Abstract

This study investigated the effects of analytic and creative problem-solving on Interest and Performance in Mathematics among Senior Secondary School Students, Sabon-Gari Kaduna State, Nigeria. The objectives of this study were therefore, to determine the differences between Analytic and Creative Problem Solving on performance of Students in Mathematics, and to determine the effects of academic performance of students taught mathematics, using Analytic Problem-Solving and those taught with lecture method, the study also set out to investigate whether there was difference between the performance of students taught mathematics using Creative Problem-Solving and those taught with lecture method, it also investigate the performance of male and female students using Analytic and Creative Problem-Solving, so as to determine students interest before and after taught mathematics using Analytic and Creative Problem-Solving. Three Senior Secondary Schools in Sabon-Gari Local Govt of Kaduna State were randomly selected using stratified random sampling process was assigned by balloting to each experimental group and the other schools were for control group, the population collected was 130 students out of the total population of 2142 ( Two thousand one hundred and forty two)students, using Krejcie & Morgan (1970). Both experimental groups received treatment. Three instruments were designed for data collection but were pilot tested to ascertain their reliability. The validity of the instruments was checked by experts from Department of Science Education Mathematics Section A.B.U Zaria and C.O.E Zaria. The instruments were administered to two groups. Descriptive Statistics (mean, and standard Deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and Kruskal-Wallis test) were used for data analysis. The level of significance for acceptance or rejection of hypothesis was set at 0.05. The results indicated that students taught using Analytic Problem-Solving Performance Test (APT) and Creative Problem-Solving Performance Test (CPT) had significantly higher in mathematics scores then those who was taught with conventional lecture method. It revealed that the teaching of Analytic and Creative Problem-Solving will enabled the students to retain more knowledge on mathematics, than those in the control group. Also the experimental groups taught mathematics using Analytic and Creative Problem-Solving demonstrated favorable and positive interest toward mathematics. Major recommendations from the study are that the teaching of analytic and creative problem-solving senior secondary school should be conducted in a manner that students will effectively understand and learn the approach taught. It should respect the views and ideas of the students since students‟ participation plays greater role in learners‟ performance The fact that higher mean was recorded in students‟ performance through the use of Analytic and Creative problem-solving, calls for teachers to acquaint themselves with the characteristics of this teaching method with a view to enhancing students’ performance and outcomes in learning. This could be done through seminars, conferences and workshops to be organized by State government and professional bodies.