UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

2013/2014 INAUGURAL LECTURES

PROFESSOR A. ABIMBADE’S INAUGURAL LECTURE

TOPIC: TECHNOLOGY IN AND OF RESOURCES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS: ANTI-DOTE FOR MATH-PHOBIA

Abstract

This inaugural lecture culminates in the teaching experiences, researches in technology and mathematics learning and how to tackle Math-phobia at different levels of education. The lecture attempts to clarify the followings: What is technology? Technology has been defined as a systematic and integrated process of managing, controlling men and machines, ideas and procedures to achieve a goal. This fits into input process and output. It describes the experiences in the researches on the use of electronic calculators in schools mathematics instruction. It was found that calculator use in instruction and that testing had no debilitating effect. The results of calculator use and researches in schools lead to high achievement and attitudinal change, which supports its use by students in instruction and tests. For example three schools were randomly selected for a study which has Unrestricted Calculator Use (UCU), Restricted Calculator Use (RCU) and Non-Calculator Use; the result showed that there were attitudinal changes among the groups and that calculator groups perform better than the non-calculator groups (F(2,123) = 16.23; P< .05). As well, one did not find calculator use to have debilitating effect. In a related study on problem-solving and electronic calculator in mathematics instruction, the results revealed that the use of calculators in problem-solving and testing procedures produced much higher achievement scores than non-calculator group. (F(2,123) = 14.78: P< .05 was significant). Technology plays significant role in the ways people acquire new experiences and these experiences can resolve in learning.

In a similar study on teaching method and textual material, variables as correlates of students’ learning outcomes in senior secondary school mathematics. The findings showed availability (34.50%), adequacy (18.00%) and utilization (22.00%) of instructional resources in the schools. The teachers preferred the use of more than one textbook in teaching the students and the recommended books were found to be 67.00% appropriate. The lecturer discussed the transfer models of Computer Assisted Instruction based on research finds.

Factors affecting mathematics learning were identified such as, many learners find word problems exercises or problem-solving difficult because of poor language or communication skills. Such skills as spatial, sequence and temporal order are important for reading and language development. As learners find mathematics difficult, this may result in persistent failures, which often lead to anxiety. The avoidance of mathematics and the fear of the subject. As the fear builds up in the sub-conscious, to the point that they are excessive, compared to the reality of the danger involved, when such a fear is essentially unfounded, we call it a phobia – In this case a math-phobia.

One of the suggested approaches to relieve phobia is the use of love and commitment for the subject and the learners respectively. D = k C”L,T: where,

r

D = Development, r = rate, i = Input, C” = Classroom/Curriculum, T = Teaching, L = Learning, K = Constant

This will lead to sustained development in the teaching and learning of mathematics. The lecture also provides a guide for mathematics quality instruction such as: task analysis, task description, type of media and mode of evaluation with the advancement in technological products, some new technologies and resources for teaching and learning were discussed.: Reference was made to the works of some educational psychologists such as Jean Piaget, Jerome, Brunner, Robert Gagne and Zoltan Dienes and the implications of their works to mathematics teaching and learning. The lecture dealt into highlights of researches in resources in mathematics teaching and learning.

The lecturer describes his experiences in the researches on the use of electronic calculator in schools mathematics instruction. It was found that calculator use in instruction and testing had no debilitating effect. The results of Calculator use researches in schools with high achievement and attitudinal change supports its use by students in instruction and tests. Similar studies on resources “Teaching method and textual materials variables as correlates of students learning outcomes in secondary schools. The lecture went further in highlighting new technologies for teaching and learning of mathematics such as classroom management approaches, project-based learning, and system approach to Instruction: identify learner’s needs; construct instructional objectives; appropriate teaching strategies; selection and use of media resources; feedback mechanism; evaluating learning outcomes; and organizing re-teaching session if necessary.

The lecturer showed his considerable experiences in mathematics teaching and learning and advocated: love and commitment to the subject and learners. This was demonstrated in his teaching approach in raising the standard of students’ achievement in mathematics in 1979 from 82% to 100% in 1981 at Lagelu Grammar School, Ibadan. The lecture concludes by recommending proficiency in ICT as a veritable condition for teacher’s registration by Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). Also, ICTs are swiftly evolving technologies, and teachers would need to continually upgrade their skills and keep abreast of the latest development and best practices. Finally, teachers must understand and appreciate their changing role in the face of the evolving technologies around them.