EFFECT OF STUDENTS’ BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE OF MATHEMATICS ON SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS
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Date
2014
Authors
Awofala, A. O. A.
Ogunleye, Ayodele
Emiola, Adekoya A.
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Abstract
The study investigated the effect of students’ background knowledge of
mathematics on academic achievement in physics. The moderating effect of gender was
also examined. The sample consisted of 300 senior secondary school year one science/
mathematics students in Lagos State. The study adopted pre-test and post-test control group
non-equivalent quasi-experimental design using a 2×2 factorial matrix with one experimental group and one control group. Five research questions and three null hypotheses
were raised, answered, and tested in the study. Two research instruments, Mathematics
Achievement Test (MAT) (r = 0.82) and Physics Achievement Test (PAT) (r = 0.78) were
administered on the sample and data gathered were analysed, using Mean, Standard deviation, Independent Samples t-test statistic and analysis of covariance. Results showed
that there were no statistically significant differences in the mean pre-test achievement
scores in mathematics (t=1.426, p=0.155) and physics (t=0.416, p=0.667) between the
treatment groups prior to the intervention. Results also revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the mean pre-test achievement scores in mathematics
(t=-1.63, p=0.103) and physics (t=0.356, p=0.722) based on gender. However, there was
a statistically significantly positive relationship between achievement score in physics
and mathematics prior to the intervention (r=0.602, p=0.002). Treatment and gender had
statistically significant main effects on students’ posttest achievement score in physics
(F(1, 299)=440.413, p=0.000, η2
p=0.599; F(1, 299)=9.611, p=0.002, η2
p=0.032) respectively.
There was no statistically significant interaction effect of treatment and gender on students’ post-test achievement score in physics (F(1, 299)=0.52, p=0.820, η2
p=0.000). Based
on the results, the study recommended that the teaching of prerequisite mathematics
concepts in physics before physics teaching should be adopted as instructional technique
for enhancing meaningful learning in physics.
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Keywords
students’ background knowledge of mathematics, physics achievement