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CONSTRUCTION AND VALIDATION OF DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON

NUMBER AND NUMERATION FOR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS IN CALABAR EDUCATION ZONE OF CROSS RIVER
STATE, NIGERIA.

PRESENTED

BY

Ibe, Ibe Odum

ibeibejunior@gmail.com; 08064038217
Department of Educational Foundations and Administration
Cross River State College of Education
Akamkpa

&

Okorie, Don Chimaobi

Don.c.blacq@mail.com: 08032699962
Department of Educational Foundations
University of Calabar, Calabar - Nigeria

THE 8th ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, FACULTY OF

EDUCATION CONFERENCE.
HELD BETWEEN 11th To 14th OF SEPTEMBER 2018.
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Abstract

The study focused on the construction and validation of diagnostic test on number and
numeration for senior secondary school students in Calabar Education Zone of Cross
River State, Nigeria. Three research questions were raised to give direction to the
study. Instrumentation research design was employed in the study. Stratified random
sampling technique was used in drawing a sample of 406 SS2 students, which was ten
percent of the population of about 6,498 SS2 students in 2015/2016 academic year.
Mathematics Diagnostic Tests in Number and Numeration was used as instrument for
data collection and the results obtained showed that learners will continue to perform
poorly in spite of the sophisticated instruction, quality instructional materials, skilled
man power and the environment if the learning difficulties or problem cannot be
diagnosed. The psychometric properties of the items were determined like the
difficulty, discrimination and distraction indices, and the results showed that all the
items have a high validity to diagnose difficulty. The validity of the mathematics
diagnostic test revealed a content validity correlation coefficient between .33 and
1.00, which shows that the items were essential. Students also find the topic indices to
be the most difficult compared to other topics. Result obtained also revealed that the
pattern of learning difficulty in terms of gender varies, as it showed that boys
performed better than girls in Mathematics. It was recommended among others that
different teaching methods should be used in teaching indices since it was found to be
more difficult.
Key words: Construction, Validation, Diagnostic Test, Number and Numeration.

Introduction
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For some decades now, almost all countries of the world have been making franking
search for effective solutions to social, scientific and technological problems. These problems
include illiteracy, unemployment, and shortage in number of experts in science and
inequitable distribution of technological knowledge. Nigeria being one of these countries
facing such problems, has national policy on education that emphasizes the development of
skilled manpower. To achieve this, scientific and technological study is being encouraged in
her educational system. However, one major problem in the educational system is how to
prepare young ones to cope with an environment characterized by rapid changes (Oyedeji,
2014 ). To enable students understand and do well in the society, it is important for them to
have basic knowledge and understanding of some science subjects of which Mathematics is
core.

The federal government recognizes the importance of Mathematics and makes it a

core and compulsory subject in both junior and senior secondary. Freeman (2007) sees the
need for mathematics and recommends; “universities and polytechnics should prepare special
mathematics and science curricula”. The relevance of mathematics in the scientific and
technological development of Nigeria is not in dispute at all. In addition to its uses in the day
to day activities of human beings, it remains important in the learning of other school
subjects. Despite its importance, students in the nation’s senior secondary schools have
continued to perform poorly in internal and external examinations in the subject (Adegoke,
2003).

Persistent poor performance of students in Mathematics over the years, particularly in

Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, is indeed alarming. The situation is worse in
recent years, even in the face of government huge intervention in the provision of
infrastructural facilities, quality text books and employment of quality teaching staff to upset
the inadequacy of the past, where unqualified and unprofessional teachers formed the bulk of
the teaching staff (Lam & Zhang). Consequently, many have abandoned Science, Arts and
Humanity courses just to escape mathematics, thereby making the desire of Nigeria to be
among the top twenty economies of the world in 2020 impossible (Edame, 2009). No country
in the world has or will achieve this fit economically without the study of science which
Mathematics is a backbone (Adetula, 2008). Parents, educators, government and the general
public have expressed great concern and frustration on the failure of schools to improve on
the performance of students in the subject area and rescue the falling standard (Suleman,
2011).

Available literature indicates that means of improving the quality of Mathematics

performance in Nigeria has focused on improving the quality of teaching and infrastructural
facilities, developing and using more relevant curriculum materials for instruction, making
quality books available (Aligwara, 2002). Much has not been done in the area of diagnosing
the cause of this persistence poor performance and providing remediation in areas where
weaknesses and difficulties are identified (Edame, 2014)). This underscores the need for
studies focused on diagnosis of learning difficulties.
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Diagnostic testing according to Smith (2006), is a process of locating and identifying

areas of learning difficulties. A diagnostic test is used to determine causes of persistent
learning difficulties (Cook, 2011). It is sharply focused on some specific aspects of a skill or
causes of difficulty in acquiring a skill and is useful in suggesting specific remedial actions
that might help to improve mastery of that skill (Thorndike & Hogen, 1969).

Diagnostic testing aims primarily at helping students achieve their potential in any
field of their endeavor. It therefore becomes imperative particularly in Mathematics.
Diagnostic evaluation is concerned with students’ persistent or recurring learning difficulties
that are left unresolved. Students have continued to perform poorly in Mathematics despite
the use of prescribed alternate methods of instruction. The Mathematics Improvement Project
(MIP) of the National Mathematical Centre Abuja, has identified number and numeration
among other topics as one of the areas where learners are finding it difficult to comprehend
(MIP 2008).

Edame, (2014) noted that some topics in mathematics are not too easy to teach by
teachers due to their demanding and abstract nature. These are topics which the students also
find difficult to understand. Students are prone to various errors in solving such topics, they
are usually found in part 11 of the theory paper and carry more marks; they constitute mostly
of abstract topics and are usually responsible for general poor performance in Mathematics
but if properly taught, students will discover that they are not as difficult as they suppose.
There difficult items are not easily identifiable. It is essential that these difficult topics should
be identified so that the way of making it easy for students will be evolved. Among such
topics is number and numeration.

There are evidences to show that student’s cognitive and affective attitude fall below
expectation. Concerned stakeholders have been making various effort to ensure that these
problems, attributed to poor achievements in mathematics as well as poor attitude towards the
subject; are identified and tackled effectively. Some of the key issues affecting poor
performance can be detected through critical examination of student’s selection of questions
at terminal examinations and their general performance in the question so selected. It has also
been observed that students like avoiding questions in some particular topics during
examination (Adeniran, 2007). This situation calls for a planned approach, which should be
based on realistic diagnosis of needs, problems and solution processes. Hence, there is the
need to identify the difficult topics in the senior secondary mathematics curriculum so as to
ensure that corrective measures are taken to facilitate and improve performance. It is this that
has motivated the researcher into the construction and validation of diagnostic test in number
and numeration.

The main purpose of this study anchored on Construction and Validation of

Diagnostic Test on Number and Numeration for senior secondary school students in Calabar
Education Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria. Specifically the study:

(i) Construct a Mathematics diagnostic test in number and numeration.

(ii) Find out pattern of learning difficulties
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(iii) Compare male and female in their learning difficulties

The following research questions guided the study:

1. What is the content validity of the mathematics diagnostic test?
2. What is the pattern of learning difficulties among students?
3. What is the pattern of learning difficulties among students in terms of gender?

Method
The study adopted instrumentation research design. The population of the study was
made up of all the 6,498 senior secondary two (SS 2) students in the 71 secondary schools in
Calabar Education Zone of Cross River State, in the 2014 /2015 school session. The sample
consisted of 406 (25%) of these SS2 students from 71 schools in seven L.G.A. that was
drawn through Stratified random sampling technique. The main instrument for data collection
was a 50 item multiple choice Mathematics Diagnostic Tests in Number and Numeration
(MDTNN) for SS2 students developed by the researcher which was constructed based on the
test-blue print developed from selected content area taught at SS2 level (Number base,
Modular arithmetic, Indices, Percentage and Application of logarithm). Each of the multiple
choice items was configured to consist of a question stem followed by five options of one
correct answer (key) and four incorrect options that were used to minimize the probability of
guessing by the students, as only good distracters were used. The items were validated by
five experts, two in Mathematics and three in measurement and evaluation from University of
Calabar for careful editing and critical review of the wordings of the test items in order to
avoid the inclusion of ambiguous statement, wrongly placed of items in terms of taxonomy
and to establish the face validity and content validity of the MDTNN. The validated items
were trial tested on 50 students outside the sample schools. With the use of Kuder Richardson
20 (K-R20), a reliability index of .87 was gotten.

Results
The results derived from the analyzed data are presented in this section. Answers are
provided to research questions.

Research Question 1 What is the content validity of the mathematics diagnostic test?

As indicated in Table 1 the result of the validity of the mathematics diagnostic test
revealed a content validity correlation coefficient between .33 and 1.00, which shows that the
items were essential. This means that the items were acceptable to be used to diagnose
learning difficulties and the good quality given to this diagnostic test could be traceable to the
procedure of test construction, like in the use of table of specifications in the development of
test. Besides the use of table of specification in ensuring content validity of the mathematics
diagnostic test in number and numeration, panels of judges were employed to respond and
rate each item in relation to questions like: is the skill or knowledge measured by the item
‘essential’, useful but not essential or not necessary to the performance of the construct.
Based on their responses, content validity ratio modular was used to establish the content
validity of each item. The results using content validity ratio is presented in Table 1. From
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Table 1, the items with CVR of .01 and above were essential, while items with CVR of -0.01
and below were not essential (Lawshe, 1975).

TABLE 1 Content-validity ratio (CVR) of the developed mathematics diagnostic multiple

choice test items as obtained from subject-matter expects judgment in mathematics.

ITEM CVR ITEM CVR

NO NO
1 .875 16 1.000
2 1.000 17 .555
3 1.000 18 .555
4 .333 19 .555
5 .875 20 .875
6 .333 21 .875
7 .555 22 .333
8 .555 23 .333
9 1.000 24 .875
10 .333 25 .555
11 .875 26 .555
12 .975 27 .875
13 .555 28 .875
14 1.000 29 .555
15 .875 30 .875
Decision: Items with CVR of .01 or above = essential
Items with CVR of -.01 or below = not essential. Lawshe (1973).

Research Question 2 What is the pattern of learning difficulties among students?

To get the pattern of learning difficulties, frequency distribution table and a Bar chart
were used, as shown in figure 1.

From the Bar-chart in figure 1, students in Calabar Education zone of Cross River
State, Nigeria, find the topic indices to be the most difficult compared to other topics, as it
shows 90% of the students finding the topic difficult. Followed by the topic percentages, as
85% of the students find the topic to be difficult. Also followed by the topic Number base, as
80% simultaneously also followed by the topic to be difficult and 70% of the students find
the topic to be difficult. And lastly, the topic Application of Logarithm was the least difficult
among students in Calabar Education zone, as 60% of the students find the topic difficult.
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FIGURE. 1 Bar chart representing the pattern of learning difficulties

100

90
No of students in percentage

80
70
60

Percentage
Number base

50

App. of log
40

Indices
Modular

30

20

10

Topics

Research Question 3 What is the pattern of learning difficulties among students in terms of
gender?

To get the pattern of learning difficulties, frequency distribution table and the Bar
chart was used, as shown in figure 2.
FIGURE 2

100

90
Key
80

70 - Female
No of students represented in

- Male
60

50

40

30
percentage

20

10

Number base Modular Indices Percentage App. of log

Topics

Bar chart showing pattern of learning difficulties in terms of gender

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From the bar-chart in figure 2, out of the 90% of students that find the topic indices
difficult, 60% were females while 30% were male. Similarly out of the 85% of students that
find the topic percentage to be difficult, 55% were female while 35% were male. Also out of
the 80% of the students that find the topic number base to be difficult, 60% were female,
while 20% were male and also out of the 70% of students that find the topic modular to be
difficult, 45% were female, while 25% were male. And finally, out of the 60% of students
that found the topic Application of Logarithm difficult, 40% were female while 20% were
male.

Discussion of Findings
Hypothesis one revealed a content validity correlation coefficient between .33 and
1.00, which shows that the items were essential. This means that the items were acceptable to
be used to diagnose learning difficulties and the good quality given to this diagnostic test
could be traceable to the procedure of test construction, like in the use of table of
specifications in the development of test which agrees with that of Anastasi (2003), who
stated that through construction process, validity should be build into the test.
The finding is in conformity with the findings of Nwagu (2007) who conducted a
study on development and standardization of social studies achievement test for junior
secondary school students in Anambra State, where he revealed that the SSATS were content
valid. The findings also agrees with that of Nwaka (2011), in a study on development and
factorial validation of administrative listening skills inventory for secondary school principals
in Anambra state, where he pointed out that the factor loading of the items confirmed the
content validity. The finding is also in harmony with the finding of Thompson (2013) who
conducted a study on the development and validation of psycho- productive Skills Multiple
Choice Test Items in Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary School, where he revealed
that the PSMCTT were content valid.
The result of hypothesis two revealed that students in Calabar Education zone of
Cross River State, Nigeria, find the topic indices to be the most difficult compared to other
topics, as it shows 90% of the students finding the topic difficult. Followed by the topic
percentages, as 85% of the students find the topic to be difficult. Also followed by the topic
Number base, as 80% simultaneously also followed by the topic to be difficult and 70% of
the students find the topic to be difficult. And lastly, the topic Application of Logarithm was
the least difficult among students in Calabar Education zone, as 60% of the students find the
topic difficult. This study is in harmony with that of Thompson (2013) who conducted a
study on the development and validation of psycho- productive Skills Multiple Choice Test
Items in Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary School, were he reports on some topics
with their respective difficulties level and percentage.

The result of hypothesis three revealed that the pattern of learning difficulty in terms
of gender varies. It showed that boys performed better than girls in Mathematics. This means
that boys achieved higher than girls in the mathematics test. The findings are in conformity
with that of Haladyna (2004), Okonkwo (2001) and Nwaka (2002), who all conducted studies
in countries of the North which all pointed out that boys performed better than girls in
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mathematics subject. They all concluded by stating that boys generally achieved higher than
girls on standardized mathematics test. Oyedeji (2014) also affirmed that many studies
conducted between 2000 and 2004 in Australia showed no significant difference in
achievement in mathematics between male and female students, but though males were more
likely to obtain higher mean scores to females.

Conclusion
Based on the findings of this study it was concluded that there is need to constantly
use diagnostic testing in our schools either on entry into a new class, new unit of instruction,
or at the beginning and during lesson to ascertain the students strengths and weaknesses on
knowledge and skills they are expected to have mastered previously before going into the
new topics. This is aimed at providing remediation where necessary so as to improve on the
teaching and learning of mathematics in our schools and eradicate the phobia for mathematics
as well as reduce the massive poor performance in mathematics.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusion reached, the following recommendations were
made:
1. In-serving training should be conducted regularly by ministry of education to acquaint
teachers with skills to practice diagnostic testing in mathematics.
2. Teachers should try as much as possible to expose their students to all aspect of
numbers and numeration in order to minimised learner difficulties.
3. Different teaching methods should be used in teaching indices since it was found to be
more difficult.
4. Mathematics teachers should give female students additional attention and focus
during mathematics lessons.
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