Introduction
This article contains the methods or strategies designed by the researcher for teaching place value in lower grades and primary schools. This is the methodology used to solve the problem identified and the continuation of Understanding the Concept of Place Value.
Research methodology encompasses the procedures to be followed in realizing the goals and objectives of the research study (Niff,2000).
This chapter clearly looked at the procedures through which the study was carried out. It included how data was collected and analyzed. The chapter comprises the following; research design, population and sampling procedures, pre-test, intervention and post-test intervention.
Administration of instrument and data analysis is also discussed in this chapter. To ascertain the best results for the study, the study there considered the following;
Research Design
Action research was employed by the researcher of the study. Action research is defined by Colin and Marion (2005) as an essentially on the spot procedure designed to deal with concrete problems located in an immediate situation.
According to Atiku (2007:59) “action research is the approach that aims at improving a problem relation situation through change. Action research enables the researcher to work collaboratively with other people to solve perceived problems.”
Also action research is a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participant in social situation in order to improve the rational and justice of their own practices, the understanding of these practices and the situation in which the practices are carried out (Carr & Keminis, 2006).
Action research has many advantages. Some of these are; the researcher to know and understand what goes on in a classroom in terms of teaching and learning situations.
In addition, it equips the researcher with the suitable approaches for the pupils, thus what he or she is dealing with (Carr & Keminis,2006).
More so, it is important not only because it enhances the teacher’s professionalism but also promotes his/her development.
The design was chosen because it helps the researcher to report and specifies the nature of basic two learners of Abor EP primary school learners performance in mathematics.
Population
Population refers to the entire set the researcher is interested in collecting information. Hungler (2006) defined population as ‘the entire aggregation of cases that meet designated set of criteria’.
In this work, the Abor Community in Keta Municipality has been selected. The target population were the head teacher, the class teacher and the whole basic two learners of Abor EP Primary School in the Keta District. The total target population of the learners were thirty-nine (39) comprising eighteen (18) boys and twenty-one (21) girls.
Sample and Sample Procedure
Sample is a sub-group of the target population that the researcher plans to study for generalization about the target population (Creswell, 2004). Also a sample is a representative portion of the population that is selected for investigation (Mc Millan & Schumacher, 2001).
Sampling is the process of selecting a few (a sample) from a bigger group (the sampling population) to become the basis for estimation or predicting a fact or situation or outcome regarding the bigger group (Creswell, 2004; Johnson, 2004).
A purposive sampling techniques was used in selecting participants for the purpose of obtaining the accurate information needed for the research and enable the population to stand a chance of been selected.
A total number of twelve (12) learners of the total thirty-seven (37) were sampled for validity.
The class teacher and the head teacher were purposively selected for interview.
Research Instruments
This aspect of the research work is about the instrument used in identifying the said problems. Creswell (2014) described research instrument as the aspect of the project work that talks about the instruments used in collecting data to find out how factual or true the performance of learners are in Abor EP primary two (2) in mathematics. Observation and Interview were the instrument used in carrying out the study.
Observation
Observation as defined by Marshall and Rossman (2006) as a systematic description of events, behaviors and artifacts on a social setting chosen for a study.
According to Fianu (2006:23) “observations is the process in which one or more persons observe what is occurring in some real-life situation, classify and record pertinent happenings according to some planned scheme.” Observation comes in a form as participant observation and non-participant observation.
Observation offers first-hand information without relying on the reports of others, it also provide information when other methods are not effective and it is relatively inexpensive.
For this study, the unstructured participant observation was used in order to count or notice how often a particular phenomenon occurs.
The unstructured participant type of observation was used to collect data on learners behavior during lesson presentation. The information was obtained using an observational guide.
Interview
Fianu (2006) defined an interview as a two-person conversation initiated by the interviewer for the specific purpose of obtaining research-relevant information.
Typically, an interview represents a dialogue between people where personal and social interaction occurs.
However, development in the computers information technology has resulted in other formats, for example internet interviews. Interview is associated with both quantitative and qualitative. Social research is usually used alongside other methods.
It is an interaction between two people the interviewer and the interviewee. The researcher interacted with the sample one on one to find out reasons for the poor performance in the study of the topic place value. Interview has some merits such as; more appropriate for complex situation.
That is, it is appropriate for studying complex sensitive areas as a respondent has the opportunity to prepare response before answering sensitive questions and it is useful for collecting in-depth information. That is, in-depth information can be obtained through probing (Fianu,2006).
Interview has some falls as the quality of data depends on the quality of interaction and it offers less anonymity than other methods since the interviewer knows the identity, residence, type of housing, and so on (Fianu ,2006).
To investigate more into the problem the researcher conducted an interview (structured interview). The interview includes the class teacher and head teacher. The class teacher and the headmaster were also asked about the understanding of learners on the taught lesson and learners’ performance in the subject respectively.
Data Collection Procedure
Pre-Intervention
Investigations into the problem compelled the researcher to conduct a lesson or test for the verification of how factual the learners performance was in mathematics.
According to Piaget (1987:67) “test is conducted to grade or know the performance of pupils.” This test was on place value (addition). Five (5) questions were given to learners to test their performance in place value (addition) with the period of 30 minutes.
The objective of the pre-test was to find out whether learners were able to write number of tens and ones at their appropriate places. Examples of the pre-test conducted are as follows;
From the pre-test, the researcher observed that majority of the learners were able to add the numbers correctly but could not place the numbers correctly at their appropriate places.
For instance, where numbers in the ones column were added up to a number (10) or more than (10), they wrote all the numbers under the ones columns.
Other learners wrote the correct number under the ones column but could not carry the remainder to the tens column.
The test was marked out of 5 (5/5). The outcome of the test was not encouraging. About (45%) scored zero (0) out of (0/5), thirty four percent (34%) scored one out five (1/5) and twenty one percent (21%) scored two out of five (2/5).
It therefore came to light that the learners performance was below average. The researcher prompted the sampled teachers i.e the class teacher and the headmaster about the situation.
Feedbacks from the interview has edged the researcher to have remedial a lesson using different teaching and learning materials (multi-base block) to intervene the problem at hand.
Intervention
Pallet (2001) described intervention as a deliberate process by which change is introduced into people through feelings and people behavior. In order to solve the problem at hand, the researcher intervened by making use of Multi-base Block to teach the lesson.
The researcher prepared a multi-base block for the number work (addition), its main purpose is to bring the idea of place value and its significance in number work.
Ten cubes make one long and ten longs makes one flat. The researcher made the pupils note that the highest number of materials each place value can hold is nine (9). Anything above 9 must be regrouped and renamed it i.e.
10 cubes make one long
10 longs make one flat
10 flat make one Block
Figure ‘ A’ represents a cube, figure ‘B’ represents a long whiles figure ‘C’ represent a flat. The use of the multi-base block to handle lessons on place value makes it easier for pupils to grasp the concept of place value with ease.
Dienes multi-base arithmetic block can be easily improvised, thus the materials can be easily obtained in our local environment and made into multi-base block.
The researcher realized that there were not enough teaching aids in the school and therefore learners have never seen the multi -base block before. If the following numerals are represented with the multi-base block (1, 12, 10, 15, 20).
From the above drawings, fig. A is a cube, which represents one (1), fig B is a one long and two cubes represent twelve (12), fig. C is a long which represents the number ten (10), fig. D is a long and five cubes which represent fifteen (15) and the last fig. E is two longs which represent the number twenty (20).
This is represented for the addition above and has the answer to be eleven (11) and this is represented above as 1 long 1 cube. If the blocks are used to solve addition of 2-digit numbers with learners e.g. 2
E.g.2 the researcher guided the learners to use the multi-base block to add two-digit numbers 31 + 22 as shown in example 2
The researcher guided the learners to take 3 longs and 1 cube to represent 31 and 2 longs and 2 cubes represent 22.
The researcher then guided the learners to add all the longs to get 5 longs and add all the cubes to get 3 cubes.
Since 10 cubes makes 1 long, the learners realized that the 5 longs will give them 50 and 3 cubes will give them 3.
2 Longs and 5 Cubes plus 2 longs and 6 cubes sum to 5 longs and 1 cube. E.g. 3 the researcher guided the learners to use the multi-base block to add two-digit numbers with remainder (25 +26) as shown in example 3.
The researcher guided the learners to take 2 longs and 5 cubes to represent 25 and take 2 longs and 6cubes to represent 26. The researcher then guided the learners to add all longs and cubes.
Since 5 cubes and 6 cubes are added to be 11 cubes, learners were guided to regroup and name it as 1 long and 1 cube. Learners were then guided to add all longs to get 5 longs and the cube to be 1 cube.
Since ten (10) cubes makes one(1) long, the learners realized that the 5 longs will give them 50 and 1 cube will give them 1.
As shown in the example 3
Post-Intervention
The researcher conducted a post-test to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Five (5) questions similar to the pre-test questions were given to the learners as a post-test.
The pupils performance was improved greatly, 21% scored 3/5, 42% scored 4/5 and 37 % scored 5/5. This was very successful because learners understood the intervention very well.
The post-test conducted is illustrated below
In conclusion the above test conducted shows that the learners actually understood the method of teaching, hence a wide improvement in their exercise.
SOURCE: bbcpulse.com