The impact of insufficient Action Research Skills on Mathematics Teachers Ability to Diagnose Learner Challenges in Eswatini.

Abstract

The significance of action research in helping mathematics teachers in empowering mathematics teachers in addressing learners’ problems in mathematics has been overlooked by teachers’ colleges for a long time, resulting in a low pass rate by learners in mathematics. Despite the research methodology being one of the compulsory modules in teacher education, teachers’ colleges seem to concentrate on conventional research and do little to capacitate students with skills to carry out Action Research and this leaves mathematics teachers without skills to diagnose learners’ challenges in the mathematics classroom. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to investigate the impact of limited action research skills on mathematics teachers to address learner challenges. This study uses a survey involving thirty randomly selected primary school teachers in the four regions of Eswatini and the data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The research paper uses a mixed approach in data presentation and analysis. Results reveal that 90% of primary school mathematics teachers do not know action research. The 10% that indicated that they knew action research, however, were not able to give the action research cycles and all the teachers were never taught how to carry out action research at college. The study concludes that mathematics teachers do not use action research as a tool for solving problems in mathematics. The research paper recommends that the practice of action research become compulsory in teacher education. It also recommends that the National Curriculum Unit holds workshops to empower mathematics teachers with skills in action research.