The Challenges and Prospects of Globalized Science Curriculum

The processes of globalization are leading to widespread changes that are impacting on education worldwide. It has affected education profoundly and in a range of ways. However, for such hyperglobalists, there will be an increasing convergence of educational policies and practices worldwide. Global policies are mediated at the national level through differing cultural and historical traditions and thus produce different national policies in response to the same global pressures. Moreover, the implementation of such national policies in schools has the further potential for mediation according to different cultural traditions both between different countries and within a single country. Hence, the need to discuss the challenges and prospects of globalized science curriculum in Nigeria.

Prospect and Challenges of Mathematics Education in the Modern Globalized Curriculum

The pursuit of mathematics for the achievement of prosperity and advancement is very conspicuous in many national developmental plans both in developed and underdeveloped countries. In this chapter, an attempt was made to examine some of the major challenges facing mathematics education in the modern globalized curriculum and its prospect. It was argued that the success of the teaching and learning of mathematics could only be achieved when the subject is given its rightful place. The chapter highlighted the characteristics and usefulness of mathematics, aims and values of mathematics education in the society. Finally, meaningful suggestions were proffered that if adopted will induce a positive change into the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Effects of Data-Driven Instructional Strategy on Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Lesson Preparation in College of Education Ikere-Ekiti

This study determined the effects of data-driven instructional strategy (DDIS) on pre-service teachers' lesson preparation in mathematics. The moderating effect of gender was also examined. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was adopted. Twenty-seven College of Education pre-service teachers participated in the study. The study was guided by three research questions. Data collected were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Instruments used were rating scale tagged practical teaching assessment scale (PTAS) (Scotts' pie = 0.87) and data-driven instructional package (DDIP). There was a significant main effect of treatment on pre-service teachers' lesson preparation (F(1,23)= 26.83, partial η2 = 0.54). Lesson preparations of pre-service teachers exposed to DDIS (x ̅ = 7.12) were better than those of control (x ̅ = 4.87). There was a significant interaction effect of treatment and teachers' gender on pre-service teachers' lesson preparation (F(1,23)= 4.37). Data-driven instructional strategy enhanced pre-service teachers' lesson preparation in mathematics.

Globalization of Teaching Strategies in Mathematics Education in Nigeria

In the Nigerian system of education, there is need for introducing modern technology of learning mathematics so as to ease the learning of mathematics and allow students to learn anywhere. In other to suit the features globalization, Edmodo, which is one of the learning management system packages, was considered in this study. In Edmodo class, normal teaching processes can be carried out such as teaching, immediate response from students, classwork and assignment, marking and grading, while both students and parents have access to the score of the students. In this study, emphasis is being placed on integration, benefits, and how to use Edmodo in teaching and learning of mathematics. The study concluded that the use of different technological packages in teaching will extend learning of mathematics from the four walls of the classroom to learning outside the classroom, which allows students to learn anywhere and at any time.

Influence of Globalization on Mathematics Content, Teaching Methods, and Resource Materials in Colleges of Education in Oyo State

The chapter examined the influence of globalization of mathematics contents, teaching methods, and resource materials in colleges of education in Oyo state. One hundred mathematics students—46 from Emmanuel Alayande College of Education and 54 from Federal College of Education (Special), Oy—were sampled for the study. Descriptive survey type of design was adopted for the study. Three questionnaires were used: influence of globalization on mathematics content questionnaire (IGMCQ, r= 0.87), influence of globalization on mathematics teaching methods (IGMTM r= 0.78), and influence of globalization on mathematics resource materials (IGMRM r= 0.89) scales. Three research hypotheses were tested in this study. The data were analyzed using frequency count, for descriptive statistics. Chi-square statistics was used to test the hypotheses. The results show that there is no significant association between globalization and mathematics contents, teaching methods, and resource materials.

Ethnomathematics and Modern Globalized Currriculum

The mathematical knowledge consumed in schools can and does influence culture and communities. There is a close connection between development of culture and idea of mathematics. Cultural thinking, practices, and products are mathematically intertwined. Cultural practices show mathematical thinking and operations and culture are better communicated through them. This goes on to confirm the practical fact that mathematics can be understood in cultural game, analysis of local arts, daily work procedures, and skills. Mathematical idea as a science of logical reasoning is better presented from natural/familiar base of culture of the people or else it will not be understood ultimately. Hence, development and human progress cannot be based on it. Mathematics will be useless to humanity. Thus, students need to develop abilities, such as creativity and a sound set of research habits, as they learn the required mathematics. This study focused on ethnomathematics and modern globalized curriculum.

Digital Games for Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in Nigeria Schools

Fractions are among some concepts in mathematics that pupils in Nigeria primary find difficult to learn, and teachers find difficult to teach. These problems require solutions because mathematics knowledge is germane for technological advancement and national development. Pupils need to be actively involved in constructing their knowledge and digital mathematics learning games could be helpful. Thus, this study investigated the effects of digital mathematics games on primary pupils' achievement in fractions concepts. An appropriately validated pupil fractions achievement test (PFAT) was used to collect data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using t-test. It was revealed that pupils exposed to digital mathematics games performed significantly better than those exposed to conventional method. There is significant difference between achievements of male and female pupils exposed to game-based strategy.

Enhancing Inter-Cultural Mathematics Teaching Competencies

In the global village we live today, inter-cultural competencies are imperative for mathematics teachers if their teaching is to cater for all learners in their classrooms. The author argues that intercultural competency is the key to helping such mathematics learners achieve their potential. Content analysis is done to find out what inter-cultural competencies are required of mathematics teachers to be able to handle diverse learners. Data was also collected through observation in a class that the author taught at an ITE to find out what occurs when the researcher puts in aspects of students' diversity in teaching mathematics. The findings show that inter-cultural competency is improved through teachers' self-introspection of their practices and presumptions about other cultures, including learners' diverse cultures in the curriculum, learning about non-verbal communication in different cultures, learning about the modes of learning in different cultures, studying the power of teachers in different cultures, handling conflicts in different cultures, and others.

Ethno-Science and Globalization

Globalization accelerates at an extreme rate through development of technologies of communication. However, people living in poor countries' access is very difficult because of the energy and financial demands that technology requires. One consequence of globalization for science and science education is it creates even more complex societies and challenges for indigenous communities. However, increasing local achievement in science and science education is advocated by a number of researchers in order to provide opportunities for people globally. This issue of making local knowledge part of the global brings with it the challenges of politics, history, language, economics, and ethics. The effects of globalization have been far-reaching, while the living standards of the world are still highly uneven. This study focused on ethno-science and globalization.

Globalized Mathematics Curriculum

It is a known fact that the world now is a global village. Almost every aspect of human endeavor is moving with space in this era of digitization and movement with ethos of ages. The teaching of mathematics has been polarized in term of introduction of cultural diversity from other countries. Within standardized curricula, concepts and teaching are largely dissociated from the knowledge and skills a child brings into the classroom. Unless learners realize that mathematics exist in their very own world, beyond school walls and beyond a Eurocentric worldview, many of them will continue to complain about it as boring and uninteresting. Universalizing the curriculum for the sake of simplifying assessment or selling textbooks is not going to minimize the anxiety or even hatred that many students feel towards numbers. Conversely, introducing everyday mathematics into curricula will help students understand that math is something related to their culture.