EFFECT OF THINKING PAIR INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS IN OGOJA EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER STATE

Abstract

This study investigated effect of thinking pair instructional strategy on students’ academic 
achievement in Mathematics in Ogoja Education Zone of Cross River State. Two research 
questions were posed and two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Quasi 
experimental design was used for this study. One hundred and twelve (112) Mathematics 
students in two intact SS2 classes from the drawn public secondary schools were used for 
this study. The one hundred and twelve (112) Mathematics students in two intact Senior 
Secondary Two (SS2) classes comprised of thirty-two (32) female and twenty-eight (28) 
male students from school A and twenty-four (24) female and twenty-eight (28) male 
students from school B. The Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) drawn from three 
weeks learning package on algebra was used for data collection in this study. It consisted 
of 30 multiple choice test items constructed by the researcher. To establish the reliability 
of the MAT, The instrument was administered to 20 mathematics students in a Secondary 
School that is not part of the sample. The responses obtained was be analysed using the 
Kuder-Richardson 21 formula method. The reliability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained, 
Research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation whiles the research 
hypotheses were tested using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 level of 
significance. Results obtained from the study showed that: there was a significant 
difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught Mathematics using thinking 
pair instructional strategy and those taught using conventional method with those taught 
using thinking pair instructional strategy having a higher mean gain. The mean scores of 
male and female students taught Mathematics using thinking pair instructional strategy 
differs with the female students having a higher mean gain than the male students. It was 
recommended among others that Mathematics teachers should be encouraged to adopt the 
thinking pair instructional strategy as a regular part of their instructional delivery. Its 
active and collaborative nature enhances students’ comprehension and overall academic 
performance.