Anchored Instruction in Teaching Business Mathematics

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Anchored Instruction in teaching Business Mathematics to the senior high school students of Simala National High School in Cebu, Philippines. Anchored Instruction is a teaching method in which the learners can generate problems, look for the relevant data, and find solutions from the situated problem-solving environment shown through videos. Its instructional design highlights three main features: generative stories, embedded data, and problem complexity. A quasi-experimental research method was utilized using pretest-posttest control and experimental group design. Both the control and experimental groups with 40 subjects each were not significantly different from each other as established in the match pairing of their profile. They were given a pretest, exposed to their respective interventions, and then were given a posttest. The control group was exposed to Conventional Instruction, while the experimental group was exposed to Anchored Instruction as the method in teaching Business Mathematics. Findings revealed that Anchored Instruction is a more effective method in teaching Business Mathematics than conventional instruction. The learner-centeredness of Anchored Instruction provided opportunities for the learners to be highly engaged in the learning process, as noted in the researcher’s observation and interview with selected subjects. As a result, they could identify the useful knowledge and eventually overcome the inert knowledge problem. Hence, it is recommended to utilize this method in teaching Business Mathematics.