Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Facilities on Gender Differentials in Mathematics Performance Among Secondary School Students

Abstract

The poor performance of students in mathematics indicates that students need to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge required for solving mathematical problems. The study investigated the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on gender differentials in mathematics performance among secondary school students in Kwara State. The study population consists of all senior secondary school students in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study employed a quasi-experimental design involving the pre-test and post-test non-equivalent control. A sample of 80 students was selected purposively from two secondary schools. The experiment group is involved in mathematics using ICT facilities, while the control group uses the traditional approach. The instrument of the study is a Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) with a reliability of 0.80, determined using Pearson’s product moments correlation statistics. The data generated was analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions, while the hypotheses tested use ANCOVA at a 0.05 significance level. The result of the study revealed that ICT facilities improved students’ achievement and reduced the gender gap in mathematics achievement among secondary school students. Thus, mathematics teachers at the secondary school level should apply information and communication technology (ICT) facilities to teaching mathematics to improve students’ performance.