ABSTRACT
This study was geared towards investigating the effects of cognitive
restructuring, in enhancing mathematics achievement of adolescents in secondary
schools in Oshimili South Local Government Area. Two research questions and two
null hypotheses, guided the study. Quasi experimental research design was
adopted. The population used was four thousand and twenty two students of the
SSII class from Oshimili South Local Government Area. Random sampling was used
to compare two boys schools and two girls schools for the study. Through
purposive sampling, 40 pupils with poor mathematics performance from each of
the four schools made up the final sample. A 50 item researcher developed
mathematics achievement test, validated by three experts from Delta State
University (D.E.L.S.U) and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (N.A.U) was used to
collect data. Data analysis was done using mean, standard deviation, t-test and
ANCOVA at 0.05 levels of significance. The findings of the investigation were
that:-Cognitive restructuring technique is effective in enhancing students’
mathematics achievement and also females gained higher mean achievement scores
than their male counterparts when cognitive restructuring technique is adopted.
Based on the findings of this study, necessary conclusions and recommendations
were also made. One of which is that learning of specific restructuring
technique should be incorporated as an aspect of school curriculum.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the Study
Mathematics is a branch of knowledge
dealing with measurements numbers and quantities. It’s such an important
subject that currently, it’s been made compulsory for admitting candidates into
all discipline in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Therefore, for students to
achieve success in their desired academic career, they are expected to pass the
subject properly with at least a credit pass.
According to Cohen, O’Donoghue &
Fitzsimons (2000), mathematics is the language of science, as a discipline. It
is the pivot around which the whole essence of living revolves. Again
mathematics is viewed as the basis for scientific and technological analysis.
According to Gillings (1982), for analysis of weather to be accurate,
mathematical calculations are necessary. Also Mckee (2002) opined that, every
new body of discovery is mathematical in form. This is because, variables such
as time and age, must be calculated mathematically, since it is concerned with
symbols and is necessary for any meaningful involvement in modern civilization.
This is why adolescents, who must fit positively into society, are expected to
understand the basic concepts and principles of the subject mathematics by
constantly practicing the rudimentary concepts involving figures, particularly in
the basic areas of factorization, like and unlike terms, simultaneous equation,
quadratic equation and word problems in mathematics, as their usefulness is
relevant in everyday dealings.
For this reason, the subject must be
embraced by restructuring the cognitive pattern of thinking in the adolescents,
which society, peer group, and adults have irrationally and erroneously
misconstrued in the adolescents’ mind, through what they say and how they react
even when the subject is merely mentioned.
Accordingly to Benson (2000), for
transactions in relation to buying and selling to succeed, ones cognitive
abilities must be tuned to a point that he understands some level of
mathematical symbols and calculations. This he believes will eliminate cheating
amongst the parties involved, to a large extent, which is why cognitive skills
of students should be sharpened through cognitive restructuring techniques to
reduce or eliminate the phobia associated with learning the fundamental
mathematical concepts, particularly in the adolescent age.
It’s as a result of the importance of
mathematics that it has been made one of the compulsory and pre-requisite
subjects that science and arts students must pass at the school certificate
level in order to be admitted into the University. This is one of the moves by
the Federal Government of Nigeria to make mathematics popular. Also with the
inclusion of scientific and technological development in
the National Development Plan, it becomes obvious that if mathematics
achievement is not enhanced among the adolescents in secondary schools using
appropriate cognitive restructuring techniques, national progress and
development would be adversely affected (Okoye, 2006).
As regards school subjects, the irrational
belief that some school subjects are difficult to comprehend begins to register
in the adolescents’ subconscious, based on environmental and societal
irrational beliefs.
Probably, this could be the reason why most
students do not achieve the desired pass in some dreaded school subjects like
mathematics. Gal in 2000, emphasized that some contributory factors to
students’ lack of mathematics achievement are the students’ attitude towards
the subject, which is based on fear and the general impression created by the
society, who believe that mathematics is difficult to comprehend. Also, the
teacher’s method of teaching the subject content which seems to be complex
particularly if the subject is not taught with the right models. This
invariable affects the students level of achievement.
Even amongst the students’ gender, there
still exists some level of discrepancy in mathematics achievement. According to
Davis (2001), female students still have not attained mathematics equity as
their male counterparts in school because, the female students see the subject
as emotionally draining and cognitively difficult, coupled with the routinely negative self- statements the female
students make about mathematics being a difficult subject to pass. He also
attributes these lapses to some parents’ negative attitude towards science
inclined courses for their daughters, a shortage of female mathematics teachers
to serve as role models, early marriage age for females and most especially the
societal discriminatory attitude in terms of job opportunities. These factors
seem to create a negative attitude amongst the female students thereby
inhibiting their enhancement, in mathematics performance.
Even amongst secondary school students
however, the skills in enhancing learning has been a major concern of many
scholars, particularly Guidance Counsellors, who seek diverse ways of enhancing
students’ level of achievement particularly in a core subject like mathematics
(Dossey & Usiskin, 2000). Students, according to Dahir and Stone(2003), do
not learn automatically, particularly in mathematics and that they need
guidance and direction before real interest is developed in the subject,
eventually leading to effective learning. Some of the diverse ways sought by
Guidance Counselors includes trying to adopt the technique of cognitive
restructuring to encourage the students particularly the females, who have
unconsciously developed a phobia for the subject and to re-address their mind
with positive statement such as, “I will understand mathematics, if I practice
the concepts regularly”.
Again, Mckee (2002), opines that there is
growing evidence in the importance of students’ negative attitude and belief
about mathematics and that, through various teaching and learning styles,
adopted by Guidance Counsellors to aid students understanding, by making the
students talking to themselves positively, the students’ positive attitude and
self esteem becomes actualized.
Cognitive restructuring is a type of
therapeutic technique, which refutes ones irrational ideas and replaces them
with rational ones. Dibatolo, Frost, Dixon and Almodorar (2001), defined
Cognitive restructuring as “employing self-statements, arguments and
disputations to make the client see irrationality in his or her behaviour and
to be able to devise positive alternative ways to such irrationality in case
the urge arises in the future”.
Mcmulin (2005) affirms that, human beings
are generally rational, but that they can develop irrational beliefs and
neurotic behaviour as a result of biological and social forces, through
imitation of what people around them regard as acceptable societal norms, which
sometimes are irrational thoughts. He further states that, as children develop
into adolescence, they tend to accept unconsciously, these irrational beliefs.
This invariably affects the psyche of the growing child, particularly students
who are prone to all sorts of forces, based on peer pressure and societal
beliefs passed on to the children. This is the basic reason why students’ school performance
particularly in mathematics has been adversely affected in some regions in
Nigeria, such as the Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State.
According to Gargus (2002), when
adolescents encourage themselves with positive self-talk, on issues or areas
that have been a burden to them, they tend to increase their level of
determination to succeed, in that particular area of interest. This helps the
adolescent to attain the aspired level to achieve success.
Achievement according to Dahir & Stone
(2003) is a common life experience, which is obtained by the acquisition of
skills and using these acquired skills to the best of the individual’s
abilities and capabilities, so as to enhance his/her performance in life. In
the words of Bandura (1997), people’s personal expectations for achievement
play an important role in enhancing their desire to succeed. For instance, if
you believe that your effort at studying will lead to a good grade in your
examination, you will be motivated to study. This belief helps to mobilize the
individuals’ energy in performing a lot better. This is why students, who
constantly solve mathematics problems, with a mind-set to achieve success in the
subject, always excel.
According to Mangal (1998), when ones’
achievement in a desired field is attained, life is fulfilling. The desire to
achieve success he believes is as basic and natural as other biological needs,
such as Oxygen, which is essential for survival as well as
psychosocial needs, which an individual requires for self-actualization. In the
same vein, (Darling-Hammond, 2000) is of the opinion that, the desire to
achieve success helps people to succeed, particularly in their area of
interest. This desire to achieve becomes realistic when rational thinking is
adopted by the individual, through the cognitively restructuring of their
thought pattern.
Meichenbaum (1977) adopted rational
thinking to teach poor achievers, to see if they could become more effective
achievers, through cognitive restructuring techniques. In his findings, he
concluded that cognitive restructuring is an appropriate technique that could
be used to encourage poor achievers.
This is also why cognitive restructuring
technique, is adopted amongst students whose mathematics achievement level has
been declining consistently over the years, to see if their level of
understanding the subject could be upgraded to a standard that will give them
the confidence they desire to be successful and the positive self belief to
write examinations into the tertiary institutions. However Davis (2001)
believes that, the imbibed phobia for mathematics sometimes affects students’
level of performance, to higher achievement levels, even when it is obvious
that a good grasp of the subject would enable them gain admission into higher
educational bodies.
Inspite of its importance, students still
perceived the subject with phobic tendencies which is why the researcher
decided to research on it since there has been no known study by the
researcher, which directly dealt with enhancing mathematics achievement in
adolescents, using cognitive restructuring in the Oshimili South L.G.A of the
Delta State of Nigeria. Being a Guidance Counsellor, such information is
considered necessary to enable Guidance Counsellors give needed help to
students in their subsequent mathematics achievement. Based on this background,
the present research was committed to finding the effects of cognitive
restructuring technique in enhancing mathematics achievement, amongst
adolescents in the Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Statement
of the Problem
A lot of families in Delta State have been
known to have excelled academically in the past such as the Ofilis, Azinges and
the Obanyas. Presently however, poor academic performance amongst students
particularly in mathematics, in the Oshimili South Local Government Area of
Delta State, over the years has made many students drop-out of school,
particularly the female students. This is because, the students perceive the
subject as very difficult to understand, compared to other subjects. Therefore,
the required credit needed in the subject which is a compulsory prerequisite to
gaining admission into any Nigerian tertiary institution is not achieved by the
student.
Even when students are aware that
mathematics is a core subject and that it has become part of our everyday life,
which cannot be avoided, the students still generate a high level of anxiety
for the subject to the extent that they run away from mathematics lessons.
According to Brigman & Goodman (2001), students’ negative attitude to
mathematics leads them to develop a lack of self-confidence in themselves and
lack of enthusiasm.
In the process, career
interest becomes jeopardized and the end result is lack of enthusiasm and low
self esteem.
Obanya (2002) believes that, poor
performance trend in mathematics in a student, could lead to the student
developing an unconscious fear for the subject, which could invariably hamper
anticipated optimal achievement level in the pursuit of academic excellence of
the student.
As a result of the obvious effect of this
mathematics phobia in students and adolescents in general, it becomes necessary
to find out why this trend consistently exists amongst students. Also, since
the primary source of problem associated with poor performance in mathematics
has been identified to be fear and irrational thought of the subject, it
becomes necessary that a technique that tends to restructure the students
cognition be used.
It is against this background that the
study asks, what is the effect of Cognitive Restructuring in enhancing
mathematics achievement of students in Delta State?
The
Purpose of the Study:
The
purpose of the study is to determine the effects of Cognitive Restructuring
technique in enhancing mathematics achievement of students in Oshimili South
Local Government Area of Delta State. In specific terms, the study seeks to:-
1.
Determine the effects of cognitive restructuring
in improving students’ mathematics achievement.
2.
Determine the effects of cognitive restructuring
in pre and post-test scores performance of students, in respect to their
gender.
Significance
of the Study:
The findings of this study will be of
immense importance to the end users when eventually published. Such end users
includes: Teachers, students, Guidance Counsellors, the school and future researchers.
These findings it’s expected, will yield data that would confirm, support or
reject the theories of achievement as they relate to cognitive restructuring
which holds that, peoples’ achievement goals affect their achievement related
attitude and behaviours .
The outcome of the study will offer useful
framework for teachers who are both planners and decision makers in the
classroom, so that while teaching the students, the technique of cognitive
restructuring would be inculcated in the scheme of work to help the students
understand the topic.
It is hoped that teachers would become
aware of the necessary and relevant cognitive restructuring techniques, which
would be useful in teaching mathematics.
Through these findings, students it is
hoped will become aware of necessary relevant cognitive restructuring
techniques, which will be very useful for them. Moreover, no educational
guidance of secondary school students will ever be complete without the
guidance counsellors giving them hints on how to improve on their academic
achievement.
The result of this study also, will be of
relevance to school guidance counsellors, who will encourage students during
counselling sessions, with techniques such as self monitoring, positive self
statements, thought stopping and systematic desensitization so that the
students will adopt these skills to enhance themselves to improve their
studies.
The school authority, it is hoped will use
the findings of the study to assess the extent of utilization of vital
cognitive restructuring techniques by teachers and know how lack of utilization
of these techniques would affect students’ mathematics achievement. Such an
assessment, will guide the school in its future use.
Finally, it is hoped that the study will be
of immense benefit to researchers, for future research information. This is
because; the findings are expected to prepare grounds for future researches and
raise questions for investigation. For instance, how would cognitive restructuring technique, be used to enhance
academic performance of mathematics students so they become better achievers in
the subject?
Scope
of the Study:
The study was delimited to Senior Secondary
School (S.S.11) students in Oshimili South Local Government Area in the Delta
State.
The study also covered the effect of
cognitive restructuring in mathematics problems in like and unlike terms,
factorization, quadratic equation, simultaneous equation and performance in
word problems in algebra. Another variable discussed included gender, as it
relates to cognitive restructuring skills and academic achievement.
Research
Questions:
The
following research questions guided the study:
1.
What are the mean achievement scores of students
who were exposed to cognitive restructuring and those who were not exposed?
2.
What is the difference in pre and post test
scores of male and female students who are exposed to cognitive restructuring
techniques?
Research
Hypotheses:
The following Null Hypotheses (Ho)
were tested in the study, P (0.05) level of significance.
Ho1 The effects of cognitive restructuring in
enhancing students’ achievement in mathematics will not be significant in the
experimental group when compared with the achievement of the students’ in the
control group.
Ho2 The effects of cognitive restructuring in
enhancing students’ achievement in mathematics will not differ significantly
due to their gender.
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