conceptual framework of mathematics - information library

Mathematics is one of the most important subjects in the school curriculum.? There is hardly any aspect of life that is not?? touched by this all-important and cross-cutting subject. Young people? being unaware of its crucial importance? often study the subject as though they were under duress. Their teachers know better and are fully aware that their?? students cannot cope with challenges of life if they do not acquire some basic understanding of mathematics.

Mathematics, according to Fajemidagba (1986) was described as?? the queen and

servant?? of school subjects since it cut across the school curricula. Mathematics as a school subject affects all aspects of human life at different degrees?? and spectra. For?? instance, mathematics is relevant in?? economics, political, geographical, scientific? ?and technological aspects of man because it centered on the use of numbers which is an integral component of every aspects of knowledge. Other areas where?? the use of numbers is predominant include, statistics, accounts, arithmetic, engineering and so on. For example, the earliest civilization of mankind came through mathematical manipulations through the use of numbers.

Again, mathematics is seen as the language used to describe the problems arising in most branches of science and technology. It is a subject related to other subjects in the areas like number and numeration, variations, graphs, fractions, logarithms and indices, algebraic processes, solution of equations, areas and volumes of shapes. In the mid-serenities, the importance of mathematics was forcibly brought to the public attention during the ?traditional and modern? mathematics controversy

Awokoya (1975) and Fafunwa (1980)? revealed in their different? research ?studies that everyone lives?? in a world where science? and technology have become? an integral part? of the world culture, therefore, for any nation to be relevant; it must not condone?? the? importance of mathematics in her educational system. When the ?controversy mentioned earlier, which was whether? traditional or modern? mathematics curriculum? to offer in our?? schools, at the? height of? the controversy? the governing? board of ? the ?comparative education studies and adoption centre (CESAC) Felt that? the? importance of mathematics was in fact?? being? obscured further in the minds of the young? people by the controversy. Here was a raging controversy between adults who could not agree on what version of mathematics to teach and yet these same adults were urging students to take the subject seriously, CESAC was however, charged by the Federal Ministry of Education to find the lasting solutions to the problem using the system approach method.? Their terms of references include; ?

i.??????????????????? ?To clearly determine the general objectives of mathematics education in Nigerian? secondary schools

ii.???????????????? To on the basis of the objectives so determined, develop a mathematics curriculum with which to achieve them.

This led to proper orientation and motivation of the CESAC board, the importance of mathematics acquisition of science and technology for the national development was discussed. It was? unanimously agreed that, if? the country? readily wanted? to develop,?? and knowing the? roles of??? science and technology in this process, the nation must face and solve the? problem of providing mathematics teachers, whatever curriculum developed, no? matter? how good, its effectiveness would depend on? the quality of teachers to implement? it, as? no? education is believed to rise above the qualities of its teachers.?? At this juncture, the participants became motivated to take up the challenges of determining the objectives with vigor and excitement.? After much debates and arguments, they came up with the following six objectives for mathematics curriculum education namely;

i.??????????????????? ??To generate interest in mathematics? and provide? a solid foundation for everyday life

ii.???????????????? To?? develop computational skills and foster the desire and ability to be? accurate to a degree relevant to the problem at hand

iii.?????????????? To develop ability to recognize problem and to solve them with related mathematics knowledge

iv.?????????????? To develop precise, logical and abstract thinking

v.????????????????? To provide necessary mathematical background?? for further education

vi.?????????????? To stimulate and encourage creativity??

From?? the above objectives, it? became? apparent from a careful study that, the? curriculum would? have to embrace aspects of ?the so-called? ?traditional and modern?? mathematics, thus, when the objectives were? accepted and adopted at the national mathematical conference organized? by the? Federal? Ministry of Education held at Benin City in January 1977, the controversy? was? resolved and the (CESAC)? evolved?? a compete syllabus for secondary school system. The reformation of mathematics curriculum has continued to evolve, and mathematics has continued to be compulsory for the secondary school students in Nigeria and one of the prerequisite for?? getting admission in most Nigerian universities. Despite the efforts at every point in time to make the Nigerian students realized the importance of mathematics in the nations building, there seems to be decline of interest in learning of the subject.?

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Source: http://martinslibrary.blogspot.com/2013/03/conceptual-framework-of-mathematics.html

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