Ebenezer Bonyah

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

The role of philosophy of mathematics education in mathematics teacher education

By Samuel Kwaku Boadu

This study aims to examine the impact of integrating the role of philosophy of mathematics education in mathematics teacher education on student learning outcomes and attitudes towards mathematics. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 10 in-service mathematics teachers from a Technical School in Kumasi. A qualitative case study approach was adopted to gather data from mathematics teachers through structured interviews. The data analysis technique employed in the study was reflexive thematic analysis. The study highlighted that the integration of philosophy of mathematics education enhances teachers' knowledge leading to a shift in instructional practices towards more inquiry-based and student-centered approaches. Students exposed to the philosophy of mathematics education in their mathematics classrooms demonstrated improved learning outcomes, enhanced critical thinking skills and deeper conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts. Also, students' attitudes towards mathematics were positively influenced. Notwithstanding the positive impact on students learning outcomes, there were challenges and barriers associated with integrating the philosophy of mathematics education into mathematics teacher education, including institutional constraints, teacher beliefs, time constraints, and limited resources. One significant contribution of this study is its demonstration of how integrating the philosophy of mathematics education into mathematics teacher education can fundamentally enhance both teaching practices and student learning outcomes. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

General Read More

The Effect of GeoGebra on University Students' Understanding of Polar Coordinates

By Raphael Owusu

This study sought to examine the impact of dynamic mathematics software, GeoGebra, on university mathematics students' understanding of polar coordinates. A quasi-experimental design with an equivalent group of 42 participants in each group was used. A simple random sampling approach was used to select the 84 participants from the population and a purposive sampling technique was used to assign the participants to the various groups. A t-test analysis was conducted on the pre-test and post-test activities. It was revealed that students who were taught polar coordinates with the aid of GeoGebra performed better than those who were taught with the conventional approach. Analysis of students in the experimental group's responses to the questionnaire showed that they demonstrated positive attitudes and perceptions concerning the use of GeoGebra software in the learning of polar coordinates. It was concluded that GeoGebra is more effective in improving university mathematics students' understanding of polar coordinates.

General Read More