DETERMINING THE CONCEPTUAL AND MISCONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS’ GEOMETRY KNOWLEDGE USING TWO-TIER DIAGNOSTIC TEST IN OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The paper investigated the conceptual and misconception understanding of junior secondary
school students’ geometry knowledge using two-tier diagnostic test in Yagba west local
government area of Kogi State. The total number of junior secondary school students that
participated in the study were 219 students selected using simple random sample techniques.
The design used was descriptive survey and instruments used for this study was Two Tier
Geometry Diagnostic Test (TTGDT). The instrument was validated by two experts from science
education of Beune State University, Makurdi, Benue State. The reliability coefficient of 0.76
was obtained. Two research questions and a hypothesis guided the study. Percentages, mean
and standard deviation was used to analyze the research questions and the t-test was used to
test the hypotheses. The study found out that the use two-tier test to diagnostic test can be used
perfectly to evaluate junior secondary school student’s geometry misconceptions and their
conceptual understanding. And that there was a significant difference in terms of students’
misconceptions and their conceptual understanding of geometry knowledge as measured using
TTGDT. JSS1 students held more misconceptions than their conceptual understanding of
geometry knowledge and it was recommended among other things that teachers of mathematics
should note the seriousness of alternative conceptions of such basic mathematics knowledge
and be encouraged to develop and use two-tier test to diagnose the area of learning difficulties
in mathematics