ABSTRACT
The investigator developed a Java Applet Package on Vector Algebra pertaining to the syllabus of Mathematics prescribed for the Higher Secondary level students in Tamilnadu. After administering a pre-test, the sample of 50 students for the period of one and half months has been taught Vector Algebra with the Java Applets Package and conducted the post-test. The result indicates that the effectiveness of Java Applets Package has made a statically significant gain for the sample.
INTRODUCTION
Education makes the progressive changes in a person in their knowledge and behavior as a result of formal instruction and study, it is the formal development and the person resulting from their experience rather than from maturation. Education is the important tool to shape human beings in their process of civilization humaneness evolves through education. This means that education is not only a process of teaching and learning but also social emancipation.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Though these have been a number of attempts in science education to integrate ICT and web tools in to the teaching and learning of Mathematics, the technology of Java Applets has not been effectively applied for teaching – learning Mathematics. Hence, an experiment has been derived to use Java Applets for teaching a unit of study that is ‘Vector Algebra’ with a view to assessing the effectiveness of Java Applets. Hence the problem of the study is to state as ‘Effectiveness of Teaching Vector Algebra of Mathematics through Java Applets Package at the Higher Secondary Level’.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
- To find out whether there is any significant difference between the means scores of rural and urban area students with respect to their locality.
- To find out whether there is any significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the control group students.
- To find out whether there is any significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students.
HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
- There is no significant difference between the means scores of rural and urban area students with respect to their locality.
- There is no significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the control group students.
- There is no significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students.
METHODOLOGY
Pre-test, Post-test Parallel Group Design is adopted for the study. A representative and manageable sample of 50 students in each are chosen through simple Random sampling technique, the group has been given the treatment of instruction using Java Applets on the topic of Vector Algebra. Before the treatment an achievement test is conducted as a Pre-test and the marks are recorded, immediately after the treatment an achievement test has been given as a Post-test, the difference in the mean achievement scores are analyzed to find out the effectiveness of teaching Java Applets in Mathematics at Higher Secondary Level. The analysis of the Pre-test and Post-test scores are done through the test of significance.
SAMPLE
The experiment is conducted on the total sample size of 100 students consisting of 50 for control group students and 50 for experimental group students of the XI standard students, studying in K.A.P.V Higher Secondary School, Tiruchirappalli. The research of the study is mainly focused upon the students of the mathematics group with computer science, using random sampling method.
DATA ANALYSIS
As the main objective of the study is to teach ‘Vector Algebra’ effectively by using the Java Applets method in Higher Secondary Level, it is proposed to compare the Pre-test and Post-test scores of the students in Mathematics when they are taught using Java Applets. Null Hypothesis is formulated as the base for analysis and test of significance of difference between mean was attempted. The null hypothesis can be rejected or cannot rejected depending on the basis of the ‘t’ value.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
Statistical Analysis such as Mean, Standard Deviation and ‘t’ test were used for analyzing the data.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1: Significance of difference between the means scores of rural and urban area students with respect to their locality
| Locality of the students | N | Mean | S.D | Calculated ‘t’ value | Level of significant at 0.01 level |
| Rural | 50 | 69.10 | 25.04 | 0.60 | Not Significant |
| Urban | 50 | 71.90 | 21.49 |
(At 1% level of significant of the table value of ‘t’ is 2.63 )
It is evident from the above table-1 shows that the calculated t-value is 0.60 lower than the critical value of ‘t’ is 2.63 corresponding to the 0.01 level of significance. This implies that the difference in the rural and urban area students with respect to their locality is not significant.
Hence, the null hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, it is concluded that the mean scores of rural and urban area students do not differ significantly with respect to their locality.
Table 2: Significance of difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the control group students
| Group
(N = 50) |
Control Group | Calculated ‘t’ value | Level of significant at 0.01 level | |
| Mean | S.D | |||
| Pre-Test | 33.40 | 12.09 | 0.04 | Not Significant |
| Post-Test | 48.90 | 11.44 | ||
(At 1% level of significant of the table value of ‘t’ is 2.63)
It is evident from the above table-2 shows that the calculated t-value is 0.04 lower than the critical value of ‘t’ is 2.63 corresponding to the 0.01 level of significance. This implies that the difference in the achievement of pre-test and post-test scores of the control group students is not significant.
Hence, the null hypothesis is accepted. Therefore, it is concluded that the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores do not differ significantly with respect to the control group students.
Table 3: Significance of difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students
| Group (N = 50) | Experimental Group | Calculated ‘t’ value | Level of significant at 0.01 level | |
| Mean | S.D | |||
| Pre-Test | 33.50 | 12.82 | 25.07 | Significant |
| Post-Test | 92.10 | 3.20 | ||
(At 1% level of significant of the table value of ‘t’ is 2.63)
It is evident from the above table-3 shows that the calculated t-value is 25.07 higher than the critical value of ‘t’ is 2.63 corresponding to the 0.01 level of significance. This implies that the difference in the achievement of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students is significant.
Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected. Therefore, it is concluded that the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores differ significantly with respect to the experimental group students.
MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
- There is no significant difference between the means scores of rural and urban area students with respect to their locality.
- There is no significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the control group students.
- There is a significant difference between the mean scores of pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group students.
EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
- Java Applets Package makes learning of Mathematics simple, easy, interesting and the school should have Mathematics laboratory and Mathematics should be thought in a practical manner.
- Mathematics is an imaginative subject and to make the learning of Mathematics easier it should be taught by learning by doing, by experience etc., and not only by chalk and talk method.
- It makes the students to actively participate in the educational process.
- It can be used with all the categories of the students that is, from high level to low level students.
- It increases the concentration of the students in Mathematics.
- It gives the better idea about the real concepts.
- Awareness could be strengthened among the teachers to master the competencies in Java Applets Package.
- Java Applets Package can be used as a medium in an educational process for the faster and easier learning, and in building most of the up-to-date knowledge.
CONCLUSION
The development of Java Applets Package in time with the changing times has become a major responsibility of the modern teacher who has to face a new learner in a new environment. Therefore more and more number of Java Applets Package should be used in classroom. Effectiveness of Java Applets Package is meant not only for the current generation but also for the posterity. Hence it is concluded that the Java Applets Package is considered to be one of the best techniques for teaching Vector Algebra in Mathematics at the Higher Secondary level.
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[1] Research Scholar, Department of Educational Technology, Bharthidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu.
[2] Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Trichy Engineering College, Konalai, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu.
[3] Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamilnadu.
