ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TEACHER'S SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE AND THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

Using a mixed-methods approach, this study investigated the relationship between mathematics teachers’ cognitive knowledge types and the academic achievement of their middle school students (grades 5–6). The pilot study involved 15 teachers of secondary schools in Shymkent, who filled out a questionnaire that included tasks aimed at assessing various levels of knowledge content. The first type (T1) tested proficiency in basic facts and procedures (procedural knowledge). The second type (T2) assessed the depth of understanding of mathematical concepts (conceptual knowledge) and relationships. T3 – mathematical modeling and generalization. The data analysis was carried out in two stages. At the first stage, the relationships between each of the cognitive types of knowledge and the students’ total scores in unit-based and end-of-term summative assessments were investigated. The data obtained showed a statistically significant correlation between cognitive types T1 and T2 and students' academic performance (p <0.06). The most significant result was a positive correlation between the Total Content Knowledge Score (TCKS) and student academic performance (Pearson coefficient r = 0.3103, p = 0.0065 <0.01). This confirms the important role of the teacher's knowledge content in shaping the educational achievements of secondary school students. For a deeper understanding of the quantitative results, a qualitative stage of the study was conducted, which included structured interviews with two teachers who participated in the final survey and testing of their students.