Pre-Service Teachers’ Conceptual and Procedural Knowledge of Rational Numbers in E. P. College of Education, Bimbilla, Ghana

Abstract

This study investigated Pre-Service Teachers’ mastery level, achievements differences, and correlation of their procedural knowledge and conceptual knowledge of rational numbers. The population of the study was four hundred and twenty-nine (429) level 100 Pre-Service Teachers of Evangelical Presbyterian College of Education, Bimbilla. Descriptive research design was used, where both convenient and purposive sampling techniques were employed to select a sample of 75. Out of the sample, 11 were females and 64 males representing 14.67% and 85.33% respectively. The instrument used was test items on conceptual and procedural knowledge on rational numbers designed by the researcher. The researcher used descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the quantitative data, so as to answer the four research questions. The findings of the study indicated that the Pre-Service Teachers’ conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge mastery levels were at average-low and high–average levels respectively. Also, there was a significant difference between conceptual and procedural knowledge in rational numbers in favor of procedural knowledge with very high effect size. There was a weak positive correlation and no significant relationship between the Pre-Service Teachers’ conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge in rational numbers. The study recommended that College Tutors should be encouraged to adopt teaching methods and strategies that focus more on conceptual knowledge in rational numbers. Also, College Tutors evaluation exercises or assessment items should be balanced between conceptual knowledge and procedural knowledge because at the moment most assessment items are based on procedural knowledge to the neglect of conceptual knowledge assessment.