Improving Interest in Mathematics Through The

IMPROVING INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS THROUGH THE

INTEGRATION OF MATH-THEMED MEMES

An Action Research Proposal

Presented to

The Regional Research Committee

DepEd Regional Office 02

By:

VIRGO M. GULAN

Teacher III

Santiago City National High School

SY 2016-2017

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region 02

SCHOOLS DIVISION OF SANTIAGO CITY

Santiago City

ACTION RESEARCH

PRELIMINARIES:

Research Proponent: VIRGO M. GULAN

School : Santiago City National High School

Division : Santiago City

E-mail Address :

Mobile Number; :

Title : IMPROVING INTEREST IN MATHEMATICS

THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF MATH-

THEMED MEMES

Level : School

TARGET DATES

Proposal Approval : November 2016

Data Gathering : January16, 2017 – February 24, 2017

Completion : February 27, 2017 - March 03,2017

Dissemination : March 20-24, 2017

Utilization : SY 2017 - 2018

I. Rationale

A. Context

“No learning would possibly take place unless preceded by a proper motivation.”

Above-quoted is a hornbook principle in teaching and learning the application of which is a constant challenge among every classroom teacher irrespective of age or experience. Otherwise known as the principle of motivation, this doctrine stresses the need to kindle the passion of the students in learning the subject if a teacher wants to have an engaging and a fruitful class encounter.

More so for any Mathematics teacher. It is a wide-known fact that among the subjects in the junior high school, Mathematics tops the list of the hardest and least-interesting subject. Numerous research studies and articles as early as 1918 (in Merril’s “Why Students Fail in Mathematics) up to late 2015 (Students’ opinions on different types of mathematics task by Zhu) seemed to suggest that mathematics is a boring subject in which students could not normally appreciate its real-life application.

The issue of improving the interest of the students in learning Mathematics is therefore an imperatively crucial issue that every classroom teacher needs to find solution into. In Santiago City National High School, Mathematics teachers felt mutual opinions thatthe students, although possessing certain inclinations in mathematics, lack the proper level of interest needed to fully unlock their potentials in learning mathematics.

It is along this line that the proponent opts to conduct this action research of integrating mathematics-themed memes in the hope of improving the level of interest of the students in appreciating mathematic not as an abstract and boring subject but an enjoyable and practical discipline.

B. Intervention

The world today is a world where everything can be reached out in a single push of a button. Communications between and among people are becoming more and more instant, interactive, and collaborative through the use of social media.

One such way of communicating to others, especially among netizens is through the sharing of memes. An Internet meme is an activity, concept, catchphrase or piece of media which spreads, often as mimicry, from person to person via the Internet. Some notable examples include posting a photo of people lying down in public places (called "planking") and uploading a short video of people dancing to the Harlem Shake.

An Internet meme may take the form of an image, hyperlink, video, website, or hashtag. It may be just a word or phrase, including an intentional misspelling. These small movements tend to spread from person to person via social networks, blogs, direct email, or news sources. They may relate to various existing Internet cultures or subcultures, often created or spread on various websites, or by Usenet boards and other such early-internet communications facilities. Fads and sensations tend to grow rapidly on the Internet, because the instant communication facilitates word-of-mouth transmission. (Please see attached documents for examples of Internet memes)

The school should capitalize on this type of online interaction in the maximization of the teaching –learning process. Notably, almost all students nowadays have social media accounts and can readily access such accounts using their computer or mobile phone with minimal expense owing to telecommunications surfing promotions. Incidentally, Santiago City National High School is also equipped with Wi-fi connections available to all students.

In the integration of math-themed memes, the following steps shall be considered by the proponent:

Checking of students’ social media account. The proponent will first verify whether the students who will be considered as respondents of this study have an existing social media account (i.e. Facebook). Likewise, their accounts will also be carefully monitored to determine whether they have been or are sharing or making Internet memes, and such occurrences will be noted by the researcher.
Sharing of Internet Memes in social media by the Researcher. To condition the respondents on the research, the researcher will share internet memes through social media (i.e. Facebook) and let the students react on those memes. Principally, memes to be shared are those which are about situations happening inside a typical class or school, or about normal life of a high school student.
Using of Math-Themed Memes in Teaching Mathematics. The memes will then be integrated in teaching mathematics in the actual teaching-learning situation. Memes that will be used are those which are math-themed.
Make-Your-Own Math-Themed Memes for Students. Gradually, the students will then be asked to express their feelings or emotions or attitudes towards Mathematics through the making of an original math-themed memes.

II. Action Research Questions

This action research is principally aimed to improve the level of interest of the students in learning mathematics through the integration of math-themed memes.

Specifically, it will seek to answer the following questions:

What is the level of interest of the students in learning Mathematics before the integration of the Mathematics-themed memes?
What is the level of interest of the students in learning Mathematics during the integration of the Mathematics-themed memes?
What is the level of interest of the students in learning Mathematics after the integration of the Mathematics-themed memes?
Is there a gradual significant difference on the level of interest of the students before, during, and after the integration of the Mathematics-themed memes?

III. Action Research Methods

A. Participants and Sources of Data

The respondents of the study will be the 80 students of Grade-10 Galileo and Curie of Santiago City National High School. These are presently the students of the research proponent in Mathematics.

To find out the interest of the students in learning Mathematics before, during, and after the integration of Mathematics-themed memes, the proponent will develop a Likert-scale attitudinal type Interest test which will be answered by the respondents themselves, the proponent as the subject teacher, and outside evaluators. Therefore, in every point of measuring the interest of the students, there will be two groups of data : the level of interest as perceived by the respondents as the first source of data, and the subject teacher and outside evaluators (like head teacher or other teachers who will be requested to observe the interest of the students in learning mathematics on given specific days) as the second source.

B. Data Gathering Methods

This research will make use of the descriptive-comparative research design using data from three groups of evaluators. The following steps shall be used in gathering pertinent data:

Interest of the Students before the Integration. The students will be asked to accomplish the Likert-scale attitudinal type Interest test before the integration. Likewise, the subject teacher will also accomplish such rating scale. Finally, the subject teacher will ask certain colleagues and/or subject coordinator to observe the class and determine their level of interest in learning mathematics before the said integration of math-themed memes.
Interest of the Students During the Integration. The same process will be made in finding the level of interest during the actual integration. However, the interest of the students during the integration will be measured at most three (3) times at the end of every week that the integration shall have been currently taking place. This is to find out, if there is, a gradual perceptible change in the level of interest of the students in learning mathematics before and during the integration, and ultimately, after the said integration.
Interest After the Integration. A final interest test will be given to the respondents, the subject teacher, and outside evaluators to determine the interest of the students in learning mathematics after the integration of math-themed memes.

C. Ethical Issues

Internet memes which are offensive, immoral, indecent, or inappropriate to the age of the respondents shall not be used in the integration of Math-themed memes in learning mathematics.

D. Data Analysis

Paired samples t-test will be used in determining the gradual change, if there is, of the level of interest of the students in learning mathematics before, during, and after the integration of mathematics-themed memes as perceived by the students themselves, and the subject teacher and outside evaluators.
Independent samples t-test will be used in determining difference between the interest ratings of the students themselves, and the subject teacher and outside evaluators, before, during, and after the integration of mathematics-themed memes.