Scholars Journal of Physics, Mathematics and Statistics

Abbreviated Key Title: Sch J Phys Math Stat

ISSN 2393-8056 (Print) | ISSN 2393-8064 (Online)
Journal homepage: https://saspublishers.com/sjpms/

Peer Teaching Intervention to Enhance Applied Mathematics

Performance of* Technology Student in Mizan-Tepi University
Tesfaledet Tsegay Mena

Assitance Professor, Msc in Biostatistics, Department of Statistics, Wolkite University, Ethiopia

DOI: 10.36347/sjpms.2020.v07i03.001 | Received: 17.03.2020 | Accepted: 25.03.2020 | Published: 30.03.2020

*Corresponding author: Tesfaledet Tsegay Mena

Abstract Original Research Article

Mathematics is considered the mother of all learnings in both Arts and Sciences. It is a tool for understanding
structures, relationships and patterns to produce solutions for complex real-life problems. But many students possessed
of negative perception on mathematics as an academic discipline. This study aimed to investigate the effects of peer
learning strategy in enhancing the performance level of technology students in Applied Mathematics at Mizan-Tepi
University, Tepi. This study was conducted in two different steps the first one deal with collection of raw data from
registrar and alumni management to select low achiever student in first semester particularly in applied Mathematics
course for baseline information. The study was conducted over eight-week periods in the second semester of 2019/20
academic year, in 46 (29 males, 17 females) first year engineering students, College of Engineering and Technology,
Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia. Indeed, the study involved two groups; experimental (24) students and control group
(24) students. The result shows that there is a significant difference between the experimental group and control group
in mathematics academic achievement in the post- result. The result means that the null hypothesis is rejected and
accepting the alternative hypothesis, which states that: There is a significant statistical difference at (α=0.01) in
mathematics academic achievement of the technology students in Mizan-Tepi university attributed to the peer teaching
strategy. The results suggest that peer teaching strategy has a positive effect on the academic achievement of
mathematics.
Keywords: Science Club, Peer Teaching, Mizan-Tepi.
Copyright @ 2020: This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits unrestricted
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Mathematics is also important in our daily life.

INTRODUCTION It is the tool and language of almost all fields of
Mathematics is considered the mother of all science. It helps us recognize patterns and understand
learnings in both Arts and Sciences. It is a tool for the world around us. Many students in elementary, high
understanding structures, relationships and patterns to school and even at the university level find that
produce solutions for complex real-life problems. But mathematics is difficult and challenge because it is an
many students possessed of negative perception on abstract discipline. Therefore, mathematics instructors
mathematics as an academic discipline. This feeling try to create a math-friendly environment to help their
effectively hindered their potential to learn and students meet this challenge. One way to achieve this is
understand mathematical problem. Consequently, for by giving students an opportunity to learn and study
them to cope with the negative perception, modern day collaboratively. For example, students can work
teachers and scholars employed innovations in teaching together in groups.
mathematics to help students overcome fears and
improve their performance on the subject. While A scholar suggested that in order for learning
providing appropriate method to study mathematics is to take place, people should talk and interact with each
found to be relative, debates on the issue remain the other. People naturally learn from each other and work
subject of many scholarly studies. It is believed that cooperatively in their everyday lives. Moreover,
cooperative learning can considerably improve cooperative and peer learning approach as important
students‟ level of performance in the subject compared part of a process which leads to the social construction
to the conventional/traditional method of teaching [1]. of knowledge [2].

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 Tesfaledet Tsegay Mena., Sch J Phys Math Stat, March 2020; 7(3): 34-39

Different research result shows that peer OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

interaction can have a great impact on academic This study aimed to investigate the effects of
achievement and motivation as well [3, 4]. Similarly, it peer learning strategy in enhancing the performance
has been showed that the socialization process which level of technology students in Applied Mathematics at
takes place during the peer teaching is useful and Mizan-Tepi University, Tepi. Specifically, the study
helpful for both, tutor and tutee. It increases the sought to:
motivation of the students to learn and in the same time a. Describe the performance level of the students on
the social standing among peers will be much better [5- the control and experimental group before and
7]. after the experiment.
b. Assess the effectiveness of Peer learning.
Peer teaching is a subset of cooperative c. Determine the impact of Peer learning on
learning. Further it can be defined as teaching system in students‟ performance in Applied Mathematics.
which learners cooperate with each other [8]. One of
them (peer teacher) conveys knowledge and skills that The generalization of the findings of this study will be
he has mastered to other students (peer learner) under limited by:
the supervision of the teacher. reported that peer 1. A sample of undergraduate students admitted
teaching is an interactive approach including two in Mizan-Tepi University on 2019/20
students. One of them takes the role of the teacher and academic year, College of Engineering and
the other takes the role of the learner. Peer teaching Technology.
considered as a mutual learning process in which 2. Applied Mathematics courses
students teach others the desired skills and knowledge 3. Using Student peer teaching method undergo
with full coordination with their teacher in case there by since club that has been recognized under
are any comments or questions. However, the teacher college of natural and computational science.
should be around always to solve immediately any 4. The validity and reliability of the tools used to
problems may arise between students [9, 10]. collect data.

Researches show that peer teaching is useful MATERIAL AND METHODS

and has many benefits for students and teachers. A This study was conducted in two different
reported that peer teaching is helpful for fast learners steps the first one deal with collection of raw data from
and slow learners as well. It helps fast learners to registrar and alumni management to select low achiever
master the concepts related to the course and student in first semester particularly in applied
confidently express their ideas. Slow learners improve Mathematics course for baseline information. The
and develop their performance and get a better second phase will be making an intervention on selected
understanding of the terms of the lessons. Peer teaching student by peer learning method using science club that
helps both, fast learners and slow learners in developing has been introduced under college of natural and
important values such as sharing, self-esteem, and self- computational science.
discipline. Other study reported that students working in
groups perform better on exams especially questions Since club is one of association in Mizan-Tepi
that involve reasoning and critical thinking skills. University that has been recognized under College of
Actually; peer teaching, a type of collaborative Natural and Computational Science academic
learning, often happens spontaneously with a group of commission set as an objective helping students within
students. In fact, educators have found through and among colleges by graduate students for first year
experience and their research that peer teaching is an students especially for those comes from hard science
effective strategy in helping learners achieve the departments (Mathematics, Statistics and Physics).
educational goals [11, 12].
The Study Sample
Although the name „peer teaching‟ sounds The participants of the study are students
straight forward, it is in fact a complex process by enrolled in the course “Applied Mathematics II”. To
which a student learns from another student who has ensure that there is no effect of the instructor on the
more experience and knowledge. It also considered peer results of the study, all participants should be taught by
teaching as communication between an excellent the same instructor. To maximize the number of
student, who is doing very well or who recently participants, we selected the instructor who had the
completed the course successfully, and another student largest number of sections.
encountering difficulty in the same course. In line that
peer teaching is one of the most effective strategies in Study Design and Variables
the teaching and learning process because it deals with This study used the Pretest-Posttest Control-
the social as well as the academic side of learning by experimental group design using two groups of Mizan-
creating a comfortable environment for teaching and Tepi University, first year college of Engineering and
[13, 14] Technology students. The first group taught with peer

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 Tesfaledet Tsegay Mena., Sch J Phys Math Stat, March 2020; 7(3): 34-39

teaching strategy while the other group taught without department (Civil and Hydraulics Engineering) with an
peer teaching. average of 48 students in each section. The total number
was around 145 students.
The quasi-experimental design was chosen
because it was not possible to randomly assign students The result of the first semester showed that the
to either the treatment or the control group as the group percent of the failures of Dr. P. Shanmuga„s students
(classroom) was already formed [15] was around 43% or 62 students. The students were
classified in to experimental group they have been
The result of first semester showed that the attained full peer tutorial program conducted by the
presence of failure of student considered less than 50% science club hence we got only 23 students. Similar
for total assessment out of 100%. number of students randomly selected as control group
they will never attain the tutorial program.
In this study peer teaching method was
considered as independent variable similarly the Generally, the following major action was taken as an
respective student academic achievement in applied intervention
mathematics course was considered as dependent  Organizing Peer teaching (student as a
variable. teacher) members based on their interest and
previous academic achievement
Procedure
 Organizing Appropriate peer teaching time
The study was conducted over eight-week
periods in the second semester of 2019/20 academic  Providing Available materials
year, in 46 (29 males, 17 females) first year engineering  Carry out continuous supervision
students, College of Engineering and Technology,  Organizing Appropriate class rooms, light, for
Mizan-Tepi University, Ethiopia. Indeed, the study study group
involved two groups; experimental (24) students and  Incentives, praises for students participated
control group (24) students. Peer teaching (student as a teacher)

The criteria for the selection was teaching at We created a motivation for the peer teaching by
least three sections as they serve as the control and providing a one-hour discussion for the challenges and
experimental groups. Dr. P. Shanmuga Sundaram was opportunities of the Peer-teaching.
the best choice because he had three sections from two

Operational Definitions  Student Learning Groups–In which students

Two main terms involved in the study: Peer learn and work in self-guided groups to
Teaching and Student Academic Achievement. enhance peer learning.

Peer Teaching: A strategy by which student The researchers followed the first approach in
teaches other students that are weak and less this study (Discussion groups). There was a student
experienced about a certain subject. Peer teaching can teaching assistant who comes from graduate class of
be applied in different approaches. Abu Shaban mathematic department previously studied the course
identified different types of peer teaching [16]: and well done. This student attended the classes of the
 Discussion groups: small groups guided by experimental group. He/she was close to the students
student teaching assistant. The groups are used and whenever the instructor started the guided practice
to supplement large lectures. The student phase, He/she was following up the students,
teaching assistant is selected among students explaining, giving hints, and even teaching whenever it
who previously have done well in the course. is necessary.
 One-to-one tutoring: One skillful student (peer
teacher) and one student (peer learner) who is Student Academic Achievement: It was
weak or less skillful. measured by student score in Applied Mathematics I
and II examination that was prepared by the Instructor.
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Data Analysis RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

To describe the student‟s performance level Statistical Data Analysis
before and after the experiment of peer teaching, the The analysis is carried out in two sections. In
frequency count and the level of different actors was the first section, results of descriptive statistics are
assessed. presented; in the second section, we examined the effect
of peer teaching on student mathematics achievement
To assess the effectiveness of peer learning using paired t test with the help IBM SPSS statistics 20.
method on the performance level of students in Applied
Mathematics, the t-test for paired and independent Result of descriptive statistics
variable was used for the comparison of post-test of two The basic background information of student
samples. To determine the impact of cooperative under the project presented below in Table-1 show that
learning method on the students‟ performance the t-test 60.9 % of the student was come from civil engineering
for dependent variable was applied on experimental department similarly 39.1% (18) of the student was
group. from Hydraulics Engineering department. Table-1 also
show that Out of 46 students 52.2% (24) and 47.2%
(22) were male and female, respectively.

Table-1: Frequency of Department and Sex of the student

Category Frequency Percent
Department Civil Engineering 28 60.9
Hydraulics Engineering 18 39.1
Sex Male 24 52.2
Female 22 47.8

Peer teaching result The mean score of the control group is (44.91), while
Table-1 show that the mean and standard that of the experimental group is (43.96). Similarly, a
deviation of the student score in applied mathematics I minimum possible score was 40 and 41 for control and
out of 100 % (pre-test). Referring to Table-1 presented. experimental group respectively.

Table-2: Descriptive statistics of students Pre-Mathematics achievement

Group N Min (Max) Mean Sd. Deviation
Pre-Mathematics achievement Control 23 40 (49) 44.91 2.372
Experimental 23 41 (49) 43.96 2.477
Over all 46 40 (49) 44.43 2.446

Table 2 & 3 below show that the mean and group is (42.61), while that of the experimental group is
standard deviation of the student score in applied (52.04). Similarly, the maximum possible score was 62
mathematics I out of 100 % (pre-test) presented. and 68 for control and experimental group respectively.
According to Table-1 the mean score of the control

Table-3: Descriptive statistics of students Pre-Mathematics achievement

Group N Min (Max) Mean Sd. Deviation
Post-Mathematics achievement Control 23 30 (62) 42.61 6.576
Experimental 23 39 (68) 52.04 7.900
Over all 46 30(68) 47.33 8.626

To check if the difference in the means of the experimental group (Mean=43.96, Standard
post- test is statistically significant or not, an analysis of deviation=2.477) and the control group (Mean =44.91,
t-test has been done. The hypothesis was Standard deviation =2.372) of the Pre- result; t(df=44)=
Ho: there is no significant difference between 1.338, p=0.715”. Hence the test was insignificant
pre and post result of achievement in control rejecting the null hypothesis. Based on this analysis the
group two groups (The experimental group and control group)
H1: there is significant difference between pre are considered equivalent before any action (peer
and post result of student in control group teaching) employed.
The result presented in Table-4 below shows
that “there is a significant difference in the means of the

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Table-4: T-test Result Comparing Experimental and Control Groups on Mathematics Achievement Before
Treatment
Independent Samples Test
Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
F Sig. t df Sig. (2- Mean Std. Error 5% Confidence Interval
tailed) Difference Difference of the Difference
Lower Upper
Pre Equal .092 763 .338 44 .188 .957 .715 -.485 2.398
result variances
assumed
Equal .338 43.919 .188 .957 .715 -.485 2.398
variances not
assumed
*significant at 5%

To check if the difference in the means of the mathematics academic achievement in the post- result.
post- test is statistically significant or not, an analysis of The result means that the null hypothesis is rejected and
t-test has been associated. Table 4 explains the results. accepting the alternative hypothesis, which states that:
There is a significant statistical difference at (α=0.01) in
Table-5 shows that “there is a significant mathematics academic achievement of the technology
difference in the means of the experimental group students in Mizan-Tepi university attributed to the peer
(M=52.04, SD=7.9) and the control group (M=42.61, teaching strategy. The results suggest that peer teaching
SD=6.576) of the post- test; t(44)= 2.143, p=0.00”. strategy has a positive effect on the academic
Table-4 shows that there is a significant difference achievement of mathematics.
between the experimental group and control group in

Table-5: T-test Result Comparing Experimental and Control Groups on Mathematics Achievement Before
Treatment
Independent Samples Test
Levene's Test for Equality of Variances t-test for Equality of Means
F Sig. t df Sig. (2- Mean Std. Error 5% Confidence Interval
tailed) Difference Difference of the Difference
Lower Upper
Post Equal .782 .189 - 44 .000 -9.435 2.143 -13.754 -5.115
result of variances 4.402
control assumed
group Equal - 42.599 .000 -9.435 2.143 -13.758 -5.111
variances 4.402
not assumed
*significant at 5%

Implication and Multiplier Effects It has been indicated in the project peer
Students may feel more at ease when they deal teaching has a significance effect on student academic
with a peer tutor rather than their teacher or advisor, achievement of selected sample student so to make this
which enable them to study better and concentrate more project institutionalized the following key points should
on the subject matter allowing for better understanding be considered.
of the concepts [17].  Science club should be supported by different
resources including financial issue
Also, students spend more time in the learning  There should be awareness creation mechanism
process and there is a direct interaction in which the to increase participants in peer teaching
student is open and feels comfortable which foster the program
active learning. Actually, peer teaching improves the  To create competent environment the club
cognitive gain and social gain as well [18]. should be organized in different college that
should have different objective beside peer
The current study shows that peer teaching is teaching program
an active tool in improving the performance of the  This program should be integrated with
students in applied mathematics at the university level. instructors and academic advisors to use peer
In the light of the findings, the study recommended the teaching as a very good strategy to help
instructors and academic advisors to use peer teaching students in increasing their achievement.
as a very good strategy to help students in increasing
their achievement.

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