Effects of Gender and School Location on Students' Performance and Attitude towards Mathematics in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Abstract
The study examined the effects gender and school location on students’ performance and attitude towards Mathematics. The study adopted a descriptive research design of the ex-post facto. The population for the study consisted of all the Senior Secondary School Two (SSS II) students numbering 12,585 from 205 public secondary schools in the sixteen Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ekiti State. The sample for the study consisted of 200 SSS I1 students randomly selected from two rural and urban areas. Two research instruments were used for this study. The instruments are; Students’ Attitudinal Scale (SAS) and Mathematics Studies Performance Scores (MSPS). Two research hypotheses were formulated for this study. The data collated from the SAS and MSPS were used for the analysis. Inferential statistics of ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that gender and school location had no effects on students’ performance and attitude towards Mathematics in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that: there should be continuous promotion of gender equality among the students by the teachers, school management and the state government, more schools should be located in a well conducive learning environment to enhance students’ performance and attitude towards Mathematics and the use of learners centred and more activities based strategies in the teaching of Mathematics should be encouraged in schools so as to improve the performance and attitude of students towards Mathematics.
References
Adegun, I. K. &Adegun, B. 0. (2013). Students and teachers' views of difficult areas in mathematics syllabus: Basic requirement for science and engineering education. Journal of Education and Practice, 4 (10), 235-243.
Adelabu, M. A. (2008). Making education services work for rural population: A case study of Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. Journal of international Social Research, 4(12), 37- 61.
Akpan. B. B. (2008). Nigerian the Future of Science Education. Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN).Madan, Nigeria: Oluseyi Press.
Alake, E. M. &Ogunseemi O. E. (2013). Effects of scaffolding strategy on learners' academic achievement in integrated science at the junior secondary school level. European Scientific Journal, 9 (19), 149-155.
Arslan, H., Canli, M. & Sabo, H. (2012). Research of the effect of attitude, achievement and gender on mathematics education. ActaDidacticaNapocensia, 5 (1), 46-52.
Ato, K. A. & Adelaide, K. 0. (2015). Gender difference and mathematics achievement of senior high school students: A case of Ghana College. Journal of Education and Practice, 6 (33), 67-74.
Bosede A. F. (2010). Influence of sex and location on relationship between students problems and academic performance. The Social Science. 5 (4), 340-345.
Chimweoke, F. U. (2014). Challenges in training of mathematics teachers for sustainable national development: Implications for post graduate studies. Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 1(1), 34-42.
Emmanuel, E. A., Benjamin. I. I. & John. T. A. (2010). Sex differentials in students' achievement and interest in geometry using games and simulations technique. Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 4 (1), 1-10.
Ganley, C. &Lubienski, S. (2016). Current research on gender differences in mathematics. Florida center for research in Science. Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Florida State University in Tallassee.
Kanyongo L. P. (2010). Effects of students gender on mathematics performance in primary schools in Keiyo South District, Kenya. International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research. 2 (6), 247-252.
Karp. A. (2016). Current issues in mathematics education. The American-Russian Work, Moscow State Pedagogical University. Published by Bedford, www. Corn. U.S.A.
Lubienski D.U. (2011).Students' attitude towards mathematics. Journal of Pakistan Economic and Social Review, 46 (I), 75-83.
Nzewi (2010). Scientific attitude, attitude to science and science achievement of senior secondary school students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 4 (1), 445-452.
Oginni, I. 0. (2013).The relationships between secondary school students' body parameters and their mathematics performance in South West Nigeria. Empirical education research, letting the data speak for themselves. Untested Ideas Research Centre USA, 101-111.
Olasesan, 0. 0. &Akaje, T. W. (2018). Influence of school location and gender on secondary school students achievement in mathematics in Oyo State, Nigeria. Proceedings of August 2018 556 Annual National Conference (Mathematical Association of Nigeria). 348-353.
Ominrin, M. S. (2009). Issues in the implementation of continuous assessment in Ekiti State secondary schools. A paper presented at the Inaugural Seminar of Women in Academics, University of Ado- Ekiti.
Onah, E. F. (2011). Influence of sex and school location on students' achievement in agricultural science. African Journal of Science Technology and Mathematics Education (A.ISTME), 1 (1), 96-102.
Osman, K. &Majeed, I. (2017). Students' attitude towards mathematics: The case of private and public junior high schools in the East Mamprusi District, Ghana. IOSR Journal of Research and Method in Education,.(10SR-JRME). 7 (5), 38-43.
Popoola, A. A. (2011). A survey of instructional strategies used by primary school teachers for the attainment of millennium development goals in basic mathematics education. Articles Base Journal of Education, 1-9. USA.
Popoola, A. A. (2013). Diversity, equity and mathematics learning: consideration of literacy approach. Literacy and reading in Nigeria. Journal of Reading Association of Nigeria (RAN) 14 (1), 178-184.
Popoola, A. A. &Akinwande, C.O(2013). Effects of instructional aids and teachers facilitating tasks on primary school students; achievement in Ekiti State. Research in Curriculum Studies (RICS), 9 (1), 194-200.
Robinson, J. P. &Lubienski, S. T. (2011). The development of gender achievement gaps in mathematics. American Educational Research Journal, 48, 268-302.
Samuel, M. & Samuel, J. (2016). Gender differences in boy's and girls' perception of mathematics teaching and learning of mathematics. Open Review of Educational Research, 3. 18-342
Shelley, J. (2016). Gender issues in mathematics in Tanzania. Discover the world's Research. Royal Roads University, Tanzania.
Shidu J.P. (2015). Gender similarities in mathematics performance from middle school through high school. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 37 (3), 252-255.
Sidhu K.S. (2015). (2015). The teaching of Mathematics. Sterling Publishers Private Limited: New Delhi.
Uduosoro, U. J. (2011). Perceived and actual learning difficulties of students in secondary school mathematics. International Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia, 5 (5), 357- 366.
Author(s) and co-author(s) jointly and severally represent and warrant that the Article is original with the author(s) and does not infringe any copyright or violate any other right of any third parties and that the Article has not been published elsewhere. Author(s) agree to the terms that the IJO Journal will have the full right to remove the published article on any misconduct found in the published article.
