THE EFFECT OF STUDENT PERCEPTION ON TEACHING AND LEARNING MATHEMATICS

THE EFFECT OF STUDENT PERCEPTION ON TEACHING AND LEARNING MATHEMATICS (A CASE STUDY OF IGBOEZE NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE ENUGU STATE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL), ENUGU)
 
ABSTRACT
Mathematics is one of the most important subjects not only in schools but in our daily lines.  Virtually everyone engages in. The application of mathematics is one way or the other.  However, mathematics is seen to be a difficult subject by most students.  The result of such poor perception is mass failure during examination and general lack of interest.  The cross-sectional survey design was applied in the study.  Questionnaire was the instrument used for the collection of data.  The questionnaire was distributed to 300 students randomly selected from the five schools used as sample.  The area of study in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu state.  The linker rank order was used for analyzing the data.  The findings of the study include the poor training of teachers in mathematics, in appropriate or none use of instructional materials harsh classroom environment.  The study recommended that mathematics teachers should be given up-date in the subject through training workshops, seminars and courses.  These are need for students and the general public reorientation on mathematics.
 
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Mathematics is said to be the queen mother of all subjects particularly the natural science.  This is assumed to be so because in all spheres of human life, one may not easily avoid the use and application of mathematics.  Even within the pre literate society though unwrittingly the application of mathematics in games, agriculture, domestic chores, move-merit among others could not be questioned.  Odonwodo and Ezeugwu (2009) affirmed that mathematics is developed in order to enhance our ability to understand predict and possibly control the behaviour of the system being modeled.
According to them, the subject is interrelated and combined with other subjects to make the realization of the nations educational aim possible.  For them, the importance attached to mathematics in the school curriculum from the primary to tertiary level affects accurately the role of the subject in over contemporary society.
In all ramification knowledge of mathematics is essential to the conduct of every day living in engineering, commerce, natural and social science.  Dioglas (1995) emphasized that the progress of any nation depends upon her scientific education capable of making the citizens effectively functional in the natural and applied sciences.