MATHEMATICAL ABILITIES OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND ACQUISITION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS IN PHYSICS

Abstract

The study investigated Mathematical abilities of secondary school students and acquisition of entrepreneurial skills in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Sixty physics senior secondary school students were purposively sampled from a population of nine hundred students. Quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select three schools from the target population. The instruments for this study are Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition Test (ESAT) and Mathematical Ability Test (MAT). The reliability indices are 0.74 and 0.90, using Cronbach Alpha and Kuder-Richardson formula (K-R-21) respectively.Two experimental and one control group with each group taughtwith a different instructional methods. Data obtained were analysed using mean and percentage for the research questions while 3×3 Multivariate Analysis of Covariance was used to test the hypotheses. The results showsthat students with high, average and low Mathematical abilities gained most in the acquisition of measurement, manipulative and finger dexterity skills in the construction of potentiometer when taught with Demonstration strategy. However, there is no significant difference in the effect of the teaching strategies on students of high, average and low mathematical abilities in their acquisition of measurement, manipulative and finger dexterity skills in the construction of potentiometer. It was therefore recommended thatstudents should be encouraged to improve their mathematical ability since this is a key to the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills in physics.While students- centred interactive strategy should be employ by teachers during teaching and learning.