Effectiveness of art integrated information processing model in attaining mathematical outcomes among secondary school students

Abstract

Art and Mathematics have been connected throughout the human history, and that such a connection represents an important area in the development of education system today. Integrating art into Mathematics instruction not only enriches the learning experience but also nurtures the holistic development of learners, fostering their cognitive, affective, and conative growth. Present study is an attempt to find out whether Art Integrated Information Processing Model (AIIPM), Information Processing Model (IPM) or Present method of teaching Mathematics is the most effective in bringing out Mathematical outcomes, viz., Problem Solving Ability in Mathematics, Mathematics belief (Exploratory), Attitude towards Mathematics, Achievement in Mathematics and reduced Mathematics Anxiety among secondary school students. The experimental design used for the study is quasi-experimental pre- test-post-test comparison group design with three unequal groups. The study was conducted at two levels, for eighth and ninth standard students. For each standard (VIII & IX), among the three intact groups, two groups were selected randomly and were taught through Art Integrated Information Processing Model and Information Processing Model (IPM) and the third group was taught through the Present method of teaching followed in the school (Group 3), providing the usual classroom experiences. Statistical techniques, such as t test, ANOVA, MANOVA and MANCOVA have revealed significant findings. The study found that AIIPM and IPM significantly improve problem-solving ability, attitude towards Mathematics, and reduces Mathematics anxiety, showing a very large effect overall for eighth and ninth standard students. The effect of AIIPM on exploratory Mathematics belief is very large for ninth standard students, whereas it is large for eighth standard students. However, the influence of IPM on exploratory Mathematics belief is large for eighth standard students but moderate for ninth standard students. Present teaching method shows a very large effect on attitude and large effect in exploratory belief, and anxiety reduction for both grades. However, its effect on problem-solving ability varies, being very large for ninth standard students but moderate for eighth standard students. The three methods have equal and large effect on achievement in Mathematics for both grades. The findings show that AIIPM is effective in enhancing select Mathematical outcomes among secondary school students. Integrating art to systematic processing of information help students to engage with Mathematics in a multi-sensory way. The study provides valuable insights for educational interventions, emphasizing the importance of the effectiveness of combining different models and methods, suggesting that an integrated approach could offer benefits to Mathematics education, creating inclusive and enjoyable learning environment.