Clement A Ali | University Of Education, Winneba (original) (raw)

Papers by Clement A Ali

Deleted Journal, Nov 18, 2023

More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of... more More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of mathematics. The problem may have arisen from the symbolic nature of mathematics values which makes it difficult to understand. Another loophole could have popped up from teachers' perceptions that mathematics values have little relationship with cultural symbols in the classroom, as well as in affective values. In this study, the researcher explored five prominent mathematics values of 'respect', 'commitment to excellence', 'truth and integrity', 'teamwork', and 'equity' through cultural symbols, called 'Adinkra'. With a case study design involving ten student teachers, the researcher assembled over 60 Adinkra symbols. The student-teachers then selected and matched at least five of the symbols that fall into each of the five values and analyzed their values. In five separate tables, the results showed that 'respect' ranked highest, and was closely followed by 'commitment to excellence', and 'truth and integrity'. The least values were 'teamwork' and 'equity'. Having given this culturally responsive pedagogy, it was recommended that many more cultural symbols should be explored to equip teachers and students to apply mathematics values for lifelong learning.

Futurity Education, Apr 1, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

Al-Jabar, Dec 29, 2023

Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic s... more Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic structures. Previous studies have indicated that students often struggle with mathematics in both academic and real-life contexts. Aim: The main objective of this study was to explore how students handle word problems in both mathematics and real-life contexts. Method: The study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine these issues in the developing world, specifically targeting junior high school students in Ghana. A total of 200 students, comprising 91 males and 109 females from various public Junior High Schools, were randomly sampled. The research categorized problems into mathematics context and real-life context, with analysis further divided into 'attempt statuses' (either 'attempted' or 'not attempted') and 'performance statuses' (either 'correct' or 'wrong'). Follow-up interviews, each lasting 15 minutes, were conducted with three groups of both male and female students. Results: The results from the independent samples t-test revealed that the mean score for male students (M =15.37, SD =3.435) was not significantly different from that of female students (M = 15.35, SD = 3.619). It was observed that male students attempted all word problems, while some problems were not attempted by female students. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in the ability of male and female students to solve algebraic word problems. The lack of attempts by female students on some items suggests a potential lack of understanding in context problems. It is recommended that teachers employ multiple representations, technology tools, and metacognitive strategies to help bridge these gaps.

International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research, Jan 4, 2024

There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against... more There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against students' performance and positive attitudes towards school mathematics. This study employs cooperative learning strategy to provide an innovation as a way of ameliorating the canker. We utilised the quasiexpermental (prepost non-equivalent) design. In this design, two senior high schools selected. One school was the experimental (SHS A) and the other was the control (SHS B). A sample of 224 students were assigned to the experimental (110) and control (114) groups. After treatments, mathematics achievement tests were used to gather the data. The data was analysed with means, standard deviations, percentages, p-values and t-statistics. The outcomes revealed that students who had tutorials in the cooperative strategy performed better than those who had tuition through the traditional. Even within the experimental group, there was no statistically significance differences between boys and girls. It was concluded that students' performance and attitudes toward learning mathematics were positively enhanced by cooperative learning. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders make conscious efforts to inspire teachers to model more cooperative learning techniques in mathematics instruction.

Acta Didactica Napocensia, Aug 30, 2023

Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didact... more Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didactics of counting and place value. However, Ghana systems have different perspectives and pose varied successes on the didactics of counting and place value. In this study, we explored a mixed methods design to examine the mismatch between Ghanaian and Hindu-Arabic systems. With a sample of 178 participants, we further examined not only student-teachers' knowledge and transitioning but also their skills and conceptualisation in didactising nine Ghanaian languages with respective to the Hindu-Arabic system. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through test and interview instruments. They were analysed by utilising T-test, ANOVA and verbal narratives which complemented and corroborated each other. The one-sample t-test result indicates that there was no impact of Ghanaian languages on counting and place value systems. However, the ANOVA test result infers that there is an impact of indigenous Ghanaian language on counting and place value systems. The qualitative results confirmed that the studentteachers had average skills in didactising counting and place value systems in the Ghanaian indigenous languages. It was therefore recommended, among other things that, measures should be taken not only to synchronise the Ghanaian languages but also to finetune the languages in tandem with the Hindu.

Symmetry: Culture and Science

Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to b... more Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to bridge the gaps between home mathematics and school mathematics. In this study, we explore geometric tessellations in the primary school mathematics. Even though there could exist other forms of tessellations, we present three main types of tessellations that could be explored for conceptual analysis of geometric tessellations. With a case study design involving 15 pupils through interviews and observations, the findings show that there abound many tessellations as patterns in Adinkra, Kente, Baskets and Smocks that could be harnessed to learn and apply geometric tessellations. We conclude that geometric tessellations present ample construct as patterns of traditional culture. We therefore recommend that many of the traditional cultures should be brought to bear on geometric tessellations. This will help primary pupils to extend learning and bridge the yawning gaps of home and school mathematics.

Journal of Instructional Mathematics, 2024

The purpose of this study is to use cultural Adinkra artifacts to present “Concreteness Fading” i... more The purpose of this study is to use cultural Adinkra artifacts to present “Concreteness Fading” in the basic multiplication of one-digit and one-digit numbers. Employing a quantitative approach, the researcher adopted a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design, and randomly selected 51 participants from 300 student teachers. Data collection involved two sets of tests, analyzed in two stages through task-based transcripts and paired-sample t-tests. The first stage analyzed the tasks the student teachers solved using “Concreteness Fading”. The results revealed smooth and joyful navigations of the stages of Concreteness Fading using the Adinkra symbols. The second stage analyzed the performance of the student teachers with t-test statistics to show significant differences between the control and experimental groups. The results of one sample t-test and paired samples t-test showed that student teachers solved more problems correctly using Concreteness Fading than the conventional concrete manipulatives. Following the findings, we concluded that heavy use of only concrete objects and examples without abstracting can be detrimental to teaching mathematics. We, therefore, recommended that student teachers should always avoid rushing to symbols and symbolic manipulations of mathematics but rather align their methods, techniques, and strategies in the transition through the three stages of Concreteness Fading.

Futurity Education, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

Turkish Journal of Mathematics Education (TUJME), 2024

There are fundamental relationships among numeration systems. However, student-teachers fail to a... more There are fundamental relationships among numeration systems. However, student-teachers fail to adequately exploit the fun and flair of relationships in numeration systems. In this study, we explored the didactical phenomenology experiences to bridge this gap. Even though the sampling technique was purposive, the sample size of 16 groups of 10 student-teachers per group was determined by the principle of saturation, as no new lived experiences of participants added any new information on the themes. Focus group discussions were used to collect data. The 16 groups were administered the same set of questions. After discussions with each group, their responses were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed to reveal five themes. Thereafter, a phenomenological analysis was employed to describe their experiences. The analysis showed that student-teachers could readily apply the methods of conversions to base 10. However, they found it very hectic to convert to other bases. It was therefore recommended that much more didactical phenomenology experiences should be exploited to teach number bases to student-teachers.

Futurity Education, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

ASEAN Journal for Science Education (AJSEd), 2024

This study, seeks to explore the use of differentiated instruction to facilitate effective teachi... more This study, seeks to explore the use of differentiated instruction to facilitate effective teaching and learning. The sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to guide this study. In this design, the researchers first collected quantitative, analyzed and interpreted the results, and thereafter collected qualitative data on typical issues that emerged from the quantitative data to support and further explain the quantitative findings. In the quantitative phase, a sample of 125 participants, comprised 50 early-grade facilitators, 25 upper primary facilitators, 30 Junior High School facilitators, 10 head facilitators, 9 School Inspection Officers, and 1 Mathematics coordinator. The instruments used were a questionnaire and interview for the facilitators, and interviews with the mathematics coordinator, head teachers, and school inspection officers. The findings of the paper revealed that the implementation of differentiated instruction contributes to the improved academic performance of learners. Other important issues that emerged were overcrowded classrooms, limited time, lack or very little support from stakeholders, over-concentration on examinable topics, and lack of resources availabilities. It was recommended that mathematics teachers and other stakeholders get themselves acquainted with modern theories and methodologies in differentiated instruction.

International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research (IJEIR), 2024

There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against... more There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against students' performance and positive attitudes towards school mathematics. This study employs cooperative learning strategy to provide an innovation as a way of ameliorating the canker. We utilised the quasiexpermental (prepost non-equivalent) design. In this design, two senior high schools selected. One school was the experimental (SHS A) and the other was the control (SHS B). A sample of 224 students were assigned to the experimental (110) and control (114) groups. After treatments, mathematics achievement tests were used to gather the data. The data was analysed with means, standard deviations, percentages, p-values and t-statistics. The outcomes revealed that students who had tutorials in the cooperative strategy performed better than those who had tuition through the traditional. Even within the experimental group, there was no statistically significance differences between boys and girls. It was concluded that students' performance and attitudes toward learning mathematics were positively enhanced by cooperative learning. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders make conscious efforts to inspire teachers to model more cooperative learning techniques in mathematics instruction.

Al-Tabar Journal of Pendikan Mathematica- Journal of Mathematics Education, 2023

Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic s... more Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic structures. Previous studies have indicated that students often struggle with mathematics in both academic and real-life contexts. Aim: The main objective of this study was to explore how students handle word problems in both mathematics and real-life contexts. Method: The study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine these issues in the developing world, specifically targeting junior high school students in Ghana. A total of 200 students, comprising 91 males and 109 females from various public Junior High Schools, were randomly sampled. The research categorized problems into mathematics context and real-life context, with analysis further divided into 'attempt statuses' (either 'attempted' or 'not attempted') and 'performance statuses' (either 'correct' or 'wrong'). Follow-up interviews, each lasting 15 minutes, were conducted with three groups of both male and female students. Results: The results from the independent samples t-test revealed that the mean score for male students (M =15.37, SD =3.435) was not significantly different from that of female students (M = 15.35, SD = 3.619). It was observed that male students attempted all word problems, while some problems were not attempted by female students. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in the ability of male and female students to solve algebraic word problems. The lack of attempts by female students on some items suggests a potential lack of understanding in context problems. It is recommended that teachers employ multiple representations, technology tools, and metacognitive strategies to help bridge these gaps.

Indonesian Journal of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics Education , 2023

More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of... more More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of mathematics. The problem may have arisen from the symbolic nature of mathematics values which makes it difficult to understand. Another loophole could have popped up from teachers' perceptions that mathematics values have little relationship with cultural symbols in the classroom, as well as in affective values. In this study, the researcher explored five prominent mathematics values of 'respect', 'commitment to excellence', 'truth and integrity', 'teamwork', and 'equity' through cultural symbols, called 'Adinkra'. With a case study design involving ten student teachers, the researcher assembled over 60 Adinkra symbols. The student-teachers then selected and matched at least five of the symbols that fall into each of the five values and analyzed their values. In five separate tables, the results showed that 'respect' ranked highest, and was closely followed by 'commitment to excellence', and 'truth and integrity'. The least values were 'teamwork' and 'equity'. Having given this culturally responsive pedagogy, it was recommended that many more cultural symbols should be explored to equip teachers and students to apply mathematics values for lifelong learning.

Futurity Education, 2023

The poor performance is even a major problem in rural areas, hindering a country’s economic compe... more The poor performance is even a major problem in rural areas, hindering a country’s economic competitiveness and development of human capital. In the school classroom, mathematics students lack the needed culture to read, understand, perform and apply tasks associated with the tasks. The aim of this study was to explore the various attitudes that measured students’ performance and find relationships among the factors. Exploring the pragmatic paradigm, the researchers used the descriptive design involving structured questionnaire of four-point Likert scale. This scale suitably combined both purposive and simple random sampling procedures to select 315 participants. The instrument was structured as Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree to simplify responses and yield faster and higher retrieve rate. Immediately after the data collection, the responses were coded in closed form to ease data analysis. Having perused many tools of data analysis, the researchers came to the conclusion that a combination of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, T-test, means, standard deviation and percentages were the most appropriate. While means, standard deviations and percentages were mostly used to determine the attitudes, Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient explored the relationships among the various variables. Consequently, the results revealed that the positive attitudes of parents, teachers and schools influenced students’ performance in mathematics. In fact, nearly 94% of the respondents’ attribute mathematics attitudes to parents and closed to 95% attributed mathematics success to teachers. There were also positive relationships among parents, teachers and school environment in determining students’ performance in mathematics. This means students with positive attitudes towards mathematics outperformed those with negative attitudes. It is recommended that parents, teachers and school heads thrive towards minimizing negative attitudes and rather maximising positive attitudes into school mathematics. We suggested that any replication of a future study should include private schools.

Symmetry: Culture and Science, 2023

Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to b... more Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to bridge the gaps between home mathematics and school mathematics. In this study, we explore geometric tessellations in the primary school mathematics. Even though there could exist other forms of tessellations, we present three main types of tessellations that could be explored for conceptual analysis of geometric tessellations. With a case study design involving 15 pupils through interviews and observations, the findings show that there abound many tessellations as patterns in Adinkra, Kente, Baskets and Smocks that could be harnessed to learn and apply geometric tessellations. We conclude that geometric tessellations present ample construct as patterns of traditional culture. We therefore recommend that many of the traditional cultures should be brought to bear on geometric tessellations. This will help primary pupils to extend learning and bridge the yawning gaps of home and school mathematics.

Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 2023

Concerns have been expressed on the abstract nature of teaching and learning trigonometry in pre-... more Concerns have been expressed on the abstract nature of teaching and learning trigonometry in pre-tertiary institutions. However, studies on student-teachers mathematics learning shows that this concern could be ameliorated by using indigenous artefacts to support conceptual fields of trigonometry. With pre-/post design, the researcher selected 50 student-teachers through simple random sampling and performed experiments using indigenous artefacts in teaching and learning of 30 o-60 o-90 o and 45 o-45 o-90 o special trigonometry angles. This cohort has had at least two years of teaching experience in their permanent schools of work. After going through the experiments, two diagnostic tests (pre-and post-test) were administered, scored and analyzed with the SPSS software. The results of the descriptive statistics, one sample t-test, paired samples t-tests, and correlation coefficients showed that the student-teachers' performance had significantly improved. The improvements were really attributable to the deployment of the indigenous artefacts to carry out the instruction in the special trigonometric angles. We, therefore, recommended that stakeholders should adopt indigenous artefacts to support the conceptual field approach for the teaching and learning of basic trigonometry.

Acta Didactica Napocensia, 2023

Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didact... more Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didactics of counting and place value. However, Ghana systems have different perspectives and pose varied successes on the didactics of counting and place value. In this study, we explored a mixed methods design to examine the mismatch between Ghanaian and Hindu-Arabic systems. With a sample of 178 participants, we further examined not only student-teachers' knowledge and transitioning but also their skills and conceptualisation in didactising nine Ghanaian languages with respective to the Hindu-Arabic system. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through test and interview instruments. They were analysed by utilising T-test, ANOVA and verbal narratives which complemented and corroborated each other. The one-sample t-test result indicates that there was no impact of Ghanaian languages on counting and place value systems. However, the ANOVA test result infers that there is an impact of indigenous Ghanaian language on counting and place value systems. The qualitative results confirmed that the studentteachers had average skills in didactising counting and place value systems in the Ghanaian indigenous languages. It was therefore recommended, among other things that, measures should be taken not only to synchronise the Ghanaian languages but also to finetune the languages in tandem with the Hindu.

Indonesia Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2023

Linear inequalities are mathematical expressions that compare two expressions using the inequalit... more Linear inequalities are mathematical expressions that compare two expressions using the inequality symbol, in either be algebraic or numerical or both. However, in solving either of these types some student-teachers commit errors that have been backed by associated misconceptions. This research examined these errors and the associated misconceptions thereafter. Guided by two research questions, the researchers adopted the qualitative narrative inquiry design. The purposive sampling was employed to select 15 student-teachers who met the best requirement that fits the purpose, problem, and objective of a qualitative narrative inquiry. The main instruments were interview guides, where the participants and researchers collaborated with each other to ensure that the story was properly told and aligned with linear inequalities through field notes, observations, photos and artefacts. The narrative analysis started with verbatim transcription of the narratives and ended with deductive coding. The results were scanned copies of participants’ sample narratives that were pasted at appropriate places and discussed. Consequently, it was concluded that student-teachers lacked the basic rules, procedural fluency and skills, and formulation of linear inequalities. These errors emanated from misconceived methods and rote memorization. It was therefore recommended that educators imbibe practical and everyday methodologies into the teaching and learning of linear inequalities

Contemporary Mathematics and Science Education, 2023

Government, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment implemented new educationa... more Government, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment implemented new educational reforms in 2019. Paramount among the tenets in the new reforms is information and communication technology (ICT). However, there was an inadequate research on mathematics teachers' familiarity and competency levels. The study, as proscribed in the positivist paradigm, applied a descriptive survey design in a cross section of the participants. All 75 mathematics teachers from the public junior high schools were conveniently sampled and participated in this study. In the instrumentation, the researchers used the structured questionnaire to collect data. With the help of statistical package for service solutions version 25, the researchers analyzed the data through the means and their associated standard deviations. It came to light that student-teachers' moderate familiarity and competency level of integrating ICT in mathematics instruction was predominant. Notwithstanding, familiarity level was a significant predictor of their competency level. It was thus suggested that mathematics teachers should take matters of familiarity and competency levels as key factors determining ICT integration for mathematics instruction.

Deleted Journal, Nov 18, 2023

More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of... more More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of mathematics. The problem may have arisen from the symbolic nature of mathematics values which makes it difficult to understand. Another loophole could have popped up from teachers' perceptions that mathematics values have little relationship with cultural symbols in the classroom, as well as in affective values. In this study, the researcher explored five prominent mathematics values of 'respect', 'commitment to excellence', 'truth and integrity', 'teamwork', and 'equity' through cultural symbols, called 'Adinkra'. With a case study design involving ten student teachers, the researcher assembled over 60 Adinkra symbols. The student-teachers then selected and matched at least five of the symbols that fall into each of the five values and analyzed their values. In five separate tables, the results showed that 'respect' ranked highest, and was closely followed by 'commitment to excellence', and 'truth and integrity'. The least values were 'teamwork' and 'equity'. Having given this culturally responsive pedagogy, it was recommended that many more cultural symbols should be explored to equip teachers and students to apply mathematics values for lifelong learning.

Futurity Education, Apr 1, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

Al-Jabar, Dec 29, 2023

Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic s... more Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic structures. Previous studies have indicated that students often struggle with mathematics in both academic and real-life contexts. Aim: The main objective of this study was to explore how students handle word problems in both mathematics and real-life contexts. Method: The study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine these issues in the developing world, specifically targeting junior high school students in Ghana. A total of 200 students, comprising 91 males and 109 females from various public Junior High Schools, were randomly sampled. The research categorized problems into mathematics context and real-life context, with analysis further divided into 'attempt statuses' (either 'attempted' or 'not attempted') and 'performance statuses' (either 'correct' or 'wrong'). Follow-up interviews, each lasting 15 minutes, were conducted with three groups of both male and female students. Results: The results from the independent samples t-test revealed that the mean score for male students (M =15.37, SD =3.435) was not significantly different from that of female students (M = 15.35, SD = 3.619). It was observed that male students attempted all word problems, while some problems were not attempted by female students. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in the ability of male and female students to solve algebraic word problems. The lack of attempts by female students on some items suggests a potential lack of understanding in context problems. It is recommended that teachers employ multiple representations, technology tools, and metacognitive strategies to help bridge these gaps.

International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research, Jan 4, 2024

There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against... more There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against students' performance and positive attitudes towards school mathematics. This study employs cooperative learning strategy to provide an innovation as a way of ameliorating the canker. We utilised the quasiexpermental (prepost non-equivalent) design. In this design, two senior high schools selected. One school was the experimental (SHS A) and the other was the control (SHS B). A sample of 224 students were assigned to the experimental (110) and control (114) groups. After treatments, mathematics achievement tests were used to gather the data. The data was analysed with means, standard deviations, percentages, p-values and t-statistics. The outcomes revealed that students who had tutorials in the cooperative strategy performed better than those who had tuition through the traditional. Even within the experimental group, there was no statistically significance differences between boys and girls. It was concluded that students' performance and attitudes toward learning mathematics were positively enhanced by cooperative learning. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders make conscious efforts to inspire teachers to model more cooperative learning techniques in mathematics instruction.

Acta Didactica Napocensia, Aug 30, 2023

Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didact... more Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didactics of counting and place value. However, Ghana systems have different perspectives and pose varied successes on the didactics of counting and place value. In this study, we explored a mixed methods design to examine the mismatch between Ghanaian and Hindu-Arabic systems. With a sample of 178 participants, we further examined not only student-teachers' knowledge and transitioning but also their skills and conceptualisation in didactising nine Ghanaian languages with respective to the Hindu-Arabic system. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through test and interview instruments. They were analysed by utilising T-test, ANOVA and verbal narratives which complemented and corroborated each other. The one-sample t-test result indicates that there was no impact of Ghanaian languages on counting and place value systems. However, the ANOVA test result infers that there is an impact of indigenous Ghanaian language on counting and place value systems. The qualitative results confirmed that the studentteachers had average skills in didactising counting and place value systems in the Ghanaian indigenous languages. It was therefore recommended, among other things that, measures should be taken not only to synchronise the Ghanaian languages but also to finetune the languages in tandem with the Hindu.

Symmetry: Culture and Science

Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to b... more Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to bridge the gaps between home mathematics and school mathematics. In this study, we explore geometric tessellations in the primary school mathematics. Even though there could exist other forms of tessellations, we present three main types of tessellations that could be explored for conceptual analysis of geometric tessellations. With a case study design involving 15 pupils through interviews and observations, the findings show that there abound many tessellations as patterns in Adinkra, Kente, Baskets and Smocks that could be harnessed to learn and apply geometric tessellations. We conclude that geometric tessellations present ample construct as patterns of traditional culture. We therefore recommend that many of the traditional cultures should be brought to bear on geometric tessellations. This will help primary pupils to extend learning and bridge the yawning gaps of home and school mathematics.

Journal of Instructional Mathematics, 2024

The purpose of this study is to use cultural Adinkra artifacts to present “Concreteness Fading” i... more The purpose of this study is to use cultural Adinkra artifacts to present “Concreteness Fading” in the basic multiplication of one-digit and one-digit numbers. Employing a quantitative approach, the researcher adopted a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design, and randomly selected 51 participants from 300 student teachers. Data collection involved two sets of tests, analyzed in two stages through task-based transcripts and paired-sample t-tests. The first stage analyzed the tasks the student teachers solved using “Concreteness Fading”. The results revealed smooth and joyful navigations of the stages of Concreteness Fading using the Adinkra symbols. The second stage analyzed the performance of the student teachers with t-test statistics to show significant differences between the control and experimental groups. The results of one sample t-test and paired samples t-test showed that student teachers solved more problems correctly using Concreteness Fading than the conventional concrete manipulatives. Following the findings, we concluded that heavy use of only concrete objects and examples without abstracting can be detrimental to teaching mathematics. We, therefore, recommended that student teachers should always avoid rushing to symbols and symbolic manipulations of mathematics but rather align their methods, techniques, and strategies in the transition through the three stages of Concreteness Fading.

Futurity Education, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

Turkish Journal of Mathematics Education (TUJME), 2024

There are fundamental relationships among numeration systems. However, student-teachers fail to a... more There are fundamental relationships among numeration systems. However, student-teachers fail to adequately exploit the fun and flair of relationships in numeration systems. In this study, we explored the didactical phenomenology experiences to bridge this gap. Even though the sampling technique was purposive, the sample size of 16 groups of 10 student-teachers per group was determined by the principle of saturation, as no new lived experiences of participants added any new information on the themes. Focus group discussions were used to collect data. The 16 groups were administered the same set of questions. After discussions with each group, their responses were recorded, transcribed, coded, and analyzed to reveal five themes. Thereafter, a phenomenological analysis was employed to describe their experiences. The analysis showed that student-teachers could readily apply the methods of conversions to base 10. However, they found it very hectic to convert to other bases. It was therefore recommended that much more didactical phenomenology experiences should be exploited to teach number bases to student-teachers.

Futurity Education, 2024

Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well stu... more Research on academic performance in mathematics has used different factors to assess how well students do in the subject. This study specifically looked at the gender differentials performance in mathematics at Senior High Schools. Data were gathered from 500 students in their final year of school and 15 mathematics teachers through a survey. Statistical methods like descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and probit regression were used analyse the data. The results showed that males had an average score of 39.01 on the mathematics Achievement Test, while females had an average score of 31.95. Also, the results of Spearman's correlation indicated a significant relationship [0.63(p=0.002) and-0.58 (p=0.000)] between student gender and mathematics performance. There was a statistically significant difference (t (486), =-1.44, p=0.005) in the mean scores between gender. Finally, probit regression analysis showed that student self-confidence and self-esteem significantly affected their performance at 5%. Similarly, school-related factors like the learning atmosphere and teaching methods have a significant impact on students' academic performance, just as teacher-related 46

ASEAN Journal for Science Education (AJSEd), 2024

This study, seeks to explore the use of differentiated instruction to facilitate effective teachi... more This study, seeks to explore the use of differentiated instruction to facilitate effective teaching and learning. The sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to guide this study. In this design, the researchers first collected quantitative, analyzed and interpreted the results, and thereafter collected qualitative data on typical issues that emerged from the quantitative data to support and further explain the quantitative findings. In the quantitative phase, a sample of 125 participants, comprised 50 early-grade facilitators, 25 upper primary facilitators, 30 Junior High School facilitators, 10 head facilitators, 9 School Inspection Officers, and 1 Mathematics coordinator. The instruments used were a questionnaire and interview for the facilitators, and interviews with the mathematics coordinator, head teachers, and school inspection officers. The findings of the paper revealed that the implementation of differentiated instruction contributes to the improved academic performance of learners. Other important issues that emerged were overcrowded classrooms, limited time, lack or very little support from stakeholders, over-concentration on examinable topics, and lack of resources availabilities. It was recommended that mathematics teachers and other stakeholders get themselves acquainted with modern theories and methodologies in differentiated instruction.

International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research (IJEIR), 2024

There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against... more There has been an increasing concerns that the traditional instructional methods militate against students' performance and positive attitudes towards school mathematics. This study employs cooperative learning strategy to provide an innovation as a way of ameliorating the canker. We utilised the quasiexpermental (prepost non-equivalent) design. In this design, two senior high schools selected. One school was the experimental (SHS A) and the other was the control (SHS B). A sample of 224 students were assigned to the experimental (110) and control (114) groups. After treatments, mathematics achievement tests were used to gather the data. The data was analysed with means, standard deviations, percentages, p-values and t-statistics. The outcomes revealed that students who had tutorials in the cooperative strategy performed better than those who had tuition through the traditional. Even within the experimental group, there was no statistically significance differences between boys and girls. It was concluded that students' performance and attitudes toward learning mathematics were positively enhanced by cooperative learning. It was therefore recommended that stakeholders make conscious efforts to inspire teachers to model more cooperative learning techniques in mathematics instruction.

Al-Tabar Journal of Pendikan Mathematica- Journal of Mathematics Education, 2023

Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic s... more Background: Algebra involves rules of operations, signs of operations, equations, and algebraic structures. Previous studies have indicated that students often struggle with mathematics in both academic and real-life contexts. Aim: The main objective of this study was to explore how students handle word problems in both mathematics and real-life contexts. Method: The study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine these issues in the developing world, specifically targeting junior high school students in Ghana. A total of 200 students, comprising 91 males and 109 females from various public Junior High Schools, were randomly sampled. The research categorized problems into mathematics context and real-life context, with analysis further divided into 'attempt statuses' (either 'attempted' or 'not attempted') and 'performance statuses' (either 'correct' or 'wrong'). Follow-up interviews, each lasting 15 minutes, were conducted with three groups of both male and female students. Results: The results from the independent samples t-test revealed that the mean score for male students (M =15.37, SD =3.435) was not significantly different from that of female students (M = 15.35, SD = 3.619). It was observed that male students attempted all word problems, while some problems were not attempted by female students. Conclusion: The study concluded that there is no statistically significant difference in the ability of male and female students to solve algebraic word problems. The lack of attempts by female students on some items suggests a potential lack of understanding in context problems. It is recommended that teachers employ multiple representations, technology tools, and metacognitive strategies to help bridge these gaps.

Indonesian Journal of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics Education , 2023

More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of... more More attention and concentration are paid to cognitive and psychomotor than affective learning of mathematics. The problem may have arisen from the symbolic nature of mathematics values which makes it difficult to understand. Another loophole could have popped up from teachers' perceptions that mathematics values have little relationship with cultural symbols in the classroom, as well as in affective values. In this study, the researcher explored five prominent mathematics values of 'respect', 'commitment to excellence', 'truth and integrity', 'teamwork', and 'equity' through cultural symbols, called 'Adinkra'. With a case study design involving ten student teachers, the researcher assembled over 60 Adinkra symbols. The student-teachers then selected and matched at least five of the symbols that fall into each of the five values and analyzed their values. In five separate tables, the results showed that 'respect' ranked highest, and was closely followed by 'commitment to excellence', and 'truth and integrity'. The least values were 'teamwork' and 'equity'. Having given this culturally responsive pedagogy, it was recommended that many more cultural symbols should be explored to equip teachers and students to apply mathematics values for lifelong learning.

Futurity Education, 2023

The poor performance is even a major problem in rural areas, hindering a country’s economic compe... more The poor performance is even a major problem in rural areas, hindering a country’s economic competitiveness and development of human capital. In the school classroom, mathematics students lack the needed culture to read, understand, perform and apply tasks associated with the tasks. The aim of this study was to explore the various attitudes that measured students’ performance and find relationships among the factors. Exploring the pragmatic paradigm, the researchers used the descriptive design involving structured questionnaire of four-point Likert scale. This scale suitably combined both purposive and simple random sampling procedures to select 315 participants. The instrument was structured as Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree to simplify responses and yield faster and higher retrieve rate. Immediately after the data collection, the responses were coded in closed form to ease data analysis. Having perused many tools of data analysis, the researchers came to the conclusion that a combination of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, T-test, means, standard deviation and percentages were the most appropriate. While means, standard deviations and percentages were mostly used to determine the attitudes, Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient explored the relationships among the various variables. Consequently, the results revealed that the positive attitudes of parents, teachers and schools influenced students’ performance in mathematics. In fact, nearly 94% of the respondents’ attribute mathematics attitudes to parents and closed to 95% attributed mathematics success to teachers. There were also positive relationships among parents, teachers and school environment in determining students’ performance in mathematics. This means students with positive attitudes towards mathematics outperformed those with negative attitudes. It is recommended that parents, teachers and school heads thrive towards minimizing negative attitudes and rather maximising positive attitudes into school mathematics. We suggested that any replication of a future study should include private schools.

Symmetry: Culture and Science, 2023

Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to b... more Tessellation is barely tackled in many primary schools. However, the curricula expect pupils to bridge the gaps between home mathematics and school mathematics. In this study, we explore geometric tessellations in the primary school mathematics. Even though there could exist other forms of tessellations, we present three main types of tessellations that could be explored for conceptual analysis of geometric tessellations. With a case study design involving 15 pupils through interviews and observations, the findings show that there abound many tessellations as patterns in Adinkra, Kente, Baskets and Smocks that could be harnessed to learn and apply geometric tessellations. We conclude that geometric tessellations present ample construct as patterns of traditional culture. We therefore recommend that many of the traditional cultures should be brought to bear on geometric tessellations. This will help primary pupils to extend learning and bridge the yawning gaps of home and school mathematics.

Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 2023

Concerns have been expressed on the abstract nature of teaching and learning trigonometry in pre-... more Concerns have been expressed on the abstract nature of teaching and learning trigonometry in pre-tertiary institutions. However, studies on student-teachers mathematics learning shows that this concern could be ameliorated by using indigenous artefacts to support conceptual fields of trigonometry. With pre-/post design, the researcher selected 50 student-teachers through simple random sampling and performed experiments using indigenous artefacts in teaching and learning of 30 o-60 o-90 o and 45 o-45 o-90 o special trigonometry angles. This cohort has had at least two years of teaching experience in their permanent schools of work. After going through the experiments, two diagnostic tests (pre-and post-test) were administered, scored and analyzed with the SPSS software. The results of the descriptive statistics, one sample t-test, paired samples t-tests, and correlation coefficients showed that the student-teachers' performance had significantly improved. The improvements were really attributable to the deployment of the indigenous artefacts to carry out the instruction in the special trigonometric angles. We, therefore, recommended that stakeholders should adopt indigenous artefacts to support the conceptual field approach for the teaching and learning of basic trigonometry.

Acta Didactica Napocensia, 2023

Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didact... more Studies show that indigenous languages have exhibited enormous impact on the evolution and didactics of counting and place value. However, Ghana systems have different perspectives and pose varied successes on the didactics of counting and place value. In this study, we explored a mixed methods design to examine the mismatch between Ghanaian and Hindu-Arabic systems. With a sample of 178 participants, we further examined not only student-teachers' knowledge and transitioning but also their skills and conceptualisation in didactising nine Ghanaian languages with respective to the Hindu-Arabic system. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through test and interview instruments. They were analysed by utilising T-test, ANOVA and verbal narratives which complemented and corroborated each other. The one-sample t-test result indicates that there was no impact of Ghanaian languages on counting and place value systems. However, the ANOVA test result infers that there is an impact of indigenous Ghanaian language on counting and place value systems. The qualitative results confirmed that the studentteachers had average skills in didactising counting and place value systems in the Ghanaian indigenous languages. It was therefore recommended, among other things that, measures should be taken not only to synchronise the Ghanaian languages but also to finetune the languages in tandem with the Hindu.

Indonesia Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2023

Linear inequalities are mathematical expressions that compare two expressions using the inequalit... more Linear inequalities are mathematical expressions that compare two expressions using the inequality symbol, in either be algebraic or numerical or both. However, in solving either of these types some student-teachers commit errors that have been backed by associated misconceptions. This research examined these errors and the associated misconceptions thereafter. Guided by two research questions, the researchers adopted the qualitative narrative inquiry design. The purposive sampling was employed to select 15 student-teachers who met the best requirement that fits the purpose, problem, and objective of a qualitative narrative inquiry. The main instruments were interview guides, where the participants and researchers collaborated with each other to ensure that the story was properly told and aligned with linear inequalities through field notes, observations, photos and artefacts. The narrative analysis started with verbatim transcription of the narratives and ended with deductive coding. The results were scanned copies of participants’ sample narratives that were pasted at appropriate places and discussed. Consequently, it was concluded that student-teachers lacked the basic rules, procedural fluency and skills, and formulation of linear inequalities. These errors emanated from misconceived methods and rote memorization. It was therefore recommended that educators imbibe practical and everyday methodologies into the teaching and learning of linear inequalities

Contemporary Mathematics and Science Education, 2023

Government, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment implemented new educationa... more Government, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment implemented new educational reforms in 2019. Paramount among the tenets in the new reforms is information and communication technology (ICT). However, there was an inadequate research on mathematics teachers' familiarity and competency levels. The study, as proscribed in the positivist paradigm, applied a descriptive survey design in a cross section of the participants. All 75 mathematics teachers from the public junior high schools were conveniently sampled and participated in this study. In the instrumentation, the researchers used the structured questionnaire to collect data. With the help of statistical package for service solutions version 25, the researchers analyzed the data through the means and their associated standard deviations. It came to light that student-teachers' moderate familiarity and competency level of integrating ICT in mathematics instruction was predominant. Notwithstanding, familiarity level was a significant predictor of their competency level. It was thus suggested that mathematics teachers should take matters of familiarity and competency levels as key factors determining ICT integration for mathematics instruction.

The study explored how indigenous basket resources could be harnessed to benefit long term develo... more The study explored how indigenous basket resources could be harnessed to benefit long term development planning in mathematics education to accelerate national development. Even though basket weaving is an age old occupation in Northern Ghana, its resources have still experienced little exploitation to be integrated and consolidated into formal education in Ghana. This qualitative survey purposively interviewed four teachers and two basket artisans in the Bolgatanga Municipality of Upper East Region of Ghana. The findings revealed that the indigenous basket resources would boost employment, reduce poverty rate, combat migration, integrate indigenous knowledge and improve learning upon outcomes. We therefore, recommended that other stakeholders fashion out policies and programmes to harness the indigenous basket resources to help achieve long term development goals.

The book explores the various methods of analyzing quantitative in stochastic paradigm. It has sh... more The book explores the various methods of analyzing quantitative in stochastic paradigm. It has shown that Bayesian analysis can integrate Markov chains and its classifications to arrive at steady state probability states.