action research on poor performance in mathematics

Afr Rev Arts Soc Sci Edu (2014). Heritage and Arts, Fiji Strategic plan (2019). Visser, M, Juan, A, and Feza, N. Home and school resources as predictors of mathematics performance in South Africa. To address such issues in the South Pacific, a new cohort-taught pedagogical model known as the Science Teachers Accelerated Program (STAP) was introduced by The University of the South Pacific (USP) for those in-service science teachers outside the vicinity of USP campuses have to upskill and upgrade their qualifications through cohort teaching [22]. This study assessed the self-concept and academic performance in Math of the Grade 10 students of a public national high school, Cebu, Philippines. In: Proceedings of the 28th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education; 2004 July 1418; Bergen, Norway. Khan, MII. Ke, F, and Grabowski, B. Gameplaying for maths learning: cooperative or not? Review and amendments to the year 12 and 13 mathematics curriculum, use of technologies to teach mathematics, improving the quality of primary school mathematics teachers, reducing the emphasis on exams, introducing internal assessments, projects, and field work in the mathematics curriculum were a few of the significant recommendations made from this study. performance levels work together in small groups toward a common goal. A child not knowing the previous year work is rarely able to grasp the concepts in the current year. Int Electron J Math Edu (2018). If you notice that you overlook some sections that require adequate points, we suggest that you edit and revise the document consciously. 4(6):32. doi:10.9790/7388-04633240, 10. b) Research question 2: What is the teachers attitude toward teaching mathematics at senior secondary grades? doi:10.1007/s10639-020-10320-2, 11. 1721 June, 2013. p. 5365. The findings of this research would provide an empirical insight to the Curriculum Development Unit (CDU), Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA), Higher Education Institutes (HE), and other relevant academic stakeholders to bring about effective reviews and reforms in the education system in order to improve the achievement of students in mathematics at the senior secondary grades. In many developing countries, several studies and researches have been carried out on curriculum and examinations influencing students interest and achievements in mathematics [7, 8184]. 52. 2(2):58047. The government has already announced to probe the poor performance in the subject and experts are now sharing experiences and what could be done to address the poor scoring. The findings of the study also depict the notion of the problem faced in the teaching and learning of mathematics. However, for several years, the Overseas School Certificate and the General School Certificate Examinations from the United Kingdom were adopted in the Fijian education system. This means both the examination and the curriculum do not serve its purpose. (HOD Interview 7). The following review summarizes from the literature the above five factors that contributed to the low achievement of students in mathematics. p. 113. Issues and ideas paper, Parkville, VIC, Australia: Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education (2016). 70. Solving math problems entails the students applying two skills at the same time: reading and computing. Poor achievement in mathematics is an issue of great concern for many countries across the globe. I do not see any reason why should we study mathematics? A recent study by [1] found that 85.63% of students claimed that poor teaching methods of some mathematics teachers scare students from the subject. The mean score increased from 63.85 (SD=31.99) in the pre-test to 90.77 (SD=19.79) in the post-test. 45.Ministry of Education. doi:10.1109/apwc-on-cse.2016.049, 14. A study of causes of failure in mathematics at high school stage. A study of 46,373 students (ages 5-19) also found that reading comprehension had a significant impact on math learning across the grades (Grimm, 2008). Eurasia J Math Sci Technol Educ (2013). Mediterr J Soc Sci (2012). Additionally, students also need to have relevant digital literacy skills in order to survive and thrive in this digital world [71, 72]; hence, the teachers as mentors of the students need to have relevant digital literacy skills themselves. Sharma, B, Fonolahi, A, Bali, A, and Narayan, S. The online mathematics diagnostic tool for transformative learning in the pacific. Prasad, B. Fiji secondary mathematics: looking ahead. In: A Singh, S Raghunathan, E Robeck, and B Sharma, editors Cases on smart learning environments. Till we change their attitude, we will never be able to achieve a better result in mathematics. Use of ICT, mobiles, laptops, podcasts, videos, Internets, and other assistive technologies improve the way mathematics is taught and enhance students understanding of the basic concepts more rapidly and effectively. In total, 23 educators answered this question and the results are presented below. 64. The responses obtained are analyzed in Figure 3 below. Karu Abuja Science Day 1st March. They ignore mathematics as they know that there is no chance of passing mathematics purely through exams. (HOD Interview 6). 73. Partnerships with governments to implement in-country science programmes in the South pacific region. Teacher quality should not be compromised at any cost, especially teachers who are responsible to teach the foundation of mathematics in primary schools. Students attitude and perception toward mathematics (B). Popoola, F, and Olarewaju, R. Factors responsible for poor performance of students in mathematics in nigerian secondary schools. Raj, J, Raghuwaiya, K, Vanualailai, J, and Sharma, B. Navigation of car-like robots in three-dimensional space. There were no significant changes in the mathematics curriculum for the next 2decades until internal assessments came into effect. LITERATURE REVIEW 2:1 INTRODUCTION 2:0 This chapter focuses on views of different authors and researchers concerning causes of low performance of students in mathematics at Ordinary level .The literature helped the researcher in trying to resolve the problem by identifying what had been tried and the results of those trials .The literature helped the researcher to identify gaps that need to be . Removal of scaling in national exams; preparation of localized and prescribed textbooks; reintroduction of national exams in year 10; introducing standard exams for years 9, 10, and 11; upgrading the quality; and providing detailed solutions of past year national exam papers were few of the reforms that took place over the past 4years. Fiji Sun (2015). The responses obtained are presented in Table 3 and Table 4, as shown below. doi:10.20286/nova-jmbs-010113. Fiji is one of the countries in the South Pacific experiencing the same trends, pressures, and concerns. Int J Math Educ Sci Technol (2016). Furthermore, the study was intended to determine the school based factors that affect student poor performance in core Mathematics, as well as identify strategies that can be adopted to improve student poor performance in core Mathematics in the secondary level. More than 50% of the educators also perceived that students found mathematics a difficult subject and mostly failed because they had mathematics phobia. Mathematics has its application in a wide range of informal settings, including vegetable selling, sewing, fishing, construction work, shopping, purchasing, carpet laying, video games, cabs and buses, farming, entertainment, sports, and everyday family activities [20, 21]. The causes of poor performance in mathematics among public senior secondary school students in Azare metropolis of Bauchi State, Nigeria. 61. Introduction . 35(3):116. 39. Perceived factors influencing academic performance of students in accounting in secondary schools in anambra state. The Problem. Reddy, P, Sharma, B, and Chaudhary, K. Measuring the digital competency of freshmen at a higher education institute. Mathematics results show poor performance over the years and this is causing concern to all stakeholders. 46(1):3860. 34. For this question, Table 6 was used as a guideline for the type of teaching methods used by the educators. The effect of an after-school program addressing the gender and minority achievement gaps in science, mathematics, and engineering. TABLE 7. Some secondary schools in Fiji, such as Nadi Sangam Kuppuswamy Memorial College, Swami Viveka Nanda College, Tilak High School, and Vunimono High School, have already blended ICT entirely in years 12 and 13 of the school curriculum. Eur Res Math Edu (2004). 25. The relevance and application of mathematics in real life should also be reflected in the curriculum. S Afr J Educ (2015). Int J Educ Res (Dhaka) (2016). 23. Many Fijian students fail to meet the basic entry requirements for HE institutions in STEM courses that require either a pass or a higher cutoff mark in mathematics [36]. Benin (Nigeria): University of Benin (2011). The target population was 201 respondents which comprised 171 students, 16 mathematics teachers, 7 department heads, and 7 school heads from seven randomly selected secondary schools in the districts of Tavua and Ba. 86. Teaching methods used by mathematics teachers (D). 49.Ministry of Education. Proced Soc Behav Sci (2010). [Masters thesis]. He further stressed that teachers are reluctant and sometimes hesitant to use other approaches to the teaching and learning of mathematics as it would take up too much time and are deemed irrelevant to passing exams. 2002-2003. Available from: https://fijisun.com.fj/2015/02/11/why-scaling-was-scrapped-reddy/ (Accessed December 3, 2020). 4. Suleiman, Y, and Hammed, A. p. 11433. Influence refer to having effects on, in this case it is having effects on mathematics performance. The article analyses and discusses the views of the respondents on the factors contributing to students poor achievement in mathematics, especially at the senior grades of selected secondary schools in the west of Fiji Islands. Printed by fabson graphic production (2007). AIS (2018). IEEE (2017). school students' achievements in mathematics. This strongly agrees with the study by [43] who also identified the exam-oriented curriculum as one of the challenges in the senior grades of secondary schools in Fiji. Many students may then continue to fall behind the standard of mathematics achievement and lose their interest in mathematics; they eventually give up on learning mathematics. 55. Abstract. p. 2715. 40(8):4358. It is a pedagogical practice that helps An EdWeek Research Center study published in January found 67 percent of teachers reported students' math anxiety was a challenge. 21. Educ Stud Math (2002). 14(1):5. doi:10.1186/s41039-019-0100-9. Nsukka (Nigeria): University of Nigeria (2011). c) What are the teaching methods used by mathematics teachers at senior secondary grades? Because of this impression, majority of students have a phobia for this subject [9, 2931]. Students follow precise instructions to use the skill themselves in a scaffolded, step-by-step way. Effects of computer tutorial and drill (CTD) on senior secondary school students achievement in basic electronics in Lagos State. Keong, CC, Horani, S, and Daniel, J. Novel lyapunov-based autonomous controllers for quadrotors. 1. Dayal, HC, and Lingam, GI. Fiji. e) Research 5: Is the mathematics curriculum in senior secondary grades effective and relevant? The overall mean response of the students, teachers, heads of the mathematics department, and school heads indicates that the mathematics curriculum at the senior grades of secondary schools is ineffective and irrelevant and therefore needs to be reviewed. d) Research question 3: What are the qualifications attained by the mathematics teachers? Content-focused teacher training to be implemented for primary school teachers in Fiji to teach specialized subjects in schools in order to build a good foundation among students and maintain positive attitude and perception of students toward mathematics across all levels. Reddy, E, and Sharma, B. . TABLE 3. Reference [34] claimed that the number of students enrolling in higher level mathematics courses had declined significantly. Available from: https://fijisun.com.fj/2015/09/08/reddy-concerned-with-quality-of-graduates/ (Accessed December 2, 2020). In light of current U.S. educational standards and the mathematics per-formance of U.S. students compared with the performance of students in other countries, a clear need exists for substantial improvement in mathematics achievement in the nation's schools. From the target population of 201 respondents, 181 respondents comprising of 151 years 12 and 13 students, 16 mathematics teachers, 7 heads of mathematics department, and 7 school heads answered the questionnaire. 30. 1. Themes Sci Technol Edu (2016). ERS Spectr (2001). For this study, students attitude and perception toward mathematics, teachers attitude, and perception toward mathematics, teaching methodologies of mathematics teachers, quality and performance of mathematics teachers, and the effectiveness and relevance of mathematics curriculum were the five factors identified to be influencing students achievement in mathematics at the senior grades of secondary schools in Fiji. The teachers provided the students with summary notes for easier understanding and provided recaps before beginning new lessons. 77. 32. People need to have a complex According to [9], most of the mathematics teachers do not even make the teaching of mathematics practical and exciting. The goals of the review are threefold; one to highlight the factors that leading to poor performance in . Quality, performance, and qualification of mathematics teachers (E). Nacei, L. Quality of education and graduates not up to par. Kokusai Kyoiku Kyoryoku Ronshu (2006). Cava, L. Why Scaling Was Scrapped: Reddy. The objectives of the study were to; assess attitudes of students The continuing trend of poor achievement in mathematics in Fiji secondary schools raises concerns to the Fijian government and the stakeholders on whether or not the Fijian education system can supply graduates who possess the essential skills to enable them to cope with the ever-evolving technological society. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS) (2016) Volume 15, No 1, pp 122-136 1. During the first five years of the project (2011-2015), the researchers worked with the partner schools supporting the development of primary mathematics teaching and learning. Dayal, HC. IEEE Access (2020). There was a dearth of local literature on poor achievement of students in mathematics and as such international literature was mostly referred to as a guide. Nicholas, J, Poladian, L, Mack, J, and Wilson, R. Mathematics preparation for university: entry, pathways and impact on performance in first year science and mathematics subjects. CONT.. Out of 26 students in the sample, the highest pre-test mark was 100, scored by 7 students only. 14(1):4865. They know that no matter how hard they try, nothing would change as they would still fail.. Factors that affect Learners' Poor Skill Performance in . e) What is the student and teacher perception on the current mathematics curriculum at the senior secondary grades effective? Tuimavana, R, and Datt, N. Teachers attitude towards teaching mathematics at upper primary levels in Fijis primary schools: a case study of the Western primary schools. A Cronbach alpha test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was carried out. 3(15):74. Mathematics recorded a percentage pass of 7.5%, one of the lowest performing subjects among all the other subjects in Fiji Year 13 external examination in 2014 [35]. He further added that the workload of teachers is significantly reduced by the use of ICT, allowing teachers to utilize more time to focus on the key role, that is, to enhance learning among students. The mathematics curriculum needs to be realigned to suit the Fijian context and the need of students. (HOD Interview 2). The need for reforms in educational assessment in primary schools in Fiji for the 21st century. Sharma, B, Lauano, FJ, Narayan, S, Anzeg, A, Kumar, B, and Raj, J. In: 4th asia-pacific world congress on computer science and engineering (APWC on CSE). This was confirmed by Broussard & Garrison (2004) on his study. 3641. d) What are the qualifications of mathematics teachers in Tavua and Ba schools? Investigating the use of ICT tools to teach year 1 mathematics in Fiji: creating interactive learning activities to teach numeracy skills. Students within the Ba community were identified by the principal researcher, who were very inquisitive about the studys objective and were outspoken to give personal and true opinions for the study. (2006) ; 26 . This was done to ensure that the views of all the students with different abilities are equally represented. Overall, the teachers attitude was positive in the delivery of mathematics lessons to the students. Johnson, D, and Johnson, R. Cooperative learning: improving university instruction by basing practice on validated theory. a) assess students attitude and perception toward mathematics at senior grades of Tavua and Ba secondary schools, b) assess student perception on teachers attitude toward teaching mathematics at Tavua and Ba secondary schools, c) evaluate the qualification of mathematics teachers of Tavua and Ba secondary schools, d) identify teaching methods used by mathematics teachers of Tavua and Ba secondary schools. instruction. Pretoria (South Africa): University of the South Pacific (2017). Kalhotra, SK. 57. The raw data supporting the conclusion of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation. 2: 1620. p. 6380. The purpose of the research was to investigate the causes of poor performance of mathematics subject in Karama division, Tigania East District. Standardized tests showed that most students scored below average on the mathematics portion, and the number of students having to repeat mathematics courses had increased. 14. doi:10.29333/iejme/3997. [Masters thesis]. 9. Three sets of interview questions were then designed. Figure 2 shows the teacher training qualifications and 100% of the teachers have teacher training qualification ranging from secondary teacher training certificate to post graduate diploma in education. Mathematics is a scoring subject. However, a study by [73] found that mathematics teachers are not fully utilizing these facilities in their classroom teaching. A study on the use of ICT in mathematics teaching. Class average Grade was 76.8% Poor classroom participation of pupils in Math 6. Front. The Education Commission Report 2000 even reflected that the exam-oriented curriculum does not allow for outcome-based teaching and learning to progress. The purpose of the study was to investigate the causes of poor performance in Mathematics in secondary schools in Nyandarua North Sub County. Buddo [11], who opines that the school subject of mathematics in Jamaica has always presented challenges for learners at all levels of the educational system. The following were a few of the responses from the interviews and student focus group discussions on how students perceive mathematics. Psacharopoulos, G, and Woodhall, ML. Cronhjort, M, Filipsson, L, and Weurlander, M. Improved engagement and learning in flipped-classroom calculus. People are not interested in certain topics because they do not find it relevant to real life. (Student FG 5). Planning for teacher supply and demand for Fiji primary schools. I can answer few simple questions but when it comes to complex exercises, I just lose hope again. Student FG 19. The questionnaires were almost the same except for the content being rephrased to suit the opinion of the different groups of respondents. Studies by [16, 39, 40] claimed that the continual trend of poor achievement in mathematics is a function of cross-factors related to students, teachers, and schools. Student perception of teachers attitude toward teaching mathematics. Ensuring all students can become college- and career-ready depends on understanding both the depth and variations in math . One focus was building number sense through working with both teachers and learners in the Lesson Starters Project. Perceived causes of students failure in mathematics in kwara state junior secondary schools: implication for educational managers. The prolonged fear and anxiety of students in mathematics ultimately generates a negative attitude of students that becomes relatively permanent in future [56]. There were four sets of questionnaires designed for each group of respondents (students, teachers, heads of departments, and school heads). Enugu. Fiji with three major higher education institutions, namely, The University of the South Pacific, The Fiji National University, and The University of Fiji face the same challenge of decline in the quantity and quality of applicants enrolling for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses due to low pass rates in mathematics at years 12 and 13 national examinations [22, 25, 28, 35]. According to [2], mathematics is one subject that affects all aspects of human life at different levels. Specifically, this study aims to answer the following research questions: a) What is the students attitude and perception toward mathematics at senior secondary grades? This requires views from students, teachers, heads of departments, and school heads to gain deeper insights into students lack of interest and low achievement in mathematics at the senior grades of secondary schools in Fiji. A study by [72, 76] shows that linguistic and conceptual comprehension is a matter of concern. The findings of the study reveal that students seemed to encounter issues in comprehending word problem statements which resulted in ineffective teaching and learning practices in a private school in Karachi. Educating Fiji: Examination free system. 3. An exploration of affective beliefs. 65. It refers to someones basic liking or disliking of a subject [13, 50]. 37(3):11321. In fact, students in Taiwan generally . Despite the highly decorated and recognized importance of mathematics and the fact that it is the prerequisite for most of the subjects, poor achievement and lack of interest in mathematics (and STEM) among students remains as an issue of concern in schools, colleges, and universities in developed and developing countries alike [2225]. 37. c) Research question 3: What are the teaching methods used by mathematics teachers at senior secondary grades? Legotlo, M, Maaga, M, and Sebego, M. Perceptions of stakeholders on causes of poor performance in Grade 12 in a province in South Africa. overwhelms the abilities of adults and ultimately causes as one of the most important factors for poor performance in mathematics [11]. Prakitipong, N, and Nakamura, S. Analysis of mathematics performance of grade five students in Thailand using newman procedure. Action research is a process for improving educational practice. I love to do technical drawing and computer studies as it has projects. p. 16. The two figures below show projected math and reading learning patterns from the beginning of the 2019-20 school year (before COVID-19 school closures) through the start of the 2020-21 school year. Causes of Poor Academic Performance in Mathematics at Ordinary Level: A Case of Mavuzani .. DOI: 10.35629/7722-0906011018 www.ijhssi . Local studies by [85, 86] recommended that the Ministry of Education should review the curriculum to make it relevant and flexible to the diverse needs of different regions and background of the students. Looking at the educators responses, more than 50% believed that students lacked mathematics basics and hardly participated in any classroom activity. Mistima, S, Maat, B, and Zakaria, E. The learning environment, teachers factor and students attitude towards Mathematics amongst engineering technology students. The Fijian government and its academic stakeholders have long been investing profoundly in the education sector. Totaram, RL. Hannula, MS. Educ Inf Technol (2020). Form six (year 12) and form seven (year 13) examinations remained since they play an important function in the selection of students for further education and employment opportunities. 62. doi:10.4018/IJT.20200701.oa1. The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. 5(1):2342. There is a need for teachers to incorporate 21st century teaching tools, gadgets, and technology in teaching mathematics. FIGURE 2. Implemented in this way, action research is also seen as Yan, C. We cant change much unless the exams change: teachers dilemmas in the curriculum reform in China. 9(3):27384. He further claimed that the gap in the curriculum content and the forms of assessment to achieve the outcomes has labeled the Fijian education system hapless. 44. This research work focus on the investigation of the causes of student's failure in Mathematics and English Language in West African School Certificate (WASSCE) Examination in Enugu Education Zone. Its methods involve action, evaluation, and reflection. Reddy, P, Sharma, B, and Chandra, S. Student readiness and perception of tablet leaning in HE in the Pacific: a cased study of Fiji and Tuvalu. Experienced teachers or department heads are the best stakeholders in terms of consultation and amendment of mathematics curriculum. ABSTRACT. I was really doing well in mathematics till year 4. Internal assessments/field work/projects need to be a part of mathematics curriculum to understand mathematics better and at the same time develop interest among students with diverse needs. 4. Step 4: Proofread and Revise the Report. 1(2):5565. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2006.00593.x, 20. Cooper, S. An exploration of the potential for mathematical experiences in informal learning environments. Students attitude and perception toward mathematicseducators perception. p. 93. Due to the ministrys policy on compulsory education till year 12, they are just getting promoted. 9(2, 3):1558. Umameh, M. A survey of factors responsible for students poor performance in mathematics in senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) in Idah local government area of Kogi state, Nigeria. [Masters thesis]. The study found that students had a negative attitude and perception toward mathematics. It is quite evident that students with good mathematical skills can think analytically and have better reasoning abilities. Students have a negative attitude and perception from primary school. It is one of the most important subjects in the school curriculum, which acts as a bridge for all knowledge [3]. 22(2):1138. 28. Fiji Sun (2016). The former was dropped and the latter replaced by local examinations in 1989 [44]. They do not even show interest and take advantage of extra efforts by our department teachers. About 50% of the students indicated that their teachers' incorporated games, fun, and technology while teaching mathematics. Waikato J Edu (2020). My teacher teaches us so well. 80. After the pilot study, the research tools along with the responses were discussed among the co-researchers for further review and amendment for its reliability and validity. By the time they reach year 12 and 13, mathematics is perceived to be a foreign language to them. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.2979223. Arends, F, Winnaar, L, and Mosimege, M. Teacher classroom practices and mathematics performance in south African schools: a reflection on TIMSS 2011. The responses obtained are presented in Table 7, as shown below. Mathematics continues to be one of the most challenging subjects in schools as perceived by students [7, 2628]. When the pandemic forced school closings around the world, we were able . Teachers attitude toward teaching mathematics (C). The shift from the teacher-centered approach would have allowed a student to be free from the constant pressure and trauma of external examinations. 11(2):6594. Akhter, N, and Akhter, N. Learning in mathematics: difficulties and perceptions of students. Therefore, the study intends to contribute to the existing literature investigating the above five factors contributing to poor achievement in mathematics at the senior grades of secondary schools in the Western Division of Viti Levu, Fiji. Mazana, M, Suero Montero, C, and Casmir, R. Investigating students attitude towards learning mathematics. It is a process to gather evidence to implement change in practices. In: IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Science and Data Engineering; 2019 Dec 911; Melbourne, Australia. Science teachers accelerated programme model: a joint partnership in the pacific region. The major purpose of this action research was to improve student achievement through effective implementation of peer learning in animal science department first year student. Moreover, great teachers are quality and better performing teachers who tend to inspire people around regardless of any challenges or barriers. 3:14157. The explanations were not clear and understandable. Studies by [16, 17] stressed that mathematics is the bedrock and a tool for the scientific, technological, and economic advancement of any country. Available at: http://iea-aie2013.few.vu.nl/index.shtml, 40. Available from: https://fijisun.com.fj/2016/01/08/quality-of-education-and-graduates-not-up-to-par/ (Accessed December 3, 2020). The present study intends to carry out a thorough investigation on the student, teacher, and curriculum factors by cross-examining the views and perceptions of students, teachers, heads of the mathematics department, and the school heads.