COGNITIVE APPROACH OF MATHEMATICS STUDENTS

 

Abstract

The study was designed to ascertain the cognitive approach of mathematics students in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. To direct the study, four research questions were stated. The study adopted the survey research design and the population of the study comprised all mathematics students in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. The sample size was one hundred mathematics students randomly sampled from ten schools. Data for the study were collected using researcher’s developed questionnaire. Research questions were analyzed using simple percentage. The data analyzed showed that majority of the respondents like doing their assignments at the end of the class and they don’t like working alone as they prefer studying in a group made up of their peers especially when it is headed by a teacher; they summarize a passage after reading it, form slangs with letters to help them in recalling and draw and label the parts repeatedly as well as jot down major points as they study; they also prefer studying in quiet environment, as they require frequent repetitions of new concepts in similar forms and many opportunities for application and transfer of new learning. Finally, it was also revealed that majority of the respondents are only encouraged by teacher/adult praise, as they are not in any way triggered or encouraged by praise from their peers or tangible rewards. Based on these findings, it was recommended that teachers should try as much as possible to individualize the instruction during the teaching-learning process and diagnose the students so as to know what method of teaching is beneficial to each and every one of them as this would help the learners to learn at their own pace, thus improving the performance of students in mathematics.