Influence of teachers’ knowledge on standards-based mathematics curriculum implementation and students’ performance

Abstract

The study examined the influence of teachers’ knowledge on standards-based mathematics curriculum (SBMC) implementation and students’ performance in the Techiman Municipality. A mixed-method approach, specifically a sequential explanatory design with a follow-up explanation model variant was employed to address the research questions and hypotheses raised. A census sampling of 942 public primary teachers, 70% of students in a class were selected through a simple random procedure and 33 teachers were chosen purposively through an “extreme (or deviant) case sampling for a follow-up interview. TKSBMCQ, SMPT and TIG were employed to collect data. The return rate of the TKSBMCQ (803 teachers), SMPT (n = 803) and 21 teachers’ interviews were used for the analysis. Quantitative data was addressed using both descriptive (mean, standard deviations, skewness and kurtosis) and inferential (One-way MANCOVA, One-way ANCOVA and Hierarchical multiple linear regression) statistics while the qualitative data was analysed thematically. It was found that in all the sub-dimensions addressing teachers’ content, pedagogical, pedagogical content and contextual knowledge about the SBMC, teachers demonstrated moderate knowledge. Also, in all the sub-dimensions addressing SBMC implementation, teachers demonstrated moderate implementation except for ICT implementation which teachers demonstrated low implementation. Teachers’ pedagogical, content and contextual knowledge about SBMC had a significant effect on teachers’ implementation while teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge did not. Teachers’ content knowledge about SBMC had a significant effect on students’ performance while teachers’ pedagogical content, pedagogical and contextual knowledge had no influence. It was recommended that the Municipal Education Directorate and headteachers should strengthen and intensify in-service and continuous professional development training programmes and encourage teachers’ commitment to increase their knowledge and implementation.