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Abstract

This paper determined the effect of the convergent and divergent thinking-based instructional strategies in influencing students’ achievement in mathematics. The influence of gender on the achievement of students in mathematics was also ascertained. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. a quasi-experimental pre-test, post-test, non-equivalent control group design involving two experimental groups and one control group was adopted for the study. the sample consists of 444 senior secondary class two (SS II) mathematics students from three intact classes randomly drawn from a clustered sample of three senior secondary schools in Enugu Educational Zone. The three schools were assigned to experimental and control groups respectively and in each, three classes were drawn, two as experimental and one as a control group. The data was collected using two instruments, the pre-achievement test in algebra and post-achievement test in algebra which were developed, duly validated and reliability established (0.73) before use. The hypotheses were tested at (P<0.05) using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The result of data analysis showed that instruction using divergent thinking-based instructional strategy significantly enhanced students’ achievement in mathematics more than the convergent and conventional strategies. Also, the result indicated that the female students significantly achieved more in mathematics instruction more than their male counterparts irrespective of the strategy employed in teaching them. Conclusion and recommendations were highlighted based on the findings of the study.

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Introduction

Man is naturally endowed with the gift of intellect which enables him to think critically in problem solving situations. Human brings take decision over issues when they employ critical thinking.

De Bono (2002) defines thinking as the act of using one’s mind. In other words, thinking involves forming opinion, judgment, thought and reasoning. Thinking is characterized to some degree by an organizing functioning which produces new information that one derives from the original data of experience, (Wilson, 1997). The function of a teacher in a school setting is to structure experience in such a way that learning can take place most conveniently and successfully by stimulating the learners’ thinking appropriately. In other words, effective learning depends on appropriate thinking.