EFFECTS OF TEACHING METHODS, GENDER AND SCHOOL LOCATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MATHEMATIC: IN KANO STATE

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of teaching methods (Discovery and lecture method), gender and school location on the performance of secondary school students in mathematics. A proportionate random sample of 356 senior secondary students was drawn from 20 secondary schools from Kano central senatorial zone using Morgan and Krejcie (1970) table for determining sample size. The sample was drawn from urban/rural dichotomy and gender wise. The sampled students were put into two groups i.e. experimental and control group. Four different mathematics topics were taught to both groups using discovery and lecture methods for experimental and control group respectively. Pre-test and Post-test were administered on both groups before and after treatment respectively. The results of the data collected from their performance were analyzed using t-test statistic. The results of the study revealed that experimental group performed better than the control group. The result also showed that boys performed significantly better than girls and urban students performed better than their rural counterpart. It was therefore recommended that teachers should adopt the use of discovery method in teaching mathematics. Cultural stigma which relegates female to mere housekeepers should be discouraged in our society. Moreover government should come to the aid of schools mostly in rural areas with necessary teaching materials to facilitate the teaching and learning activities.