Drawing on convergent mixed methods research design, this study examined Junior High School (JHS) mathematics teachers' practice of differentiated instruction and its associated challenges in Tano South district, in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 50 JHS mathematics teachers for the quantitative study with the aid of questionnaire, purposive sampling technique was used to solicit qualitative data for the study using interview guide. Inferential statistics and thematic analysis were used to analysis the quantitative and qualitative data respectively. It was generally observed that, there was no significant differences between special and general education teachers practice of differentiated instruction. Therefore, the study recommends that Ghana Education Service (GES) and stakeholders in education should implement professional development and training programmes for both general and special mathematics teachers on differentiated instruction.
The study explored the curriculum guidelines and primary school teachers' conceptions and practices of the Multiple Solutions Approach (MSA) in teaching mathematics using basic qualitative research design. Informal conversation interviews (ICIs), observations, video and document analyses were used to collect data. Participants included a purposive sample of five practicing teachers from three districts of the Central Region of Ghana. Descriptive analytical procedures were applied to the quantitative data while the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings indicated that the curriculum materials lacked concrete direction for MSA and less than 22% of sub-topics were presented in different ways: a provision that is insufficient to guide and stimulate teachers to teach in multiple ways. Teachers also lacked a clear understanding of the MSA. Although the curriculum policy encouraged MSA, teachers' practices were inconsistent with the curriculum guidelines. The implementation of MSA was limited by inadequate curriculum provisions and teacher knowledge.
The mathematics curriculum implementation depends largely on teachers’ choice of pedagogical skills that would influence meaningful teaching and learning. The suggestive ideal approach this paper presents is to consider exploration and demonstration of Akan (a tribe in Ghana, West Africa) ethnomathematics in the teaching and learning of some selected mensuration and geometrical concepts found in the secondary school curriculum. The study found various Akan ethnomathematical processes supporting the teaching and learning of school geometrical and mensuration topics such as artefacts, buildings, tools, and others. The ethnomathematical processes reveal a resemblance of <i>pi</i> (<i>π</i> ) concepts and its application to ethno-technology from selected artefacts used for pedagogical demonstrations. We recommend further research into the practical effect of ethnomathematics move in teaching other mathematical concepts in several communities where there exists cultural diversity. It is suggested that mathematics educators adopt ethnomathematics methodology by integrating it into the curriculum implementation process to check its impact on the teaching and learning of mathematics.
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