Examining Colleges of Education Mathematics Tutors’ Conceptions in Teaching Completing the Square in Ghana

Abstract

The objective of the study is to understand colleges of education tutors’ conceptions in teaching completing the square in an effort to design an innovative teaching strategy that could impact positively on their knowledge, skills and practices in teaching completing the square. It was conducted among a conveniently sampled 46 tutors from twenty three (23) colleges of education in Ghana under a mixed method design, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches in the data collection and analysis. Tutors were presented with a questionnaire made up of 46 items presented in three parts. Based on the analysis it can be concluded that colleges of education tutors conception of teaching completing the square is very weakly grounded in procedural knowledge (i.e. use of rules), but failed to demonstrate conceptual understanding of the rules and processes of completing the square. It is recommended that a refresher course be organised to equip colleges of education tutors with innovative and practical ways of teaching completing the square in ways that are efficient and practical to facilitate their conceptual understanding of the rules and processes.