P.G. Science and Technical Education

The study investigated the effect of traditional games on students' academic achievement in mathematics. A total of two hundred and eighty nine (289) junior secondary one (JS1) mathematics students were involved in the study. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study employed non-equivalent pretest, post-test control group design. A researcher's developed Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was used for the study. Data collected were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation and analysis of co-variance (ANCOVA). Findings from the study shows that students who were taught Mathematics with traditional games achieved higher than those taught with conventional approach. Again, the use of traditional games favored both male and female students. Also the use of traditional games favored rural and urban studen ts. It was recommended that the use of traditional games should be incorporated into the mathematics curriculum.

The study examined areas of students' difficulties in the learning of statistics content in secondary school mathematics curriculum. Descriptive survey design was adopted and the sample comprised of 639 SS3 Students in twelve Government owned secondary schools drawn from the eigtht (8) educational zones of Bayelsa State. Four research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The instrument was "Assessing Areas of Statistics Difficulties Questionnaires (AASDQ)" developed by the researcher and validated by two Lecturers in Science Education and one Lecturer in Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the research instrument, was established using Kudder-Richardson 21 formula and reliability coefficient of 0.75 obtained was considered reasonable. Mean and standard deviation were statistical tools used for answering the research question while the hypotheses were tested using z-test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that secondary school students have perceived difficulties in statistics content. It was also revealed that lack of experienced mathematics teachers, non-completion of statistics content, deliberate skipping of statistical concepts, amongst others were the causes of difficulties associated with learning statistics content. Therefore, it was recommended that mathematics teachers should adopt varieties of instructional methods to teach statistics content.

This paper examines how Nigerian local content Act and Science Education can bring about sustainable development in Nigeria. The concept of science and science education, local content and Nigerian local content Act were discussed. The provisions of Nigerian content Act and how it can improve science education for sustainable development was highlighted. It is recommended that the Board responsible for the Implementation of the Nigerian Local content Act should collaborate with Science and Technical Education institutions and personnel for the successful implementation and sustenance of the Act.

The study investigated the effect of probability apparatus-based approach on students' academic achievement and interest in probability content of mathematics curriculum. A total of two hundred and eighty nine (289) senior secondary class two (SSII) mathematics students were involved in the study. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. The study employed non-equivalent pretest, post-test control group design. A researcher's developed Probability Achievement Test (PAT) and Probability Interest Inventory (PII) was used for the study. Data collected were analyzed using mean scores, standard deviation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Findings from the study shows that students who were taught probability using probability apparatus-based approach achieved higher than those taught with conventional approach. The use of probability apparatus-based approach favored both male and female students. Finally, the use of probability apparatus-based increases the interest of students in probability. It was recommended that the use of probability apparatus should be incorporated into the mathematics curriculum and its use be encouraged at all level of our educational system.

Content Policy Questionnaire." The instrument attained a reliability coefficient of .79 using Kudder-Richardson (21) formula, which was considered appropriate. The data gathered was analyzed using mean and standard deviation, while the 3 research hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic. The results showed that the current position of science education is inadequate in terms of resources and without the capacity to equip students with the requisite attributes. It was recommended that government and NCMBD should endeavor to invest their resources on science education in order to help in repositioning for a sustainable local content policy.