Recontextualising Vocational Mathematics Across Workplace, Curriculum and Internationally Recognised Welding Mathematics Frameworks: a Multi-level Analysis of Welding and Fabrication Education in Ghana
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Formulation of the problem. The alignment between vocational mathematics and occupational competence remains problematic because formal curricula may not adequately preserve mathematical knowledge embedded in workplace practice. Guided by Bernstein’s theory of pedagogic recontextualization, the aim of this study was to examine how welding and fabrication mathematics is preserved, transformed, weakened, or omitted across authentic workplace practice, the Ghanaian TVET Mathematics Curriculum, and internationally recognized welding mathematics frameworks. Materials and methods. A qualitative multi-source comparative case-study design was employed. Data comprised 61 authentic welding and fabrication activities documented through observation, photographs, and field notes; the Ghanaian TVET Mathematics Curriculum; and welding mathematics frameworks from the American Welding Society and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis, inductive competency coding, descriptive frequency summaries, and comparative mapping. Results. Five workplace mathematics domains emerged: Measurement and Quantification, Geometric Reasoning, Spatial Visualization, Design and Pattern Formation, and Structural and Applied Mathematics. Measurement occurred in 58 activities (95.1%) and geometry in 51 (83.6%). Strong alignment was found between workplace practice and international frameworks in foundational competencies. However, the Ghanaian curriculum weakly represented several spatial, design, structural, and specialized competencies, while blueprint mathematics, metric–imperial conversion, stock-length optimization, and pipe-layout mathematics were not represented. Conclusions. Vocational mathematics undergoes selective recontextualization rather than direct transfer. Curriculum reform should strengthen specialized fabrication mathematics and preserve authentic occupational contexts to improve alignment between mathematics education and workplace competence.
Author: Philip Acheampong
Institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7214993186