CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
In the field of mathematics like in
other fields, the impact of new technology has changed some priorities within
the educational aims and objectives and has as well brought on the need for new
competencies on the teachers’ academic part in order to take advantage of the
new educational opportunities. Further, mathematics as it is widely known, is
also the key to meeting up with modern would of science and technology and also
is an Integral to everything thing about life and therefore important for self
and national development.
Regrettably evidences from perennial
poor achievements among Senior Secondary School
(SSS) Students nationwide in the
National Mathematics Examinations - the West African
SSS Certificate Examination (WASSCE)
and the National Examination Council (NECO) indicate that these advantages look
illusive. According to Besso (1988), Fajemidagba
(1988), Harhon-Peters and Ogoamaka
(1991), Jahun and Korau (1991) Awodeyi (2004) and
Ezenweani et al. (2006) one of the
major reasons among others, for this poor state of mathematics achievement is
the mathematics teachers’ incompetence at the SSS level. This causes tremendous
consequences on the students’ understanding, learning and performance in the
national mathematics examinations. The Nigerian governments in an attempt to
arrest the situation through some educational agencies, have tried to improve
students achievements by tampering with various levers in the great machinery
of schooling, new management schemes and initiatives, new curriculum packages,
testing politics. All these trials have not produced significant positive
effect. Studies such as Begle (1979, 1984), Ambrose (1985), Steppe (1990),
Fajemidagba (1991), National Council of Teachers for
America’s Future (NCTAF) (1996), etc
have all discovered that mathematics teachers’ academic competence is one of
the most important factors determining students’ achievement.
Teacher competence, considered as the
extent to which the teacher possesses the knowledge and skills necessary for
teaching, affects the core tasks of teaching. What teachers understand about
content and students, for example, shape how judiciously they can select from
texts and other materials and how effectively they can present materials in
class. Thus the implementation of SSS mathematics curriculum depends on the
teachers’ academic competence. There is therefore the need to constantly carry
out researches on teacher competencies in order to help address these problems.
Mathematics has indeed been made a core
subject in the primary and secondary school levels. Despite all the emphasis
laid on it, performances in the subject has been consistently low nationwide.
Its teaching and learning have become illusive especially in Calabar
South, Cross River State, where
majority of’ teachers teaching SSS mathematics are not mathematically trained.
Table 1.1 below exposes what the performances were like in
mathematics nationwide between 2005 and 2012 (7 years) at the May/June WASSSCE.
Table 1.1: May/June WASSSCE mathematics results from (2005-2012)
|
Year
|
Total No.
Registered
|
No with
Credit-Pass
|
No with Ordinary
Pass and below
|
|
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
|
616,923
635,686
756.680
634.604
1.023.102
908,235
341,928
287,484
|
46,886
70,879
138,094
208.214
373,944
309,409
126,206
99,240
|
570,037
504,807
618,586
426,390
649,158
598,826
215,722
188,244
|
Source: West African Examination Council
Annual Reports from 2005 - 2012
From the above table, it can be seen
that acceptable grade passes (credit and above) were 7.6% in 2005. 11.15% in
2006, 18.2% in 2007. 32.81% in 2008, 36.55% in 2009, 34.06% in
2010. 36.91% in 2011 and 3.52°/o in
2012. No ‘year recorded up to 40% credit pass throughout the period mentioned.
This persistent low performance in the SSS
mathematics examination have been blamed
on poor teacher characteristics such as teachers incompetence which includes
teachers poor mathematical pedagogical knowledge as well as poor content
knowledge as indicated by the studies cited earlier. This situation should not
be allowed to continue. Research should be carried out and its finding
utilized, new ideas and strategies should be recommended and utilized in teaching
to help students overcome their difficulties in learning mathematics. Besides,
knowledge of theoretical principles gives teachers the opportunity to device
practices that have greater possibility of succeeding (Swafford, Jones and
Thornton, 1997). Mathematics teacher education should also be carefully designed
and updated based on research findings. This was therefore the basis for
carrying out this study.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Over the years, the teaching, learning
and performance in mathematics at all levels of education in Nigeria has grown
and brought with it many instructional strategies. Yet students’ attitude,
interest, learning and performances at all levels have remained a topic, of concern
(Adetula. 1997 and Okafor, 2000). There is the problem of poor teacher characteristics
which according to Okafor (2000) is very vital to the teaching and learning in mathematics.
According to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (2000)
Chappell (2003) Yctkin (2003) and Halat
(2006, 2007) teacher characteristics such as content knowledge, mathematical
and pedagogical knowledge are very vital in the teaching, learning and
performance in mathematics at all levels of education.
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