Date of Conferral

11-7-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Danette Brown

Abstract

The Ministry of Education in Guyana has focused on improving primary students’ performance in mathematics; however, low student performance persists. The problem addressed in this study was the limited understanding of how Guyanese primary teachers used the national professional development policies (NPDP) to address the low performance of students on the Math National Grade 6 Assessment (MNGSA). Grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Senge’s systems thinking theory, the purpose of this study was to explore Guyanese primary teachers’ perceptions of their successes and challenges using the NPDP to address the low performance of students on the MNGSA. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 teachers from 10 regional districts. Through deductive and inductive coding, the following themes emerged: teachers (a) integrated professional development into classroom practice; (b) collaborated through joint planning/coteaching to improve instruction; (c) faced limited and inconsistent implementation of strategies; (d) encountered resource shortage, time constraints, and difficulties differentiating instruction; and (e) struggled with students’ attitude and engagement in mathematics learning. The findings revealed two key insights: teachers effectively applied professional development through confidence, engagement, and collaboration, while systemic and contextual barriers hindered consistent implementation. Implications for positive social change include promoting teacher-centered, context-responsive professional development that strengthens instruction, fosters collaboration, and enhances student achievement.

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