Use of Practical Sets Theory kits in Teaching and its Effects on Students Performance

摘要

To demystify the abstractness of introducing students to the theory of Sets and its applications at the senior secondary level and lower undergraduate programs with the use of practical kits in teaching, for better results is the aim of this work. The Sets Theory Model Trainer which consists of 6 circular plates, modeled in a form to give sets A, B, C, D, base configurations with cutoffs giving A n B, B n C, C n A, B n D, D n C and A n B n C bases, a sample space board of about 800mm x 610mm, an element of numerals printed on triangular and square plates, and alphabet elements printed or embossed on square and circular plates, all with different colors to represent different instructions, with multi colored sets intersection plates are discussed in which the objects shapes elements are printed on circular plates for variety of practical work on the principle of Sets Theory. The whole Set bases and the elements are configured for pinning unto the sample space. An assessment of students performance on the set theory applications was conducted in 8 secondary schools for 3 years without the use of practical kits and 2 years for the use of the practical kits, and it was discovered from the sampled Schools in use of the kits, that the total number of students attempt to questions on the Sets Theory in the whole class range between 92% and 98%, with between 81% to 91% correct solutions obtained, with 4 and 5 contact class teachings of 45minutes per class in comparison to the earlier 5 to 7 class teachings without the use of practical kits with between 22% and 40% of the total population of the school class well grounded in the methods of solutions of set theory problems.