High School Students’ Attitudes towards the Study of Mathematics and their Perceived Teachers’ Teaching Practices (Published)
The study employed a survey to explore 210 high school students’ attitudes towards the study of mathematics and their perceptions on their teachers’ teaching practices. The sample was made up of 102 males and 108 females who were randomly selected from four high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis of the Central Region of Ghana. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses. The findings showed high perceived attitudes reported in the students’ interest in doing mathematics, usefulness of mathematics, and confidence in doing mathematics; it was unclear whether students perceived mathematics as a male dominated subject or not. With regards to teachers’ teaching practices, all the 3 subscales: use of student- centered approach, classroom management skills and communication skills studied, were reported to be important in influencing students learning of mathematics. However, communication skills adopted by teachers in teaching the subject was perceived as the strongest predictor of high school students’ attitudes followed by teachers’ classroom management skills. The study concludes that to ensure positive attitudes of students towards the study of mathematics, effective communication and classroom management skills should be integral in mathematics teachers’ instructional practices; they should be important goals of any mathematics teacher preparation programs
Keywords: Attitudes, High School Students, Mathematics, Teachers, Teaching practices
Factors Influencing Teachers’ Implementation of Early Childhood Development Education Programme in Lugari District, Kenya (Published)
This study sought to establish factors influencing teachers’ implementation of Early Childhood Development Education programmes in Lugari district. The study used descriptive survey design. Fredrick Froebel theory was used for the study. Using a sample of 15%, stratified and proportionate sampling techniques, a total of 61 ECDE centers and 89 ECDE teachers, 61 primary school head teachers were selected from the three divisions of Lugari district. The study established that there was low level of training among the ECDE teachers in the district and that some of the crucial educational resources were lacking in ECDE centres. The study recommended that ECDE trained teachers should be absorbed by the Teachers Service Commission and that public advocacy to inform parents about the positive impacts of ECDE pedagogy should be conducted.
Keywords: Early Childhood Development Education, Implementation, Lugari, Programme, Teachers
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Usage of Calculators in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at the Junior High School Level in Ghana (Published)
Educational technology is recognized as an essential component of the instructional process and thus, uses of calculators have been recommended to be introduced in Junior High Schools in Ghana. However, teachers’ attitudes towards the use of calculators have not been established. The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions towards the use of calculators in mathematics instruction in JHS in Ghana. Descriptive research design was used and data were collected from mathematics teachers using questionnaires. The results indicated that teachers have positive perceptions towards the use of calculators for mathematics learning. The finding is helpful to curriculum developers and they can integrate the use of calculators in mathematics teaching and learning in JHS in Ghana.
Keywords: Calculator, Education, Learning, Mathematics, School, Teachers
TEACHER MOTIVATION IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLIS (Published)
The general aim of this study was to ascertain the factors that really affect teacher motivation in selected senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. A descriptive survey design was used. The sample population was all teachers from the selected Senior High Schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The study involved 120 teachers. The teachers were selected through the simple random sampling technique. Questionnaire was used as a major instrument in collecting our data. The major findings of the study demonstrated that, wages and salaries, recognition for good work done, participation in decision making and conducive working environment were the major factors that really affect teacher motivation. In ranking the factors in order of importance, the teachers ranked wages and salaries as their most important motivational factors. With reference to the finding, it was recommended that, educational administrators should be mindful of the wages and salaries of teachers.
Keywords: Motivation, Senior High School, Teachers, Wages & Salaries, and Educational Administrators