EFFECT OF FOUR CORNERS AND A DIAMOND GRAPHIC ORGANIZER ON MATHEMATICS SELF-EFFICACY BELIEF

Abstract

This study was developed to investigate the effect of four corners and a diamond mathematics graphic organizer on mathematics self-efficacy and gender. A pretest, posttest, non-equivalent control group, quasi experimental research design was adopted. 88 students constituted the subjects in the experimental group and 86 students in the control group for the study. 174 students were involved in the study. Two research questions and two null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance, guided the study. The instrument used for data collection was Mathematics Achievement Test forms I and II (MAT), Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale(MSES) and two training programmes namely: Four corners and a diamond mathematics graphic organizer learning strategy lesson plan and Conventional lesson plan were developed, validated and used for the study. The Mathematics achievement test form I and Mathematics self-efficacy (pre-test) were used for pre-treatment assessment while the Mathematics achievement test form II and Mathematics self-efficacy scale (posttest) were used for post treatment assessment. Internal consistency reliability co-efficient were determined for the two instrument using Cronbach alpha method and reliability indices of 0.94 and 0.62 were got for MAT forms I and II while MSES yielded reliability estimate of 0.88 .Data obtained through the administration of the instrument were organized and analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation and analysis covariance (ANCOVA) which revealed that intervention using four corners and a diamond mathematics graphic organizer significantly improved mathematics self-efficacy without gender restriction. Therefore, this learning strategy is highly recommended for students’ improvement in mathematics.