Concept Mapping Strategy and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Mathematics in Calabar Municipality Government Area of Cross River State

Abstract

This study examined the concept mapping strategy and academic performance of secondary school students in Mathematics in Calabar Municipality Government Area of Cross River State. The independent variables examined include gender, problem solving technique and retention and dependent variable is academic performance of students’ in Mathematics. To achieve the purpose of the study, three research questions and three research hypotheses were posed and formulated respectively to guide the study. Literature was reviewed based on the variables in the study. The research design was adopted for this study was Ex-post facto design. One hundred fifty (150) SS2 students who offered Mathematics in public secondary schools were randomly selected for this study. The instrument used for data collection was a Mathematics achievement test(MAT) constructed by the researcher. Independent t-test statistic was used as statistical tool for data analysis. Each of the hypotheses was tested at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant influence of gender, problem solving technique and retention on the academic performance of SS 11 students in Mathematics who taught Mathematics using concept mapping. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended among others that, concept map teaching model should be incorporated in the new curriculum to supplement existing methodologies in order to enhance student understanding and linking of concepts. Suggestion for further research was also made.