ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF GRADE 7 STUDENTS IN THE INTEGER

OPERATIONS THROUGH INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

An Action Research Proposal

La Union National High School

Mathematics Department

Rojema Gaon-Llantada

August 2019
I. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

Early in the 20th century, John Dewey stressed that learning comes from

experience and active involvement of the learner. In addition, the theory of

experiential education stipulates that enhancement happen when students learn

new knowledge through active engagement (Hartshorn and Boren, 1990).

Active learning is guided by the assumption that (i) Significant learning takes

place when the subject matter is perceived by the learners as relevant to their own

purpose. (ii) Much significant learning is acquired through doing. (iii) Learning is

facilitated by the learner’s responsible participation in the learning process. (iv)

Self-initiated learning involving the whole person-as well as intellect – is the most

pervasive and lasting type of learning (Okwudishu, 2011).

Research shows that there is greater learning when students are engage in

active learning.

Mathematics is said to be a skilled subject, where in it takes a lot of activities for

learners to master the skill. Sousa (2001) recognized that students need to have

mastered a certain number of skills before they can understand and apply the

principles of more complex mathematical operations. Furthermore, Donoghue

(1996) believed that the ability to deal with mathematical problems can easily

performed through mastery of the basic concepts of mathematics.

Samo (2008) confirms that students learn mathematics by constructing their

own conceptual understanding and active participation. The active participation of

students can be insured by good teaching strategies and maintaining interest in

the classroom.
 In addition, Gallardo and Hernandez (2002) cited that since nineteen seventies,

several research results have shown that students exhibited extreme difficulties

associated with the conceptualizing and operating with numbers.

Grade 7- Hibiscus is composed of 27 males and 19 females with 4 repeaters

who failed in Mathematics 7 last school year. Based from the result of the first

quarterly assessment in Mathematics 7 given last August 8, 2019, the least

mastered topic was subtraction of integers with 77.88% of error. In the class of

grade 7-Hibiscus the frequency of error is 40 and the mean score was 25. 13.

Another data used was the result of the respondents’ summative test in the

operation of integers in the first quarter. From the 30-item summative test, 18 out

of 46 got 50% and below the passing mark. It is evident from these data that

there is a low performance level of students in the operations of integers

particularly addition and subtraction. It is for this reason that the researcher

decided and hoped that the use of interactive activities will enhance the

performance level of Grade 7 Hibiscus students in adding and subtracting integers.

Definition of Terms

1. Interactive activity. An activity that engages active participation of students.

The teacher only acts as facilitator.

2. Performance. The accomplishment of a given task measured against known

standard of accuracy, completeness, and speed.

3. Pre-test. This refers to the test before the conduct of the intervention.

4. Post-test. This refers to the test after the conduct of the intervention.
 5. Mean. This is commonly called as the average.

6. Percentage of Mastery. This is the number of score divided by the total

number of item multiplied by 100%.

I. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This action research is to be conducted to enhance the performance level

of Grade 7 Hibiscus students SY 2019-2020 in the operations of integers

through interactive activities.

Specifically it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the performance level of students before the implementation of

the interactive activities?

2. What is the performance level of students after the implementation of the

interactive activities?

3. Is there a significant difference in the performance of students before and

after the implementation of interactive activities?

Hypothesis

There is no significant difference in the performance level of the grade

7 Hibiscus students before and after the implementation of interactive

activities in the operations of integers.

II. PROPOSED INNOVATION, INTERVENTION, AND STRATEGY

This action research study aims to enhance the performance level of

Grade 7 Hibiscus students SY 2019-2020 when exposed to interactive

activities in the operations of integers. Interactive activities will be use

whereby learners are actively engaged in the learning process. Active

 learning is defined as any strategy “that involves students in doing things and

thinking about things they are doing”. (Bonwell & Eison, 2005).

The approach makes learning interesting and it will be helpful for

students to remember content for a long time as every student is involved in

the teaching-learning process.

Students will be exposed to different interactive activities which is a

computer aided instruction developed by Engineer Crisanto Uberita. Grade 7-

Hibiscus students will be group heterogeneously for such activities. They will

be given tasks to work on and all members must participate in the given

activity, and the teacher acts only as facilitator of learning.

III. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

A. Participants

The participants of the study are the 46 students from Grade 7- Hibiscus

SY 2019-2020 of La Union National High School. The class is made up of 27

males and 19 females.

B. Data Gathering Methods

The researcher will use the questionnaire to gather data on the level of

performance of students before and after the implementation of the interactive

activities on the integer operations.

C. Data Analysis Plan

After gathering the data, the researcher will make use of mean or

average in analysing and treating the pre-test and post-test as well as the

percentage mastery to determine the level of performance of students. For

 the difference of the variables, t-test will be utilized to compare the results of

the pre-test and post-test.

Activities Data to be Collected Data Analysis

1. Topic identification

2. Construction of  Pre-test results

evaluative  Post – test

competency based results

Pre-test and Post-test

questionnaires.  Mean scores of

3. Determine the mean the pre-test and  Mean

of the Pre-test and post-test

Post-test.  Mastery level of

 Percentage of
4. Determine the the
Mastery
mastery level in the respondents in
integer operations the pre-test and
5. Determine the t-test post-test
 T-test
of the Mean scores of  Difference of
the Pre-test and Post- performance in
test results the pre-test and

post-test

IV. ACTION RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND TIMELINES

A. Time Frame
 This study is to be conducted from August 22, 2019 to November 30,

2019.

B. Plan of action

Date Action Expected Results

- August 22, 2019 - Construction of - Questionnaires for the

to November 30, competency based pre- pre-test and post-test

2019 test and post-test on the on the integer

integer operations operations.

- Conduct pre-test on the - Result of the pre-test

integer operations with

specific time allotment.

- Intervention and strategy, - Improved and better

interactive activities will be performance of the

implemented in adding and respondents in adding
subtracting integers and subtracting integers

- Post-test will be - The result of the

conducted with the same post-test
time allotment.
must be better than the

pre-test. The mastery

level should be higher in

the post-test.

- The t-test will be used to -There should be a

test the difference between significant difference

 the mean scores of pre- between the pre-test

test and post-test. and post-test results.t

C. Evaluation Criteria

The results of this action research shall be reported at the end of

the research duration. Mean scores of the Pre-test and Post-test and the

result of the t-test will be used to determine if there is an increase in the

performance level of Grade 7 Hibiscus students SY 2019-2020 using

interactive activities.

This action research specifically determines the increase in the

performance level of Grade 7 Hibiscus students SY 2019-2020 using

Interactive activities in the Operations of Integers.

The research paradigm as shown in Fig.1 shows the use of

interactive activities as the Independent variable and the Performance of

grade 7-Hibiscus students as the Dependent variable.

The expected outcome of the Pre-test and Post-test results will be

the basis of determining the increase in the performance level of Grade 7

Hibiscus students SY 2019-2020 when exposed to interactive activities in

the integer operations.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Pre-test and Post-test

Performance of Grade
INTERACTIVE 7 Hibiscus students in
ACTIVITIES the Integer Operations
Figure 1. Research Paradigm

Bibliography:

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