Abstract:
This study compared Senior High School Students’ achievements in core and elective
mathematics from 2016 to 2018. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed
method, and used a sample of three hundred and two (302) WASSCE results of past
students who studied both Core and Elective Mathematics. Stratified, purposive, simple
random and snowball sampling techniques were used for the research. Seventy-eight
(78) past students and sixteen (16) teachers were also sampled for the study. The
instruments used to collect data were questionnaire, semi-structured interview guide,
and WASSCE results. The results indicated that students who offered both subjects
performed better in Elective Mathematics than the Core Mathematics. It also showed
that majority of students developed negative attitude to the study of Core Mathematics
than the Elective Mathematics because they believed the former is superior to the latter.
Co-curricular activities were found to deny students and teacher of precious
instructional hours. The results also indicated that some Core Mathematics teachers
skipped some important topics with the view that the Elective Mathematics teachers
would teach them. The study recommended that students should be counselled to
develop positive attitude towards the study of both subjects because they boosted their
chances of gaining admission into tertiary institutions. Besides, school managements,
heads of mathematics departments should intensify their monitoring activities so that
mathematics teachers would not skip any topic. Furthermore, co-curricular activities
should be planned in such a way that they would not interfere with the academic work.
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.
May, 2020
