• Academic Outcomes in Language-Dependent and Computation-Dependent Courses among Mathematics Education Students in a Nigerian University: Top-Achievers Still Best of both Extremes

    Author(s):
    Joshua Abah ABAH (see profile)
    Date:
    2018
    Subject(s):
    Education, Higher, Mathematics, Linguistic change, Education--Study and teaching, Philosophy of mind
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Mathematics Education, Language-Dependent, Computation-Dependent, Mathematical Mindset, Top Achievers, Higher education, Language change, Educational studies
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/169x-5k97
    Abstract:
    In the field of mathematics education, there is an increased awareness of the need to account for the connection between mathematics and language. Despite the emphasis on this existing interconnectivity, students often erroneously distinguish themselves as better oriented to one extreme or the other. This study explores the pattern of academic performance of mathematics education students in language-dependent and computation-dependent courses. The study built on the Monitor Theory of second language acquisition to observe that school works existing as the practical result of learned language and grammar are among the reasons some students unnecessarily fear language-dependent courses. Ex- post facto research design was adopted to analyze the scores of 48 students enrolled in a programme in mathematics education at a university in North Central Nigeria. A total of 29 core courses across six (6) semesters were split into two dichotomous extremes of language-dependent and computation-dependent based on content and scope. Each student’s scores were averaged across each category, with the absolute difference between the two averages taken as measure of achievement gap between the two extremes. A paired samples t-test of students average scores in the two categories indicates a statistically significant difference (t0.05,47 = 7.3244, p = 0.0000). Further analysis shows that 41.67% of the students are language-dependent, 2.08% computation-dependent, and 56.25% not dependent on any of the extremes. Additional analysis of variance (ANOVA) among three (3) identified performance categories reveals that the achievement gap differ significantly among bottom, middle and top achievers, with the mean achievement gap lowest among top Achievers. The findings of this study stressed the reality of inherent and superficial categorization based on the two extremes among mathematics education students.
    Notes:
    Evidence from this study has supported the assertion that hard working and determined students do considerably well in both computational areas and language areas.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.20547/jess0621806206
    Publisher:
    Geist Science, Iqra University
    Pub. Date:
    2018-12-8
    Journal:
    Journal of Education & Social Sciences
    Volume:
    6
    Issue:
    2
    Page Range:
    64 - 81
    ISSN:
    2414-8091,2410-5767
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    4 years ago
    License:
    All-Rights-Granted
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