Journal of Education and Teaching Methods

Assessing Content Validity of Mathematics Paper 1 in Measuring Lifelong Learning Skills in Primary Schools in Bamboutos Division, West Region of Cameroon: A Case of First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) Examination

Enjei Joan Tembei — 2025-08-18

Aim: This study examined the alignment between the First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC) Mathematics Paper 1 items and the primary school mathematics curriculum and their capacity to assess lifelong learning skills. The study explores how the test items reflect curriculum content areas such as sets and logic, numbers and operations, measurement and size, geometry and space, and statistics and graphs.

Methods: The investigation was grounded in Tyler’s Objective Model and the Cameroon Primary School Curriculum (2018). Methodologically, a cross-sectional research design was employed, utilizing a qualitative content analysis approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight examination team experts involved in item construction, moderation, validation, and the banking process. The sample was selected using a purposive sampling technique because the choices were intentional by the researcher. The Interview-based content analysis covered First School Leaving Certificate Mathematics Paper 1 items from 2021 to 2024 for alignment with curriculum content areas. The responses were analyzed using a thematic approach, making use of a descriptive statistical tool.

Results: Findings indicated 62.5% overall alignment with curriculum objectives, with the strongest coverage in Numbers and Operations and weakest in Statistics and Graphs, and 37.5% highlighted significant content omissions, limited breadth, and lack of higher-order skill assessment. Affirming that alignment ranges from moderate to strong alignment, but also points to significant gaps in scope and curriculum depth. As a pointer, key gaps, such as underrepresentation of certain lifelong learning skills, such as creativity or lack of higher-order thinking questions, remain a major concern.

Conclusion: The results suggest that current First School Leaving Certificate Mathematics assessments do not fully capture the breadth of the curriculum or effectively measure lifelong learning skills, indicating a need for assessment reform.

Recommendation: It is recommended that the Ministry of Basic Education, in collaboration with curriculum developers, should undertake biennial reviews of FSLC Mathematics Paper 1 to address content areas identified as underrepresented by stakeholders, such as geometry and applied problem-solving. This will ensure comprehensive coverage and equitable representation of all curriculum strands.

Assessing Digital Learning and Associated Factors in Three Early Childhood Education Centers in the Northern Region of Ghana During the COVID-19 Era

Abubakar Kaisan Raabu — 2025-07-16

Aim: This research investigated the effect of digital learning on Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Northern Ghana after the COVID-19 digital shift.

Methods: Using a qualitative case study approach, the study focused on three Early Childhood Education Centers in the Northern Region of Ghana. Data were collected through interviews with 15 ECE teachers and focus group discussions with three parents, resulting in a total sample size of 18 participants. The data collected was analyzed using deductive thematic procedures.

Results: The findings reveal that educators employed a combination of audio, text, and visual-based learning methods, influenced by resource availability and cost-effectiveness. The impact of digital learning on ECE was moderate, with varied effectiveness reported. Challenges included limited access to digital tools, low adaptation rates, and unreliable internet access, exacerbated by factors such as language barriers and parental involvement constraints.

Conclusion: The study concludes that while digital learning holds potential for improving ECE in underserved regions, its impact is moderated by infrastructural, pedagogical, and socio-economic barriers.

Recommendations: To address these challenges, comprehensive digital literacy programs, resource allocation, professional development, and improved infrastructure are recommended. Emphasis should be on the role of policymakers and communities in ensuring equitable access to quality education, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Leadership Styles Used by Heads of Junior High Schools in the Management of Social Studies Teachers in Tamale Metropolis

Sarah Akanbang — 2025-08-20

Aim: This study explored the leadership styles used by heads of Junior High Schools (JHSs) in managing Social Studies Teachers in Tamale Metropolis. The goal was to identify dominant styles and the factors influencing their selection, and a cross-sectional survey design was employed for the study.

Methods: The study employed a multi-stage sampling approach to survey 76 of 96 junior high school headteachers and 141 Social Studies teachers in Tamale Metropolis, resulting in a total of 217 participants. The reliability of the questionnaire items was validated using the Cronbach’s alpha formula. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and with the assistance of SPSS version 27.

Results: The most common leadership style, according to the results, was transactional. School culture, teacher preparedness, situational expectations, and leadership ideology were identified as the primary factors influencing the school. The effects of professional experience, school resources, external stressors, and staff and student characteristics were moderate.

Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of an educational leadership approach in promoting effective headteachers’ school management.

Recommendation: The study recommends that the Ghana Ministry of Education should organize regular leadership training for headteachers to enhance adaptive leadership style integration and ensure decisions are guided by institutional needs rather than personal preferences.

Assessing the Perceived Impact of Professional Learning Community (PLC) Participation on Teachers’ Professional Development in Teaching Practices at Senior High School Level in Builsa South District

Kabinaa Enoch Suglo — 2025-07-23

Aim: This study aimed to investigate teachers’ perception of how PLC participation relates to their professional development in Teaching Practices at Builsa South District of the Upper East Region, Ghana.

Methods: A survey design was employed, utilizing a simple random sampling strategy to select forty-two (42) teachers from A Senior High School in Builsa South District. Data were collected through self-designed questionnaires with statements rated on a 4-point scale. The study used descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation method to analyze data.

Results: The results indicate that teachers generally have moderately positive perspectives and views on the impact of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), with mean scores ranging from 2.64 to 3.19. Additionally, the results indicate that teachers generally have positive views on their participation and engagement levels in PLC, with mean scores ranging from 2.05 to 3.33. Also, the results of this study revealed a correlation coefficient of 0.875, indicating a strong positive correlation. This suggests an increase in perceived professional development as teachers’ participation in PLC activities increased.

Conclusion: The study concluded that participating in PLC is associated with improved self-reported professional development among secondary school teachers in the Builsa South district. The findings, while based on a single school sample, indicate that structured PLC activity may support teacher growth in similar contexts.

Recommendation: The study recommends that the Ghana Education Service and school leaders should institutionalize and regularly evaluate PLC structures across subject departments to support continuous teacher development.