CONTEXTUAL LEARNING APPROACH AND STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF RETENTION OF MATHEMATICS CONCEPTS IN RIVERS STATE

Abstract

The study investigated contextual learning approach and students’ level of retention of
mathematics concepts in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State. The study adopted
a Quasi experimental, pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group design. The population
was all the JSS2 students in public Junior Secondary Schools with a total of seven thousand,
nine hundred and sixty- eight (7,968) students. A sample of one hundred and twenty-six (126)
mathematics students was selected from two (2) schools through the use of simple random
sampling techniques. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The
instrument was the mathematics performance test with a reliability coefficient index of 0.71
obtained using Kuder-Richardson formula 21. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to test null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. It was found that the level of retention of mathematics concepts was high among students taught using contextual learning approach than those taught
using conventional method. Also retention level in mathematics concepts was higher for the male than the female in both contextual approach and conventional method. Based on the findings, it was recommended that teachers should resort to the implementation of contextual learning approach in their subject area to improve retention.