Effect of Brainstorming Teaching Strategy on Upper Basic Students’ Interest in Mensuration in Toto, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study determined “Effect of Brainstorming Teaching Strategy on Upper Basic Students’ Interest in Mensuration in Toto, Nasarawa State, Nigeria”. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research of pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent, non-randomized control group design. The population of 6,435 (3,484 male and 2,951 female) students was used for the study. The Sample size of 96 (56 males and 40 females) students were used. Two research questions were asked and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested. One instrument was used for data collection (Mensuration Interest Rating MIR) which was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instruments was determined using Cronbach’s Alpha and found reliable with 0.78 reliability index. Descriptive statistic of mean and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while inferential statistic of ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of this study revealed that; the exposure of students’ to Brainstorming teaching strategy enhanced students’ interest in mensuration; Brainstorming teaching strategy improves male and female interest in mensuration. It was however, recommended that Mathematics teachers should be encouraged to adopt Brainstorming teaching strategy to teach mathematics; students should always be encouraged to the practical ways of solving problems in mathematics and also work together in heterogeneous (male and female,) groups so as to help reduce gender gap and to enable them imbibe the culture of working cooperatively; students should be placed at center stage in learning and be practical as recommended in the curriculum to improve their creative thinking skills in mathematics.