The method adopted by the researcher for
the collection and analysis of data used for this project work is fully
discussed in this chapter. The study is
conducted on the premises of an appropriate research approach which fairly
presents a knowledgeable, valid and reliable result of the study.
1.1
DESIGN OF THE
STUDY
This work is designed to survey the
causes and effects of phobia in mathematics among the secondary school students
in Abakaliki Local government Area of Ebonyi State. The descriptive
survey research
method was used for the study. This
method according to Bowling (1999) enables the collection of factual and
detailed information. The survey research method also describes existing phenomena
and justifies the current conditions
and practices.
1.2
AREA OF THE STUDY
The study is a survey research aimed at
unraveling the causes and effects of phobia in mathematics among the secondary school students in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
1.3
THE POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this study consists of
ten (10) secondary schools in Abakaliki Local Government Area. Though, there many
secondary schools in this area, the selected ten (10) schools include;
i.
Command Sedentary School Abakaliki
ii.
Army
Day Secondary School Abakaliki
iii.
Girls
High School Abakaliki
iv.
Bliss International School Abakaliki
v.
Hope
high international School Abakaliki
vi.
Royal
International School Abakaliki
vii.
Bethel
Secondary School Abakaliki
viii.
Trinity
Secondary School Abakaliki
ix.
Ebia
Community Secondary School Abakaliki
x.
Pen
International School Abakaliki
Twenty
(20) tutorial staff selected,
two (2) from each of the ten (10)
schools and hundred students(100)
selected among the ten
(10 ) secondary schools above,
ten from each school making a total of
hundred and twenty (120) respondents
1.4
SAMPLING TECHNIQUE
The target population comprised of
senior secondary three (SS 3) and senior secondary two (SS2) students and their
teachers in both public and private secondary schools in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The reason
for involving teachers in the study is because;
the teachers and students are the major stakeholders in teaching and learning processes. A total of hundred (100) students comprising
SS2 and SS3 students and twenty (20) staff were selected from the ten (10)
secondary school by stratified random sampling technique.
1.5
DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE
The ten (10) secondary schools were
selected for the purpose of this study. The researcher went to the principals
of the selected schools and sought the permission to administer the questionnaires
in their schools after getting the approval, the researcher proceeded to the
senior schools 2 and 3 mathematics teachers of the each of the selected schools
for briefing and discussion, after which, the questionnaire were handed over to them for administration to the students
chosen from both SS 3 and SS 2 and their
teachers. The researcher went back to each of the schools the third day
to collect the questionnaires.
1.6
RESEARCH
INSTRUMENT
The main instrument used for this study was
researcher designed questionnaires on students and teachers on the causes and effects of mathematics phobia among the secondary school students in Abakaliki Local Government Area ,the questionnaire contains two sections, section
A sought information on personal data of
the respondents and section B contains fourteen (14) probable questions covering the causes and effects of phobia in mathematics among the secondary
school students in Abakaliki LGA. All these questions require
responses of alternative options from the respondents. the responds scales are weighed
under, strongly agree (SA)
=4 Agree (A) = 3 , Disagreed (D) = 2 strongly Disagree(SD) =1 In all, the
questionnaire contains fourteen (14) items
seeking information about the
causes and effects of phobia in mathematics among the
secondary school students in Abakaliki Local Government Area.
1.7
VALIDITY OF INSTRUMENTS
The questionnaires were validated by two
educational experts as worthwhile and up to giving and representing values as
intended by the researcher.
1.8
RELIABILITY OF
THE INSTRUMENTS
In order to ensure the reliability of the
instruments used, a structural
questionnaire was carefully made by the researcher and sent to
the supervisor for authentication, this went through modification by the
supervisor and thereafter was deemed researchable.