Prerequisite strength and mathematics aptitude as predictors of cognitive achievement in geometry

Abstract

Past researches and West Africa Examinations Council chief examiners' reports revealed that students failed geometry than other aspects of mathematics. The reason for this may be traceable to students' strength in prerequisite knowledge and mathematics aptitude. This study therefore investigated the predictive ability of prerequisite strength, mathematics aptitude on cognitive achievement in Geometry. The study adopted correlational design. The sample of the study consisted of 240 Senior Secondary 11 students selected using multi-stage sampling techniquefrom 3 Local Government Areas in Ibadan Metropolis. Three instruments were used for data collection: Mathematics Aptitude Test( r= .92), Geometry Achievement Test (r= 0.8), Prerequisite Knowledge Test (r= 0.74). Basically, descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient and linear multiple regression analyses were adopted for the analysis of the collected data. The results show that there was significant correlations between prerequisite strength and geometry achievement (r=0.93; p<0.05). There was significant correlation also between mathematics aptitude and geometry achievement (r=0.301; p<0.05). The results also showed that, the two predictor variables: prerequisite strength, and Mathematics aptitude explained the 0.88per cent of the variance in geometry test scores. However, degree of prediction of each factor differed. The relative predictive strength of prerequisite strength (B=1.277) was higher than that of mathematics aptitude (B=. 108). Based on the findings, it is therefore recommended that current curriculum that is in use in secondary schools be reviewed to include prerequisites to each topic, that will make students achieve meaningfully in geometry- based topics.