Browsing by Author "Buzza, John Maduhu"

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    Effects of lack of mathematics teaching and learning materials on learners' achievement in ordinary level secondary schools in Tanzania: The case of Bagamoyo District
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2011) Buzza, John Maduhu
    The study sought to investigate if lack of mathematics teaching and learning materials can contribute to students' mathematics poor performance in exercises, assignments, tests and examinations. In addition, the study also tried to find out factors that were thought to contribute to the lack of mathematics teaching and learning materials. The study involved 10 ordinary level secondary schools which were selected from Bagamoyo district in Pwani region using stratified random sampling. This study employed mainly qualitative research approach, applying a case study design. The sample consisted of 198 informants who included students, mathematics teachers and heads of schools. The heads of schools were purposively chosen because each one was alone in his/her position. Students were selected using stratified sampling, while all mathematics teachers were included in the sample since they were very fem, hardly exceeding 2 in a school. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, observation and documentation and were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings revealed that the availability of mathematics teaching and learning materials in 8 out of the 10 schools in the sample area was inadequate. The reasons behind the inadequacy involved poor government support, poor parents' support, changes in the mathematics syllabus, and frequent increases in students' enrolment, lack of creativity and initiative by mathematics teachers to improvise materials recommended in the syllabus and lack of motivation to mathematics teachers. In connection to these findings, students’ mathematics performance in exercises, assignments, tests and examinations was found to be higher in schools with enough availability of mathematics teaching and learning materials than where there was shortage of these materials. Thus lack of mathematics teaching and learning materials can contribute to students' poor performance in mathematics. From the obtained findings, the study concludes that mathematics teaching and learning process is affected by lack of mathematics teaching and learning materials and ineffective usage of available materials. The study, therefore, recommends that parents, teachers and students should be encouraged as well as educated to see the importance of teaching and learning materials so as to be able to contribute in buying or constructing mathematics teaching and learning materials. Also the government should employ qualified mathematics teachers and keep on motivating them, and should ensure that before students' enrolment is increased or a new syllabus is introduced, all required teaching and learning materials are prepared. The study recommends further research on teacher motivation and reasons for government's lack of funds.