The effectiveness of visual scaffolding as a teaching strategy in overcoming procedural misconceptions in matrices operations at secondary school level.
- Author
- Maronga, S.
- Title
- The effectiveness of visual scaffolding as a teaching strategy in overcoming procedural misconceptions in matrices operations at secondary school level.
- Abstract
-
The study was designed to analyse visual scaffolding as an effective teaching strategy in overcoming procedural operations. Misconceptions in matrices at ordinary level, a case study of Mundondo high school in Gutu district of Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. The context of the study was to establish the challenges and misconceptions that students encounter in the understanding of matrices and the common misconceptions that prevail among the students. The study used the descriptive survey research design which enabled the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods of collecting data. Teaching testing and questionnaires were used as instruments of data collection. The population consisted of all Mathematics students at Mundondo high school and a purposive sampling procedure was used to select mathematics teachers who participated in questionnaire and observation. Convenience sampling was used to select thirty two students who responded to questionnaires before and after visual scaffolding implementation and participated in the pre-test, learning and the post test. Data gathered was presented in form of frequency tables, bar charts, graphs and pie charts. Also data gathered from open ended questions was represented in descriptive form. Questionnaires for teachers explored their qualifications, relevant experience and the challenges they come across in the teaching of matrices at ordinary level. The study outlined that Mathematics is taught by qualified personnel although they are burdened by large teaching loads and most of them lack exam marking skills and item writing skills hence they have to rely on questions set by others. The research revealed that the challenges and misconceptions which prevail among students in learning of matrices is emanating from lack of resources, failure of teachers in
preparing relevant media in their lessons, recurring arithmetic errors and inadequate pre-requisite knowledge. The findings indicated that topics on the directed numbers, vectors, algebraic expressions, simultaneous equations and fractions should be thoroughly taught before introducing the topic of matrices. Major recommendations were that students should desist from copying their friends’ work and resort to regular practice of mathematical problems relating to matrices in order to ensure thoroughness. Teachers should implement visual scaffolding when teaching matrices for students to understand better. It has been witnessed as a very effective teaching strategy in overcoming procedural misconceptions in matrices operations, as was show in the post-test. Teachers should ensure two way communications during lesson delivery, make use of visuals like diagrams, videos to enhance students understanding and also employ teaching methods such as visual scaffolding that cater for individual differences despite the large classes and tough economic conditions. - Date
- 2024
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- visual scaffolding
- teaching
- Supervisor
- Dr Dziva
- Media
-
MARONGA STARN