By Dr Ekpenyong Ekanem
Abstract
Mathematical model forms a frame of reference, mode of analysis and guides reflective decision making which may provide an explanatory system for knowledge retention in a concept. Hence, this study investigated framing of mathematical models and its effects on students’ retention of knowledge in a concept of educational system analysis. The study was a pretest-post test control group research design aimed at providing baseline information on knowledge and learning management in university education for meta-cognitive development. The population included 143 final year undergraduate and post graduate students of educational management department in public universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The entire population was used as a sample in view of the small population size for the study in 2016/2017 session. The instrument designated ‘Educational System Analysis Concept Retention Test (ESACRT) was designed to collect data for the study. The instrument was validated and had a reliability co-efficient of 0.89. Three research hypotheses formulated guided the study. Data collected were analyzed using mean and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The study revealed that university students taught with framing of mathematical models retained more information than those taught with lecture method. Though the female university students’ mean knowledge retention was higher than their male counterparts, there was no significant interaction of the framing and gender of students on their knowledge retention. It was concluded that framing mathematical models in a concept of educational system analysis could guarantee knowledge retention. It was recommended among others that university management should give attention to instructional capacity development of teachers and knowledge retention of university students in the field of educational management.