EFFECTS OF IMPROVISED AND STANDARDIZED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON LOWER BASIC EDUCATION PUPILS’ INTEREST, ACHIEVEMENT AND RETENTION IN FRACTION IN YABO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SOKOTO STATE

The study investigated the effect of improvised and standardized instructional materials on lower basic Education pupils’ interest, achievement, and retention in Mathematics (Fractions) in Yabo Local Government Area, Sokoto State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental design adopting a non-randomized pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test control group was employed. two specific objectives, research question and hypothesis guided the study. The population of the study consisted of all 5171 (4237 male and 934 female) Lower basic 3 pupils from 80 public primary schools in Yabo Local Government Sokoto State. The sample for this study consisted of 450 (285 male and 165 female) primary 3 pupils from two public primary schools. Two intact classes from selected primary schools in Yabo LGA were assigned to experimental and control groups. The Improvised and Standardized Instructional Material Group (ISIMG), and Conventional Method Group (CMG) were each taught the same fraction concepts for four weeks. Three validated instruments were used: The Fraction Achievement Test (FAT), Fraction Interest Inventory (FII), and Fraction Retention Test (FRT). Data collected were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and ANCOVA to test hypotheses at 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed that pupils taught with improvised and standardized instructional materials had significantly higher mean achievement, interest, and retention scores than those taught using the conventional method. It recommended that mathematics teachers in primary schools, particularly in Yabo LGA, should be trained and encouraged to develop and effectively use improvised instructional materials made from locally available resources to improve learning outcomes and sustain pupils’ interest in mathematics.