Research Article
Richard Kyere Asomah, Douglas Darko Agyei, Forster D. Ntow
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 4, Issue 1, Article No: ep23001
ABSTRACT
The study is aimed at enhancing pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and skills of in-service mathematics teachers (IMTs) using cooperative teaching and learning approach (CTLA). A sequential multiple case study was employed to develop eight IMTs knowledge and skills to design, develop, and enact lessons in trigonometry. The lessons were anchored on CTLA in two phases of a professional development arrangement (PDA) initiated in the study. The analysis of classroom observation, interview, CTLA lessons and the independent sample t-test is suggestive of significant improvement in the IMTs PCK. Further, although, the IMTs were rooted in teacher-centered pedagogies and encountered challenges, they effectively incorporated CTLA as a pedagogical tool in the teaching and learning of trigonometry. As a result of which, IMTs exhibited an enhanced content knowledge. Implications and recommendations for effective PDA in incorporating CTLA as an innovative pedagogical strategy for the teaching of mathematics at high school are discussed.
Keywords: cooperative teaching and learning approach, professional development arrangement, in-service mathematics teachers
Research Article
Emmanuel Oppong-Gyebi, Ebenezer Bonyah, Lauren Jeneva Clark
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 4, Issue 1, Article No: ep23002
ABSTRACT
Mathematics classrooms are becoming increasingly diverse as a result of modernity, with different people, cultures, and perspectives on how to grasp and apply practical mathematics problems. These pose challenges to teachers on the need to outline the best constructive instructional teaching approaches amid inspired mathematical classroom teaching practices. As a result, conducting this study to gain insight into the perceived intentions surrounding the use of cultural diversity, teaching with technological devices, experiencing mathematics, problem-based learning, and contextual teaching, and learning approaches in the teaching of junior high school students is extremely important. A quantitative study was conducted with 78 mathematics teachers purposively sampled from three conveniently sampled districts in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. The data were checked for accuracy and factored into four components. The data was then analyzed using the IBM SPSS-26 software, which included one sample Wilcoxon signed ranked test, an independent sample Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman’s bivariate rank correlations. In addition to its originality and kind in Ghana, important results about the factored components were obtained, showing how well teachers have embraced constructive approaches in the teaching and learning of mathematics at the junior high level, except for diversity in teaching with technology. It was also revealed that diversity in contextual problem-based learning recorded the lowest correlation coefficients with all the associated factor components, especially with technological experiencing mathematics teaching, and diversity and technological teaching. Because the selected districts are highly cosmopolitan and the world has become extremely diversified at the heart of this technological generation, mathematics teachers in junior high schools are more cautious when integrating cultural diversity with any other constructive instructional approach, especially with technology, for fear of losing students’ interest in the subject.
Keywords: constructive instructional practices, cultural diversity, contextual experiencing, technological teaching, problem-based learning
Review Article
Nurin Nuha binti Zakeri, Riyan Hidayat, Nur Atikah binti Mohd Sabri, Nurul Fashihah binti Yaakub, Kayshalini S Balachandran, Nurul Izzah binti Azizan
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 4, Issue 1, Article No: ep23003
ABSTRACT
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are recognized as critical subjects that underlie innovation and national prosperity. Through inquiry-based learning, STEM subjects contribute to the development and application of these abilities. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to explore type of creative methods in STEM for secondary school students. Articles from 2017 till 2021 screened and analyzed using systematic literature review (SLR) and PRISMA protocol. Three online search engines used are Springer, Scopus, and Science Direct. The thematic analysis method is used to analyze the data. A total of 22 articles were chosen for the systematic analysis after being screened using the eligibility requirements. Result showed that the creative teaching methods involving STEM used in the current study were a problem and project-based learning, mathematical modelling, inquiry-based learning, design-based learning, tool-based pedagogy, student-centered learning, 5E instructional model, professional development, board games and role-play, STEM 7E-learning cycle and boundary-crossing. From twenty-two articles chosen, 77% used qualitative approach in existing literature of creative thinking. Our findings indicated that the distribution of STEM education in different countries such as Australia, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia, Spain, and the US. At the end, STEM in mathematics education gives a positive out-turn overall.
Keywords: mathematics education, PRISMA protocol, secondary school, SLR, STEM
Research Article
Seth Amoako Atta, Ebenezer Bonyah
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 4, Issue 1, Article No: ep23004
ABSTRACT
Teaching mathematics as a STEM subject in this 21st century must be challenging enough to inspire learning, especially in the basic schools. This also depends on the pedagogical content knowledge and skills of the teachers handling the subject. Therefore, there is a need to design modern instructional strategies for training future teachers handling the pupils at the primary schools. Flipped classroom approach is one of the emerging pedagogical strategies that has proven to be very efficacious in teaching almost all subjects. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the impact of flipped classrooms as a pedagogy in equipping the pre-service teachers with the knowledge and concepts of plane geometry, which happens to be one of the main branches of mathematics. A sample of 101 basic school pre-service teachers was purposively sampled for the study. A pre- and post-test design were used to gather quantitative data for analysis using a quasi-experimental approach. Based on the analysis of the results, the null hypothesis was rejected since there was a statistically significant difference in the pre-service teachers’ performance before and after the intervention. The study concluded that there was an improvement in performance due to the intervention. Therefore, the researcher recommends the flipped classroom approach as a formidable pedagogy for teaching pre-service teachers.
Keywords: flipped classroom pedagogy, flipped learning, problem-solving, constructivist learning, geometron