Research Approach LackShortage of Aids and other instructional materials.

66 Scientific and technological developments that are occurring to day and are likely to occur tomorrow in this world It is this aspect that makes teachers of mathematics think of computer literacy and its application in teaching and learning mathematics. Using of computers in class may also help in: a Student centered instruction b Students motivation on the subject c Solving enough exercises d Evaluating progress of the student instantly e Good exam setting.

4.4 Research Approach

Research is viewed as a careful study or investigation under taken in order to discover or produce new knowledge or information that will lead to the development. In this case researches are performed in order to produce new knowledge or new products, sometimes, researches are performed in order to improve the existing knowledge and products. Therefore the main aim of any research is development. Richey and nelson 1996 described development research in education as the production of knowledge with the aim of improving the process, design, development, and evaluation of educational products. Further more research and development in education is described as a scientific search for new and improved knowledge, skills and information that helps the society to improve the quality and standard of its education. In this study, teachers from three selected schools, who were expected to participate in the new technological teaching approach, were first trained, how to use computers effectively in teaching, and how to prepare and administer valid, reliable and fair tests. Since most of the student who participated in this study were completely computer illiterate, again these students were taught, how to start a computer and open Microsoft Excel, how to enter the data in the worksheet and find results in cells which contain formulas. In this study two classes of the same level or grade were taught the same lessontopic by the same teacher i.e. the same subject matter using two different approaches i.e. one class by using the new technological approach and another class by using the traditional approach, assignments and tests were given, and then the results were compared to evaluate the level of student’ achievement between the two classes. Students were given assignment at the end of each lesson, and a test was given at the end of the 67 topic to measure the level of student achievement. All tests and assignment were administered in the same way each time and had the same format. The effect of the new instructional method was evaluated from the comparison of the students’ test scores between classes where computers were used and classes where computers were not used. Formal hypothesis tests were used to analyze the data.

CHAPTER 5 5.

THEORETICAL FRAME WORK

5.1 A brief overview of computers in classroom