CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Mathematics is a mandatory subject at the primary and secondary school levels, a key requirement for educational progression (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2013). However, many learners still achieve poorly in the subject. The persistently poor student performance in the subject is no longer newsworthy. Mathematics researchers like Azuka (2012) and Badru and Saka (2021) warned the public about the low mathematics proficiency of Nigerian learners from primary, secondary, and university levels of education. The West African Examination Council (WACE) Chief Examiners’ reports highlighted the unfavourable scenario by stating that candidates’ performance has steadily declined (WAEC, 2019–2020). Consequently, mathematics researchers have identified several factors contributing to learners’ poor performance in mathematics over the years. Some of these include inadequate mathematics instruction in primary school, and crowded mathematics classes (Uka & Ezeh, 2022), outdated mathematics resources (Egara et al., 2021; Evans et al., 2019; Mosimege & Egara, 2022), anxiety towards mathematics (Nzeadibe et al., 2023; Sarfo et al., 2020, 2022; Sule, 2017), the strictness of the mathematics teacher, laziness on the part of students and indiscipline towards mathematics (Jameel & Ali, 2016), negative attitude exhibited by students toward mathematics (Wachira, 2016), poor teaching approaches, absence of mathematics teaching and learning materials (Kumah et al., 2016), and lack of retention of mathematics concepts on the part of students).

(Egara & Mogege, 2023a, 2023d Mathematics is this science of numbers and their properties; operations and relations with shapes in space and their structure; and measurement. It is one subject that cuts across all the sciences and pervades literally every field of human endeavour, and plays a fundamental role in the economic development of a country. According to (Egara et al., 2021; Egara & Mogege, 2023a, 2023b, 2023c; Okeke et al., 2023a, 2023b) mathematics is a bed rock and indisputable tool for scientific, technological and economic development of any nation. [8, 9] stated that the line of demarcation between developed and under developed nations is based on the level of mathematical attainment and ingenuity. They maintained that mathematics is an indisputable agent of national development and wealth creation .

Studies have highlighted the challenge of students failing to retain mathematical knowledge over time, posing a significant obstacle to their overall mathematical proficiency (Nzeadibe et al., 2020; Osakwe et al., 2023). Retention, in this context, refers to the ability of students to remember and apply mathematical concepts learned in previous lessons over an extended period (Mosimege & Egara, 2022; Egara & Mogege, 2023b). While addressing poor mathematics performance is crucial, focusing on students’ retention of math concepts as a distinct variable is equally important. The inability to retain essential mathematical knowledge hinders students’ overall mastery of the subject and may lead to difficulties in advanced topics that build upon foundational concepts (Osakwe et al., 2023). Therefore, there is a pressing need to explore instructional approaches that not only enhance mathematics achievement but also promote the lasting retention of crucial mathematical concepts. Mutange (2020) postulated that the Nigerian educational system is deficient in mathematics instruction and called for a better method of mathematics instruction in the classrooms. Due to the value of mathematics in society, this call is necessary. To understand mathematics, teachers must adopt a good teaching and learning approach to foster students’ retention of mathematics concepts, thereby improving their mathematics achievement in internal and external examinations. One method of teaching mathematics, proven innovative and effective, is the blended learning approach, which is the focus of this study. These uninspiring achievements in Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) are causes for concern. A number of programmes, conferences and workshops have been organized with a view to addressing the problems of poor achievements in mathematics. As a result, a number of strategies have been recommended for teaching so that students can develop interest and achieve better in mathematics. These include: establishment of the National Mathematics Centre (NMC) in Abuja in the year 1989 and the Mathematics Improvement Project in Akare in 2007 to deploy appropriate initiatives and resources of international standing to rekindle and sustain interest in the study of mathematics and mathematical s iencs at all levels. Other corporate organizations such as Promasidors Nigeria Limited (Makers of Cowbell Milks) and Macmillan publishers have programmes for secondary school students’ aimed at reawakening secondary school students’ interest in mathematics. Examples of such programmes include the 2008 and 2009 Cowbell National Secondary School Mathematics Competition and the 2008 Macmillan workshop on effective teaching of mathematics. Despite these efforts, mathematics achievement at all levels of education in Nigeria has not improved to a satisfactory level. Evidence emanating from Western Europe tens to suggest that blended learning strategy has the potential of helping students to improve their mathematics achievement. Blended learning is a formal education programme in which a student learns at least in part through delivery of content and instrument via digital and online media with some element of student control over time, place, path or place, while still attending a “brick-and-mortar” school structure, face-face classroom method are combined with computer mediated activities.

Blended learning is a brand-new educational approach that combines face-to-face instruction, with all its benefits and drawbacks, with online learning in a virtual environment (Setiawan et al., 2022). Combining the best learning opportunities between these two approaches makes it possible to tailor instruction to the needs of individual students and to the desired outcome to be attained by the end of the semester (Alabdallat et al., 2020). According to Ceylan and Kesici (2017), blended learning is a student-centred, teacher-facilitated instructional strategy that uses technology and concentrates on the student-teacher relationship to boost independence, engagement, and achievement.

Statement of the Problem

Mathematics is one subject that cuts across all the sciences and pervades literally every field of human endeavour, and plays a fundamental role in the economic development off a country. The state of science and technology is a function of the development and application of mathematics. In spite of the relative important of mathematics in the overall economic development of a country, students’ achievements in it have been poor. Teachers, parents, curriculum experts and evaluators are worried, especially when the poor achievement has been blamed on inadequate teaching strategy.