Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Constructivist Teaching
Approach (CTA) on senior high school students‟ performance in algebra in the
Gomoa East District. The study was conducted in two senior high schools in the
Gomoa East District of Ghana with a six-week intervention programme. Participants
consisted of one hundred and forty ( form two (2) students from the two
participating schools with students from one of the schools serving as the control
group whilst students from the other school served as the experimental group. The
study adopted a convergent parallel mixed method approach which combined
elements of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. The Algebra
Concept Achievement Test (ACAT) and questionnaires served as the main
instruments for the quantitative approach, whilst the qualitative approach employed
interviews and lesson observations. The analysis of the pre-test and post-test scores
were based on quantitative data collected using descriptive and inferential statistics.
Results from the paired sample t-test showed that there was a statistically significant
improvement in the scores between students who were taught using the constructivist
approach than those who were taught using the traditional approach, (M = 78.51, SD
= 19.25), t (69) = 20.2, p < 0.05). Also, analysis of data from the questionnaire and
interviews administered to the students to solicit their views about the constructivist
method of teaching revealed that, the method made lessons more interesting, practical
and easy to understand although some students agreed otherwise. It was therefore
recommended that the classroom practice which was more teacher centred needed to
be critically examined and teaching should aim at encouraging collaborative learning
and constructive discourse. Teachers should therefore incorporate the use of
constructivist teaching approach in their classroom teaching.
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