Abstract
This study investigated the effect of computer assisted instruction on secondary school mathematics students’ spatial visualization ability, achievement and attitude in Niger State. Three (3) research questions and their corresponding hypotheses guide the study. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design using pretest posttest non-equivalent, non randomized control group. The instruments for data collection were Geometry Achievement Test (GAT), Spatial Ability Test (SAT), and Mathematics and Technology Attitude Scale (MTAS) validated by six senior lecturers. The target population were all SS II mathematics students in the 150 senior Secondary Schools in three educational zones of Niger State. The sample consisted of 330 SS II (178 males and 152 females) from nine secondary schools. In each school, a stream (arm) of SS II class was randomly selected and used for the study. The three groups were pretested using GAT and SAT to determine their entry-level equivalence, while the post-test instruments are SAT and MTAS administered after six (6) weeks of instruction. The finding of the study revealed that the males outperform than females in spatial ability tasks and had higher positive attitude towards learning mathematics with technology. The study recommend mathematics teachers and instructors should adopt modern teaching pedagogies that are learner-centred and provides platform the development of spatial skills in children and adult a likes.
Highlights
Mathematics is the art of manipulating figures and numbers for effective decision making that promotes scientific investigation and development (Abdullahi, 2012)
Gender is an important variable to considered while analyzing performance in spatial visualization tasks using computer assisted instruction, while Adamu (2012) found that there was no statistically significant difference in boys and girls ability to solve problems requiring the application of spatial skills, Audu (2013) found in his study that the boys performed significantly better than girls in elementary sciences
Will there be a significant difference in spatial visualization ability between male and female students taught mathematics irrespective of treatments
Summary
Mathematics is the art of manipulating figures and numbers for effective decision making that promotes scientific investigation and development (Abdullahi, 2012). Mathematics is a subject required for effective teaching and research in science and technology. Learning science requires substantial application of mathematical ideas and knowledge for propelling scientific investigations and inventions (Paul, 2010 & Liman, 2013). The importance of studying mathematics to man and society at large cannot be over emphasized. In this regard, the study of the subject is made compulsory for all students from primary to tertiary level. Despite the benefits accruing from the study of mathematics, research findings have revealed a continuing devastating performance in the subject at all levels (Martins, 2008; Yusuf, 2010 & John, 2011). Some of the reasons advanced for the poor students’ performance in the subject include abstract nature of some topics, teachers’ instructional strategies, poor understanding of mathematics rubrics and units, non-availability of standard instructional and practical materials, poor visual skills development especially in tasks such as sketching, modeling, construction, rotation of objects, classification of shapes into 2 Dimension or 3 Dimension and measurement among others (Gana, 2009)
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