Improving Students' Interest in Mathematics through Tiered Lesson and Group Personalisation Instructional Strategies

Abstract

This study examined Tiered Lesson Instructional Strategy (TLIS) and Group Personalization Instructional Strategy (GPIS) as determinants of Students' Interest in Mathematics. The study adopted the pretest-posttest, control group, quasi experimental design with a 3x3x2 factorial matrix. Three hundred and thirty-seven senior secondary two students from six public schools purposively selected from three local educational district areas in Lagos State participated in the study. Three instruments were developed, validated and used for the data collection. Four null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 significance  level. Data were analysed using Analysis of Covariance and Scheffe Post hoc test. The findings revealed that treatment had significant effect on students' interest in Mathematics (F_(3,333) = 43.146, P<.05). Students exposed to TLIS had the highest post interest score. The study also showed a significant effect of Mathematics Anxiety (MA) on interest in Mathematics (F_(3,333)=5.362, P<.05). Students with Medium MA had the highest post interest score. It was also revealed that gender had no significant effect on students' interest in Mathematics. TLIS and GPIS both aroused students' interest in Mathematics. TLIS has helped students with MA to learn effectively as their counterparts without MA. It was therefore concluded that TLIS and GPIS should be adopted for the teaching of Mathematics. Mathematics teachers should also be trained to use these packages in classroom since they have been found to be effective in improving the students' interest in Mathematics.