ENHANCING SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE RETENTION IN MATHEMATICS USING THINK-PAIR-SHARE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY IN MATHEMATICS IN ONITSHA EDUCATION ZONE, ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study investigated effect of Think-Pair-Share instructional strategy on students’ 
knowledge retention in circle geometry in Onitsha Education Zone of Anambra State. The 
study was guided by two research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated and 
tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design, 
specifically, the pre-test, post-test non-equivalent control group design. The population of the 
study comprised 5,056 senior secondary two (SS2) students offering Mathematics in State 
Government-owned secondary schools in Onitsha education zone of Anambra state. A sample 
of 80 senior secondary school two (SS2) Mathematics Students selected using multi-stage 
sampling approach was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was the 
Mathematics Retention Test (MRT) which was validated by three experts and tested for 
reliability using Kuder-Richardson (KR-20) formula which yielded a reliability index of 0.85. 
Data collected were analysed using mean, standard deviation and analysis of covariance 
(ANCOVA). The findings of the study revealed among others that there was a significant 
difference between the mean retention scores of students taught circle geometry using Think
Pair-Share and those taught using Direct Instruction method in favour of the experimental 
group. In conclusion, students taught circle geometry using the Think-Pair-Share (TPS) 
instructional strategy achieved higher mean scores in retention compared to those taught using 
the Direct Instruction Method. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that 
mathematics teachers should incorporate TPS as a primary instructional strategy, particularly, 
when teaching complex geometric concepts and also workshops and training should be 
organized for mathematics teachers to enhance their pedagogical skills in implementing TPS effectively.