A Survey of Instructional Strategies used by Primary School Teachers for the attainment of Millennium Development Goals in Basic Mathematics

Introduction				B
The purpose of general education is to provide rich				C
and significant experiences in the major aspects of				D
living. This is directed so as to promote the fullest				E
possible realization of personal potentialities and the				TOTAL
most effective participation in a democratic society.				%
The contributory role of basic mathematics curriculum				Group work
in achieving these laudable goals cannot be over				20
emphasized especially in the primary school. This is				25
why there is much emphasis on mathematics as a				21
core subject in the primary and secondary school				19
levels of education in Nigeria (FGN 2004). Mathematics				23
as a bedrock of science and technology and as a				108
school subject is recognized as the foundation				27
without which a nation cannot become prosperous				Drill
and economically dependent (Umonyang, 1997).This				24
underscores the significance of the mathematical				18
competence of all the learners at basic level of				20
education, at the same time the need for teachers				23
to make learning of mathematics more interesting to				20
the learner is imperative. In order words, good				105
teaching should begin with the teacher having a clear,				26.2
mental way of the exact changes he has to bring				Participatory
about in the learner.				6
Mathematics is a tool used in the daily lives of the				9
individual. Every daily activity of man requires the				10
knowledge and use of mathematics inquiry needed				9
for action learning to take place which will help				6
learners to develop essential 21st century skills				40
through relevant and authentic content and contexts				10
in the MDG. Agwagah, (1996) stressed the important				Demonstration
role of mathematics and mathematics teachers in				6
national development in actualising the needs of the				7
learner and society in MDG programmes. Teachers'				5
method of instruction has not been effective in				8
meeting the needs of this national development in				8
Nigeria. Teacher instructional strategies especially at				34
the foundation level of teaching and learning is a vital				8.5
aspect of the nation's productively independent				Conversation
(Okolo, 2000).				3
Research reports (Bruner, 1996, Darling-Hammond				4
& Snyder, 1992) have indicated that changes are				3
necessary in the way mathematics is been handled.				7
The traditional method of instruction does not relate				6
mathematical problems to the real world, help				23
students think about realistic situations, or help				5.8
students to generate and pose their own solutions.				Inquiry modelling
As a result, students may become unmotivated to				4
learn and unconnected with what the teacher is doing				5
in the classroom, developing an overall negative				7
attitude towards mathematics.				5
At the primary school level, there is need for				7
teachers to make learning of mathematics more				28
interesting to the learner (pupils) by using good and				7.0
varied instructional strategies which the teacher				Class audience
adopt and use to facilitate learning of abstract				7
concepts, by helping to conceptualize ideas and				4
stimulate the learners' imagination; they are known to				5
increase the learners' active participation in the				6
learning of mathematics. The use of varying				6
instruction strategies in mathematics helps both the				28
teacher and students in understanding each other.				7
Since instructional strategies are so important, it				Independent study
becomes necessary that teachers learn to make use				10
of effective and appropriate instructional method for				8
the success of the Millennium Development Goal
(MDG) programme. Some MDG scope and objective				9
are extension of Universal Basic Education (UBE) to				3
respond to World global reforms. Nigeria adopted a				4
National Economic Empowerment and Development				34
Strategy (NEEDs) in 2004, seeking to implement the				8.5
UBE law in order to provide better schools and				Table 3 shows the structure of instructional
trained teachers and trainers (Okebukola, 2005). MDG				strategies used by teachers in teaching the students
was initiated by Federal Government of Nigeria, to				in the basic mathematics curriculum of MDG
achieve its laudable goals as follows:				programme. The frequencies of each of the
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger,				instruction as used by teachers in teaching the pupils
- Achieve universal primary education,				are as shown according to LGAs (zones). The total
- Promote gender equality and empower women				frequencies of occurrence of each instruction are as
- Reduce child mortality				shown in the last column. These frequencies show
- Improve maternal health				that group work and drill methods had the highest
- Combat HIV and AIDS, malaria, and other diseases				number of occurrence for teaching the students with
- Ensure environmental sustainability				108(27%) and 105(26.2%) respectively. This is
- Develop a global partnership for development				followed by participatory approach with a total
Hence good instructional method of teachers is				frequency of 40(10%). The next is the
needed in our basic mathematics. The country need				demonstration and independent study strategies with
to make this a priority to make MDG goals come to				the frequency of 34(8.5%) each. Inquiry and class
reality. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate				audience strategies have the least frequencies of
instructional strategies used by primary school				occurrence of 28(7%) each. Table 4 shows the
teachers for the attainment of MDG in basic				analysis of instructional strategies used for teaching
mathematics				basic mathematics in primary schools.

The results of findings are as stated in tables:				Hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference
Question1: What are the characteristics of teachers				between the instructional strategies used by teachers
who participated in the basic mathematics of MDG?				of public and private primary schools in basic
The demographic variables of teachers in Ekiti State				mathematics
public and private primary schools are as stated in				Table 4: Chi-Square analysis of the Instructional
table 1.				strategies used in Public and Private Primary Schools
Table 1: Teachers characteristic used for the basic				Methods
mathematics in public and private primary school				Public
Characteristics				Private
Gender				Totaldfcaltab
Male				Rmk
Female				Group work
				168(56)
Public: (n=300)				81
				137
50(30)
250(150)
% attendance

60
60				7
Private:(n=100)

14(6)
86(28)
% attendance
				138.7
42.86
32.56

Total:(N=400)

64(36)				14.01
336(178)
% attendance

56.25
52.98
				Significant
Total				Drill
300(180)				165(55)
60				73
100(34)				128
34%				Participatory
400(214)				120(40)
52.5				64
Experience				104
				Demonstration
0-5				114(38)
6-10				53
>10				91
				Conversation
				76(25)
90(40)				39
80(30)				64
130(70)				Inquiry
				96(32)
				47
				79
				Class audience
80(20)				99(33)
20(12)				49
				82
				Independent study
				105(35)
				55
				90
170(60)				Total
100(42)				314
130(70)				461
				775
35.29
42				Table 4 shows the chi-square c (138.7) > table
53.85				(14.07). Hence the hypothesis is rejected. Therefore,
Total				there is significant difference between the
300(140)				instructional strategies used by teachers in public and
46.67				private primary schools in the MDG programme.
100(32)				Hypothesis2: There is no significant difference
32				between public and private schools teachers in the
400(172)				awareness, understanding and usage of the MDG
43.00				Curriculum.
Qualification				Table 5 shows the difference in the awareness,
				understanding and the usage of MDG curriculum.
TC11				Table 5: Awareness, understanding and the usage of
NCE				MDG curriculum in Public and Private Schools
BSc Ed/BEd				Categories %
Others				Public(n=300)
				Private(n=100)
				Df
40(15)
70(40)
120(60)				Rmk
70(32)				Have the MDG curriculum in mathematics
				61.5
				31.3


				3
20(6)
50(20)
25(5)				18.32
5(0)

				7.82


				Sig
				Understand curriculum
60(21)				48.4
120(60)				54.6
145(65)				Use the curriculum
75(32)				35.36
				63.67
				Understand the purpose of MDG
				41.16
35				46.74
				Table 5 shows the chi-square X2c (18.32) >
50				X2t(7.82). Hence the hypothesis is rejected.
				Therefore there is significant difference between the
44.83				public and private school teachers in the awareness,
				understanding and usage of the basic mathematics
42.67				curriculum. By implication the private schools teachers
Total				has more understanding and use the curriculum of
300(147)				the MDG better than the public schools, though the
49.00				public teachers have more copies of the curriculum
100(31)				more than the private schools teachers.
31.00
400(178)				Hypothesis3: There is no significant influence of
44.50				teacher's instructional strategies on the achievement
Marital Status				of basic mathematics curriculum for MDG programme.
				Table 6: Influence of teachers' instructional strategies
Single				on achievement of basic Mathematics curriculum
Married				Categories
				Public n=300
				Private n=100
65(32)				Total
235(76)

				25.7
49.23
32.34
				3.84

69(24)				Influenced
31(7)				195
				63
				258
34.78				Do not influence
				105
22.58				37
				142
				Total
				300
134(56)				100
266(83)				400

				Table 6 shows that cal 25.7 was greater than
				table3.84 at α=0.05 level of significance. Therefore
41.79				the hypothesis is rejected. This implies that there is
				significant difference in the influence of teacher's
31.20				instructional strategies and the achievement of basic
Total				mathematics curriculum for MDG programme
300(108)
36				Discussion
100(31)				The study revealed some differences in the
31.00				characteristics of teachers of public and private
400(139)				schools in terms of experience, qualification and
34.95				marital status. High proportion of teachers in private
No of teachers who participated in the MDG				schools had lower educational qualification. This calls
programme are shown in the parentheses				for proper monitoring of standard in the employment
Table 1 shows the number of teachers who had				of teachers in the private schools since most of the
attended the MDG programme in Ekiti State public				Nigerian children will spend there basic years in these
and private schools. Male and female teachers in				schools. This finding was corroborated by
public schools have the same chance of attendance				Meremikwu& Enukoha (2006) &NCTM
of 60% each. In the private primary schools, only				(2000) who reiterated a good standard for school
42.86% of male have attended with 32.56% female				maths at basic level.
teachers in attendance. The overall attendance of				Further findings of this study showed that MDG
teachers in public schools was found to be 60%,				curriculum is not well wildly used in public schools, but
while that of private schools was 34%. On the				are used in private schools. Since, they do not
whole, 56.25% of male teachers have attended so				understand the purpose of MDG programme. The
far with 52.98% of female teachers in both public				MDG programme stressed the need to develop
and private primary schools.				national curriculum modules for primary and junior
The highest percentage of the experience of				secondary education in line with MDG programme.
teachers who have been on service for more than				The reason why during the long vacation, teachers
10 years was found to be 53.85% in public schools.				are organised and trained in the use and adaptation
This is closely followed by those who have been on				of the modules from the national curriculum through
service between the last 5 years of 44.44%. While				workshop, seminars and meeting on curriculum
the list of teachers who have their experience				delivery. This in effect will improve student's
between 6-10 years was found to be 37.50% in				achievement with a functional basic educational
private schools, teachers who have been on service				curriculum. The study also showed that many
between 6-10% had the highest percentage. This is				teachers of both public and private schools do not
closely followed by teachers have the experience				use some of instructional methods needed for the
between 0-5 years of 44.44%. It was found that				basic needs of the learners in mathematics. It was
there was no teacher of 10 years and above				also found that only few methods were used for the
teaching experience. In overall, teachers who have				teaching of basic mathematics. The findings of the
been on service for more than 10 years had the				study also revealed significant influence of
majority of attendance with 53.85%. This is closely				instructional strategies in the advancement of basic
followed by those between 6-10 years of teaching				mathematics. Hence, researchers (Kolawole, 2004;
service. Teachers with 5 years teaching experience				Darling-Hammond, 1996; UNESCO&ISESCO, 2001)
had the least percentage of attendance of 35.29%.In				have discovered major problems facing mathematics
all, public teachers had the majority of attendance in				teaching in terms of teachers methods and called for
the MDG programme of 46.67%,while private school				teachers training and re-training as a way of
teachers had 32%				consolidate and enlarge concepts and skills of
Majority of teachers who hold National Certificate in				teachers in the teaching process. When teachers do
Education (NCE) (57.14%) in public primary schools				not use appropriate instructional strategies, they are
have attended the MDG programme, followed closely				less likely to achieve the desire learning outcomes.
by those with bachelors in education degree				Hence, instructional strategies are an important of
(45.71%). Teacher grade11 had the least percentage				achieving the basic mathematics curriculum meant for
of attendance of 37.50%. This shows that majority				MDG programmes.
of teachers in private schools who have attended				Conclusion and Recommendations
the programme had NCE of 40%. Follow by grade 11				There is need to widely spread the use of MDG
teachers of 30%. Teachers who have bachelors in				curriculum through proper monitoring in both public
education had the least percentage of attendance of				and private primary schools to build capacity for the
20%. In overall, NCE teachers of both public and				MDG at the foundation and basic level in core
private schools have the highest attendance of 50%,				subjects such as mathematics and science. Modules
this is followed by those with bachelors of education				for teaching mathematics are not always readily
degree 44.83% This is followed closely by those who				available for primary schools despite the emphasis of
have other qualifications (42.67%). Teacher grade11				the MDG plan. Availability of these in both public and
had the least percentage of attendance of 35%. In				private schools will help to build good foundation for
all, public school teachers had the highest percentage				Nigerian pupils in the important subjects like
of attendance of 49% and only 31% of the teachers				mathematics.
in public schools have attended the programme with
49.23%.
Only 32.34% of married teachers have attended the
programme with 34.78% of single teachers in private
schools. This is closely followed by married teachers
of 22.58%. Overall, single teachers had the highest				References
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strategies used by teachers				university of technology

Question3: Is there any difference in the structure of				Thompson, A (1984). The relationship of teachers
instructional strategies used in basic mathematics				conception of mathematics and mathematics teaching
curriculum for MDG programme?				instructional practice. Educational study in
Table 3: Frequency of the structure of instructional				mathematics.15 (2); 105-127 Dordrecht: Reidel.
strategies used by teachers in both				Umonyang, IE (1997) Maximizing student's
Public and private primary schools				achievement in mathematics thought multi- grade
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Zones				40th national conference of Science Teacher
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A

K-12 Education

A Survey of Instructional Strategies used by Primary School Teachers for the attainment of Millennium Development Goals in Basic Mathematics