To cite this article:Awofala, Adeneye, O.A. (2014). Examining personalisation of instruction, attitudes toward and achievement in mathematics word problems among Nigerian senior secondary school students. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 2(4),[273][274][275][276][277][278][279][280][281][282][283][284][285][286][287][288] This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes.Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden.Authors alone are responsible for the contents of their articles. The journal owns the copyright of the articles.The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand, or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of the research material. AbstractThis study investigated the effect of a personalised print-based instruction versus a non-personalised print-based instruction on the attitudes toward mathematics word problems of 350 senior secondary school year one Nigerian students within the blueprint of a quantitative research of pre-treatment-intervention-post-treatment non-equivalent control group quasi-experimental design with a survey design of an ex-post facto type. The Attitudes toward Mathematics Word Problem Inventory (ATMWPI) and Achievement in Mathematics Word Problem Test (AMWPT) were used to collect data relating to the dependent measures. The results of the data analyses showed that the personalised instruction students had higher levels of self-confidence, liking, usefulness, and motivation but recorded low level of anxiety regarding mathematics word problems compared with the non-personalised group students. While the personalised instruction students were more influenced by the context of the word problem than their non-personalised instruction counterparts, the experimental and control groups' students did differ on their attitudes toward mathematics word problem as a male domain. In addition, self-confidence, liking, usefulness, motivation, context, and treatment had statistically significant predictive effect on achievement in mathematics word problem whereas anxiety and male domain dimensions of attitudes toward mathematics word problem had no statistically significant predictive effect on achievement in mathematics word problem.

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Article History Received: 22 October 2016The study investigated mathematical proficiency as related to gender and performance in mathematics among 400 Nigerian senior secondary school students from 10 elitist senior secondary schools in Lagos State using the quantitative research method within the blueprint of descriptive survey design. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics of independent samples t-test, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that senior secondary school students from the elitist schools showed high level of mathematical proficiency. There were significant possible correlations among senior secondary school students" conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, productive disposition and performance in mathematics. While gender differences in mathematical proficiency are no longer important and are dissipating even at the subscale level there are subtle gender differences in performance in mathematics in this study. Gender, conceptual understanding, productive disposition, adaptive reasoning, strategic competence and procedural fluency made statistically significant contributions to the variance in senior secondary school students" performance in mathematics. Based on this base line study, it was thus, recommended that future studies in Nigeria should investigate the mathematical proficiency of non-elitist schools which dominated the length and breadth of this country so as to generalize the results of this study.

The study investigated adult learner numeracy as related to gender and performance in arithmetic among 32 Nigerian adult learners from one government accredited adult literacy centre in Lagos State using the quantitative research method within the blueprint of descriptive survey design. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics of percentages, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics of factor analysis, independent samples t-test, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that numeracy skill assessed by the numeracy self-assessment scale was a multi-dimensional construct (numeracy in everyday life, numeracy in workplace, and numeracy in mathematical tasks). Adult learners showed average numeracy strength as gender differences in perception of numeracy skills and performance in arithmetic among adult learners reached zero-tolerance level. Numeracy in workplace and numeracy in mathematical tasks made statistically significant contributions to the variance in adult learners' performance in arithmetic. Based on this base line study, it was thus, recommended that future studies in Nigeria should investigate adult learners' numeracy skills using more robust and psychometrically sound instruments such as the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALLS) and the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS).

Abstract:The study investigated attitudes towards computer and computer self-efficacy as predictors of computer anxiety among 310 preservice mathematics teachers from five higher institutions of learning in Lagos and Ogun States of Nigeria using the quantitative research method within the blueprint of the descriptive survey design. Data collected were analysed using the descriptive statistics of percentages, mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics of factor analysis, independent samples t-test, Pearson product moment correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. Finding revealed that attitude toward computer assessed by the attitudes towards computer scale was a multi-dimensional construct (affective, perceived usefulness, behavioural intention and perceived control component). Gender differences in attitude toward computer and computer anxiety among preservice mathematics teachers were significant. Affective component, computer self-efficacy, perceived control component, and perceived usefulness component made statistically significant contributions to the variance in preservice mathematics teachers' computer anxiety. The study recommended among others that academic institutions should pay more attention to this computer anxiety and adopt proper ways of reducing the computer anxiety, so that positive e-learning experiences can be created for preservice teachers.