CULTURAL COMPETENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF LEARNING OUTCOMES IN MATHEMATICS CONCEPTS AMONG PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study examined how pre-service teachers learnt mathematics concepts and how cultural
competence affects their learning outcomes in Osun State, Nigeria. The study used
quantitative method to collect data from all pre-service teachers who are offering
mathematics as a teaching subject in the State and Federal Colleges of Education in Osun
State, Nigeria. The study's population was selected using a purposeful sampling technique
from three educational institutions. Two instruments, the Mathematics Concepts Knowledge
Test and the Cultural Competence Rating Scale (CCRS) were used to collect data for the
study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data collected using frequency counts,
means, and standard deviations. In contrast, inferential statistics for multiple regression and
Pearson product-moment correlation was interpreted at the 0.05 level of significance.
Findings showed that there is a negative significant relationship between respondents'
cultural competence and their attitude to mathematics concepts and their knowledge of
mathematics concept was low. It was therefore recommended that in various junior secondary
schools, mathematics teachers should be encouraged to teach their students with their mother
tongue while the home should expose the students to cultural activities which emphasize
calculations.