A Comparative Study on Mathematics Achievements of Grade-7 Students Taught by Trained and Untrained Teachers in Kaski District

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the Mathematics achievements of students taught by trained and untrained teachers. An achievement test paper being the main instrument for the study, the investigator developed the test consisting of 60 multiple choice items on the basis of the prescribed text book in mathematics of grade seven. The content validity of the test was checked and approved by the mathematics teachers of lower secondary level, Mathematics educators of the department of Mathematics Education and the thesis supervisor. The researcher administered achievement test paper with 45 students of Rastriya Higher Secondary School, Purano Tudikhel-1, Pokhara, for the purpose of pilot study of the test. Taking into account of the obtained p-value and D-value of the items, 20 items were rejected and remaining 40 were accepted for the final form. The population of the study consisted of the students of grade seven from the school taught by trained and untrained teachers in Kaski district. The equal number of students from each schools taught by trained teachers and untrained teachers were selected randomly for sample of the study. The sample of the study included 128 students. (64 students from the schools taught by trained teachers and 64 from the schools taught by untrained teachers) The report has been organized into five chapters. First chapter deals with the background of the study, statement of the problem, significance of the problem, objectives, hypotheses and limitations. The second chapter gives information about what researcher conducted in this area. Third chapter deals with the method and procedure, sample, tools, procedure of data collection and statistical treatment of the data. Fourth chapter contains the results and their interpretation. Fifth chapter includes summary, findings and recommendations. At the end, bibliography and appendixes are incorporated. The achievement test was administered in grade seven to find out the achievement level of the students taught by trained and untrained teachers. The mean, standard deviation, two-tailed t-test and z-test were used as statistical tools for the analysis of data at 0.05 level of significance. Based on the interpretation and analysis of the data, the following results were found. i. The mean score of students taught by trained teachers was found significantly than the students taught by untrained teachers. The mean scores of mathematics achievement of students taught by trained teachers and taught by untrained teachers were found to be 26.45 and 24.32 respectively. ii. The mean difference in mathematics achievement between boys and girls was found to be significant. The mean scores of mathematics achievement of boys and girls were found to be 27.16 and 23.51 respectively. iii. The mean difference in mathematics achievement between boys taught by trained and untrained teachers was found to be significant. The mean scores of boys taught by trained teachers and taught by untrained teachers were found to be 28.96 and 25.77 respectively. iv. The mean difference in mathematics achievement between girls taught by trained and untrained teachers was found to be insignificant the mean scores of girls taught by trained and untrained teachers were found to be 24.74 and 22.58 respectively. Although, there is significant difference between mean achievement of students taught by trained and untrained teachers, there is an insignificant difference between mean achievement of girls taught by trained and untrained teachers. So, further study on identifying the factors influencing the achievement is necessary.