Browsing by Author "Likinjiye, Morwo"

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    Students’ difficulties and errors in solving mathematics problems: a study of selected urban co-education ordinary level secondary schools in Arusha region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2011) Likinjiye, Morwo
    In search of why high failures in mathematics together with efforts to eliminate it, how students solve problems had not received attention particularly in revealing difficulties students have and errors they make when solving mathematics problems that contribute to the higher failures and poor mathematics learning. The purpose of this study was therefore to find out students’ difficulties and errors in solving mathematics problems. The study was guided by four research objectives, focusing on students’ difficulties in understanding and transforming a mathematics problem, students’ difficulties on algebraic processes of solving mathematic problem, on errors students commit when solving problems and, finally on differences between female and male students in the difficulties and errors in solving mathematics problems. The participants of the study were 160 form four students and 9 mathematics teachers from four co-education ordinary level secondary schools in Arusha urban. The study employed a qualitative approach with five data collection instruments, namely interview, questionnaire, documentary analysis, observation cum discussion, and a diagnostic test. It was found that many students had difficulties involving understanding and transforming word problems into algebraic expression, ability to transfer and integrate knowledge, solving problems by short methods, verifying and judging of the answer generated from a solution. As a result of not verifying answers, errors were found to contribute highly to wrong answers even to problems which demanded direct procedures. The errors included algebraic errors like interchange of plus and minus sign, wrong computations, and jumping some important algebraic steps. Other errors like copying information from question papers and labeling of graphs were also found. Knowledge base from lack of regular practice (both algebraic and domain specific) were found to highly differentiate females and males students, with many females student seen weaker compared to males. On the kind of errors, female and male students almost did the same type of errors. The study concluded that students’ poor learning habit in mathematics, improper assessment together with little knowledge of solving mathematics problem by students, contribute highly to students’ difficulties and errors in mathematics. The study recommends that students be given opportunity to practice solving problems in the schools, and continuous assessment should be for diagnosing students’ difficulties in mathematics rather than using it merely for recording grades for parents’ reports. Further, the teaching of mathematics should not only by solving examples but conceptual understanding should also be emphasized even in assignments.