An investigation into the factors impacting on the selection and adoption of constructivist teaching methods by mathematics teachers in selected Gauteng urban schools

Abstract

Constructivist teaching strategies are undeniably accepted as effective in achieving the desired educational goals of constructing knowledge through active and creative inquiry. Inasmuch as teachers would love to adopt these strategies in their teaching, mathematics teachers find themselves in a situation where they are forced not to use them. This study investigated the factors that impacted on the selection and adoption of constructivist teaching strategies in selected Gauteng’s urban schools. Four (4) public schools and sixteen (16) mathematics teachers participated in the study. The parallel mixed methods design was employed in the study to produce both quantitative and qualitative data. The data were therefore analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. It was found that the participating mathematics teachers had an understanding of constructivist theories of teaching and that they perceived their classroom environments to be constructivist in character. The study also found that the adoption of constructivist teaching strategies was hindered by teachers’ lack of skills and competencies to handle a curriculum that they felt was handed down to them without their full involvement at all the stages of its development. Learners’ family backgrounds were also identified as a major social factor that impacted negatively against selection of constructivist strategies. Based on these findings, recommendations were made on how constructivist views can be realised in the teaching of mathematics in South African schools.