Difficulties faced by secondary level students in learning geometry

Abstract

This research was designed to find out the difficulties faced by secondary level students in learning geometry with objective to explore the curricular factors that produce the difficulty in learning geometry and identify the environmental factors of learning difficulties in secondary level school students. This study used mixed method design with sequential method. Purposive sampling technique was adopted to take the sample. Sample based on100 students on the public schools of Arghakhanchi district for questionnaire and diagnostic text. Interviews were taken from mathematics teacher, low-achiever and high-achiever students. The data of the research is analyzed on the basis of primary data. The findings of this research may be generalized on remote areas schools of the country. Findings showed that students had conceptual difficulties on the area of understanding geometrical objects, terms, definition, properties and theorems etc. and procedural difficulties on appropriate use of the geometrical tools, develop the conclusion from the experimental verification, connect required condition to prove the theorem, find the solution of application and appropriate formula use in appropriate situation. There are various environmental factors also responsible such as significant implementation of the government policies, inadequate infrastructure of the schools, lack of sufficient material for learning geometry, lack of I.C.T. lab, inappropriate and insufficient training for mathematics teachers, anxiety and low interest of students towards geometry, lack of reference books with the students, insufficient integration of geometry curriculum, insufficient pre-knowledge of students, insufficient use of multiple ideas of learning geometry like as project work, group discussion, work on software such as geo-gebra, mathematica etc.