USING INSERVICE TRAINING AS A CAPACITY BUILDING TOOL FOR JHS MATHEMATICS TEACHERS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE: A CASE STUDY OF DABOKPA CIRCUIT IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to employ an action research design using in-service training as a capacity building tools for JHS mathematics teachers to improve performance in the Dabokpacircuit of theTamale Metropolis.Theliterature review wasonthekeythemesraised in the research questions such as: the challenges facing mathematics teachers, the impact of INSET on mathematics teachers, andthestrategies forteachingmathematicsinbasic schools. Data obtained was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative data analytical methods consisting of manual and SPSS software packages. The research designed in this study is Action research. The study Purposive sampling techniques were employed to select all 10 schools within the Dabokpa circuit and 21 mathematics teachers representing the sample size for the pre-intervention and post intervention stage of the study. The study employed the use of interview schedule, questionnaires and school records as data collection instruments. Based on a situational analysis, an intervention in the form of in-service training was conducted to address the problems. The outcome of the investigation revealed that challenges facing mathematics teachers included; inadequate TLMs, curriculum overload, inadequate in structural time, poor pedagogy among others. At the intervention stage, strategies such as the use of technology (virtual classroom discussions), Teacher subject matter knowledge, the use of appropriate teaching and learning materials, cooperative learning, peer tutoring and use of symbolic representations in teaching mathematics in various schools within the circuit was encouraged. Analysis of the post intervention stage revealed that the intervention (INSET) was generally good. The interview revealed that mathematics teachers’ usefulness in the schools has improved. The mathematics teachers were now able to teach topics that they earlier perceived to be difficult during the pre-intervention stage. The mathematics teachers had improved in pedagogical skills after the intervention (INSET), cooperative learning and peer tutoring has been adopted by the teachers in teaching mathematics and performance has gradually improved on the part of both teachers and students. It is recommended that government puts more effort in the training of mathematics teachers, reward mathematics teachers in a form of motivation (scholarship awarded to devoted teachers) and give high priority to the teaching of mathematics. GES and schools should organize more frequent and regular in-service training for the mathematics teachers, GES should do their possible best to supply adequate logistics on time, provide adequate teaching periods on time table among others to the schools within the circuit to improve quality teaching.