Computerized Aided Learning of Mathematics for Senior Secondary School

Computerized Aided Learning of Mathematics for Senior Secondary School

ABSTRACT

A lot of problems are associated with the traditional way of teaching mathematics because it uses a manual approach to impact knowledge to students which makes it time ineffective, time-wasting, and high level of energy dissipation. Also due to the calculative nature and vast scope of mathematics, some students develop a loss of interest during classroom learning. Although computer-aided learning of mathematics has been used in the past in the department of mathematics at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 1985 but was based on classroom lectures and was not interactive. In this new system, l intend to reduce the problem student encounter during classroom learning by developing an interactive tutor, which gives the student the feeling of being aided by a teacher to make learning easier, friendly and less stressful for students. Also to eliminate time wasted when educating people on mathematics. This project will use visual basic 6.0 for the implementation. This is because of its capabilities interface. It involves specifying the nature and structure of the database, the data being stored in the database and the data security measure enforced. The software is made up of set theory, algebra, and simple interest. The research methodology used helps to ensure that a thorough study of the present system is effectively carried out thus helping the project researcher to completely understand how the new system should be structured and the functionalities needed.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

1.2 Objectives of the Project

1.3 Statement of Problem

1.4 Significant of Study

1.5 Assumption of Study

1.6 Scope of Study

1.7 Limitations of the Study

1.8 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Learning Process

2.1.1 Pedagogy

2.1.2 Andragogy

2.1.3 Teenager

2.2 Origin of Computer

2.3 Evolution of Computer-Aided Learning

2.3.1 Mathematic

2.3.2 Mathematics basis
2.4 Computer-Aided Learning of Mathematics

2.5 Justification of the Project

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Methodology and System Analysis

3.1 Overview

3.2 Problems definition

3.3 System Model

3.3.1 Drills

3.3.2 Simulation

3.3.3 Tutorials

3.4 Diagram

3.5 System Design

3.5.1 Data Design

3.5.2 Architectural design

3.6.1 Input Analysis

3.6.2 Processing

3.6.3 Out Analysis

3.7 Weakness of the current system

3.8 Justification for the new System

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 system design

4.1 Design Standards

4.2 Output Specification and Design

4.3 Input specification and Design

4.4 File Design

4.5 Design Procedure Chart

4.6 System Flowchart

4.7 System Requirement

4.8 Program Flowchart

CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, Recommendation & Conclusion

5.1 Summary

5.2 Recommendation

5.3 Conclusion

References

LIST OF FIGURES/TABLE

FIGURES

TITLE

PAGE

STRUCTURE AND FLOW OF A TUTORIAL

HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF SOFTWARE

FUNCTIONAL MODEL OF THE TUTORIAL

DATA FLOW DIAGRAM

DESIGN PROCEDURE CHART

SYSTEM FLOWCHART

PROGRAM FLOWCHART

FILE DESIGN

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The term Computer Assisted Learning (CAL) covers a range of computer-based packages, which aim to provide interactive instruction usually in a specific subject area and many predate the internet. These can range from sophisticated and expensive commercial packages to applications developed by projects in other educational institutions or national initiatives to simple solutions developed by individuals with no funding or support to tackle a very local problem. The amount of time and money invested in development is high and partly because of the very subject-specific nature of the education market as well as the very personalized nature of the teaching process- particularly at FE and HE levels- means that commercial success is difficult to achieve and work done in one subject area rarely transfers to others subject areas.

In general, the use of computers in education through CAL has been sporadic a great deal of effort was expended with little general impact. Many of those academics that took part in that earlier crusade are now cynical about the effectiveness of computers in teaching.

There are still good reasons to use CAL rather than internet-based technologies. CAL is run either straight from a CD or floppy disk drive or over a local network so the constraint of the internet-slow download times for multimedia materials may not apply. This, coupled with the fact that CAL technology has been around a bit longer means that CAL packages have the potential to offer more advanced, interactive, multimedia learning experience than it is currently reasonable to expect from the web. This has been changing as web technologies develop and bandwidths improve but there are currently many things that can only be achieved with CAL rather than the web and CAL has been an integral part of the curriculum in many departments at Warwick for some time.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this project are as follows:

· Develop a systematic way to make the study of mathematics more enjoyable.

· Create an interaction through the tutor, which gives the student the feeling of being aided by a teacher.

· Help the students improve in mathematics. This is possible by making user-solve questions at different steps while the answers to frequently asked questions are stored in the software to aid the student.

· To eliminate time wasted when educating people on mathematics

1.3 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Owing to:

The difficulties people face during learning

Lack of a conducive environment for learning

Time-consuming due to the calculative nature of mathematics

The vast scope of mathematics

The inability of some people to understand mathematics during classroom learning due to lack of concentration

The need arise for the development of software for computerized aided learning system in mathematics in order to solve these problems.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

With the growth in information technology, the study offers numerous examples of software tutors. People do not need to depend totally on mathematics lecturers to know more about mathematics but slot-aided learning system software on mathematics to learn it. Time wasted in educating people on mathematics is reduced to the bare minimum as the software help to facilitate work. Individuals on their own can also buy the software in order to know more about maths

1.5 ASSUMPTION OF THE STUDY

One of the major assumptions made in this project work is that manual methods of enlightening on mathematics are times ineffective, time-wasting and have a high level of energy dissipation. It is also assumed that with the level of development in information technology, there is a serious demand to join this trend of information technology.

It is also assumed that a computerized aided learning system on mathematics software will enhance and facilitate educational work.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project is a tutorial on senior secondary school mathematics but it is restricted to the following topics:

Simple interest

Algebra

Set theory

1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Due to time constraints resulting from other schools’ activities, the topics treated are limited compared to the whole scheme of work for senior secondary schools (senior) with an automated test centre of a maximum of seven questions per topic. This means that the user can only answer seven questions in any area of his choice. But it is advisable that the user studies through the tutor before answering questions. However, it is noteworthy that the tutor is complementary to the teacher’s effort and not a replacement for the teacher’s effort.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Internet: a network that links computer networks all over the world by satellite and telephone, connecting users with service networks such as e-mail and the World Wide Web

CD plate: this is an optical disk on which sound is recorded in a digital format by assigning a numerical value to the measurement of the sound.

Computer: an electronic device that accepts processes, stores and outputs data at high speeds according to programmed instructions.

Website: An address identifying the location of the file on the internet, consisting of the protocol, the computer on which the file is located, and the file’s location on that computer.

Tutorial: A chapter of a book or manual, or a sector of a computer program, designed to provide instruments or training using exercise and assignment.

Software: programs and applications that can be run on a computer system, e.g. word processing or database packages