Primary School pupils constitute a sub-group of young people world

The purpose of this study was to investigate mathematics anxiety and mathematics beliefs as correlates of early childhood pre-service teachers' numeracy skills in Nigeria. A crosssectional survey research design within quantitative methodology was adopted for the study involving 320 early childhood pre-service teachers from the University of Lagos. Three valid and reliable instruments were used for data collection and the collected data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, Pearson moment correlation and multiple regression analysis at 5% level of significance. Results showed that the majority of the early childhood pre-service teachers had high mathematics anxiety and high mathematical beliefs. While mathematical beliefs had significant positive correlations with early childhood pre-service teachers' numeracy skills, mathematics anxiety had a negative correlation with numeracy skills. Mathematical beliefs were a good predictor of early childhood pre-service teachers' numeracy skills. Based on these findings it was concluded that early childhood teacher education programme should include strategies to eliminate mathematics anxiety and foster constructivist mathematical beliefs capable of promoting early childhood pre-service teachers' numeracy skills.

Effects of Pictorial Integrated Technology and Cooperative Learning Strategies onPupils' Academic Performance in Social Studies in Katsina State, Nigeria. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Pictorial integrated technology and cooperative learning strategies on pupil's academic performance in Social Studies. Methods: Five hypotheses were raised for the study. The study adopted pretest and posttest quasi experimental design with one hundred and twenty basic two pupils which consists sixty-two males and fifty-eight females. Social studies performance test, pictorial-integrated technology questionnaire, and cooperative learning strategy questionnaire were developed by the researchers. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance at 0.05 level of significance. Findings: Pictorial integrated technology and cooperative learning strategies enhance pupil's academic performance in Social Studies when effectively utilized in the classroom. Conclusion: Pictorial integrated technology and cooperative learning strategies has more effects on basic two pupils' academic performance in Social Studies than lecture method.

One construct that lies in between the cognitive and affective domains of mathematics education is belief and this concept is rarely investigated in the Nigerian mathematics education community. Thus, an investigation of early-years future teachers’ mathematical beliefs as determinants of performance in primary mathematics within the blueprint of the quantitative method of the descriptive survey research design was conducted. Three research questions were addressed and secondary data relating to performance in mathematics of 320 early-years future teachers were retrieved from their records at the Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, University of Lagos, Nigeria. One other instrument labeled Mathematical Beliefs Scale was employed for the collection of key data connected to the mathematical beliefs. The collected data were condensed and explored with the principal components factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and independent samples t-test. Results showed that mathematical beliefs measured using the Mathematical Beliefs Scale are a multidimensional construct with four-factor structure: emotional and developmental commitment in learning of mathematics; self-assurance and philosophies concerning one's subjective mathematical aptitude; beliefs about mathematics; and mathematical problem-solving beliefs. These factors show adequate and excellent reliabilities as computed using Cronbach alpha. Also, gender was not a factor in early-years future teachers' mathematical beliefs even at the subscale level and the four factors of the mathematical belief scale predicted early-years future teachers' performance in primary mathematics. In line with these results, it is recommended that early-years future teachers be taught in a constructivist manner so that they can imbibe constructivist beliefs capable of engendering better learning of mathematics.

"Parents are the close social agents of the children. The impact of parental influence and achievement motivation as determinants of upper primary school pupils’ achievement in Lagos metropolis. To achieve the objectives of this study, four research questions were formulated while the descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study was carried out in one primary school each of six Lagos State Education District. The population size comprised of all primary six pupils in public primary schools and the sample size was 300. The data were presented and analyzed using frequency, percentage, charts, tables and mean. The relationships between the study’s variables were tested using the Regression Analysis of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study revealed that pupils who are motivated and encouraged performed excellently in their academic and also developed high self-esteem towards learning. It was therefore recommended that parents as social agents to the pupils should create time to understand their children’s abilities towards learning and should not to ridicule them when they do not perform to their expectations. Also, the teachers should adopt the best teaching techniques as the pupils develop different habits. Keywords: Parents, Children, Influence, Motivation, Determinants, Achievement"