EXPLORING FACTORS AFFECTING MATHEMATICS TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS AMONG PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY MATHEMATICS STUDENTS –TEACHERS
ABSTRACT
The teacher institution is a place where a pre-service teacher is trained to become a professional teacher in the teaching profession. It is obvious that the way per-service teachers are produced this days call for questions as many of them cannot construct a simple sentence, face audience, teach effectively, source for instructional material, use instructional material effectively and defend their discipline. All this problem arises when students are force to what they are not prepared for, poor infrastructural facilities, lack of micro-teaching exercise and laboratory, lack of teaching practice orientation, to mention but a few. This is giving all well meaning Nigeria a great deal of concern as this stagnancy in the per-service that will be produced has effect on both students and pupils’ academic performance. This research work is aimed at exploring factors affecting mathematics teaching effectiveness among pre-service primary mathematics students –teachers. Two hundred respondents were used in this research work consisting of primary school pupils in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. The data collected, was analyzed using simple percentage and Chi-square statically tool. One of the finding revealed that mathematics anxiety in pre-service teachers have significant effect on pupils’ academic performance. However, adequate recommendations were made in this research work that could be used as a guide for future studies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT PAGES
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv-vi
Abstract vii-viii
Table of contents ix-xii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Background to the Study 1-7
1.1 Statement of the Problem 7-8
1.2 Purpose of the Study 8
1.3 Research Questions 9
1.4 Research Hypothesis 9
1.5 Significance of the Study 10
1.6 Scope of the Study 11
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Introduction 12-13
2.1 Mathematics and Concept Development in Primary Schools 13-16
2.2 The Importance of Mathematics 16-19
2.3 The Teacher Education in Nigeria 20-23
2.4 The Goals of Teacher Education in Nigeria 23-27
2.5 Teaching Practice Exercise in Nigeria 27-29
2.6 Pre-Service Teacher Preparation for Teaching Practice 29-40
2.7 Challenges Facing Pre-Service Teacher during Teaching Practice 40-44
2.8 Using Micro-Teaching to Prepare Pre-Service Teachers for Teaching Practice 45-48
2.9 Some Techniques of Effective Teaching of Mathematics in Primary Schools 48-64
2.10 Illustrative Examples on the Teaching of Some Specific Mathematics Topics in Primary School 64-70
2.11 Conditions for Learning Mathematics Concept in Senior Secondary School 70-72
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Introduction 73
3.1 Research Design 74
3.2 Population of the Study 74
3.3 Sample and Sampling Technique 74-75
3.4 Instrumentation of the Study 75
3.5 Validity of the Instrument 75
3.6 Reliability of the Instrument 75
3.7 Administration of the Research Instrument 76
3.8 Method of Data Analysis 77
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Introduction 78
4.1 Description of Demographic Data 78-79
4.2 Testing of Hypothesis 80-90
4.3 Discussion of Findings 91
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Summary 92-93
5.2 Conclusion 93
5.3 Recommendation 94-95
REFERENCES 96-99
Appendix A 100-103
Appendix B 104-105
Appendix C 106-107
Appendix D 108-109
Appendix E 110-111
Appendix F 112
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background to the Study
According to Williams (2010), a pre-service teacher is a student who has not yet completed training to be a teacher. Adegoke (2000) noted that teacher education is central to both quality of education and development, hence the diverse interest in the philosophy, goals, content structure, quality control, certification of the pre-service and in-service training of teachers. In Nigeria, teacher education is the statutory function of pre-service and in-service training institutions like Colleges of Education, Facilities of Education, Institutes of Education, National Teachers Institutes and Schools of Education in Polytechnics. The common nomenclatures for certification include NCE (Nigeria Certificate in Education), B.Ed or BA/B.Sc and the PGDE (Postgraduate Diploma in Education)
Cockcroft (2002) opined that the concern about teachers’ mathematics knowledge is nothing new. Williams (2010) review of mathematics teaching in early years setting and primary schools identified a direct connection between low levels of primary teachers’ subject knowledge and poor mathematical results in primary schools and recommended the appointment of a mathematics specialist to each primary school. Developing teachers’ mathematical subject knowledge was acknowledge was acknowledged as being too big a task for providers of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) to do in the limited time available to them. The revised teacher’s standards by ITE (2012) which now apply to all teachers and trainee teachers are clear in their expectation that trainee teachers will have strong subject knowledge. It is asserted that this subject knowledge should be good and secured.
Olamide (2006) suggest that subject knowledge alone is not sufficient to produce effective primary mathematics teachers. Goulding (2003) study suggested that formal qualifications in mathematics are poor predictor of pedagogical effectiveness.
Ball and Forzani (2010) opined that subject knowledge alone even going well beyond common understanding is not sufficient to be a teacher being a accomplished in a specific domain does not automatically include the capacity to break that domain into core components of someone who does not yet have that skill or understanding. The knowledge of how to beak a subject down into component that are understandable for a novice learner is not what would be expected of the general public and is different from simple mathematical competence. Possibly more problematic than identifying and classifying such knowledge is ensuring that all trainee teachers leave their period of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) equipped with the require knowledge and understanding.
Ball and Forzani (2010) have begun to explore the significant moments in trainee teachers’ development of this knowledge during a period of Initial Teacher Education suggesting that there are certain task that contribute significantly to the development of this knowledge. An additional and significant issue is the diversity of mathematics backgrounds and experiences which trainee teachers bring to their training.
Brown, McNamara, Hanley and Jones (2009) suggest that 80% of the pre-service teachers in their study had overwhelmingly negative experiences of mathematics at school.
Fiore (2009) research revealed that how difficult or even traumatic experiences of learning mathematics can have significant negative effect in one till adulthood. He studies pre-service teachers feeling about mathematics and how it can be taught. Bellock, Gunderson, Ramierez and Levine (2010) suggest that mathematically, anxious teachers can unwrittenly pass their anxiety on to their pupils. According to Ashcraft (2002), there is considerable evidence that anxiety about mathematics disrupts cognition and is associated with avoiding mathematics classes. Bibby (2002) revealed that these experiences cannot be divorces from and are highly likely to influence the process of becoming a primary mathematics teacher.
Gresham (2008) suggests that there is a significant and negative correlation between trainees, level of anxiety about mathematics and their pedagogical efficacy.
Alongside teachers who have had negative or even traumatic experiences as mathematics learners are those who have been successful mathematics and who see themselves such. According to Goode (2013), these trainees may also presents challenges for educational institutions as they are likely to have learned mathematics in a particular way, which they may be reluctant to re-consider or change. Adewale (2012) research suggests that confident and mathematically able pre-service teachers may not give sufficient attention to planning and may well be resistant to teaching approaches that are not the same as those they experienced. Salmon, Givvin, Stipek, and MacGyvers (2001) research revealed that trainee teachers beliefs are highly resistant to change.
Rowland and Martyn (2000) cite examples of a number of trainee teacher who score very well on an audit of their mathematics subject knowledge, but whose classroom performance was rated as. Given this variety of prior experiences, the expectations of trainees’ subject knowledge acquisition and limited time available becomes challenging. Nkwo (2012) suggested that educational institutions should design programmes for trainees embarked on their own journey towards becoming primary mathematics teachers.
According to Adetunji (2003), the primary school is a very crucial and sensitive period in the life of the child. Children at this level are entering the concrete operational stage of Piaget, a stage at which children could learn concepts of systematically, methodically and appropriately presented. At this stage, children are introduced to the basics of education. For pupils to enjoy learning mathematics at this level, there is need to make pre-service teachers and in-service teachers more equipped with the content of presentation.
Salmon (2005) considered poor method of teaching mathematics at the primary school level as one of the major factors contributing to pupils performance in the subject. Thus there is need for pre-service teacher to acquire deep knowledge of the content of the mathematics so as been able to pass same to the pupils and develop in them a good foundation. Okolo (2006) affirmed that teachers instructional strategies especially at the foundation level of teaching and learning is a vital aspect of the nation’s productive independence. Adeyinka (2009) opined that competency in the teaching methods skills and techniques are all needed for effective curriculum development.
It is necessary for teachers to adopt methods that allow for interaction, inquiry, independent discoveries which is necessary for the problem solving mathematics.
This research work is aimed at exploring factors affecting mathematics teaching effectiveness among pre-service mathematics students–teachers.
1.1 Statement of the Problem
Most pre-service teachers, have poor mathematical background which reflects negatively in the delivering of their subject content. This in a long way contributes to the poor academic performance of pupils in primary schools.
Many pre-service teachers are only in school to acquire certificate for promotion, white collar jobs among others. They put little effort in what they do when they are on teaching practice as a pre-service teacher. In such case, they do not contribute to the life of the pupils but they subtract from them.
Despite the training given to a pre-service teacher, many of them still find it very difficult to face their learners and teach effectively.
They lack confidence and give up easily to challenges. Most pre-service teachers do not even participate in the teaching practice exercise. They sought their selves and become problem to the society tomorrow. Beside, they have no defined or varied method of teaching and they get angry easily when the pupils ask questions or lack interest in their subject. Today, one cannot tell who really is a teacher as most people who attend a teacher training institute are not productive in their profession.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
The following are the purpose of the study:
- To determine whether mathematics anxiety in pre-service mathematics teachers have any significant effective on students’ academic performance.
- To determine whether pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy have any significant effect on students’ academic performance.
- To determine whether pre-service content of knowledge have any significant effect on students’ academic performance.
1.3 Research Questions
The following are the research questions formulated in the research work:
- Does mathematics anxiety in pre-service teachers have any significant effect on pupils’ academic performance?
- Does pre-service teacher self-efficacy have any significant effect on pupils’ academic performance?
- Does pre-service teacher content knowledge have any significant effect on pupils’ academic performance in mathematics?
1.4 Research Hypothesis
- Mathematics anxiety in pre-service teachers does not have any significant effect on pupils’ academic performance?
- Pre-service teacher self-efficacy does not have any significant effect on pupils’ academic performance?
- Pre-service teacher content knowledge does not have any significant effect on students’ academic performance.
1.5 Significance of the Study
It is hope that his study will help the managements of teachers’ institution, government, and curriculum planners on the significance of proper training of pre-serves teachers in teaching mathematics in primary schools since the primary school is the foundation of the pupils education.
This study will expose pre-service teachers on the importance of teaching practice as a would be teacher. It will explain the benefit of undergoing teaching practice and the consequences of forfeiting it.
This Study will identify area in which a pre-service teacher can improve on his or her self confidence and be projective in teaching. Besides, It will help to identify the area in while a pre-service teacher can default in his/her delivering of subjective like mathematics and provide remedial.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The scope of the study will be restricted to Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. This is due to both time and the financial aspect of the research work. 200 respondents will be randomly selected consisting of pupils in four primary schools in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State. Questionnaires will be used to collect information from the respondents. The simple percentage and Chi-square statistical instrument will be used to analyze the data collected.
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