Abstract:
Mathematics is an important subject capable of equipping student in dealing with analytical
issues and for gaining admission to read science-related disciplines in higher institutions in
Nigeria. However, reports from Teacher Registration Council of Nigeria have shown that
Mathematics Teachers (MT) are deficient in professional practice. This study, therefore, was
carried out to examine teachers’ professional competence (content and pedagogical knowledge),
quality of instruction (lesson development, set induction, content presentation, content
communication, questioning techniques, and management), and classroom climate
(personalisation, involvement, students’ cohesiveness, satisfaction, task orientation, innovation,
and individualisation) as predictors of Secondary School (SS) students’ interest and achievement
in mathematics in Ibadan, Nigeria
The study was underpinned by the Human Capital Theory, while the correlational design was
adopted. Four Local Government Areas-LGAs (Ibadan Southeast, Ibadan North, Egbeda and
Akinyele) were randomly selected. The simple random sampling technique was used to select
20 SSs (five from each LGA). Twenty MT participated in the study. A total of 1200 SSII students
(60 per school) were randomly selected. The instruments used were Teacher Content Knowledge
Test (r=0.85), Pedagogical Knowledge (r=0.79), Quality of Instruction (r=0.77) Observation
rating scales, Classroom Climate Inventory, Students’ Interest in Mathematics Questionnaire
(r=0.87) and Mathematics Achievement Test (r=0.75). Data were analysed using Pearson
product moment correlation and Multiple regression at p≤0.05
Majority (85.0%) of the teachers possessed professional qualification and 90.0% of them had
more than 10 years teaching experience. Teacher content knowledge (r=-0.57) had negative
significant relationship with students’ interest in mathematics, while personalisation (r=0.33),
involvement (r=0.18), student-cohesiveness (r=0.36), satisfaction (r=0.68), task-orientation
(r=0.47), innovation (r=0.21) and individualisation (r=0.11) had positive significant
relationships with students’ interest in mathematics. Pedagogical knowledge (r=-0.53) and set
induction (r=-0.61) had negative significant relationships with students’ achievement in
mathematics, while teacher content knowledge (r=0.51) and satisfaction (r=0.68) had positive
significant relationship with students’ achievement in mathematics. The composite contribution
of teachers’ professional competence to students’ interest was significant (F(2, 17)=4.36; Adj.
R2=0.26), accounting for 26.0% of its variance. The composite contribution of teachers’
professional competence to students’ achievement was significant (F(2; 17) = 5.97; Adj. R2 = 0.34),
accounting for 34.0% of its variance. The composite contribution of classroom climate to
students’ interest was significant (F(7; 1154) = 86.33; Adj. R2 = 0.34), accounting for 34.0% of its
variance. The composite contribution of quality of instruction to students’ interest and
achievement were not significant. There was no composite contribution of classroom climate to
students’ achievement. Teacher content knowledge (β=0.54), pedagogical knowledge (β=-0.10),
personalisation (β=0.11), cohesiveness (β=0.07), satisfaction (β=0.36), task orientation (β=0.16)
and innovation (β=0.08) made relative contributions to students’ interest in mathematics.
Pedagogical knowledge (β=-0.42) and set induction (β=-0.80) made relative contributions to
students’ achievement in mathematics.
Teachers' professional competence and some classroom climate variables enhanced secondary
school students’ interest in mathematics, while pedagogical knowledge and set induction
improved their achievement in mathematics in Ibadan, Nigeria. Mathematics teachers should
focus on these factors to improve students’ interest and achievement in mathematics.
