Mathematical proficiency in geometry of high school students

Abstract

Geometry is a vital part of mathematics and mathematics is a vital part of one's life. Changes in society and in the use of technology require that one has a strong background in mathematics. The emphasis of which not only on Geometry skills, but on developing one's mathematical power. Mathematical power develops the knowledge and understanding of mathematical ideas, concepts and procedures. It emphasizes the ability to use mathematical tools and techniques in reasoning and thinking critically. It likewise develops the ability to communicate using mathematics in the world beyond the classroom. Education makes people easy to lead, easy to govern. This means development of the Filipino youth so that one can participate and live successfully in a highly competitive and technological world which defines the undertakings of the nation to attain its vision to nurture the educational growth of the Filipino children for better productivity. In a book by the National Research Council (NRC) called Adding It up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics explores how students in grades pre-K-8 learn mathematics. The editors discuss how teaching, curricula, and teacher education should be changed to improve mathematics learning. It also illustrates the five interdependent components of mathematical intertwined strands - conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and productive disposition - were the critical strands for developing mathematically proficient students. The NRC's five strands of mathematical proficiency are; Conceptual understanding; a student's grasp of fundamental mathematical ideas. Procedural fluency (computing): skill in carrying out mathematical procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently, and appropriately. Strategic competence (applying): ability to formulate, represent, and solve mathematical problems. Adaptive reasoning (reasoning): capacity for logical thought, reflection, explanation, and justification. Productive disposition (engaging): habitual inclination to see mathematics as sensible, useful, and worthwhile, coupled with a belief in diligence and one's own efficacy The study is all about the Mathematical proficiency of Third year students of Irisan National School, school year 2012-2013. The researcher wondered why students' mathematical proficiency is deteriorating, so the researcher would like to investigate on this area of the mathematical proficiency of student with regards to its five strands, sex and the quarterly scores of the students. As the objective of the researcher is to know the mathematical proficiency of students regarding to the five strands, sex and the quarterly examination score. The main aim of the study was to determine the level of mathematical proficiency in Geometry of the third year students. Specifically, it sought to answer the following problem: 1. What is the level of mathematical proficiency of the third year students in Geometry along the five strands: 1.1.Conceptual understanding, 1.2. Procedural fluency (computing, 1.3. Strategic competence (applying), 1.4. Adaptive reasoning, 1.5. Productive disposition (engaging)? 2.What is the difference on the level of mathematical proficiency of the third year students in Geometry when compared according: 2.1 sex; and 2.1. grades in quarterly examination? Hypothesis: There is significant difference on the level of mathematical proficiency of the students in Geometry when compared according to sex and grades in quarterly examination. The researcher used the descriptive-survey research design. It sought to find the mathematical proficiency of the respondents through the analyses of variable-relationships (sex and quarterly grades). Further, the record of their grades in Geometry for the academic year were used. The mean was computed to determine the level of mathematical proficiency in Geometry along the five strands of mathematical proficiency. The t-test was used to determine the mathematical proficiency level when compared according to sex while Analysis of Variance (ANNOVA) was used to determine the differences in the level of mathematical proficiency according to the quarterly grades. The following are the major findings of the study: 1.The students' level of proficiency in Geometry along the five strands is below average 2.The level of mathematical proficiency of the male and female students is both below average. 3.The mathematical proficiency of the students when classified according to their quarterly grades shows that in the first and second grading period is average while in the third and fourth grading is below average. When classified according to their final grade their mathematical proficiency is average. In light of the findings derived from this study, the following conclusions were deduced: 1.The mathematical proficiency of the students along the different strands of mathematics was predominantly below average. Students at this level can employ basic algorithms, formulae, procedures, or conventions. They are capable of direct reasoning and of making literal interpretations of the results. 2.Sex and quarterly grades of the students has no difference in the mathematical proficiency of the students along the different strands of mathematics. After a careful review of the findings and analysis of data, these recommendations are presented: 1. The students' mathematical proficiency along the different strands of mathematics has to be analyzed to determine the strengths and weaknesses as basis for planning a program of mastery learning along the areas covered. 2. There is a need to improve the mathematical proficiency of the students from below average to above average or higher. This may be done through improved instruction. 3. other Recommendations 3.1 Teachers' professional development has to be high quality, sustained, and systematically designed and deployed to help all students to develop mathematical proficiency. Schools should support, as a central part of teachers' work, engagement in sustained efforts to improve mathematical instruction. This support requires the provision of time and resources. 3.2 The coordination of the curriculum, instructional materials, assessment, instruction, professional development, and school organization around the development of mathematical proficiency should imply school improvement efforts. 3.3 Efforts to improve students' mathematical learning have to be scientifically evidenced, and their effectiveness has to be evaluated systematically and periodically. Such efforts should be coordinated, continual and cumulative. 3.4 Additional researches have to be undertaken on the nature, development, and assessment of mathematical proficiency. 3.5 An action plan is made to further enhance student's mathematical proficiency.