Impact of Advanced Organisers on the Performance of Students in Linear Differential Equations: A Case of Mukuba University, Kitwe District, Copperbelt Province, Zambia
- October 31, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Categories: IJRSI, Mathematics
International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VI, Issue X, October 2019 | ISSN 2321–2705
Evans Musonda
Mukuba University, School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, P.O Box 20382, Kitwe, Zambia
Abstract: – This study was done in order to show the impact of Advanced Organisers on the performance of students in Linear Differential Equations. The dismal performance of Second Year Students in Introduction to Analytical Geometry and Calculus (MAT 220) and Linear Differential Equations in particular at Mukuba University has been a thorny issue. To solve this problem a study was conducted by the Researcher. The study population included all Second Year students doing Introduction to Analytical Geometry and Calculus (MAT 220) pursuing a degree programme at Mukuba University. The study was based on one research question and two hypotheses. The research method used was an Experimental Design. The sample size was 60 students comprising 40 male and 20 female students. The Shapiro-wilk test was used for this purpose because of the small sample size. The two groups were made from a homogeneous class at random. Particular, 30 students were assigned to the Experimental Group and 30 students to Control group. These two groups were subjected to a pre-test. The experimental group was lectured using the Advanced Organisers while the Control group was lectured using Conventional methods. The analysis of data was done with the help of SPSS, considering the mean, standard deviation. Then an Independent sample t-test was conducted at alpha (α) = 0.05 to analyse the results of the pre-test and post-test scores. The study showed there was statistically significant difference in the post-test scores for Experimental group (Mean = 67.5, standard deviation = 19.5) and the control group (Mean = 49.8, standard deviation = 19.8), P = .001. Therefore, using Advanced Organisers when lecturing Linear Differential Equations was found to have an impact on students’ performance.
Keywords: Advanced Organisers, Linear Differential Equations, Introduction to Analytical Geometry and Calculus, Conventional methods.
