Comparative content analysis of categories of exercises in mathematical tasks in two Ghanaian senior high school mathematics textbooks

Abstract

This study was an attempt to Compare the Categories of mathematical tasks in two SHS mathematics textbooks namely AKIOLA core mathematics series (ACM) and the Enriched mathematics (ECM) textbooks for SHS. It specifically sought to find out the categories of exercises in mathematical tasks as well as the categories of steps in mathematical tasks and whether or not there were differences between the categories of exercises and steps in the ACM textbooks and ECM textbooks. In all, eight (8) SHS core mathematics teachers from two senior high schools were involved in the study. The researcher used a content analysis guide, content analysis codebook, an interview guide, a task analysis codebook and two observation checklists to find out the categories of mathematical tasks in terms of exercises and steps in the ACM and ECM textbooks. The results of the descriptive statistics indicated that there were differences in the categories of exercises in mathematical tasks presented in the textbook 1, 2 and 3 all in favour of the ACM textbook 1, 2 and 3 (ACM textbook 1: (WEX = 1057; EXX = 2863 and REEX = 545), (ECM textbook 1: (WEX = 414, EXX = 1026 and REEX = 29). (ACM textbook 2: ((WEX = 970, EXX = 1336, REEX =443), and (ECM textbook 2: (WEX = 242, EXX = 483, REEX = 30). (ACM textbook 3: WEX = 282, EXX = 323, REEX = 226), and (ECM textbook 3: (WEX = 151, EXX = 406, REEX = 30) in favour of the ACM textbook 3. The results of the descriptive statistics indicated that there were differences in the categories of steps in mathematical tasks presented in the textbooks 1, 2, and 3 all in favour of the ACM textbooks (ACM textbook 1: (SST = 1095; DST = 207 and MST =3136), (ECM textbook 1: (SST = 156, DST = 58 and MST = 1356) (ACM textbook 2: ((SST = 499, DST = 124, MST =2126), and (ECM textbook 2: (SST = 39, DST = 67, MST = 649) in favour of the ACM textbook 2. (ACM textbook 3: SST = 40, DST = 6, MST = 787), and (ECM textbook 3: (SST = 21, DST = 45, MST = 521) in favour of the ACM textbook 3. Hence the study concluded that there were differences between the categories of mathematical tasks in the ACM textbooks and the ECM textbooks in terms of exercises and steps in favour of the ACM textbooks. The study observed that there was collaboration between the profile dimensions in the SHS syllabus and the SHS mathematics textbooks. Based on the conclusion, the study recommended that more mathematical tasks that are of the category of MST should be included in the SHS textbooks since MST aid problem solving in mathematics.