Developing strategies of instruction to improve peformance in mathematics: a case study of Electrical Engineering Technician Part 1 students at Tamale Polytechnic

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2001-12-14
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A class comprising students with varied abilities in a particular discipline has always been a challenge to the teacher, more so when the discipline is very structured and has traditionally been regarded as difficult. This study explores the effects of instruction based on entry behaviour and learning preference, and the motivational effect of regular assessment on the learning of mathematics. In three cycles of study involving a small-sized class with largely weak background in mathematics, students’ responses to a number of interventions were sought and monitored through interviews, questionnaires and records in a work diary, with each subsequent cycle involving fewer interventions. The first cycle of interventions involved the use of two types of instructional delivery namely, expository and discovery methods, assessment using class tests and homework based on small manageable tasks as a preference of the class, as well as the use of tutorials. The second cycle involved the expository approach to teaching and a comparison of the motivational effects of homework and class tests on learning. The third cycle involved the regular use of class tests. At the end of study, student responses showed an improved attitude towards mathematics as a result of detailed feedback following assessment. Though improvement in achievement was small, attitudinal change was sufficiently marked to be of interest and engage further study.
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A Thesis submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Technical Education, 2001
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