Secondary School Students' Errors and Misconceptions in Understanding Algebraic Variables among Senior Secondary Schools in Sokoto State, Nigeria
*1Umar Sabiu, 2Usman Galadima, & 3Shamsudeen Bello
*1Department of Science Education, School of General Studies Education, Federal College of Education, Katsina State, Nigeria. Email: usabiu2015@gmail.com
2&3Department of Science Education, Faculty of Education, Sokoto State University, Sokoto State, Nigeria Email: usman.galadima@ssu.edu.ng
Abstract
This study investigated the students' errors and misconceptions in understanding algebraic variables among senior secondary schools in sokoto state, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design using mixed method. Data were collected from a sample of 378 students which were selected from the total number of 32,298 SSII students in the 142 public senior secondary schools in Sokoto State. Two instruments were developed and validated by the experts. Students’ Algebraic Error Test (SAET) and Algebraic Misconceptions Interview Questionnaire (AMIQ) with reliability coefficients of 0.82 and 0.86 were obtained respectively. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Findings of this study revealed that, majority of the students had difficulties in understanding the algebraic variable and most of the errors committed by students are not ordinary errors per se rather are misconceptions. The identified categories of errors include: assigning labels, arbitrary values, verbs and constants for variables, misinterpreting of two variables, lack of understanding the concept of variable and forming wrong equations as answers. Based on these findings it was recommended that Mathematics teachers should involve their students in activities that will aid their learning algebraic variables. These will make students to be conscious of the various Algebraic variables, concepts and improve to overcome their errors and misconceptions.
Keywords
Algebraic Variable, Errors, Misconceptions, Interest
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