Abstract:
Mathematics is the cornerstone of development of any contemporary society as
attaining self-reliance requires creative and problem solving individuals who can
identify opportunities in their environment. Hence the concern for continued poor
performance by learners leads to increasing research to identify possible factors
contributing to the decline in learners’ performance. However, a study on learner’s
threshold concepts in Mathematics would provide a useful framework for improving
teaching and learning in secondary school education and therefore, the study aimed to
establish those threshold concepts learners’ faces. The objectives of the study included
to: discuss the influence of teaching strategy on learners’ performance in quadratic
equations and functions with one known; describe learners’ score performance in
solving quadratic equations and functions with one known; analyze learner’s threshold
concepts in solving quadratic equations and functions with one known that may
attribute to gender. to determine gender difference if any, that may exist in the cognitive
level and school type performance of quadratic equations and functions with one known
and determine relationships if any between gender, teaching strategy and school type
on one hand and performance in quadratic equations and functions with one known on
the other hand. Piaget’s cognitive development and Vygotzy theories of learning guided
the study. A descriptive survey research design and a mixed method research paradigm
was employed. Learner’s diagnostic test instrument containing quadratic equations and
functions was designed based on Bloom’s cognitive domains of learning was
administered. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using the statistical package for
social sciences (SPSS and SPSS, macro processing for interaction effects) and both
descriptive and inferential statistics was used in making interpretations based on the
objectives of the study. Computer Aided Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDA), Nvivo
pro 11 software was used to analyze qualitative data. The study found that teachers used
problem solving, use of examples and lecture methods as the teaching strategies.
Learners used factorization, completing square and quadratic formula methods to solve
quadratic equations. Also teaching strategy was a significant determinant of learners’
performance than school type. More detailed exploration of the students’ difficulties in
solving quadratic equations and functions with one known is a crucial prerequisite for
any further attempt to improve the quality of Mathematics education and the levels of
performance. Considering these issues, teachers should ask learners to explain a
threshold concept, to represent it in new ways, to apply it to new situations, to connect
it to their lives. The emphasis is equally strong that they should not simply recall the
concept in the form in which it was presented. Teachers should be cautious when
making assumptions about what learners’ uncertainties might be.