Date of Award

5-11-2025

Date Published

June 2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching and Leadership

Advisor(s)

Duane Graysay

Keywords

knowledge for teaching;Knowledge of context and culture;Mathematics education;Problem solving;Teacher professional development

Abstract

In Kenya, mixed-day secondary schools, serving primarily economically marginalized communities, face significant challenges such as resource scarcity, overcrowded classrooms, and deeply rooted socio-cultural barriers. These factors contribute to persistent suboptimal mathematics performance, limiting students' future educational and economic opportunities and reinforcing socio-economic inequality. This study, grounded in social constructivism, positions teacher professional development (TPD) as a transformative tool for disrupting these cycles of inequality. Theoretical frameworks by Vygotsky (1978) and Ladson-Billings (1994) support the idea that learning is shaped by social interaction and cultural tools, and that empowering teachers with contextually responsive practices can enhance students' mathematical access, participation, and outcomes. This study examined the nature of knowledge used by nine mathematics teachers in a Lesson Study TPD model designed to improve problem solving lesson planning. Participants were recruited from Rieko Mixed-Day Secondary School in Kenya, and engaged in one full cycle of Lesson Study, consisting of eight collaborative sessions. The study focused on planning a problem-solving lesson for Form Two mathematics on Similarity and Enlargement. Data were collected through a pre-survey, audio-visual recordings, participant reflections, lesson plans, and field notes, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four categories of knowledge emerged: Knowledge of Mathematical Problems (KMP), Knowledge of Students as Problem Solvers (KSPS), Instructional Knowledge for Problem Solving (IKPS), and a newly identified category—Knowledge of Context and Culture (KCC). This latter category reflects how teachers used their understanding of students’ cultural backgrounds and local contexts in lesson planning. The study also revealed teachers’ beliefs about challenges contributing to suboptimal mathematics outcomes, including negative learner attitudes, gender stereotypes, and struggles with implementing the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). The findings highlight Lesson Study’s potential as a tool for fostering contextually grounded teacher knowledge and promoting professional collaboration in under-resourced settings. By addressing both cognitive and cultural aspects of learning, this research offers insights into creating more equitable and culturally responsive mathematics instruction for marginalized communities.

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Open Access

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