AWARENESS, PERCEIVED USEFULNESS AND UTILIZATION OF TASK-BASED TEACHING STRATEGY AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS IN MINNA EDUCATIONAL ZONE, NIGER STATE

Abstract

This study investigated awareness, perceived usefulness and utilization of task-based teaching strategy among secondary school Mathematics teachers in Minna educational zone. Ten (10) co-educational schools were used in the selected zone and (100) mathematics teachers were sampled out of the population of 245 using purposive sampling technique. Descriptive survey research was employed, and Secondary School Mathematics teachers were used as research sample. Three research questions guided the study and a 30-item questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was validated by test and measurement experts. Pilot study was carried out on Secondary School Mathematics teachers and a reliability coefficient of 0.95, 0.89 and 0.89 were obtained for awareness, perceived usefulness and utilization of task-based teaching strategy respectively. Data collected from the administration of the research instruments were analyzed using descriptive statistics of Mean and Standard Deviation. A decision rule was set, in which, a mean score of 3.0 and above was considered Agreed or Aware while a mean score below 3.0 was considered Disagreed or Unaware. Findings revealed that secondary school mathematics teachers are aware of task-based teaching strategy and perceived the strategy useful with mean scores of 3.83 and 3.66 respectively. However, findings revealed that Secondary School Mathematics teachers are not using task-based teaching strategy with a mean score of 2.63. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that despite that the secondary school mathematics teachers are aware of task-based teaching strategy, school administrators should not relent on organizing seminars, workshops and conferences. Also, teachers training institutes should include the use of innovative teaching strategies like task-based teaching strategy so as to equip secondary school mathematics teachers with the necessary skills about student centered strategies like task-based teaching strategy.