Educational Technology

This study investigated the kind of beliefs Ghanaian Junior High School (JHS) mathematics teachers held about mathematical problem solving and how they integrate the beliefs in teaching mathematics. The sample of the study consisted of 97 JHS mathematics teachers in 71 JHS in Keta District of Volta Region. Data were collected in 2009/2010 academic year. Participants completed a survey composed of questionnaires and classroom observations which were carried out on five JHS mathematics teachers. The results of this study indicated that, in general, JHS mathematics teachers held positive beliefs about mathematical problem solving, which means that their beliefs were in line with the new approaches. However, the results revealed that they did not actually integrate their beliefs in the teaching of mathematics. In order to gradually challenge teachers’ negative beliefs about mathematical problem solving, suggestions have been made regarding adequate educational interventions.

Nahj-al-Balagheh means a rhetorical way. It is a noteworthy series of Imam Ali’s words and syaings which guide human beings in different occasions and on various topics. Its words are considered the strongest words in guiding human beings after words of Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. Nahj-al-Balagheh is considered as the best path toward prosperity and human development. One of the topics which Imam Ali (A.S.) mentioned in different parts of Nahj-al-Balagheh is the topic of guidance and consulting. Guidance and consulting are regarded as the key issues in the development of behavior and personality. Based on this, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the effective factors in guidance and consulting. This was a descriptive paper in which the aim was to analyze either content or meanings. To reach such analyses, journals, websites, and analyses of different books were used. This paper includes two parts. In the first part, the effective factors on guidance and consulting are investigated as well as the role of a consultant, his characteristics, methods of consultation, and topics of consultation are sought from Imam Ali’s point of view and today’s science. In the second part, a short contrastive analysis between Imam Ali’s words/sayings and today’s science is conducted. The implication of the study is accepting the fact that science alone is not enough to educate human beings and that it is necessary to implement religion and the art of rhetoric to be able to guide humans towards education and prosperity.