IMPROVING JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS THROUGH THE USE OF COMPUTER – ASSISTED INSTRUCT

1. IMPROVING JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICS THROUGH THE USE OF COMPUTER – ASSISTED INSTRUCTION By Justice K. B. Annan

2. 1.0 INTRODUCTION A Computer - Assisted Instruction program is a computer software application in which information that aids teaching and learning and encourages interaction is presented on computers in the form of tests or in multimedia formats, which include photographs, videos, animation, speech and music (Encarta, 2004).

3. 1.0 INTRODUCTION The use of Computer - Assisted Instruction in education dates back to the middle of the nineteen fifties and early nineteen sixties. A group of educators from Stanford University in California, U. S. A., worked together with International Business machines Corporation (I. B. M.) to produce computer -Assisted Instruction software. This was later introduced into some selected elementary schools (Encarta, 2004).

4. 1.0 INTRODUCTION drill – and – practice software, tutorial software, and simulation software Some notable examples of Computer – Assisted Instruction software are:

5. 1.0 INTRODUCTION The benefits of Computer – Assisted Instruction to any educational system are enormous: Stimulates learning Provides immediate feedback on tests results Enables students to practice test items until their answers are correct Engages the interest of the student and motivates him/her to learn Enables the student to learn at his/her own pace and at his private environment increases students’ independence for studies

6. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Douglas N. Arnold, writing on the topic “Computer – Aided Instruction” has made a remarkable observation: “Although it is difficult to assess the effectiveness of any educational system, numerous studies have reported that Computer – assisted instruction is successful in raising examination scores, improving student attitudes, and lowering the amount of time required to master certain material. While study results vary greatly, there is substantial evidence that C. A. I. can enhance learning at all educational levels”.

7. 1.1 Purpose of the study The study was undertaken to investigate the impact of the use of Computer – Assisted Instruction on Junior Secondary School students’ understanding of Mathematics.

8. 1.2 Significance of the study The study show - cased the multi – faceted properties of C. A. I software in the Mathematics classroom has provided adequate information that will aid the Ministry Of Education, Ghana Education Service and Mathematics educators to access the viability of the use of Computer – Assisted Instruction in providing individualized instruction in Mathematics

9. 2.0 METHODOLOGY The procedure followed in conducting the entire research is outlined in this section. The setting, target population, sample, sampling techniques, as well as the type of instrument used in data collection and analysis are also discussed.

10. 2.1 The setting The study was carried out in two towns in the Ashanti Region of the Republic of Ghana: Abuakwa Tanoso

11. 2.2 Population Students in three Preparatory/Junior Secondary schools, Mathematics teachers and computer literacy teachers were covered by the study in the Abuakwa – Tanoso area.

12. 2.3 Sample Two (2) J.S.S 1 classes Six J.S.S 2 classes and two (2) J.S.S three classes in the Tanoso – Abuakwa area were used for the study as shown in the table in the next slide:

13. Sample used for the study

14. 2.4 Research design The study was an action research i.e. “… the study of a social situation with a view to improving the quality of life within it.” (Elliot,1999).

15. 2.5 Instruments questionnaire interview aptitude test The researcher used the under listed instruments for the study:

16. 2.6 Data collection The researcher paid initial visits to the three selected schools and administered the questionnaire to the students. The table in the next slide shows the number of students who responded to the items on the questionnaire.

18. 3.0 INTERVENTION DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION 3.1 Intervention The researcher designed and used a new interactive student- centered Computer Software Application program for learning Mathematics as a Computer - Assisted instructional tool. The new software was designed to provide individualized instruction in Mathematics to meet the special needs of individual learners in Junior Secondary schools.

19. 3.2 Intervention design The intervention strategy, like other Computer – Assisted Instruction software, was made up of an interactive lesson presentation and tests that could be used in the classroom, computer laboratory set – up or at the comfort of one’s home.

20. 3.3 Software used for the intervention design Macromedia Authorware 6 Corel Draw 11 Microsoft Power point 2002 Microsoft Word 2002 Microsoft Excel 2002 Photo Impact 7

21. 3.4 Implementation of intervention strategy 3.41 Preliminary visits to schools Identification of basic schools in the Abuakwa – Tanoso Township that had computer laboratories. Short – listing of schools that would collaborate with the researcher. Administration of a questionnaire to collect data about the use of Computer – assisted instructional software for studying Mathematics.

22. 3.42 Lesson presentation Each of the experimental groups had three hours of traditional classroom tuition and three hours interaction with the computer using the computer software application program The students in the controlled groups had a total of six (6) hours each of the traditional classroom tuition of Mathematics

23. 3.43 Administration of the post – intervention test Knowledge – recall, define, list, identify, name Understanding-explain, generalize, summarize Application - apply rules, methods, principles Analysis – compare, separate, differentiate Synthesis – put parts together to form a whole Evaluation – compare features of different things and make comments/judgments A test was administered to assess students on the following behaviuoral/learning levels :

24. 4.0 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS 4.1 Responses to question 8 in the questionnaire The response options for the question “Have you used the computer to study Mathematics before?” were coded “1” for a “YES” and “0” for a “NO”. Out of 444 respondents, only two students responded “YES”. Of those two students, one had used the computer to perform addition and subtraction operations whiles the other had used the computer to study fractions.

25. Responses to question 8 in the questionnaire The result revealed that as many as 95. 54% of the respondents had never used the computer to study Mathematics.

26. 4.2 Analysis of data on assessment of students’ behaviour/learning levels in sets – Experimental group (J.S.S 1)

27. Graph of experimental group's learning levels in sets (J.S.S 1) 100 89.7 82.8 81 70.2 80 60 % of correctly answered questions 41.4 41.4 40 20 0 4. Analysis 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation 1. Knowledge 3. Application 2. Understanding Learning levels

28. 4.3 Analysis of data on assessment of students’ behaviour/learning levels in sets – Controlled group (J.S.S 1)

29. Graph of controlled group's learning levels in sets (J.S.S 1) 100 76.2 80 66.7 61.2 60 45.5 % of corectly answered questions 38.1 32.1 40 20 0 4. Analysis 5. Synthesis 6. Evaluation 1. Knowledge 3. Application 2. Understanding Learning levels

30. Comparing learning levels 100 80 Experimental 60 group % of correctly answered question Controlled group 40 20 0 Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Application Knowledge Understanding Learning levels

31. 4.4 Findings Students in the experimental group had higher learning levels exhibited positive attitudes towards the learning of Mathematics progressed through the topics at different rates did collaborative work studied Mathematics with excitement and broke loose from their fear of the subject

32. 4.5 Challenges associated with the study Non – existence of financial support from Government and Non – governmental organizations for such a study Teachers’ resistance to the attempt to integrate ICT into education High cost of internet use Non – existence of educational multimedia development courses at the country’s tertiary institutions

33. 5.0 REFLECTIONS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Accomplishment of the study Development of the first ever interactive student – centered Computer – Assisted Instructional program for teaching and learning Mathematics at the Junior Secondary School level in Ghana. The findings support the view held by B. F. Skinner and others that the computer and other mechanical devices enable teachers to provide individualized instruction to meet the special needs of each of their students.

34. 5.2 Recommendations That Mathematics educators employ the use of ICT for teaching/learning Mathematics at the Junior Secondary Schools That teacher trainees be equipped with the skills for using Computer - Assisted Instructional software and also skills for developing their own Computer – Assisted Instructional tools That the Government/private sector sets up a national ICT Innovation Incubation centre for the development of ICT in education in Ghana

35. 5.3 Suggestions for future research The study could be carried out in the senior secondary schools and even at the tertiary institutions to find out the impact of the use of Computer – Assisted Instruction on students’ behaviuoral/learning levels.

36. EXPERTS WHO OFFERED ADVICE & SUGGESTIONS Alhaji Issifu Yidana, University of Education , Winneba Prof. Sandra Turner, Ohio University, USA Dr. Kofi Mereku, University of Education , Winneba Rev. Emmanuel Dadebo, ICT Coordinator, Min. of Edu., Science and Sports Nana Sarpong, Programmer, Childnet Pub. Mr. Adade, Planning Unit, KNUST

37. APPRECIATION THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING PART OF THE FIRST SECTION OF THIS PRESENTATION

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