Abstract

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

1Obi Christiana N., 2Abugu Georgina N. AND 3Ayogu David I.

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Abstract The study adopted casual comparative research design. The sample of 60 skill acquisition centres was drawn using simple random sampling. This comprised of 30 from professional skill acquisition centres and 30 from computer (ICT) centres. The instruments used for the study were Mathematics Knowledge Questionnaire (MKQ) and Technological Development Questionnaire (TDQ), which were developed by the researchers. The instruments were validated by two experts in mathematics education and one expert in Measurement and Evaluation from the Department of Science Education, University of Nigeria Nsukka and their comments were incorporated in the final draft of the questionnaires. The reliability indices of Mathematics Knowledge Questionnaire (MKQ) and Technological Development Questionnaire (TDQ) were found to be 0.87 and 0.82 respectively using Cronbach Alpha. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used in testing the null hypotheses. This study showed that the relationship between mathematics knowledge and technological development was very high and that between professional and ICT skills is average. Therefore, the teaching and learning of mathematics in schools should be given upper hand since it is being said that for a man to be self actualized in a society, mathematics should form part of his blood just as mathematics has become an essential subject in primary, secondary and tertiary systems of education in Nigeria.

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