Technological Dispositions of Pre-Service Mathematics Teachers in Ghana: Gender Differences and Implications for Teacher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70232/jrmste.v3i4.98Keywords:
Gender Differences, Ghana, ICT Integration, Pre-service Mathematics Teachers, Teacher Education, Teacher ReadinessAbstract
Integrating technology into teaching is essential to achieving equitable, high-quality education, particularly within the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 4. While prior research in Ghana has largely examined Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use among in-service teachers and at the senior high school level, limited attention has been given to pre-service teachers and the role of gender in shaping technological dispositions. The growing emphasis on technology integration in mathematics requires teacher preparation programs to adequately prepare future teachers with dispositions that support meaningful technology integration. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study examined pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude or disposition towards technology integration in mathematics instruction and investigated whether this attitude differs by gender. The article reports the quantitative component of a larger sequential explanatory mixed-method study. This study examined the perspectives of 301 pre-service mathematics educators from five Colleges of Education in the Ashanti region of Ghana regarding their attitudes towards ICT integration in mathematics teaching. Data were collected from 301 participants using a structured questionnaire adapted from existing technology-related instruments and were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and an independent t-test. The findings indicated predominantly unfavorable attitudes or dispositions towards ICT integration in mathematics, with participants perceiving technology as frustrating, time-consuming, and unnecessarily complicating mathematics. A statistically significant gender difference was observed, with male pre-service teachers having notably more positive attitudes than their female counterparts, t (299) = 2.94, p = .004, Cohen’s d = 0.34. These findings suggest that unfavorable technological dispositions may constrain pre-service teachers’ readiness to integrate technology meaningfully into mathematics instruction. The findings of this study indicate the necessity for teacher education programs to incorporate mathematics-specific technology pedagogy, tackle gender disparities in ICT confidence and engagement, and enhance institutional support for technology integration in the classroom. The study highlights critical gaps in teacher preparation for ICT integration in resource-constrained contexts.
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