Approaches of Classroom Activities in Mathematics Achievements in Ethiopian College of Teachers Education: An experimental Action Research

Abstract

The objective of the study was to examine the effects of classroom activity on students' mathematics achievement. The study also sought to determine the classroom activity load that affects student mathematic achievement. In order to conduct the study an approach of action research was employed on two sections of first year students of Jimma College of teachers’ education. First observation of students’ activity and their perception towards mathematics classroom activity was made. Students’ perceptions of classroom activity gave valuable information to improve the approaches of classroom activity so as to improve student achievement. In the first session of observation and focus group discussion the researcher at glance concluded that students were overloaded and they perceive negative attitude towards classroom activities that exhibit low achievement and next designed a strategy with partner researcher. Therefore, action was taken to improve approaches of classroom activities by dividing students as an experimental (40) and control group (38). An experimental group students were exposed two representative examples and two representative classroom activities with appropriate time allotment followed by evaluation, while the control group were continued as usual as on the same instruction, topics and sections of chapters for about six weeks and their three test scores given at the end of every two weeks were analyzed using independent sample t- test as shown in the methodology section. Furthermore, their perception before and after the new exposure of classroom activity intervention for experimental group was analyzed using dependent t-test The result shows that  statistically significant difference test performance between an experimental and controlled groups of students. Moreover, students’ perception towards classroom activities on mathematics course was significantly improved for an experimental group. The study revealed that only appropriate and relevant classroom activity with clear classroom demonstration, equitable activity followed with classroom evaluation and time allotment can improve students mathematics achievements than loading student with full of activities and classroom instructional obstruction.

Keywords: Classroom, Activities, Students’ achievements, Approaches and Teacher education