A problem in research, as well as human body, calls for perfect diagnosis of illness. This is important to avoid treating the symptoms instead of the actual disease. A research problem could be identified through professional or/and academic efforts. This poses a lot of problems to students, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as this determines the title of their articles or research works. Many of them have to submit many topics to their supervisors before one could be reframed and approved. At times, students appealed to their supervisors to provide them with researchable topics. This to the supervisor(s) almost writing the dissertations/theses for them. The argument of this paper is to let students understand “problem identification” using an analogy from the Holy Bible. The study employed a conversation analysis methodology, which is empirically grounded, exploratory in-process and inferential. This involves using every conversation between two or more parties to explore facts/lesson. It was recommended that seasoned lecturers should explain to students how to identify research problems using what are familiar to them to make them understand this important aspect of research
{"title":"Understanding problem identification in research using analogies","authors":"K. Oyediran","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i2.3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i2.3","url":null,"abstract":"A problem in research, as well as human body, calls for perfect diagnosis of illness. This is important to avoid treating the symptoms instead of the actual disease. A research problem could be identified through professional or/and academic efforts. This poses a lot of problems to students, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as this determines the title of their articles or research works. Many of them have to submit many topics to their supervisors before one could be reframed and approved. At times, students appealed to their supervisors to provide them with researchable topics. This to the supervisor(s) almost writing the dissertations/theses for them. The argument of this paper is to let students understand “problem identification” using an analogy from the Holy Bible. The study employed a conversation analysis methodology, which is empirically grounded, exploratory in-process and inferential. This involves using every conversation between two or more parties to explore facts/lesson. It was recommended that seasoned lecturers should explain to students how to identify research problems using what are familiar to them to make them understand this important aspect of research","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115740998","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}
E. K. Davis, Christopher Beccles, Etheldreda C Intsiful
This paper draws on conceptualization of pupil-centred and teacher-centred methods to explore the views of primary school and junior high school (JHS) mathematics and science teachers on teaching. The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether the views of these teachers place the pupils at the centre of the teaching and learning process. The research participants were selected from all the six circuits in the Cape Coast Metropolis using stratified random sampling procedure. Questionnaires were administered and responded to by 157 primary and JHS mathematics and science teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The data collected were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The findings from the study showed among others that the participants’ views about teaching were predominantly teacher-centred. Implications of the findings for mathematics and science teacher education particularly and research in mathematics and science education in Ghana generally are provided.
{"title":"Primary and junior high school mathematics and science teachers’ views on teaching in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana","authors":"E. K. Davis, Christopher Beccles, Etheldreda C Intsiful","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i2.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i2.2","url":null,"abstract":"This paper draws on conceptualization of pupil-centred and teacher-centred methods to explore the views of primary school and junior high school (JHS) mathematics and science teachers on teaching. The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether the views of these teachers place the pupils at the centre of the teaching and learning process. The research participants were selected from all the six circuits in the Cape Coast Metropolis using stratified random sampling procedure. Questionnaires were administered and responded to by 157 primary and JHS mathematics and science teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The data collected were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The findings from the study showed among others that the participants’ views about teaching were predominantly teacher-centred. Implications of the findings for mathematics and science teacher education particularly and research in mathematics and science education in Ghana generally are provided.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130858736","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}
E. K. Davis, Christopher Beccles, Etheldreda C Intsiful
This paper draws on the conceptualization of pupil-centred and teacher-centred methods to explore the views of primary school and junior high school (JHS) mathematics and science teachers on teaching. The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether the views of these teachers place the pupils at the centre of the teaching and learning process. The research participants were selected from all the six circuits in the Cape Coast Metropolis using stratified random sampling procedure. Questionnaires were administered and responded to by 157 primary and JHS mathematics and science teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The data collected were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The findings from the study showed among others that the participants’ views about teaching were predominantly teacher-centred. Implications of the findings for mathematics and science teacher education particularly and research in mathematics and science education in Ghana generally are provided.
{"title":"Primary and junior high school mathematics and science teachers’ views on teaching in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana","authors":"E. K. Davis, Christopher Beccles, Etheldreda C Intsiful","doi":"10.4314/AJESMS.V15I2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/AJESMS.V15I2","url":null,"abstract":"This paper draws on the conceptualization of pupil-centred and teacher-centred methods to explore the views of primary school and junior high school (JHS) mathematics and science teachers on teaching. The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether the views of these teachers place the pupils at the centre of the teaching and learning process. The research participants were selected from all the six circuits in the Cape Coast Metropolis using stratified random sampling procedure. Questionnaires were administered and responded to by 157 primary and JHS mathematics and science teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis of Ghana. The data collected were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The findings from the study showed among others that the participants’ views about teaching were predominantly teacher-centred. Implications of the findings for mathematics and science teacher education particularly and research in mathematics and science education in Ghana generally are provided.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116459146","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 paper reports science tutors’ perceptions about science curriculum reforms occurred in Rwanda from 1996 to 2013 in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). It also highlights their perceptions about challenges and factors for effective implementation of Integrated Science Curriculum (ISC). Data for the study were collected from 26 science tutors teaching ISC in 11 TTCs from 4 provinces using questionnaires and structured interviews. Results showed that a slim majority of science tutors were not resistant to curriculum reform. Even if most of the science tutors were confident while teaching most of the topics in ISC, they have experienced some difficulties in teaching physics and cross-cutting domains related topics as well as practical activities. Other identified challenges include lack of qualified tutors to teach ISC in TTCs, insufficient contact hours allocated to ISC topics, tutors’ heavy workload, lack of sufficient science laboratory equipment and materials. In addition to TTC libraries that are not well equipped, lack of textbooks and teacher’s guides, as well as lack of in-service tutors’ training, were stressed to be some of the challenges. Even if it was found that most competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes gained by student-teachers after completing ISC were highly rated by science tutors, communication skills and problem-solving skills that are claimed to be important skills needed by graduates of science in the workplaces were poorly rated. The recommended strategies to overcome the identified challenges include active involvement of TTCs’ science tutors in designing and development of ISC. Moreover, all TTCs should be provided with qualified science tutors to teach ISC. Training for in-service science tutors, recruitment of qualified tutors, and provision of adequate facilities, libraries and well-equipped science laboratories for all TTCs are also recommended.
{"title":"Tutors’ perceptions about science curriculum reforms and challenges for their implementation in Teacher Training Colleges in Rwanda","authors":"Camille Kanamugire, LakhanLal Yadav, Agnes Mbonyiryivuze","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.9","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports science tutors’ perceptions about science curriculum reforms occurred in Rwanda from 1996 to 2013 in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). It also highlights their perceptions about challenges and factors for effective implementation of Integrated Science Curriculum (ISC). Data for the study were collected from 26 science tutors teaching ISC in 11 TTCs from 4 provinces using questionnaires and structured interviews. Results showed that a slim majority of science tutors were not resistant to curriculum reform. Even if most of the science tutors were confident while teaching most of the topics in ISC, they have experienced some difficulties in teaching physics and cross-cutting domains related topics as well as practical activities. Other identified challenges include lack of qualified tutors to teach ISC in TTCs, insufficient contact hours allocated to ISC topics, tutors’ heavy workload, lack of sufficient science laboratory equipment and materials. In addition to TTC libraries that are not well equipped, lack of textbooks and teacher’s guides, as well as lack of in-service tutors’ training, were stressed to be some of the challenges. Even if it was found that most competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes gained by student-teachers after completing ISC were highly rated by science tutors, communication skills and problem-solving skills that are claimed to be important skills needed by graduates of science in the workplaces were poorly rated. The recommended strategies to overcome the identified challenges include active involvement of TTCs’ science tutors in designing and development of ISC. Moreover, all TTCs should be provided with qualified science tutors to teach ISC. Training for in-service science tutors, recruitment of qualified tutors, and provision of adequate facilities, libraries and well-equipped science laboratories for all TTCs are also recommended.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122774967","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}
Kizito Ndihokubwayo, J. Uwamahoro, Irénée Ndayambaje
Science education in Rwandan schools still faces a number of challenges including the lack or shortage of equipment available for science experiments. This paper describes research conducted to assess the impact of using improvised versus conventional laboratory equipment in experiments. Eighty-five lower secondary school students were assessed using a semi-experimental post-test design on thermal expansion of bodies. Data analysis using a t-test produced a t-Stat of 2.74 over a t-Critical of 1.98 indicating a statistical significance between the two experimental groups in favour of the group using improvised equipment. As a result, it is recommended that improvised equipment be used in those instances in which there is a lack or shortage of conventional equipment since students’ achievement was similar regardless of the type of equipment used.
{"title":"An assessment of the impact of improvised versus conventional laboratory equipment on students’ performance in thermal expansion","authors":"Kizito Ndihokubwayo, J. Uwamahoro, Irénée Ndayambaje","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.11","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.11","url":null,"abstract":"Science education in Rwandan schools still faces a number of challenges including the lack or shortage of equipment available for science experiments. This paper describes research conducted to assess the impact of using improvised versus conventional laboratory equipment in experiments. Eighty-five lower secondary school students were assessed using a semi-experimental post-test design on thermal expansion of bodies. Data analysis using a t-test produced a t-Stat of 2.74 over a t-Critical of 1.98 indicating a statistical significance between the two experimental groups in favour of the group using improvised equipment. As a result, it is recommended that improvised equipment be used in those instances in which there is a lack or shortage of conventional equipment since students’ achievement was similar regardless of the type of equipment used.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132693028","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 examined the beliefs underlying teachers’ decision-making regarding teaching Mathematical Problem Solving (MPS), from the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). 375 primary teachers drawn from 50 schools in a large, mainly urban local authority in Ghana, completed a questionnaire assessing the direct TPB measures of attitudinal beliefs (positive/negative consequences), normative beliefs (approving/disapproving significant others), control beliefs (easy/difficult circumstances) and intentions in relation to teaching MPS. In the follow up qualitative phase, six semi-structured teacher interviews were conducted to further explore the quantitative findings. The merged results revealed that teachers’ intentions to teach MPS were influenced by their attitudinal beliefs towards teaching MPS (e.g. stimulate critical thinking, apply mathematics to everyday contexts), their perceptions and actions of important others (e.g. education authorities, pupils and parents), and some perceived control difficulties (e.g. lack of instructional resources and time availability). The results identified both attitudinal and control beliefs as the main determinants of teacher intentions to teach MPS. These findings highlight the key beliefs to target in developing the capacity of schools to support mathematics teachers’ willingness to implement curriculum reform imperatives.
{"title":"Exploring intentions to teach mathematical problem solving: An application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour","authors":"Prince Hamidu Armah, D. Robson","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.10","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.10","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the beliefs underlying teachers’ decision-making regarding teaching Mathematical Problem Solving (MPS), from the perspective of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). 375 primary teachers drawn from 50 schools in a large, mainly urban local authority in Ghana, completed a questionnaire assessing the direct TPB measures of attitudinal beliefs (positive/negative consequences), normative beliefs (approving/disapproving significant others), control beliefs (easy/difficult circumstances) and intentions in relation to teaching MPS. In the follow up qualitative phase, six semi-structured teacher interviews were conducted to further explore the quantitative findings. The merged results revealed that teachers’ intentions to teach MPS were influenced by their attitudinal beliefs towards teaching MPS (e.g. stimulate critical thinking, apply mathematics to everyday contexts), their perceptions and actions of important others (e.g. education authorities, pupils and parents), and some perceived control difficulties (e.g. lack of instructional resources and time availability). The results identified both attitudinal and control beliefs as the main determinants of teacher intentions to teach MPS. These findings highlight the key beliefs to target in developing the capacity of schools to support mathematics teachers’ willingness to implement curriculum reform imperatives.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122524969","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}
Boi Doku Anyetei, Twumasi Ankrah Kwarteng, R. Hanson
The research was a case study designed to investigate inclusive education practices in a science class at a Basic School in Winneba, Ghana where inclusive education is practised as in all ten regions. The sample for the study consisted of one head teacher, a science teacher, three interpreters and one resource teacher from the Basic School. The main instruments used for data collection were questionnaires, informal interviews and observations. Findings showed that the teacher and interpreters both prepared for science classes having special needs in mind. However, about half of the respondents, upon interaction with them, demonstrated that the earnestly did not have the expertise to organise inclusive science classes. Team preparation and teaching were highly practised for support. It was recommended that they use multi-media technologies, attend teacher development programmes, and use their limited teaching resources to augment their teaching skills as they are mostly not used. Since the study was conducted in only one inclusive school, the findings may not be for generalization.
{"title":"Interpretation of inclusive education practices in science at a basic school","authors":"Boi Doku Anyetei, Twumasi Ankrah Kwarteng, R. Hanson","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.2","url":null,"abstract":"The research was a case study designed to investigate inclusive education practices in a science class at a Basic School in Winneba, Ghana where inclusive education is practised as in all ten regions. The sample for the study consisted of one head teacher, a science teacher, three interpreters and one resource teacher from the Basic School. The main instruments used for data collection were questionnaires, informal interviews and observations. Findings showed that the teacher and interpreters both prepared for science classes having special needs in mind. However, about half of the respondents, upon interaction with them, demonstrated that the earnestly did not have the expertise to organise inclusive science classes. Team preparation and teaching were highly practised for support. It was recommended that they use multi-media technologies, attend teacher development programmes, and use their limited teaching resources to augment their teaching skills as they are mostly not used. Since the study was conducted in only one inclusive school, the findings may not be for generalization.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126662261","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}
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an instrument par excellence that a nation can rely upon to bring about self-reliance in an educational system. Therefore, there is the need to integrate ICT into teaching and learning; hence, the study investigated the assessment of Teachers’ and Students’ level of utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics in Ilorin, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research of the survey type. The population for the study was all senior secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State. A total of 170 students and 50 mathematics teachers were randomly selected from senior secondary schools in Ilorin. The instrument used for the study was a researchers-designed questionnaire, which comprised of 24 ICT tools. The instrument was validated and the reliability index of 0.78 was obtained. The data gathered was analyzed statistically using simple percentage and Chi-Square statistics analyses. The findings revealed amongst others that; mathematics teachers and students utilized ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics respectively. Also, mathematics teachers and students were not skilled in utilizing ICT tools. The findings from the study show that the gender of both teachers and students does not have any influence on the teaching and learning of mathematics with the use of ICT tools. Based on the findings, It was, therefore, recommended among others that seminars and workshops should be organized for both female and male mathematics teachers on the benefits and how to incorporate ICT tools into their teaching activities and students should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with ICT tools so as to increase their level of competencies in the use of ICT tools.
{"title":"Teachers’ and students’ level of utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics in Ilorin, Nigeria","authors":"K. S. Ameen, S. M. Adeniji, Kehinde Abdullahi","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.5","url":null,"abstract":"Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an instrument par excellence that a nation can rely upon to bring about self-reliance in an educational system. Therefore, there is the need to integrate ICT into teaching and learning; hence, the study investigated the assessment of Teachers’ and Students’ level of utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics in Ilorin, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research of the survey type. The population for the study was all senior secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State. A total of 170 students and 50 mathematics teachers were randomly selected from senior secondary schools in Ilorin. The instrument used for the study was a researchers-designed questionnaire, which comprised of 24 ICT tools. The instrument was validated and the reliability index of 0.78 was obtained. The data gathered was analyzed statistically using simple percentage and Chi-Square statistics analyses. The findings revealed amongst others that; mathematics teachers and students utilized ICT tools for teaching and learning mathematics respectively. Also, mathematics teachers and students were not skilled in utilizing ICT tools. The findings from the study show that the gender of both teachers and students does not have any influence on the teaching and learning of mathematics with the use of ICT tools. Based on the findings, It was, therefore, recommended among others that seminars and workshops should be organized for both female and male mathematics teachers on the benefits and how to incorporate ICT tools into their teaching activities and students should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with ICT tools so as to increase their level of competencies in the use of ICT tools.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131274689","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 is a response to findings that have shown the importance of teachers’ philosophy, teaching styles and ICT use in impacting student learning outcomes. The study adopted an exploratory case design to explore the philosophical foundations, teaching styles and the levels of ICT use of six high school mathematics teachers in Ghana. Data for the study was collected using semi-structured interviews. The study found that the high school teachers used mainly the teacher-centred teaching approaches in which they dominate classroom instruction by disseminating knowledge to their learners. In spite of its perceived potentials, the study also reported low usages of ICT in instructional delivery among the teachers. Interestingly, the philosophy of teaching reported in the study by the teachers resonates with their current teaching style and ICT usage levels; the study found that the high school mathematics teachers hugely subscribed to the absolutist philosophical views of teaching mathematics which takes root in teacher-dominated teaching approaches. Consequently, the study reiterates that if teachers hold philosophical views that support the absolutist school of thought, they are likely to use delivery strategies which do not support ICT use but position the teacher to assume a central role in the instructional processes.
{"title":"Philosophy of teaching, teaching style and ICT use: a qualitative study of the perspectives of high school mathematics teachers","authors":"Farouq Sessah Mensah, D. D. Agyei","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.1","url":null,"abstract":"This study is a response to findings that have shown the importance of teachers’ philosophy, teaching styles and ICT use in impacting student learning outcomes. The study adopted an exploratory case design to explore the philosophical foundations, teaching styles and the levels of ICT use of six high school mathematics teachers in Ghana. Data for the study was collected using semi-structured interviews. The study found that the high school teachers used mainly the teacher-centred teaching approaches in which they dominate classroom instruction by disseminating knowledge to their learners. In spite of its perceived potentials, the study also reported low usages of ICT in instructional delivery among the teachers. Interestingly, the philosophy of teaching reported in the study by the teachers resonates with their current teaching style and ICT usage levels; the study found that the high school mathematics teachers hugely subscribed to the absolutist philosophical views of teaching mathematics which takes root in teacher-dominated teaching approaches. Consequently, the study reiterates that if teachers hold philosophical views that support the absolutist school of thought, they are likely to use delivery strategies which do not support ICT use but position the teacher to assume a central role in the instructional processes.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114192089","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 investigated the effects of van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy and gender on pre-service mathematics teacher attitude towards geometry in Niger state, Nigeria. The study employed pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design using a two-by-two (2x2) factorial matrix with one experimental and control group. The experimental group was exposed to Van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy while the control group was taught the same topics with conventional teaching strategy. Three null hypotheses with corresponding research question were formulated to guide the study. Attitudes Towards Geometry questionnaire (ATGQ) was the instrument employed to collect data from 149 sampled pre-service mathematics teachers from the two colleges of education situated in Niger State, Nigeria. The sample colleges were selected using purposive sampling technique. A reliability coefficient of 0.73 was obtained for Attitudes Towards Geometry questionnaire. Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed in analysing the data at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the study revealed that van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy is more effective in improving pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude towards geometry. It was recommended among others, that since van Hiele phase-based teaching strategy was found to be effective in enhancing pre-service mathematics teacher attitude towards geometry, the strategy should be employed by lecturers in course of teaching students. The teacher education programme should be geared towards training of mathematics lecturers to learn van Hiele phase-based teaching strategy as it supports effective teaching and learning which thereby improving learners’ attitudes towards learning geometry.
{"title":"Effects of van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy and gender on pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude towards geometry in Niger State, Nigeria","authors":"H. Usman, W. T. Yew, S. Saleh","doi":"10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.4314/ajesms.v15i1.6","url":null,"abstract":"The study investigated the effects of van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy and gender on pre-service mathematics teacher attitude towards geometry in Niger state, Nigeria. The study employed pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design using a two-by-two (2x2) factorial matrix with one experimental and control group. The experimental group was exposed to Van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy while the control group was taught the same topics with conventional teaching strategy. Three null hypotheses with corresponding research question were formulated to guide the study. Attitudes Towards Geometry questionnaire (ATGQ) was the instrument employed to collect data from 149 sampled pre-service mathematics teachers from the two colleges of education situated in Niger State, Nigeria. The sample colleges were selected using purposive sampling technique. A reliability coefficient of 0.73 was obtained for Attitudes Towards Geometry questionnaire. Two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed in analysing the data at 0.05 level of significance. The results of the study revealed that van Hiele’s phase-based teaching strategy is more effective in improving pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude towards geometry. It was recommended among others, that since van Hiele phase-based teaching strategy was found to be effective in enhancing pre-service mathematics teacher attitude towards geometry, the strategy should be employed by lecturers in course of teaching students. The teacher education programme should be geared towards training of mathematics lecturers to learn van Hiele phase-based teaching strategy as it supports effective teaching and learning which thereby improving learners’ attitudes towards learning geometry.","PeriodicalId":210929,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127834497","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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