Effectiveness of brain compatible learning strategy on problem solving ability perceptual speed and mathematics anxiety among students in secondary schools of coastal area

Abstract

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) supports and advocates for the highest-quality mathematics teaching and learning for every student.The 2020 revision of the Specialized Professional Association (SPA) Standards reflects current conversations in the mathematics and mathematics education communities regarding not just standards of content but also the deepening urgency to address the nature of effective mathematics teaching and the goals for mathematical learning for each student. The performance of students in mathematics in the coastal area is much below expectations even with the emphasis on mathematics in the secondary education system and the efforts of educators and curriculum reformers to improve the subject .Brain compatible learning strategy is the deliberate application of techniques founded on ideas that come from reliable scientific studies. The application of a significant collection of ideas that captures our knowledge of how the brain functions in real environments is also known as Brain compatible learning. It is essentially the application of brain learning methodologies in the context of education. The present investigation aimed to compare the effectiveness of two methods of instruction in enhancing students' problemsolving ability, perceptual speed and reduction of mathematics anxiety. The current study examines the impact of Brain Compatible learning strategy on students' anxiety related to mathematics, perceptual speed and problem solving abilityin secondary schools located in coastal area. The present study comprises mixed methods.It incorporates a preliminary survey on problemsolving ability, Perceptual speed and mathematics anxiety of secondary school students and preliminary survey of secondary school mathematics teachers and then the experimental study. The researcher employed the Quasi-experimental design with the Pre- test post-test nonequivalent group design. In the preliminary survey of secondary school studentsthe investigator collected data from a sample of 400 Secondary school students, of which 149 were coastal area secondary school students and 251 were non-coastal areas secondary school students in the Kozhikode district with purposive sampling technique and in the preliminary survey of secondary school mathematics teachersby using purposive sampling technique the investigator collected data from 30 secondary school mathematics teachers from Kozhikode district. In the experimental study the two intact classes of Standard VIII with 54 students from two different coastal area secondary schoolswere selectedrandomly one experimental group and one control group for experimental and control treatments from the Kozhikode district. The statistical techniques used were Basic descriptive statistics, Mean difference analysis, Percentage analysis, Single-factor ANCOVA, Effect size (Cohen’s d and partial eta squared) and Bonferroni’s Post Hoc analysis. The findings of the comparisonof mean difference analysis of the performance of students in the coastal area and non-coastal area secondary schools From the preliminary survey on problemsolving ability, perceptual speed and mathematics anxiety of secondary school students the students from coastal area secondary school shows significantly low performance in problemsolving ability and perceptual speed in mathematics and shows significantly higher mathematics anxiety while comparing to the overall performance of students from non-coastal area secondary school.Hence the investigator decided to conduct the experimental study in the coastal area secondary schools. The findings of the preliminary survey of teachers revealed that most of the secondary school teachers were aware of different teaching strategies used for teaching mathematics at the secondary school level but they face some constraints in adopting them successfully. Teachers suggested the measures to overcome the constrains they experienced for improving Teaching mathematics at Secondary school.From the survey,the investigator decided to select Brain Compatible learning strategy as an instructional strategy because it is not used much by secondary school mathematics teachers. The major findings of the experimental study were problem solving ability and perceptual speed of students taught through the instructional strategy based on Brain Compatible learning strategy is significantly higher than that of those taught through the Existing method of teaching for the Total sample and Subsamples based on gender.The mathematics anxietyof students taught through the instructional strategy based on Brain Compatible learning strategy is significantly lower than that of those taught through the Existing method of teaching for the Total sample, boys and girls.The conclusion that can be derived from both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the present study is that the Brain Compatible learning strategy is effective in enhancing problem solving ability, perceptual speed and in reducing the mathematics anxiety for Total sample and Subsamples based on the gender of thecoastal area secondary school students. The study also revealed that Brain compatible learning strategy has a significant advantage over the Existing method of teaching irrespective of gender in teaching mathematics to coastal area secondary school students. As we all know mathematics is a very difficult subject for most students. So, it can be said that by implementing Brain Compatible learning strategy we can enhance the mathematical abilities and reduce mathematics anxiety of coastal area secondary school students.