Abstract:
This study was an attempt to Compare the Categories of mathematical tasks in two
SHS mathematics textbooks namely AKIOLA core mathematics series (ACM) and
the Enriched mathematics (ECM) textbooks for SHS. It specifically sought to find out
the categories of exercises in mathematical tasks as well as the categories of steps in
mathematical tasks and whether or not there were differences between the categories
of exercises and steps in the ACM textbooks and ECM textbooks. In all, eight (8)
SHS core mathematics teachers from two senior high schools were involved in the
study. The researcher used a content analysis guide, content analysis codebook, an
interview guide, a task analysis codebook and two observation checklists to find out
the categories of mathematical tasks in terms of exercises and steps in the ACM and
ECM textbooks. The results of the descriptive statistics indicated that there were
differences in the categories of exercises in mathematical tasks presented in the
textbook 1, 2 and 3 all in favour of the ACM textbook 1, 2 and 3 (ACM textbook 1:
(WEX = 1057; EXX = 2863 and REEX = 545), (ECM textbook 1: (WEX = 414, EXX
= 1026 and REEX = 29). (ACM textbook 2: ((WEX = 970, EXX = 1336, REEX
=443), and (ECM textbook 2: (WEX = 242, EXX = 483, REEX = 30). (ACM
textbook 3: WEX = 282, EXX = 323, REEX = 226), and (ECM textbook 3: (WEX =
151, EXX = 406, REEX = 30) in favour of the ACM textbook 3. The results of the
descriptive statistics indicated that there were differences in the categories of steps in
mathematical tasks presented in the textbooks 1, 2, and 3 all in favour of the ACM
textbooks (ACM textbook 1: (SST = 1095; DST = 207 and MST =3136), (ECM
textbook 1: (SST = 156, DST = 58 and MST = 1356) (ACM textbook 2: ((SST = 499,
DST = 124, MST =2126), and (ECM textbook 2: (SST = 39, DST = 67, MST = 649)
in favour of the ACM textbook 2. (ACM textbook 3: SST = 40, DST = 6, MST =
787), and (ECM textbook 3: (SST = 21, DST = 45, MST = 521) in favour of the ACM
textbook 3. Hence the study concluded that there were differences between the
categories of mathematical tasks in the ACM textbooks and the ECM textbooks in
terms of exercises and steps in favour of the ACM textbooks. The study observed that
there was collaboration between the profile dimensions in the SHS syllabus and the
SHS mathematics textbooks. Based on the conclusion, the study recommended that
more mathematical tasks that are of the category of MST should be included in the
SHS textbooks since MST aid problem solving in mathematics.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Science
Education, Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Mathematics Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
JULY, 2018