Research Article
Anas Seidu Salifu
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22012
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study is to compare the achievements of Basic 9 pupils, taught using balance model and algebra tile, with control group who were taught without any manipulative in linear equations involving one variable. The research design is quasi-experimental methods, specifically the nonequivalent group’s pre-test–post-test control or comparison group designs, with all Basic 9 pupils of Bimbilla Municipality forming the population. The sample used was 120 Basic 9 pupils comprising of 70 males and 50 females. Multi-stage cluster sampling procedures was adopted to select the schools in the various circuits in the Municipality and three intact classrooms for the study. The instrument used was achievement test with 10 essay questions on linear equations in one variable. The independent variables were teaching methods using algebra tiles, balance model and traditional method. While the dependent variable is the achievement scores from the pre- and post-test. The results of the ANOVA and independent sample t-test of the study revealed that, there was significant difference between the balance model, algebra tiles groups compared to the control group in post-test analysis, which favored the balance model and algebra tiles groups with large effect size. The study recommends that Basic School mathematics teachers should use the balance model and algebra tiles in the teaching and learning of linear equations in one variable because it will help improve performance in mathematics.
Keywords: balance model, algebra tiles, linear equations, one variable, ANOVA, independent sample t-test
Research Article
Paulo Vitor da Silva Santiago, Francisco Régis Vieira Alves
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22013
ABSTRACT
This research aims to present the results of a mathematical investigation in the teaching of affine function with the support of the GeoGebra software, analyzed from the perspective of the theory of conceptual fields in the context of hybrid teaching, using the teaching methodology inverted classroom changing the traditional way of teaching. The applied research methodology was the case study, which was structured with a class of 38 high school students from a Brazilian full-time public school. The proposed activity was developed from the construction called affine function (interactive activity), available on the GeoGebra platform, and was structured in two meetings, one remotely and the other in person. The results show us the need to investigate the study of the affine function using digital technology in a more dynamic design in GeoGebra.
Keywords: GeoGebra, affine function, theory of conceptual fields, digital technology, math teaching
Research Article
Krishna Prasad Adhikari, Dirgha Raj Joshi, Krishna Prasad Sharma
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22014
ABSTRACT
The aim of the research was to study the status of challenges in teaching mathematics online during pandemics and the factors associated with challenges. The study was based on a cross-sectional online survey and 442 mathematics teachers of school level have participated in this research. Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests were employed to find the significant result and path analysis was used to calculate the effect of socio-demographic characteristics on the challenges in teaching mathematics online. The results indicate that the level of challenges in teaching mathematics online was found to be significantly high. The relationship between the challenges found to be positively significant and the qualification, time of taking online classes, teaching level, and tools used for taking the online class are significant factors to determine the challenges in teaching mathematics online.
Keywords: online class, teaching mathematics, challenges, pandemic, Nepal
Research Article
Navin Poudel, Ruma Manandhar, Lekhnath Sharma
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22015
ABSTRACT
This study examines students’ transition from grade X to CAIE A-level in the context of school mathematics curriculum in Nepal. This study is based on the qualitative study design covering a total of ten participants from two A-level schools in Nepal. Content analysis and phenomenology were used as methodological approaches to the study. The study finds that there exist challenges for the students of Nepal during the transition process in different dimensions. The study concludes that there is a substantial gap in contents and assessment systems between the two mathematics curriculums. The study recommends the bridging of mathematical contents, preparing and implementing transition strategies in schools where students transit from grade X to CAIE A-level.
Keywords: bridging, curriculum, mathematics, transition, transitional gap
Research Article
Raphael Owusu, Dorothy Abayeta Awuni, Yarhands Dissou Arthur, Joseph Frank Gordon
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22016
ABSTRACT
Despite multiple studies in the past, seeking to assess the determinants of students’ achievement in mathematics, less attention has been paid to the simultaneous role of classroom management (CM), mastery-oriented instructions, and teacher pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This study, therefore, looked at the mediation effects of mastery-oriented instructions and CM in the relationship between teacher PCK and students’ mathematics achievement. The study was a survey and quantitative. A simple random sampling approach was used to select 401 senior high school students from five schools in the Kumasi Metropolis. A structural equation model was used in analyzing the effect of the relationship between the variables. It was concluded that teacher PCK had a significant relationship with students’ mathematics achievement. It also had a significant effect on mastery-oriented instructions and CM. It was revealed that both teacher PCK and CM did not mediate the relationship between teachers’ PCK and students’ mathematics achievement.
Keywords: classroom management, mastery-oriented instructions, pedagogical content knowledge, mathematics achievement
Research Article
Yuki Sawada
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22017
ABSTRACT
Someone with a mathematical background can understand that if a virus such as COVID-19 enters a country, it will increase exponentially and cause a pandemic. Are students watching daily news reports with this level of sensibility? It is not difficult for students already familiar with differential and integral calculus to use the susceptible-infected-recovered or removed model to predict the number of new infections and determine the effect of self-restraint. Current education practices emphasize the memorization of concepts. When confronted with unknown difficulties such as COVID-19, it is important to develop teaching materials that, rather than frightening and emotionally discouraging students, enable them to utilize their previous knowledge, confront the difficulties, and explore the significance of mathematics education. This study provides example mathematical modelling material. Students learned mathematical modelling using the example of the number of new infections in Japan’s first wave of COVID-19. A survey was conducted before and after instruction which revealed that students in Japan are not being taught how to build mathematical models, and teaching using mathematical models can be used successfully to help students learn construction of mathematical disease models and also about exponential change.
Keywords: mathematical modelling, SIR model, differential equation, COVID-19
Research Article
Jonas Bayuo, Moses Abdullai Abukari, Christopher Saaha Bornaa, Jonathan Ayelsoma Samari, Alaric Awingura Alagbela
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22018
ABSTRACT
The study investigated the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching of chemistry at Senior High Schools (SHSs) in Ghana. The study uses a cross-sectional survey design while employing purposive and simple random sampling techniques to select the SHSs and science teachers, respectively. A total of three chemistry teachers were sampled from 10 SHSs purposely selected making a total of 30 teachers. The study investigates the competence and ICT tools usage by science teachers and how the usage of these tools can be sustained and improved for the teaching of chemistry in Ghana. Furthermore, the study identifies the possible factors that impede science teachers’ use of ICT tools in teaching chemistry at the SHSs in Ghana. The study has found that science teachers are competent in using ICT tools in performing teaching and learning activities. However, the utilization of ICT has not been most effectively utilized in secondary schools in teaching and learning chemistry since the general usage of ICT by teachers was low. Besides, the study found that the utilization of ICT tools in teaching chemistry is bedeviled by myriads of factors and these factors greatly influence the science teachers’ and students’ capabilities of using ICT for the teaching-learning process. These factors were found to be teacher-level factors, cost-related factors, technological-related factors, management and leadership-related factors, and environmental-related factors. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education should ensure that adequate ICT resources and facilities needed for proper utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning chemistry in SHSs in Ghana are provided in the right numbers.
Keywords: education, factors, ICT tools, science, teaching
Research Article
Kenneth Adu-Gyamfi, Isaiah Atewini Asaki
CONT MATH SCI ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: ep22019
ABSTRACT
Teachers are one of the important factors influencing students’ learning of chemistry as they (teachers) transform the content for students. When teachers do not have a sound scientific understanding of the chemistry behind the organic concepts considered to be difficult, they are likely, not able to transform sound scientific understanding for their students. Hence, the need to examine the conceptual difficulties of teachers in teaching organic chemistry to senior high school students. Teachers, teaching chemistry in 31 schools were sampled through multi-stage sampling procedures and responded to a diagnostic test on organic chemistry. The data from the test were manipulated using quantitative and qualitative methods, such as means, standard deviations, percentages, and themes. The quantitative results were merged with the qualitative results to examine teachers’ conceptual difficulties in organic chemistry. The findings showed that teachers have conceptual difficulties with organic chemistry. This study has added to the literature that teacher conceptual difficulties were partial understanding with misconceptions such as preconceived notions, factual misconceptions, and conceptual misunderstandings. Therefore, in order to deal with those misconceptions, chemistry educators should implement instructional approaches that will help pre-service teachers challenge and deal with their misconceptions in organic chemistry.
Keywords: conceptual difficulties, misconceptions, organic chemistry, teachers