Valuing In Mathematics Teaching And Learning Amongst Teachers And Students: What Does It Look Like Across Grade Levels?

Abstract

This study was set out to investigate what teachers and students value in mathematics learning at the pre-tertiary level of education in a metropolis in the southern part of Ghana. The study employed positivist research paradigm. A descriptive cross sectional survey research design was used in which a quantitative data was collected using “What I Find Important (in my mathematics learning)” [WIFI] questionnaire for students and a modified version of the students’ questionnaire for teachers. The study adopted a multistage sampling procedure to select participants. First, a stratified random sampling technique was used to select Primary schools and JHS based on urban and rural locations of schools and SHS according to school type (co-educational, single sex female and single sex male schools). Second, simple random sampling (SRS) technique with proportional allocation of samples was used to select Primary, JHS and SHS students from each stratum to take part in the study. Also, all the teachers who teach mathematics in the sampled schools were purposefully selected as participants. A total of 1263 students and 177 teachers from 34 public pre-tertiary schools in the metropolis were selected to participate in the study. Principal Component Analysis (PCA), specifically Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and one-way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were used to explore what the teachers and their students value in mathematics learning. The study revealed that the teachers valued the attributes: Understanding, Versatility and Achievement in students’ mathematics learning. The students on the other hand, valued the attributes: Fluency, Understanding, Instructional Materials/Activities, Connections, ICT, Feedback and Learning Strategies in their mathematics learning. The study pointed out that teachers who hold Master degree (Math) with no teacher training valued Versatility most. However, teachers who hold Bachelor degree (Math) with teacher training valued Understanding the least. In this regard, the study recommends that Colleges of Education and Universities that train mathematics teachers should reform their curricula in mathematics education to include education on values to enable mathematics teacher trainees to be conscious of their valuing stances and how it impacts on their classroom instructions. Also, Curriculum developers at the pre tertiary level of education in Ghana should ensure that the values adopted by the pre tertiary mathematics teachers and their students are in line with those of the mathematics curriculum.