A STUDY ON THE COLLABORATIVE METHODS OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL

1.1 Introduction

Mathematics is one of the core subjects that students are expected to have credit to further their studies in institutions of higher learning (Adejumo, Oluwole & Muraina, 2015). However, Mathematics is one of the subjects that is taken very seriously in the school system, irrespective of country or level of education. It has been described as a model of thinking which encourages learners to observe, reflect and reason logically about a problem and in communicating ideas, making it the central intellectual discipline and a vital tool in science, commerce and technology (Uwadiae, 2014).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Collaborative method of teaching is a method of teaching in which students are allowed to interact with the teachers and other students on a subject matter during the lesson, It also known as interactive method of teaching or collaborative learning (CL). Collaborative learning is an educational approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of learners working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. In the Collaborative learning environment, the learners are challenged both socially and emotionally as they listen to different perspectives, and are required to articulate and defend their ideas. In so doing, the learners begin to create their own unique conceptual frameworks and not rely solely on an expert's or a text's framework. In a Collaborative learning setting, learners have the opportunity to converse with peers, present and defend ideas, exchange diverse beliefs, question other conceptual frameworks, and are actively engaged (Srinivas, H., 2011).

Despite the term of collaborative learning (CL) has been used in a wide variety of ways across different disciplines and fields, there is a lack of consensus upon definition of the term (Jenni, R. & Mauriel, J., 2004). While there is no consensus on what CL is, there are some underlying features that will be identified. Collaboration has become a twenty-first-century trend. The need in society to think and work together on issues of critical concern has increased (Austin, J. E., 2000; Welch, M., 1998) shifting the emphasis from individual efforts to group work, from independence to community (Leonard, P. E. & Leonard, L. J., 2001).

Collaborative learning represents a significant shift away from the typical teacher-centered or lecture-centered milieu in college classrooms. In collaborative classrooms, the lecturing/ listening/note-taking process may not disappear entirely, but it lives alongside other processes that are based in students’ discussion and active work with the course material. Most of the studies on collaborative learning take constructivism, especially the origins from Piaget and Vygotsky, as theoretical underpinning of peer collaborative earning because they focus on making meaning through social interactions. "Scholars of collaborative learning believed that collaborative leaning learning can help students accomplish individual, by leveraging knowledge, as well creating circumstances for participants to help each other" (Hardy 2005). The main purpose of the study was to explore the challenges faced by teachers and students in teaching and learning mathematics in collaborative learning method in teaching mathematics. Further, the pedagogies they used were found collaborative learning using Nepal. Mathematics has been conceived as a difficult subject and hence this hegemony may have contributed to creating problems in mathematics teaching collaborative learning method in teaching mathematics. This research was to identify the situation of mathematics learning practices in Nepalese. A noticeable observation in the classroom is big gap between theory and practice of collaborative learning method. Collaborative learning method practices are not being developed according to the demand of collaborative method.

Therefore, in Ikorodu Local Government Area where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Collaborative Methods of Teaching Mathematics in Secondary School.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Collaborative method of teaching has been an effective method of teaching mathematics in secondary, however, one of the Major challenges of the collaborative learning is a short time given for each mathematics class in secondary school. Most teachers find it difficult to cover their syllables when they adopt the collaborative method of teaching. The major part of the class would be spent on listening to the opinion of students on the subject topic.

In collaborative method of teaching, students are given questions to tackle and the students who complete their task early are told to assist those struggling with their questions. This approach makes students very lazy and they tend to show a lackadaisical approach towards their tasks since they know others will still assist them.

Another major challenge of this method of teaching is poor response from the student. The method involves an interaction between the teacher and the students, most times students are not always responsive considering the nature and complexity of mathematics. These reasons brought a need to carry out a study on the collaborative methods of teaching mathematics in secondary schools.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Collaborative Methods of Teaching Mathematics in Secondary School using Kingsland College Secondary Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area as a case study. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To find out if mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA know about the collaborative method of teaching.
2. To ascertain if mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA teach their students using the collaborative method of teaching.
3. To know the effectiveness of collaborative method of teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA.
4. To determine the relationship between collaborative method of teaching mathematics and the performances of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA.
5. To ascertain the factors hindering the effectiveness of collaborative method of teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Do mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA know about the collaborative method of teaching?
• Do mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA teach their students using the collaborative method of teaching?
• What is the effectiveness of collaborative method of teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA?
• What is the relationship between collaborative method of teaching mathematics and the performances of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA?
• What are the factors hindering the effectiveness of collaborative method of teaching mathematics in secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H0: Mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA are not aware about the collaborative method of teaching
• H1: Mathematics teachers of secondary schools in Ikorodu LGA are aware about the collaborative method of teaching

1.7 Significance of Study

The findings from this study would help teachers to know the effectiveness of collaborative method of teaching. This study also educates some teachers who do not know about collaborative method of teaching on the relevance of this method of teaching. The factors that hinders the effectiveness of collaborative methods of teaching is also addressed in this study. The findings from this study can also act as template for other research work.

1.8 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Collaborative Methods of Teaching Mathematics in Secondary School using Kingsland College Secondary Schools in Ikorodu Local Government Area as a case study.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

1.10 Definition of Terms

Collaborative: involving two or more people working together for a special purpose

Learning environment: can refer to an educational approach, cultural context, or physical setting in which teaching and learning occur. The term is commonly used as a more definitive alternative to "classroom"

Mathematics: is the study of the measurement, properties, and relationships of quantities and sets, using numbers and symbols.

Teaching method: comprises the principles and methods used by teachers to enable student learning.