EFFECT OF GEOBOARD IN TEACHING GEOMETRIC SHAPES ON PUPILS’

ACHIEVEMENT IN MATHEMATICS

BY

KAYODE OYENIYI AJERE

DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY EDUCATION
SCHOOL OF ECC AND PED
FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION PANKSHIN
kayode.ajere@gmail.com
07035040075

Being a paper presented on the 25th NAFAK Annual National conference and virtual conference

on the 13th of march to 17th march, 2023

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Abstract
The study examined the effect of Geoboard in teaching geometric shapes on pupils ‘achievement
in mathematics in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. One hundred and twenty
pupils were randomly sampled from six primary schools for the study. The sample was divided
into two groups of experimental and control, adopting the true experimental design. A pretest
was first given to both groups to ensure that they were homogeneous. The experimental group
was taught geometric shapes using the Geoboard for two weeks while the control group was
taught same topic during the same period but without the use of Geoboard. Both groups were
post tested using the Geoboard Achievement Test (GAT). Some of the findings of the study
include: Significant difference existed between the experimental and the control group with
p=0.02.; it was also discovered that there was no significant difference between the performance
of male and female when taught mathematics with the use of Geoboard. Finally, it was
recommended that mathematics teachers should use Geoboard in their teachings of geometric
shapes to enhance mental development in pupils.

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Introduction

Mathematics is a core subject in the educational system, and it is taught from primary school

through to tertiary institutions. Mathematics is used in various fields, such as science,

engineering, finance, economics, and technology, and it is an important tool for problem-solving

and decision-making in many areas of human activity. In primary schools, Mathematics is an

essential subject that provides a foundation for the development of pupils' numeracy skills and

problem-solving abilities. According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

(NCTM, 2000), Mathematics in the primary school context can be defined as "a study of patterns

and relationships among quantities, numbers, and shapes, with an emphasis on the development

of problem-solving strategies, critical thinking skills, and mathematical reasoning. “Similarly,

the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC, 2013) in Nigeria defines Mathematics as

"the study of numbers, quantities, and shapes, with a focus on developing pupils' understanding

of mathematical concepts and operations, as well as their ability to apply these concepts to real-

world situations. The National Policy on Education (NPE, 2013) states that mathematics

education at the primary level should aim to develop the child's mathematical ability and

confidence, as well as to provide a solid foundation for further study of mathematics. The NPE

emphasizes the importance of making mathematics a meaningful and enjoyable subject for

children, and using hands-on and practical activities to help them understand mathematical

concepts, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It recognizes the need to

prepare children for the demands of a rapidly changing world and the increasing importance of

mathematical skills in many aspects of modern life.

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Geoboard as a mathematical manipulative tool used to teach geometric concepts and spatial

reasoning. It helps pupils visualize and understand concepts such as area, perimeter, shapes, and

symmetry. It enhances the development of pupil's spatial awareness and understanding of

geometric shapes, as well as hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem-solving

abilities. The Geoboard fosters creativity and imagination, as pupils can create their own designs

and patterns on it. The use of Geoboard by primary school teachers is a valuable tool in

enhancing pupils' understanding and appreciation of geometric shapes.

Literature Review
Mathematics
." Ogbonnaya and Nwambeke (2014) sees Mathematics as "the study of patterns and

relationships among quantities, objects, and concepts using symbols and formal reasoning, with

the aim of developing models and theories that can be used to understand and solve real-world

problems." Primary mathematics refers to the study of mathematical concepts and skills taught in

primary school (typically ages 5-11+). It includes topics such as numbers and operations,

measurement, geometry, and early algebra. It focuses on developing a strong foundation in

mathematical skills and understanding, as well as promoting love of mathematics in pupils.

Geoboard

A geoboard is a mathematical manipulative tool consisting of a flat board with a grid of pegs or

nails arranged in a square or rectangular pattern. Rubber bands or strings can be stretched around

the pegs to create geometric shapes and patterns, providing a hands-on approach for students to

explore concepts relating to geometry, spatial reasoning, and mathematics. Geoboards are often

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used in elementary and middle school classrooms to help students develop their understanding of

geometric shapes, angles, symmetry, perimeter, area, and more. Cheung (2018) stated that the

effectiveness of geoboards is improving students' mathematical achievement and spatial

visualization ability. The use of geoboards can provide a concrete and visual representation of

geometric shapes, and allow pupils to explore and manipulate the shapes in a hands-on manner.

As a result of this, pupils can develop a deeper understanding of geometric concepts, and

improve their ability to mentally rotate and manipulate spatial images.

Geometry

Geometry is an integral part of the mathematics curriculum, providing children with an

opportunity to develop their spatial reasoning skills and apply mathematical concepts to real-

world problems (NCTM 2000). According to (NCDC 2019) Geometry provides children with

opportunities to develop their problem-solving skills and critical thinking abilities, as well as

their understanding of shape, space, and measurement. Davis G.A (2008) also state that teaching

geometry in primary schools is important because it helps children understand the world around

them, and provides them with a foundation for success in higher levels of mathematics and other

disciplines. In primary school, pupils are introduced to geometric shapes as part of their

mathematics curriculum. They learn to identify and name basic shapes, as well as understand

their properties and characteristics, such as the number of sides, vertices, and angles. They also

learn how to distinguish between different types of shapes, such as regular and irregular

polygons, and how to classify them based on their attributes. Geometric shapes are mathematical

objects that have specific properties, such as size, shape, symmetry, and angle measurements.

These shapes can be two-dimensional (flat) or three-dimensional (solid), and are commonly

studied in geometry, which is a branch of mathematics that deals with the study of shape, size,
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position, and spatial relationships of objects. Examples of two-dimensional geometric shapes

include circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, and polygons, while examples of three-dimensional

geometric shapes include spheres, cubes, cones, cylinders, and pyramids. The study of geometric

shapes plays an important role in many fields, including mathematics, engineering, architecture,

art, and design.

Importance of teaching geometry in Primary School

i. Develops Spatial Reasoning: Teaching geometry in primary schools helps children

develop spatial reasoning, which is the ability to understand and navigate the world

around them. Spatial reasoning is a key skill that is used in many areas of life, including

math, science, engineering, and art.

ii. Enhances Problem-Solving Skills: Geometry is a subject that requires problem-solving

skills, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. By teaching geometry in primary schools,

children can develop these important skills, which will be useful to them throughout their

academic and professional lives.

iii. Improves Mathematical Understanding: Geometry is an integral part of mathematics and

is necessary for a complete understanding of the subject. By teaching geometry in

primary schools, children can develop a strong foundation in math that will be useful to

them in higher levels of education.

iv. Supports Other Subjects: Geometry is closely related to other subjects, such as physics,

engineering, and architecture. By teaching geometry in primary schools, children can

develop an understanding of how these subjects are interconnected and how they can be

used in real-world applications.

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 v. Teaching geometry in primary schools is crucial for enhancing creativity and innovation,

as it encourages children to explore different shapes, patterns, and designs, and to

develop their own unique solutions to problems

Overall, scholars emphasize that teaching geometry in primary schools is essential for

helping children develop a range of important skills and knowledge that will be useful to

them throughout their lives, both in mathematics and in other areas of study and work.

Pupils Achievement

Pupils' achievement generally refers to the level of academic success that pupils have attained in

a given subject or area of study. This can be measured in a variety of ways, such as grades on

exams, assignments, and projects, or through standardized tests that assess students' knowledge

and skills. Pupils' achievement can also refer to their progress over time, such as improvements

in grades or test scores, or growth in their understanding of a subject or area of study. The

assessment of pupils' achievement is an important part of the education system and is used to

evaluate the effectiveness of teaching methods and curriculum, as well as to identify areas where

students may need additional support or resources. According to Adu (2010), pupils'

achievement can be defined as "the level of attainment or success that pupils have achieved in a

particular subject or area of study, as measured by tests, examinations, or other forms of

assessment." Similarly, Adeyemo and Olubiyo (2015) defines pupils' achievement as "the extent

to which pupils have mastered the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for a particular

subject or area of study, as demonstrated through their performance on assessments and

evaluations.

Statement of the Problem

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 Pupils’ poor performance in Mathematics is a big concern to parents, and Mathematics

teachers across the levels of educational institutions in Nigeria. Experience shows that often the

problem is related to the way teachers teach geometry in classrooms. Sani and Salahudeen (2016,

p. 142) argue that some teachers tend to teach Mathematics in abstract terms and this prevents

pupils from seeing the connection between real life problems and mathematics.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of Geoboard on pupils’ achievement
in mathematics. Specifically, it assessed how the use of Geoboard influenced performance of
male and female pupils in learning geometric shapes at the Primary school level in Pankshin
Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Research Questions

The following research questions were formulated to guide the study

i. What is the effect of using Geoboard to teach geometric shapes on primary school

pupils’ achievement in mathematics in Pankshin Local government of Plateau

State?

ii. Would there be a difference between the achievement scores in mathematics of

male and female pupils after being taught geometric shapes using the Geoboard?

Hypotheses

H01: There is no significant difference between the performance of pupils taught geometric

shapes with Geoboard and those taught without.

H02: There is no significant difference between the performance of male and female pupils

taught geometric shapes with Geoboard and those taught without.

Methodology

The population of the study consisted of all public primary schools in Pankshin LGA of
Plateau State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 120 pupils from six (6)
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primary schools were selected by balloting. Three of the schools were designated as
experimental and control group respectively. The experimental schools selected were Mile 8 Fier
Primary School, Holy Cross Primary School, and Rim-Bwarak Primary School. While the
control schools selected were Tambes Primary School, Tukung Primary School, and Wokkos
Central Primary School. The research design used for this research was the True Experimental
Design. The subjects were pretested to ensure homogeneity. The experimental group was taught
geometric shapes using the Geoboard while the control group was taught without the Geoboard.
Instrumentation

The research instrument used for the data collection was the Geoboard Achievement Test

(GAT). Two experts in Mathematics Education, a Chief Lecturer and a Senior Lecturer from

Federal College of Education, Pankshin, validated the instrument. The suggestions given by the

experts were incorporated and corrections effected. The reliability coefficient was calculated to

be 0.76.

Results

The mean, standard deviation and t-test analysis were calculated using statistical

packages for social science (SPSS). The results are as follows:

RQ1: What is the effect of using Geoboard to teach geometric shapes on primary school pupils’

achievement in mathematics in Pankshin Local government of Plateau State?

Table 1: Mean and Standard Deviation of Pupils’ Performance

Group N Mean Std. Deviation

Experimental 60 85.18 8.24

Control 60 54.60 2.32

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From Table.1. Itis clear that the mean of experimental group (85.18) is greater than the mean of

control group (54.60). However, we cannot conclude whether the difference is significant or not;

until we test the Hypothesis

HO1: There is no significant difference between the performances of pupils taught geometric

shapes with Geoboard and those taught without.

Table 2: t- test Statistics on the Performance of Experimental and Control Groups

Group N mean std.deviation d.f T p Decision

Experimenta 60 85.18 8.24 118 27.67 0.02 Significant

Control 60 54.60 2.32

Table 2 shows that there is significant difference between the experimental and the control group

since the value of p=0.02 is less than 0.05. Therefore, the null hypotheses is rejected and the

alternative hypotheses is retained

RQ2: Would there be a difference between the achievement scores in mathematics of male and

female pupils after being taught geometric shapes using the Geoboard?

Table 3: Mean and Standard Deviation of Student Performance according Gender

Gender Group N Mean Std. Deviation

Male Experimental 29 85.28 8.84

Control 22 54.73 2.03

Female Experimental 31 85.10 7.79

Control 38 54.53 2.50

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From Table 3 it is obvious that both gender (male and female) of the experimental group

performed better than the control group. However, we cannot say that the difference is

significant or not. Furthermore, we can see little difference between the performance of boys and

girls in both experimental and control group in favors of boys.

Ho2: There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls in the

experimental group.

Table 4: t-test of the Performance of Experimental Group According to Gender

Group N mean std.deviation d.f T p Decision

Male 29 85.28 8.84 118 27.67 0.02 Significant

Female 31 85.10 7.79

From Table 4.it can be seen that the p value is greater than 0.05, which is not significant. This

indicates that this use of instructional material (Geoboard) is gender friendly since both genders

benefitted from the treatment.

Ho2: There is no significant difference between the performance of male and female pupils

taught geometric shapes with Geoboard and those taught without.

Table 5: t-test Statistics of the Performance of the Control Group according to Gender

Gender N Mean std.deviation d.f T p Decision

Male 22 54.73 2.03

Female 38 54.53 2.50 68.35 27.67 0.16 Not Significant

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Table 5 shows that there is significant difference between the performance of male and female

pupils in the Control Group. This shows that the lecture method is not a gender friendly method.

Discussion

From Table.2, it can be seen that the first hypothesis which states that there is no

significant difference between the performances of pupils taught mathematics with instructional

materials (Geoboard) and those taught using conventional method was rejected with p-value is

0.02 which is less than 0.05, and alternative hypothesis is accepted. In summary students taught

with Geoboard perform significantly better than those taught without. This agrees with the

findings of Tapia and Mash (2003) which said that the instructional materials are essential

materials that enhance the teaching and learning process. It also agrees with the findings of

Akanmu (2015) who found that the use of Geo-gebra software enhances students’ performance

in mathematics.

The results of the experimental group based on gender showed that there is no

significance difference between the performance of boys and girls in mathematics when

instructional materials (Geoboard)are used in teaching mathematics with p=0.16>0.05. In other

words, we can say that the hypothesis is retained. This is inconformity with the findings of Korau

(1990); Holden (1998); Begley (2009 and TIMSS (2013) which all indicated that there is no

significant difference between the performance of boys and girls in Mathematics at the lower

level. Furthermore, one can conclude that the use of instructional materials is gender friendly.

However, the results from the control group based on gender showed significant difference

existed between the performance of males and females in favor of males. This shows when

pupils are taught geometric shapes without the use of the Geoboard the boys perform better than

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girls are. This shows that the use of Geoboard helps in bridging the gap between the

performances of males and female pupils in mathematics.

Summary of the Findings

The study was conducted to find out the use of Geoboard in teaching geometric shapes

for mental skills development. The summary of the findings are as follows:

i) There is significant difference between the performance of the experimental group

(those taught with Geoboard) and the control group (those taught without the

Geoboard)

ii) There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and that of girls in

the experimental group. This indicates that the use of Geoboard is gender friendly.

iii) Significant difference was found between the performance of boys and girls when

taught without the use Geoboard

Conclusion

The findings of the study have shown that pupils taught geometric shapes with Geoboard

perform better than those who are taught without the instructional material. The result is

inconformity with other findings not only mathematics but in other subjects. The use of

Geoboard in the teaching and learning of geometric shapes in primary schools reduces the

abstract nature of teaching geometric shapes in mathematics; it also arouses the pupils’ interest,

and makes learning of mathematics more meaningful and more interesting at that level.

Recommendations
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Based on the above findings, the following recommendations are given:

i. Mathematics teachers in primary schools in Pankshin LGA should use instructional

material (Geoboard)in teaching of mathematics, especially while teaching geometric

shapes

ii. Heads of primary schools in Pankshin LGA should encourage and emphasize on the use

of instructional materials while teaching mathematics.

iii. SUBEB, UBE, proprietors of schools and ministry of educations should ensure that they

supply instructional materials to schools for their mathematics teachers.

iv. Authors of mathematics text books should motivate teachers on the use of Geoboard and

other instructional materials through the illustrations of these materials in their text books

v. State Ministries of Education should organize regular retraining workshop for

mathematics teachers on the use of instructional materials such as the Geoboard

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