Error Analysis of Lower Basic Education Number and Numeration Skills: Implication for Remediation

Abstract

The study conducted an Error Analysis of Lower Basic Education Number and Numeration Skills with implication for remediation. The purpose of the study was to analyze the errors that primary three pupils made from the content area of numbers and numerations from the 9-Year Lower Basic Education Curriculum Guide. The researchers employed the cross-sectional survey research design. The target population was pupils in primary three in Pankshin LGA from the Central Geo-Political Zones of Plateau State, Nigeria. A sample size of 235 pupils was obtained through a simple random sampling technique. The instrument for the study called Error Analysis of Lower Basic Education Numbers and Numeration Test (EALBENNT) was developed by the researchers using the modified Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. The instrument was validated by mathematics experts. A reliability coefficient of 0.78 was obtained using the Cronbach Alpha method. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The findings revealed that the pupils committed 80% conceptual errors, 9% procedural errors, 6% computational errors and 5% careless errors The result further showed a significant difference in scores of respondents based on school type: public (M=6.99, SD=1.69) and private (M=7.41, SD= 1.66); T (233) = -2.21, p = .03. and no significant difference in scores based on school location:urban (M=7.20, SD=1.71) and rural (M=5.70, SD= 1.59); T (233) = 1.94, p = .054. It was concluded that error analysis can help greatly in ascertaining the major challenges faced by the lower basic pupils and recommended among others that Lower Basic Education mathematics teachers should include error analysis as a method of assessment.