Preservice Mathematics Teachers’ Content and Pedagogical Knowledge for Teaching Logical Reasoning in Senior High School

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge of preservice Mathematics teachers for teaching Logical reasoning in senior high school. The research design used was a cross-sectional survey. Target population was 184 and accessible population was 138 level 400 preservice Mathematics teachers from the Department of Mathematics and ICT Education, University of Cape Coast participated in the study. Questionnaire and Achievement were data collection instrument employed in the study. The questionnaire covered sections testing the pedagogical knowledge and Achievement test also covered the section test content knowledge of preservice Mathematics teachers on Logical reasoning. The data collected was analysed using mean, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test. The study revealed that preservice Mathematics teachers possess much content knowledge in the sub-strands on Logical reasoning except compound statements. Also, female preservice Mathematics teachers possess more content knowledge on Logical reasoning than their male counterparts. However, there is no significant difference in the knowledge of strategies for teaching Logical reasoning possessed by West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination and Diploma in Basic Education applicants. Also, difference in knowledge of teaching strategies in Logical reasoning possessed by male and female preservice Mathematics teachers is not significant. Content and methods courses mounted by the DMICTE have a positive impact on preservice Mathematics teachers’ strategies for teaching Logical reasoning. It was concluded that preservice Mathematics teachers are most likely to avoid teaching compound statements when they are deployed to senior high school. It was recommended that Departments of Mathematics education at the university should ensure that preservice Mathematics teachers are given more exposure to compound statements in their course content.