Students’ Perception, Learning Styles and Learning Depth in High-Stakes WASSCE Mathematics: The Washback Perspective and Economic Implications

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue VII, July 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Students’ Perception, Learning Styles and Learning Depth in High-Stakes WASSCE Mathematics: The Washback Perspective and Economic Implications

SAMA, Roseline¹, ANOCHIWA, Lasbrey^2*
1Institute of Education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria
²Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author

Abstract:- This study investigated the washback effects of the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination on students learning depth in Mathematics. The participants comprised of 600 Senior Secondary three students, randomly selected from 30 senior secondary schools in Ebonyi state. The predictor variables are students’ perception and students’ learning styles while students’ learning depth in Mathematics is the criterion variable Three validated instruments namely; Students’ Perception Questionnaire (SPQ), r = 0.771 , Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ), r = 0.882 and Mathematics Learning Task (MLT), r = 0.893 were used to collect data. Three research questions were posed and data collected were analyzed using correlation and multiple regression models. Research results shows that there was a low negative but significant correlation between each of the predictor variables (students’ perception, r = – 0.164, p < 0.05 and learning styles, r = – 0.097, p < 0.05) and the criterion variable (learning depth). However, students’ perception of the WASSCE was found to be the most potent factor in predicting students’ learning depth in Mathematics (Beta =-0.148, t =0.002, P<0.005). Again, results also show that there is a joint influence of the predictor variables on students learning depth in Mathematics and it is statistically significant but with allow predictive power of 2.9%. In view of the findings of this research, it is recommended that Learning styles that will lead to In-depth mathematical knowledge such as active learning strategy should be adopted by students preparing for the WASSCME.

I. INTRODUCTION

In the last three decades, educationists and researchers have sought for hypotheses expressing systematic relationship between characteristics of washback on student learning and patterns of national development. More specifically, students dysfunctional learning and passing pattern in Mathematics in high-stakes West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) evidenced in their yearly poor performance is thought provoking and matters with respect to long run growth and sustainable national development? Interestingly, there are high-performing educational systems in the world today such as Finland that do not depend on high-stakes examination to enhance teaching and learning process. Their educational quality can be described as ‘outstanding’ simply by going against the evaluation-driven, centralized model used by most countries.

Read More