Ezechiel Nsabayezu, Aloys Iyamuremye, Jean de Dieu Kwitonda, Agnes Mbonyiryivuze
This paper reports the results about teachers’ perceptions towards the utilization of WhatsApp in supporting teaching and learning of chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic in Rwandan selected secondary schools. The collected data by using a survey questionnaire were from 18 chemistry teachers in Nyarugenge and Kicukiro Districts. The findings illustrated that WhatsApp is effective for teaching chemistry and supporting students learning. This application promotes students’ motivation, engagement, collaboration, interaction, participation, and ubiquitous learning. Despite the facilitation of collaboration between teachers and their students while using WhatsApp, the internet connection related problems including its cost and availability were among the hindering factors for effective collaboration for both students and teachers. The lack of smartphones and computers for some students, teachers, parents, or guardians was among the highlighted limitations for the participation of some students. The limited students’ management and their distraction were also highlighted by some teachers. The provision of computers, smartphones, and enough internet connection for all teachers, parents, or guardians were among the proposed potential solutions. To deal with students’ management and distractions while learning via WhatsApp, there should be the follow-up and guidance provided by teachers, guardians, or parents. Chemistry teachers and students are recommended to use WhatsApp as a supporting learning tool due to its added value of providing ubiquitous learning. Parents, boards in charge of education, and other educational stakeholders should integrate WhatsApp in teaching and learning to complement classroom learning.
{"title":"Teachers’ perceptions towards the utilization of WhatsApp in supporting teaching and learning of chemistry during COVID-19 pandemic in Rwandan secondary schools","authors":"Ezechiel Nsabayezu, Aloys Iyamuremye, Jean de Dieu Kwitonda, Agnes Mbonyiryivuze","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.6","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports the results about teachers’ perceptions towards the utilization of WhatsApp in supporting teaching and learning of chemistry during the COVID-19 pandemic in Rwandan selected secondary schools. The collected data by using a survey questionnaire were from 18 chemistry teachers in Nyarugenge and Kicukiro Districts. The findings illustrated that WhatsApp is effective for teaching chemistry and supporting students learning. This application promotes students’ motivation, engagement, collaboration, interaction, participation, and ubiquitous learning. Despite the facilitation of collaboration between teachers and their students while using WhatsApp, the internet connection related problems including its cost and availability were among the hindering factors for effective collaboration for both students and teachers. The lack of smartphones and computers for some students, teachers, parents, or guardians was among the highlighted limitations for the participation of some students. The limited students’ management and their distraction were also highlighted by some teachers. The provision of computers, smartphones, and enough internet connection for all teachers, parents, or guardians were among the proposed potential solutions. To deal with students’ management and distractions while learning via WhatsApp, there should be the follow-up and guidance provided by teachers, guardians, or parents. Chemistry teachers and students are recommended to use WhatsApp as a supporting learning tool due to its added value of providing ubiquitous learning. Parents, boards in charge of education, and other educational stakeholders should integrate WhatsApp in teaching and learning to complement classroom learning.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132917119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The current study investigates the effectiveness of practical work in physics on academic performance among learners of a secondary school in Rwanda. The study employs a quasi-experimental research design specifically pretest-posttest control group design (control group and experimental group). Two groups of learners of senior one at Groupe Scholaire Rugoma were treated differently through an expository and practice-based approach respectively. Physics achievement test prepared to evaluate the effect of practical work indicated that learners in the experimental group outperformed those of the control group treated by the expository teaching method. Various factors that may advance or hinder the implementation of practical work were identified and views from science teachers were collected. Most of the respondents strongly agreed that those factors have a significant impact on the implementation of practical work which in turn influence learners’ overall academic performance during Physics Achievement Test (PAT). A significant difference was observed from the statistical analysis performed by using SPSS version 21.0. (Pretest and posttest among learners in the experimental group; t = 27.243; 32.743; MD = 8.4239; 13.12500 respectively whereas the pretest and posttest among learners are as follow, t = 28.442; 32.627; MD = 9.82500; 2.38005 respectively and for all performance evaluation hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Based on the observed results, it was found that practical work was more effective in improving learners’ performance in Physics. It was therefore concluded that practical work continues to be a promising approach in teaching sciences, particularly teaching Physics in secondary schools.
{"title":"Effectiveness of Practical Work in Physics on Academic Performance among Learners at the selected secondary school in Rwanda","authors":"Jean Twahirwa, Etienne Twizeyimana","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.7","url":null,"abstract":"The current study investigates the effectiveness of practical work in physics on academic performance among learners of a secondary school in Rwanda. The study employs a quasi-experimental research design specifically pretest-posttest control group design (control group and experimental group). Two groups of learners of senior one at Groupe Scholaire Rugoma were treated differently through an expository and practice-based approach respectively. Physics achievement test prepared to evaluate the effect of practical work indicated that learners in the experimental group outperformed those of the control group treated by the expository teaching method. Various factors that may advance or hinder the implementation of practical work were identified and views from science teachers were collected. Most of the respondents strongly agreed that those factors have a significant impact on the implementation of practical work which in turn influence learners’ overall academic performance during Physics Achievement Test (PAT). A significant difference was observed from the statistical analysis performed by using SPSS version 21.0. (Pretest and posttest among learners in the experimental group; t = 27.243; 32.743; MD = 8.4239; 13.12500 respectively whereas the pretest and posttest among learners are as follow, t = 28.442; 32.627; MD = 9.82500; 2.38005 respectively and for all performance evaluation hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance. Based on the observed results, it was found that practical work was more effective in improving learners’ performance in Physics. It was therefore concluded that practical work continues to be a promising approach in teaching sciences, particularly teaching Physics in secondary schools.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134613437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
While a plethora of researchers have acknowledged the importance of learning cycles as a model of instruction in a constructivist supported enquiry science education, the rising number of learning cycle models however raises compelling questions about validity, hence the need for a comprehensive overview and analysis of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of these models. This paper examined among the very many, four major learning cycles; 3E, 5E, 7E and 9E, on the scales of knowledge construction, to provide adequate information for decision making regarding their preference and use. While the 3E provides the very basic framework for expansion, it missed addressing the learners’ initial dialogic engagement with teachers as well as summative evaluation of learning. Critical analysis informed the conclusion that there are three main goals common to the learning cycles under review namely; the development of conceptual understanding, process skills and critical thinking. A well-planned and implemented 5E model generally meets the inquiry-based constructivist learning goals, although it is silent on transfer of knowledge outside of the classroom. This transfer of knowledge, provided for in the 7E, is the major meaningful difference between 5E and 7E. The three new phases introduced in the 9E, Echo, Emend and E-search, were assessed to be redundant. After a thorough needs assessment of the phases of the learning cycles under review, a six-phase learning cycle is proposed comprising Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate and Extend.
{"title":"An Overview of Learning Cycles in Science Inquiry-based Instruction","authors":"C. Nicol, Emmanuel Gakuba, Gonzague Habinshuti","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.5","url":null,"abstract":"While a plethora of researchers have acknowledged the importance of learning cycles as a model of instruction in a constructivist supported enquiry science education, the rising number of learning cycle models however raises compelling questions about validity, hence the need for a comprehensive overview and analysis of the comparative strengths and weaknesses of these models. This paper examined among the very many, four major learning cycles; 3E, 5E, 7E and 9E, on the scales of knowledge construction, to provide adequate information for decision making regarding their preference and use. While the 3E provides the very basic framework for expansion, it missed addressing the learners’ initial dialogic engagement with teachers as well as summative evaluation of learning. Critical analysis informed the conclusion that there are three main goals common to the learning cycles under review namely; the development of conceptual understanding, process skills and critical thinking. A well-planned and implemented 5E model generally meets the inquiry-based constructivist learning goals, although it is silent on transfer of knowledge outside of the classroom. This transfer of knowledge, provided for in the 7E, is the major meaningful difference between 5E and 7E. The three new phases introduced in the 9E, Echo, Emend and E-search, were assessed to be redundant. After a thorough needs assessment of the phases of the learning cycles under review, a six-phase learning cycle is proposed comprising Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate and Extend.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131175000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Education of pre-service science teachers necessitates inquiry and resource-based instruction to ensure the production of both hands-on and mind-on skilled science teachers. This becomes possible when a variety of instructional resources regularly support the teaching process. This study aimed to identify the types of available biology instructional resources and their extent of use in teaching pre-service biology teachers. The study used a descriptive survey research design and was conducted in three private Universities selected from those offering education in Rwanda. Eighty-two pre-service biology teachers and five biology lecturers participated in the study. Observational checklist of biology instructional resources and questionnaires aided the collection of data analyzed by frequency counts and percentages. The findings revealed that biology instructional resources like classroom chairs, chalkboards, laboratories, microscopes, centrifuge, slide projectors, biology textbooks were available while resources like a class whiteboard, classroom overhead projectors, electrophoresis unit, recorders, Polymerase chain reaction machines, among others, were absent. The findings also revealed low-level use of available biology instructional resources in teaching pre-service biology teachers. The implication is the likelihood of producing less competent future biology teachers. The provision of adequate biology instructional resources, as well as the monitoring of their use in teaching biology, was recommended
{"title":"Biology Instructional Resources Availability and Extent of their Utilization in Teaching Pre-Service Biology Teachers","authors":"Josiane Mukagihana, F. Nsanganwimana, C. Aurah","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I2.3","url":null,"abstract":"Education of pre-service science teachers necessitates inquiry and resource-based instruction to ensure the production of both hands-on and mind-on skilled science teachers. This becomes possible when a variety of instructional resources regularly support the teaching process. This study aimed to identify the types of available biology instructional resources and their extent of use in teaching pre-service biology teachers. The study used a descriptive survey research design and was conducted in three private Universities selected from those offering education in Rwanda. Eighty-two pre-service biology teachers and five biology lecturers participated in the study. Observational checklist of biology instructional resources and questionnaires aided the collection of data analyzed by frequency counts and percentages. The findings revealed that biology instructional resources like classroom chairs, chalkboards, laboratories, microscopes, centrifuge, slide projectors, biology textbooks were available while resources like a class whiteboard, classroom overhead projectors, electrophoresis unit, recorders, Polymerase chain reaction machines, among others, were absent. The findings also revealed low-level use of available biology instructional resources in teaching pre-service biology teachers. The implication is the likelihood of producing less competent future biology teachers. The provision of adequate biology instructional resources, as well as the monitoring of their use in teaching biology, was recommended","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125464434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The impact of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their academic performance and motivation in all stages of their academic endeavour has been a major concern to many researchers. It contributes greatly to the overall total development and success of the student even at their progression to the next level in their educational development. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effect of using concept mapping strategy as an intervention strategy on the development of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their motivation and performance in biology. One hundred and twenty students from two different Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana were involved in the experiment. Two instruments, namely students’ self-efficacy and motivation questionnaire as well as students’ achievement test were used in the data collection and the results were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression statistics. The findings of the study indicated that effective regular use of concept mapping strategy has a strong and positive influence on students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their development which enhances their motivation to learn and performance in biology.
{"title":"Concept mapping impact on self-efficacy for enhancing students’ motivation and performance in biology","authors":"Michael Adiyiah, D. Mutangana, Y. Ameyaw","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.6","url":null,"abstract":"The impact of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their academic performance and motivation in all stages of their academic endeavour has been a major concern to many researchers. It contributes greatly to the overall total development and success of the student even at their progression to the next level in their educational development. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effect of using concept mapping strategy as an intervention strategy on the development of students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their motivation and performance in biology. One hundred and twenty students from two different Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region of Ghana were involved in the experiment. Two instruments, namely students’ self-efficacy and motivation questionnaire as well as students’ achievement test were used in the data collection and the results were analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression statistics. The findings of the study indicated that effective regular use of concept mapping strategy has a strong and positive influence on students’ self-efficacy beliefs about their development which enhances their motivation to learn and performance in biology.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133131604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Marie Sagesse Uwurukundo, Jean François Maniraho, Michael Tusiime
This article explores studies that investigated GeoGebra integration and its effectiveness in teaching and learning mathematics. The study examines existing studies on how and why GeoGebra enhanced students’ performance; understanding, analytical thinking, generalization, abstract thinking, representation, and logical thinking. By a deep exploration of the main construct of the study, we collected and analyzed 20 studies whose results reported that GeoGebra added values when applied in teaching and learning in different mathematical domains. The reviewed literature identified four domains in Mathematics: Geometry, Algebra, Calculus, and Trigonometry that was studied. The majority of the reviewed studies investigated the integration of GeoGebra in Geometry and few studies were found in other mathematical domains. The literature ascertains that students can explore independently the software and acquire mathematical concepts with minimum assistance from the teacher. The results from the reviewed literature, on the one hand, indicated 16/20 or (80 %) of the studies generally showed that GeoGebra is effective in teaching and learning Mathematics since GeoGebra contributed in enhancing students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and improved students’ interest to learn mathematics. On the other hand, only 4/20 studies or (20%) showed non-effectiveness of GeoGebra since students in both experimental and control groups did not show the difference in their performance after being both given post-tests or an interview. This may indicate that although GeoGebra seems to be largely effective, such effectiveness is dependent on the way it is integrated into the teaching and learning process. Therefore, we recommend that other research should step up investigating why most of the studies were found in the Geometry domain and few in other domains.
{"title":"GeoGebra integration and effectiveness in the teaching and learning of mathematics in secondary schools: A review of literature","authors":"Marie Sagesse Uwurukundo, Jean François Maniraho, Michael Tusiime","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.1","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores studies that investigated GeoGebra integration and its effectiveness in teaching and learning mathematics. The study examines existing studies on how and why GeoGebra enhanced students’ performance; understanding, analytical thinking, generalization, abstract thinking, representation, and logical thinking. By a deep exploration of the main construct of the study, we collected and analyzed 20 studies whose results reported that GeoGebra added values when applied in teaching and learning in different mathematical domains. The reviewed literature identified four domains in Mathematics: Geometry, Algebra, Calculus, and Trigonometry that was studied. The majority of the reviewed studies investigated the integration of GeoGebra in Geometry and few studies were found in other mathematical domains. The literature ascertains that students can explore independently the software and acquire mathematical concepts with minimum assistance from the teacher. The results from the reviewed literature, on the one hand, indicated 16/20 or (80 %) of the studies generally showed that GeoGebra is effective in teaching and learning Mathematics since GeoGebra contributed in enhancing students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and improved students’ interest to learn mathematics. On the other hand, only 4/20 studies or (20%) showed non-effectiveness of GeoGebra since students in both experimental and control groups did not show the difference in their performance after being both given post-tests or an interview. This may indicate that although GeoGebra seems to be largely effective, such effectiveness is dependent on the way it is integrated into the teaching and learning process. Therefore, we recommend that other research should step up investigating why most of the studies were found in the Geometry domain and few in other domains.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"120913726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The study aims to reinforce the effective teaching of chemistry in secondary schools through the support of the school leadership in the implementation of the competence-based curriculum (CBC). Interviews were organised and conducted with five headteachers and five deputy headteachers from ten selected schools. The results confirmed that the support provided by the school leadership in teaching chemistry was dominated by 30% of respondents at visiting teachers in classes, provision of some basic teaching materials and encouraging teachers to work in the chemistry department for mutual support and professional growth. However, in some schools, there is a need for prioritising continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities, feedback meetings and analysing school data for decision making. Therefore, this study recommends more efforts in CPDs, avail enough teaching aids and hold the pedagogical review and learning meetings lead by headteachers; analyse and use the school data for continuous improvement and build the school on tangible evidence in positive learning outcomes. Plus more support in engaging learners doing chemistry rather than just giving them chemistry books. Transformational leadership is needed, where all stakeholders share the same vision and mission of the school.
{"title":"Ways School Leaders Support the Teaching of Chemistry","authors":"Edwin Byusa, E. Kampire, A. Mwesigye","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.5","url":null,"abstract":"The study aims to reinforce the effective teaching of chemistry in secondary schools through the support of the school leadership in the implementation of the competence-based curriculum (CBC). Interviews were organised and conducted with five headteachers and five deputy headteachers from ten selected schools. The results confirmed that the support provided by the school leadership in teaching chemistry was dominated by 30% of respondents at visiting teachers in classes, provision of some basic teaching materials and encouraging teachers to work in the chemistry department for mutual support and professional growth. However, in some schools, there is a need for prioritising continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities, feedback meetings and analysing school data for decision making. Therefore, this study recommends more efforts in CPDs, avail enough teaching aids and hold the pedagogical review and learning meetings lead by headteachers; analyse and use the school data for continuous improvement and build the school on tangible evidence in positive learning outcomes. Plus more support in engaging learners doing chemistry rather than just giving them chemistry books. Transformational leadership is needed, where all stakeholders share the same vision and mission of the school.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131046580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study reports on an investigation of how field experiences in teaching prepares pre-service teachers (PSTs) to effectively deal with the challenges and complexities of teaching mathematics in Zimbabwean secondary schools. The study was premised on the view that improvement in learning secondary school mathematics in the classroom is related to practitioner development in teaching. However, despite overwhelming research on mathematics knowledge for teachers, the problem of mathematics failure in high schools has not been addressed. A mixed methods approach, based on the perspectives of PSTs on teaching practice (TP) was employed to depict how their practices impact on their knowledge development for teaching mathematics. The study, found that a proficient mathematics PST is considered one who embraces knowledge of mathematics content and the ability to teach it. Hence, the development of mathematics knowledge for PSTs requires them to be mentored and workshopped by mathematics subject specialists who are well positioned in terms of mathematics pedagogy and mathematics content knowledge.
{"title":"Learning to teach for mathematical proficiency: Behavioural changes for pre-service teachers on teaching placement","authors":"Chipo Makamure","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.3","url":null,"abstract":"This study reports on an investigation of how field experiences in teaching prepares pre-service teachers (PSTs) to effectively deal with the challenges and complexities of teaching mathematics in Zimbabwean secondary schools. The study was premised on the view that improvement in learning secondary school mathematics in the classroom is related to practitioner development in teaching. However, despite overwhelming research on mathematics knowledge for teachers, the problem of mathematics failure in high schools has not been addressed. A mixed methods approach, based on the perspectives of PSTs on teaching practice (TP) was employed to depict how their practices impact on their knowledge development for teaching mathematics. The study, found that a proficient mathematics PST is considered one who embraces knowledge of mathematics content and the ability to teach it. Hence, the development of mathematics knowledge for PSTs requires them to be mentored and workshopped by mathematics subject specialists who are well positioned in terms of mathematics pedagogy and mathematics content knowledge.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134329781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Student evaluation of teaching (SET) has been around Universities in the Western and Eastern Hemispheres for a few decades now. SET is making in-roads into the Nigerian tertiary education sector. In this project, I identify two arguments (or assumptions) behind the opposition to the institution of SET in Nigeria. I demonstrate that these arguments/assumptions are incorrect and their worries not enough to scrap the programme. I also show that opposition to SET has been witnessed elsewhere before SET gained acceptance.
{"title":"Responding to two arguments against the student evaluation of teaching scheme in Nigerian universities","authors":"E. Ani","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.4","url":null,"abstract":"Student evaluation of teaching (SET) has been around Universities in the Western and Eastern Hemispheres for a few decades now. SET is making in-roads into the Nigerian tertiary education sector. In this project, I identify two arguments (or assumptions) behind the opposition to the institution of SET in Nigeria. I demonstrate that these arguments/assumptions are incorrect and their worries not enough to scrap the programme. I also show that opposition to SET has been witnessed elsewhere before SET gained acceptance.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123394515","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study focusses on the views of students in learning grade 11 mathematics in terms of their needs and aspirations regarding access to high-level mathematics teaching and learning opportunities. Students who participated in this study (88 grade 11 Namibian students) were identified as having learning difficulties by their mathematics teachers, but these students did not (themselves)consider that they had difficulties. The author attempts to understand why students believed they do not have difficulties in learning mathematics. A qualitative method was employed, and the students were investigated via semi-structured interviews. The transcripts were analysed using an interpretational analysis. This study revealed that students display interest in learning mathematics and that they tend to feel comfortable with the subject despite certain influencing factors. The students’ perceptions are that their learning processes were negatively affected by aspects of systemic factors, teachers’ and students’ own factors, and access to learning resources. The students feel that they lack high-level access to teaching and learning, and this limits their potential for achieving the level at which they are expected to perform and be academically successful. In addition to the implications that emerged, this study makes recommendations on what should be done to address the negative factors perceived by the students.
{"title":"Students’ desires for high-level teaching and learning opportunities: Views of Namibian Grade 11 students observed to have difficulties in learning mathematics","authors":"S. Hamukwaya","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V16I1.2","url":null,"abstract":"This study focusses on the views of students in learning grade 11 mathematics in terms of their needs and aspirations regarding access to high-level mathematics teaching and learning opportunities. Students who participated in this study (88 grade 11 Namibian students) were identified as having learning difficulties by their mathematics teachers, but these students did not (themselves)consider that they had difficulties. The author attempts to understand why students believed they do not have difficulties in learning mathematics. A qualitative method was employed, and the students were investigated via semi-structured interviews. The transcripts were analysed using an interpretational analysis. This study revealed that students display interest in learning mathematics and that they tend to feel comfortable with the subject despite certain influencing factors. The students’ perceptions are that their learning processes were negatively affected by aspects of systemic factors, teachers’ and students’ own factors, and access to learning resources. The students feel that they lack high-level access to teaching and learning, and this limits their potential for achieving the level at which they are expected to perform and be academically successful. In addition to the implications that emerged, this study makes recommendations on what should be done to address the negative factors perceived by the students.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129422457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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