Improving the Understanding and Achievement of Senior Secondary Two Students in Linear Inequalities Word Problems Using Open-Inquiry in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

This article is an experimental study on the effectiveness of open-inquiry teaching method on SSII students’ understanding and achievement in word problem solving in linear inequalities in mathematics. This is crucial to establish whether the method will assist the students to learn, understand and achieve results in linear inequalities better than the use of traditional method with recourse to mitigating the persistent problem of underachievement in general mathematics which is indispensable in national development in Nigeria but many students in the secondary schools find the subject difficult to learn, master, and achieve good and expected results. The study adopted quasi-experimental pretest and posttest non-equivalent control group research design to achieve this purpose. Sample comprised 108 (54 males and 54 females) SSII students from two selected public senior secondary schools in Jos metropolis, Plateau state, Nigeria. Data collection was done using ATLIWP tagged pre-ATLIWP and post-ATLIWP with a reliability coefficient of 0.74. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings from the study showed among other things that the treatment group achieved significantly better than the control group with a mean achievement scores of 48.75 and 37.65 respectively, implying that the experimental group gained more than the control group that did not receive treatment for instance in terms of problem identification, and solution. It was recommended among other things that teachers should try and adopt the open-inquiry method in teaching inequalities word problem solving to assist students increase their understanding and achievement in mathematics.