Education Professionals' Perceptions of Factors that Contribute to Effective Mathematics Teaching and Achievement in Jamaica
Date
2017
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Publisher
Sryahwa Publications
Abstract
This quantitative survey was designed to identify deficiencies in teacher quality that impede student achievement in CSEC Mathematics in Jamaica. It intended to identify and suggest programs, policies and strategies that should prove effective in diminishing deficiencies identified. It was also planned to identify strategies to improve teacher quality and enhance student achievement as well as to provide a body of literature to guide policy makers. The sample consisted of 120 CSEC Mathematics teachers from both upgraded and traditional high schools of whom 103 completed and returned the questionnaire designed by the researcher. Each questionnaire consisted of 30 items; 29 forced-choices and one free choice. The reliability statistic yielded was 0.744 when subjected to Cronbach Alpha. The response categories were: High (5); Moderate (3), and Low (1). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to obtain percentages and frequency values of specific responses. The findings revealed that low socioeconomic status of teachers and students, lack of parental involvement, leadership conditions, scale and replicability, lack of teaching learning resources, poor working conditions, lack of preparation on the part of students, the impact of teacher certification and licensing status, lack of specialization in relation to preparation programs and degrees, coursework, teachers own test scores and limited participation in professional development were major deficiencies that impact teacher quality and student achievement in CSEC Mathematics. It was also found that efforts of the National Transformation Program to promote and emphasize teaching as a viable profession were ineffective. It was recommended that a holistic approach be embarked upon to establish a relevant, high-quality, mathematics education model, to respond to the mathematical needs of students in the Jamaican context, and that teachers be empowered through purposeful professional development to monitor student success, and create a stimulating environment that encourages intellectual engagement of students.
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Keywords
Mathematics, student achievement, teacher quality, Jamaica