Farouq Sessah Mensah’s: The Didactics of Mathematics with Educational Technology

What is your dissertation mainly about?

"In my dissertation, I investigate what prospective mathematics teachers need to be able to teach mathematics using digital tools, and which obstacles can make meaningful use more difficult. The focus is on how they learn to use tools such as calculators, educational apps, and software like GeoGebra in their preparation for teaching in schools. The study compares teacher education programs in Ghana and Sweden to highlight both opportunities and challenges in different educational contexts.

The dissertation analyzes everyday teaching situations, such as how teacher educators plan lessons, how prospective teachers are given opportunities to practice with digital tools, and how they reflect on their learning. The study also takes a broader perspective by examining how factors such as school resources, national curricula, and cultural expectations influence what prospective teachers are actually able to do in practice."

How did you come to choose this particular topic?

"In my role as a mathematics teacher in Ghana, I often experienced that digital tool can make learning both more enjoyable and engaging, but that many teachers lack the support and training to use these tools meaningfully in the classroom. This was both frustrating and sparked my curiosity about how it could be done better.

Later, when I began working with teacher education, I noticed the same challenges among student teachers. They were expected to use digital tools without having had the opportunity to truly learn how to teach with them. This motivated me to understand what actually helps prospective teachers feel confident and competent, and why some educational environments support this learning better than others.

By comparing Ghana and Sweden, I was able to investigate how different resources, national curricula, and traditions shape teacher education in distinct ways."

Can you briefly describe your main findings? And was there anything in particular that surprised you?

"My results clearly show that the genuine integration of digital tools in mathematics teaching requires more than mere access to the tools and enthusiasm—it also requires time, guidance, and opportunities for prospective teachers to practice, reflect, and justify their pedagogical choices.

The study also confirmed that prospective mathematics teachers in both Ghana and Sweden are introduced to digital tools during their training, but often without sufficient support to understand why the tools are used. Students frequently learned what the tools could do, and sometimes how to use them, but rarely had the chance to reflect on the underlying pedagogical decisions.

Teacher educators often demonstrated digital tools in lessons, but did not always explain their choices or give students the opportunity to practice and reflect on the tools themselves. As a result, many students were more observers than active participants in developing their own teaching methods.

Another clear finding is that the conditions of teacher education strongly influence what teacher could learn. In Sweden, there is abundant access to digital resources, but this does not automatically lead to thoughtful use. In Ghana, national curricula encouraged digital learning, but limited infrastructure made it difficult to implement in practice. Despite these differences, the challenges were strikingly similar: teacher educators focused more on “showing” the tools than on fostering deep understanding, and students often felt confident in using the tools personally, but uncertain about how to pedagogically apply them in teaching mathematics.

One of the most surprising insights from the study was how similar the challenges were in the two countries, despite large differences in resources and infrastructure. This highlights the importance of not only providing digital tools, but also creating a clear, structured path where prospective teachers can practice, reflect, and develop a deeper understanding of how digital tools can support learning.

Another unexpected finding was the discovery of teacher educators’ “hidden work”—that is, the small, often unspoken decisions, routines, and habits that in practice shape how future teachers learn. Seeing this invisible side of teaching was both surprising and highly rewarding."

What was the best part of conducting your study?

"The best part of my study was probably getting to work so closely with teacher educators and prospective teachers in both Ghana and Sweden. Being able to observe teaching in real classrooms, listen to teachers’ reasoning behind their instructional decisions, and see how they made sense of using digital tools gave the research a depth and immediacy that would not have been possible by only consulting policy documents or other written materials. The classroom conversations also made me aware of teachers’ thoughtful and creative ideas, which are rarely visible in official curricula or course plans.

I also greatly appreciated the opportunity to compare the two contexts. Despite significant differences between Ghana and Sweden in terms of resources and policy frameworks, it was fascinating to see how similar the underlying challenges were. Teachers, regardless of context, try to understand and use digital tools in ways that are meaningful for their students, and observing these shared challenges—as well as the creative solutions that emerge—was highly inspiring."

What do you hope your dissertation will contribute?

"Digital technology is becoming an increasingly integral part of everyday school life, yet teachers are often left to figure out on their own how to use it effectively. My research shows that meaningful use of digital tools requires more than just access – it also requires time, support, and clear guidance on how technology can enhance student learning.

By highlighting the gap between policy ambitions and the realities of classroom teaching, I hope my study can inspire schools, universities, and policymakers to create environments where future teachers have the opportunity to practice, reflect, and develop their use of digital tools. The goal is to give them the conditions to understand how the tools can best support student learning, rather than simply expecting them to use technology without guidance or support.

Ultimately, I hope the dissertation will contribute to a more equitable and thoughtful digitalization of mathematics education, where future teachers can use digital tools in ways that genuinely strengthen student learning, rather than reinforcing existing inequalities or placing additional pressure on underprepared teachers."

What are your plans for the future? Has the dissertation influenced you in any way?

"Working on my dissertation has been an incredibly rewarding journey for me. It has not only deepened my understanding of teacher education but also strengthened my conviction about the importance of giving future teachers the conditions they need to use digital tools in meaningful ways.

Moving forward, I want to continue researching teacher education and explore the questions and reflections that arose during my dissertation. My goal is to contribute to more equitable, thoughtful, and professionally grounded teacher education systems, where digital tools are used wisely, reflectively, and in ways that genuinely enhance student learning.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to my work – supervisors, teacher educators, future teachers, and colleagues – and I look forward to continuing this research in ways that benefit both teacher education and society as a whole."

Download and read Farouq’s dissertation

The Didactics of Mathematics with Instructional Technology: An epistemological-ecological analysis of secondary mathematics teacher education in Ghana and Sweden