following ways:
- Firstly, curriculum designers in developing curricular for Nigerian science teacher of tomorrow will be equipped with knowledge on what type of method to include for instruction.
- Secondly, it will enhance innovative thinking, creativity and resourcefulness among Mathematics teachers as they will have to think of selecting relevant instruction technique for their lesson.
- Lastly, future researchers will use the outcome of the research as reference materials on related topics.
1.5Â Â Â Research Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses is formulated to guide the study:
- There is no significant difference in the academic performance of students taught Mathematics using concept mapping and those taught using conventional method of teaching.
- There is no significant difference in the academic performance between male and female students when taught Mathematics using concept mapping.
Operational Definition of Terms
The following terms is defined as used in the study:
Concept Mapping: This is the method of teaching use to represent the relationships among concepts. It is the representation of a set of concept meanings embedded in a financial of proposition.
Academic Performance: In brief, this is the students examination scores in the schools.
Conclusion
The study was carried out to determine the effect of concept mapping method on students’ academic performance in Mathematics. The study revealed that concept mapping method significantly enhanced the academic performance of students in Mathematics than the conventional (traditional) methods. Therefore, it had no gender effects, it encouraged students classroom participation and learning interest.
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