Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State

Thomas Olabode Abe; Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

| Peer-Reviewed

Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State

Thomas Olabode Abe, Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole

Published in American Journal of Education and Information Technology (Volume 3, Issue 2)

Received: 10 May 2019 Accepted: 24 October 2019 Published: 30 October 2019

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

Abstract

This study examined Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination in Osun State; A Case Study Of Oriade Local Government. Two Schools were selected through random sampling from Oriade Local Government of Osun State. The sample of the study consisted of sixty respondents that were drawn from the population of the study. Hypotheses were formulated the study through the stated objectives for the study. Pre and post- test was developed to validate the method used for data collection and analysis. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the difficulty indexes of the JSSCE were good for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item requires modification as the question might have been unclear or misunderstood by the students. Also, discriminatory indexes were considered appropriate for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item was found inappropriate and thus does not fit into the set of questions for the JSSCE unless it is rewritten for better clarity. The study also revealed that students’ gender, age, class and school type have no significant influence on their academic performance in the JSSCE. Based on the findings of the study, test measurement and evaluation experts should emphasize and also ensure that proper test analysis are carried out on test items before they are administered to students especially in national examinations.

Published in	American Journal of Education and Information Technology (Volume 3, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
Page(s)	37-46
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2019. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Junior Secondary School Mathematics, Oriade Local Government, Osun State, Difficulty and Discriminating Indices, JSSCE Examination

References

[1]	Ukeje B. O. (2005):Production and retention of mathematical sciences teachers for Nigerian Educational system In Azuka F. O. Assessment in Primary School Mathematics classrooms in Nigeria; Journal of Education and Practice, www.iiste.org, Vol. 5, No. 30, 2014.
[2]	Kolawole, E. B. (2010): Principles of test construction and administration. Lagos: Bolabay Publications.
[3]	Anikweze C. M. (2010): Measurement and evaluation for teacher education. Enugu: Snaap Press.
[4]	Alonge, M. F. (2004): Measurement and evaluation in education andpsychology. Ado-Ekiti: Adebayo Printing Press.
[5]	Federal Republic of Nigeria (2008): National policy on Education. Lagos: Nigerian Educational research and Development Council.
[6]	Anastasi, A. (1978): Pychological Testing, New York Macmilian.
[7]	Anderson, E and Smith (1978): Critical Reviews of the Close procedures, Burds.
[8]	Omirin M. S. (2006): Difficulty and discriminating indices of three-multiple choice tests using the confidence scoring procedure, Educational Research and Review Vol. 1 (2) pp. 014-017.
[9]	Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004). National Policy on Education (4th ed.). Lagos: NERDC Press.
[10]	Usman, K. O. And Harbor-peters, V. F. A. (1998). PROCESS Errors committed by senior secondary school students in mathematics. Journal or science, technology and mathematics Education.
[11]	Tall, D. D. (2005). The Special Position of Mathematics. In the Report of Adrian Smith’s Inquiry into Post-14 Mathematics Education: Mathematics for the Citizen, U.K.
[12]	Sydney, S. L. (1995). Enchanting, Facinating, Useful Number. Teaching Children Mathematics, 1, 486-491.
[13]	Smith, M. R. (2005). Making Mathematics Count. The Report of Professor Advian Smith’s Inquiry into Post 14 Mathematics Education: Mathematics for the Citizen, UK.
[14]	Okonkwo, S. C. (1998). Development and Validation of Mathematics Readiness test for Junior Secondary School Students. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, UNN.
[15]	Igbo, J. N. (2004). Effect of Peer Tutoring II on the Mathematics Achievement of Learning-Disabled children. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[16]	Ikeazota, N. N. (2002). Identification and Remediation of Senior Secondary School Students’ Process Errors in Quadratic Equations. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[17]	Implementation Committee, National Policy on Education (1992). Guideline on Uniform Standards for the Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (Revised). Lagos: Federal Ministry of Education.
[18]	Implementation Committee, National Policy on Education. Some Questions and Answers on Continuous Assessment. Lagos: Federal Ministry of Education.
[19]	Unodiaku, S. S. (1998). Analysis of Errors Committed by SSI Students in Solving Word and Symbolic Problem son Simultaneous Linear Equations. Unpublished M. ED. Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[20]	Ezeife, A. N. (2002). Interactions of Culture and Mathematics in an Aboriginal classroom http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/iej/articles/v3n3/Ezeife/paper.pdf.
[21]	Ausubel, D. P; Navok, T. and Hanisan, B. (1978). Educational Psychology: A Cognitive View. (2nd Ed), New York: Werbel and Peck.
[22]	Bailey, T. G. (1994). Linear Measurement in Elementary School. Arithmetic Teacher, 21, 520-526.
[23]	Aguele, L. I. (2004). Remediation of Process Errors Committedby Senior Secondary School Students in Sequences and Series. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, UNN.
[24]	Agwagah, U. N. V. (2000). Teaching Number Bases in Junior Secondary School, Board, Abacus, Journal of Mathematics Association of Nigeria, 26 (1).
[25]	Odeyemi JO (2003). Comparison of the Psychometric properties of three multiple choice test, using the confidence scoring procedure. An unpublished M. E. D. thesis. University of Ado – Ekiti.
[26]	Gagne, R. M. (1967). Instruction and the Conditions of Learning. In L. Siegel (Ed.), Instruction: Some Contemporary Viewpoints. San Francisca: Chadler Press.
[27]	Gagne, R. M. (1962). The Acquisition of Knowledge. Psychological Review, 69 (4), 355-365.
[28]	Gagne, R. M. (1968). Learning Hierarchies. Educational Psychology, 6 (1), 3-6.
[29]	Piaget, J. (1952) in martin Hughes (1989). Children and Number: Difficulties in learning Mathematics. Britain: T. J. press (Padstow) limited.
[30]	Piaget, J. (1964). Development and Learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 12, 176-186.
[31]	Piaget, J. (1979). Concept of Structure, in Scientific Thought, Some Underlying Concepts, Methods and Procedures. Paris: Hague Mouton/UNESCO.
[32]	Smith, B. O. (1938). Logical Aspects of Educational Measurement. New York: Columbia University Press.
[33]	Hill, B. (2001). The Importance of Mathematics in Early Childhood Education. Saint Martin’s College, Lindsey Petersen, USA: Saint Martin’s college press.
[34]	Gray, E. M. and Tall, D. D. (1999). Duality, Ambiguity, and Flexibility. A “proceptual” view of simple arithmetic Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 25, 116-146.
[35]	Raimi, A. (2001). Excerpts from Poor Performance Review. University of Rochester, Washington. http://www.Mathematically Correct.com/mspap.tm.
[36]	Ojogwu, C. N. (2001). Relationship between teachers morale and their test performance in Secondary Schools in Delta State. Journal of Nigerian Educational Research Association. 15 (1).
[37]	Ugodulunwa, C. A. (2008). Fundamentals of educational measurements and evaluation. Jos: Fab Anieh Nig. Ltd.
[38]	Wiersma, W. & Jurs, S. (1990). Educational measurement and testing. Needham Heights, MAAllyn and Bacon.
[39]	Kostick, M. N. (1994). A Study of Transfer: Sex Differences in the Reasoning Process. Journal of Educational Psychology. 45 (8), 449-458.
[40]	Kuang, H. P. (2002). A Critical Evaluation of Relative Efficiency of Three Techniques in Item Analysis. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 12, 248-266.
[41]	Kuder, G. F. and Richardson, M. W. (1937). The Theory of Estimation of Test Reliability. Psychometrika, 2, 151-160.
[42]	Kurume, M. S. C. (2004). Effects of Ethno mathematics Approach on Students Achievement and Interest in Geometry and Mensuration, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[43]	Ebel, R. L. (1979). Essentials of Educational Measurement. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffts, N. J., Prentice-Hall Inc.
[44]	Ekele, J. (2002). Development and Standardization of Quadratic Aptitude Test for Upper Primary School Pupils. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[45]	Obienyem, C. (1998). Identification of Mathematics readiness Level of Junior Secondary School Class one Students in Anambra State. Unpublished M. ED. Thesis, University ofNigeria, Nsukka.

Cite This Article

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Thomas Olabode Abe, Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. (2019). Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. American Journal of Education and Information Technology, 3(2), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Thomas Olabode Abe; Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. Am. J. Educ. Inf. Technol. 2019, 3(2), 37-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Thomas Olabode Abe, Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. Am J Educ Inf Technol. 2019;3(2):37-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12,
  author = {Thomas Olabode Abe and Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole},
  title = {Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State},
  journal = {American Journal of Education and Information Technology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {2},
  pages = {37-46},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  abstract = {This study examined Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination in Osun State; A Case Study Of Oriade Local Government. Two Schools were selected through random sampling from Oriade Local Government of Osun State. The sample of the study consisted of sixty respondents that were drawn from the population of the study. Hypotheses were formulated the study through the stated objectives for the study. Pre and post- test was developed to validate the method used for data collection and analysis. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the difficulty indexes of the JSSCE were good for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item requires modification as the question might have been unclear or misunderstood by the students. Also, discriminatory indexes were considered appropriate for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item was found inappropriate and thus does not fit into the set of questions for the JSSCE unless it is rewritten for better clarity. The study also revealed that students’ gender, age, class and school type have no significant influence on their academic performance in the JSSCE. Based on the findings of the study, test measurement and evaluation experts should emphasize and also ensure that proper test analysis are carried out on test items before they are administered to students especially in national examinations.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State
AU  - Thomas Olabode Abe
AU  - Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole
Y1  - 2019/10/30
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
T2  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
JF  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
JO  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
SP  - 37
EP  - 46
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2994-712X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
AB  - This study examined Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination in Osun State; A Case Study Of Oriade Local Government. Two Schools were selected through random sampling from Oriade Local Government of Osun State. The sample of the study consisted of sixty respondents that were drawn from the population of the study. Hypotheses were formulated the study through the stated objectives for the study. Pre and post- test was developed to validate the method used for data collection and analysis. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the difficulty indexes of the JSSCE were good for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item requires modification as the question might have been unclear or misunderstood by the students. Also, discriminatory indexes were considered appropriate for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item was found inappropriate and thus does not fit into the set of questions for the JSSCE unless it is rewritten for better clarity. The study also revealed that students’ gender, age, class and school type have no significant influence on their academic performance in the JSSCE. Based on the findings of the study, test measurement and evaluation experts should emphasize and also ensure that proper test analysis are carried out on test items before they are administered to students especially in national examinations.
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download

Author Information

Thomas Olabode Abe

Department of Mathematics, School of Science, College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, South West, Nigeria
Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole

Department of Mathematics & Statistics, College of Natural Sciences, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Osun State, South West, Nigeria

Download PDF

Sections

Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Thomas Olabode Abe, Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. (2019). Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. American Journal of Education and Information Technology, 3(2), 37-46. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Thomas Olabode Abe; Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. Am. J. Educ. Inf. Technol. 2019, 3(2), 37-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Thomas Olabode Abe, Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole. Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State. Am J Educ Inf Technol. 2019;3(2):37-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12,
  author = {Thomas Olabode Abe and Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole},
  title = {Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State},
  journal = {American Journal of Education and Information Technology},
  volume = {3},
  number = {2},
  pages = {37-46},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajeit.20190302.12},
  abstract = {This study examined Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination in Osun State; A Case Study Of Oriade Local Government. Two Schools were selected through random sampling from Oriade Local Government of Osun State. The sample of the study consisted of sixty respondents that were drawn from the population of the study. Hypotheses were formulated the study through the stated objectives for the study. Pre and post- test was developed to validate the method used for data collection and analysis. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the difficulty indexes of the JSSCE were good for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item requires modification as the question might have been unclear or misunderstood by the students. Also, discriminatory indexes were considered appropriate for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item was found inappropriate and thus does not fit into the set of questions for the JSSCE unless it is rewritten for better clarity. The study also revealed that students’ gender, age, class and school type have no significant influence on their academic performance in the JSSCE. Based on the findings of the study, test measurement and evaluation experts should emphasize and also ensure that proper test analysis are carried out on test items before they are administered to students especially in national examinations.},
 year = {2019}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination; A Case Study of Oriade Local Government, Osun State
AU  - Thomas Olabode Abe
AU  - Ezekiel Olaoluwa Omole
Y1  - 2019/10/30
PY  - 2019
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
T2  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
JF  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
JO  - American Journal of Education and Information Technology
SP  - 37
EP  - 46
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2994-712X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajeit.20190302.12
AB  - This study examined Difficulty and Discriminating Indices of Junior Secondary School Mathematics Examination in Osun State; A Case Study Of Oriade Local Government. Two Schools were selected through random sampling from Oriade Local Government of Osun State. The sample of the study consisted of sixty respondents that were drawn from the population of the study. Hypotheses were formulated the study through the stated objectives for the study. Pre and post- test was developed to validate the method used for data collection and analysis. The data collected were analyzed using t-test statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the difficulty indexes of the JSSCE were good for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item requires modification as the question might have been unclear or misunderstood by the students. Also, discriminatory indexes were considered appropriate for 59 out of the 60 items in the examination while 1 item was found inappropriate and thus does not fit into the set of questions for the JSSCE unless it is rewritten for better clarity. The study also revealed that students’ gender, age, class and school type have no significant influence on their academic performance in the JSSCE. Based on the findings of the study, test measurement and evaluation experts should emphasize and also ensure that proper test analysis are carried out on test items before they are administered to students especially in national examinations.
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
ER  -

Copy | Download