No abstract

No abstract

In this study, the researchers assessed comparability of item statistics of 2017 basic education certific ate mathematics examination of National Examinations Council (NECO) through Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT) measurement frameworks. The study adopted instrumentation design. A 60-item NECO basic education certificate education mathematics objective test paper I was administered to 978 bas ic nine examinees, randomly selected from Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Area, Osun S tate, Nigeria. The responses of the examinees to the test data were analysed using Marginal Maximum Likelihood Estimation of JMETRIK software. The result showed that the test data obey the assumption of unidimensionality of 3parameter logistic model and Classical Test Theory measurement framework deleted more items 33 (55%) compare to IRT measurement framework 12 (20%). Also, it was observed that item statistics fro m the two contrasting frameworks (CTT and IRT) were not comparable. Moreover, further analysis showed that there was low c orrelation among the item statistics index. The implication of this is that NECO should jettison the use of Classical Test Theory and embrace utilization of Item Response Theory framework during their test development and item analysis.

This study investigated dimensionality of Binary Response Items through a non-parametric technique of Item Response Theory measurement framework. The study used causal comparative research type of non-experimental design. The sample consisted of 5,076 public senior secondary school examinees (SSS3) between the age of 14-16 years from 45 schools, which were drawn randomly from three senatorial districts of Osun State, Nigeria. Instrument used for this study was 2018 Osun State unified multiple-choice mathematics achievement test items with empirical reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data obtained were analysed using Non-linear factor analysis, Stout’s Test of Essential Unidimensionality (STEU), Factor Analysis (FA), Full Information Factor Analysis (FIFA) and Bootstrap Modified Parallel Analysis Test (BMPAT). Results showed that both the BMPAT and STEU ascertained violation of unidimensionality assumption of the test items (the observed difference in the second eigenvalue of the observed data and that of second eigenvalue of the simulated data was statistically significant, p = 0.0099; Stout’s test rejected the assumption of essential unidimensionality, T = 10.6260, p<0.05). Non-linear factor analysis and full information factor analysis revealed that four dimensions embedded in the test items and loadings of the items showed within-item multidimensionality respectively. The authors’ concluded that modeling examinees’ performance with unidimensional model when it was actually multidimensional in nature would affect performance of examinees adversely and could lead to blur judgment. Consequently, it is recommended that unidimensional scoring method of Osun State unified mathematics achievement test implicit in Classical Test Theory should be jettisoned and an appropriate scoring model (multidimensional) should be embraced.

Teachers in secondary schools were studied to determine their readiness to adopt fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies to enhance their teaching practices and student learning. Through Industry 4.0, technologies are also becoming available as products for education, transforming the rules and norms of education. Secondary school mathematics teachers in Nigeria must prepare themselves to embrace digital skills so that they will be ready for new teaching and learning processes that are being introduced by these new digital tools. In this study, a cross-sectional quantitative approach was used. The data were collected using a self-developed instrument with a content validity index of 0.96 and a MacDonald Omega reliability index of 0.84. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 211 mathematics teachers in three Lagos State education districts. Analyses of the obtained data were performed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at a significance level of 0.05. Results indicate that mathematics teachers are ready to integrate 4IR skills and emerging technologies into their classrooms. In addition, the willingness of participants to adopt relevant 4IR skills across their years of experience was statistically significant. A new path is charted for school administrators, mathematics teachers, and stakeholders in the education sector to assist in policy design toward 4IR, thereby contributing to the existing literature on adopting emerging technologies to teach mathematics education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Challenges of a lack of formal technology-embeded teacher training, collaborative learning models, adequate technology know-how, and internet access are barriers to adopting technological-enabled teaching and learning STEM subjects in the African context. This study examined technology adoption for STEM in higher education while evaluating students’ experiences with evidence and implications for less developed countries. The survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population was students in higher learning institutions in selected countries in the sub-Saharan African region using a multi-stage sampling procedure consisting of convenience and purposive sampling techniques. A self-developed questionnaire titled Technology Adoption for Teaching and Learning Questionnaire “TATLQ” premised on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model was used for data collection. The instrument had an overall reliability coefficient of 0.96. The collated data were analysed using descriptive of the median and a network chart to answer the research questions. In contrast, the inferential statistics of t-test and Analysis of Variance statistics were used to test the hypothesis generated for the study and implemented in the psych package of R programming language version 4.0.2 software. Findings revealed that students had a positive experience with online teaching and learning and concluded that technology adoption for STEM education online teaching and learning is feasible in sub-Sahara Africa, with the need for improvements in internet access and technical support on the basis for which recommendations were made.

No abstract

No abstract