EDUCATIONAL MEDIA UTILIZATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION PUPILS LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS

EDUCATIONAL MEDIA UTILIZATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION PUPILS LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS 

ABSTRACT

The study was designed to investigate “Educational media utilization and Early Childhood Care and Education pupils learning of Mathematics in Essien Udim Local Government Area”. Population of the study was 1,898 ECCE two pupils in the 2014/2015 session out of which 400 were sampled out from 10 primary schools as the sample size. Three research questions and three hypotheses were formulated and tested.

A fifteen item questionnaire entitled “questionnaire on educational media utilization on pupils’ learning of Mathematic (QEMUPLM) was the instrument for data collection. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentage for research questions and pearson product moment correlation coefficient (PPMC) for hypotheses. Findings showed that educational media such as radio, textbooks and newspapers influencers interest in the learning of mathematics among pupils of ECCE.

Based on the findings, it was recommended that government should lend support and encouragement to the schools by organizing in-service training seminars on how to use educational media in teaching Mathematics; also, teachers should develop the positive attitude of teachers towards the use of educational media for their pupils.

 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Education is seen as an instrument par excellence for the development of any nation. Mathematics is a field of study which deals with the investigation of abstract science of number, quantity and space as abstract concepts or as applied to other disciplines such as Physics and engineering. It is the study of the measurement, properties and relationship of quantities and sets using numbers and symbols.

There could be a serious problem teaching it in abstraction, pupils learn faster when the subject matter presented is real and concrete (Ukeje, 2003). For this to be achieved, educational media presentations and most especially during the pre-school age, it is discouraging to see that practicing teachers do not continue to use educational media after teaching practice, the need for the use of concrete materials to facilitate learning and interest of pupils can not be overemphasized.

Teachers should always bear in mind that the purpose of any worthwhile educational media is to communicate effectively and clearly and to develop the interest in the pupils’ mind. Educational media should be used when presenting lessons as this will quicken the retention of concepts better than abstraction. Educational media should incorporate all teaching resources which provide direct and concrete experience thereby reducing abstraction during educational process (Raw, 2003).

The teaching of science, mathematics in particular requires the use of newspapers, television, radio, textbooks, and calculator. According to Crobal (2007) the use of educational media during teaching and learning can make the teaching process faster as it enhances good passage of information from the teacher to the learners. Interest of the pupils in learning can be improved which in turn increases the performance of pupils in primary schools.

EDUCATIONAL MEDIA UTILIZATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION PUPILS LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS

1.2   Statement of the Problem

All over the world education is seen as machinery through which acquisition of knowledge and skills is achieved. Every nation is gearing towards the provision of quality of education for her citizens. The quality education is evidenced on the performance of pupils in external examinations eg. First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC).

Unfortunately, it is observed that the performance of most learners fall below expectation as noted by Momoh (2011). Researchers like (Udom 2011) attribute this fallen standard to many factors among which are home factors, environmental factors, peer group influence, teaching methodology, teacher’s variables and many others.

However, the researchers (Popool, 2003 and Walas, 2005) have reported positive effect of pupils’ interest in other apsects of science like basic science and computer science. The question now is, could the use of educational media affect the interest of pupils in mathematics in early childhood care and education? This question from the basis of this research.

1.3   Purpose of the Study

The study sought to investigate the influence of educational media utilization and interest of the learning of mathematics among pupils of early childhood care and education in Essien Udim Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

To achieve the above general purpose, the study specifically intends to:

1. Investigate the influence of radio on the interest of pupils in the learning of mathematics in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
2. To examine the influence of textbook, on the interest of pupils in the learning of mathematics in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
3. Discuss the influence of newspaper on the interest of pupils in the learning of Mathematics in Essien Udim Local Government Area.

1.4   Significance of the Study

The study shall be significance in the following ways:

1. This study significantly, will help curriculum designers in developing a curriculum for Nigerian science teachers of tomorrow.
2. It will enhance innovative thinking, creativity and resources fullness among early childhood care and education teachers as they will have to think of and select educational media and use in the teaching of Mathematics.
3. The study will be of great significance to future researchers who may wish to carry more studies on topics related to educational media utilization.

1.5   Research Questions

1. How does the utilization of textbooks increase the interest of pupils in learning of Mathematics in early childhood care and education?
2. How does the utilization of radio increase the interest of pupils in the learning of mathematics in early childhood care and education in Essien Udim Local Government Area?
3. How does the utilization of newspaper increase the interest of pupils in learning of mathematics in early childhood care and education in Essien Udim Local Government Area?

1.6   Research Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between the utilization of textbooks and ECCE pupils’ learning of Mathematics.
2. There is no significant relationship between the utilization of radio and ECCE pupils’ learning of Mathematics.
3. There is no significant relationship between the utilization of newspaper and ECCE pupils’ learning of Mathematics.

1.7   Delimitation of the Study

Due to certain constraints like time, the study was delimited to the following:

Only selected primary schools in Essien Udim Local Government Area were involved in the study and only teachers currently teaching mathematics in 2014/2015 academic year and their pupils were used in the study.

1.8   Limitation of the Study

The study was limited by many factors among which are scarcity of information on utilization of educational media and interest of pupils in learning mathematics, source of finance used for the study as well as the time allocated for the study.

1.9   Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined as used in the study:

Educational media: This refers to all the resources in the learning environment which makes learning experience concrete and stimulates pupils’ creativity and interest in the learning in the learning situation such as newspaper, television, radio, textbooks, and calculators.

Newspaper: A publication usually published daily or weekly and usually printed on cheap low quality paper containing news and other articles.

Radio: The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals modulation of electromagnetic waves.

Calculator: A mechanical or electronic devices used in solving problem in Mathematics.

Utilization: This is the primary method by which asset performance is measured and business success determined.