Best Academic Researcher Award
Derick Folson — Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Derick Folson is a Ghanaian educator and researcher affiliated with the Department of Teacher Education at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). His work centres on mathematics education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and curriculum alignment. He is profiled here in connection with the Top Teachers Awards.[1]
Abstract
This article summarises the academic profile of Derick Folson, an educator with more than twenty years of teaching experience in primary, junior high, senior high and higher education settings. His scholarship addresses mathematics instruction, curriculum and examination alignment, and the delivery of core mathematics in pre-tertiary TVET in Ghana. His recent output includes peer-reviewed studies on geometry instruction and workplace experience learning.[2][3]
Keywords
- Mathematics education
- Technical and vocational education and training (TVET)
- Curriculum alignment
- Ghana
Introduction
Derick Folson combines classroom practice in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and mathematics with part-time lecturing at KNUST. This dual perspective informs research that is closely tied to instructional realities in Ghanaian schools. His interests include algebraic structures, mathematical modelling and computational mathematics, alongside applied questions in pedagogy and assessment.[1]
Research Profile
According to Scopus, Folson holds author ID 59516275300, with two indexed documents, two citations and an h-index of one.[1] His wider publication record, listed in his ORCID profile, extends from early work on numerical methods and examination practices to recent studies of TVET mathematics education.[5]
Research Contributions
His contributions fall into several areas:
- Geometry and TVET instruction: a qualitative study examining why geometry remains abstract for pre-tertiary TVET learners in Ghana.[2]
- Workplace experience learning: a phenomenological investigation of learner experiences at the pre-tertiary TVET level.[3]
- Curriculum and examination alignment: analyses of topic and cognitive alignment between the TVET core mathematics curriculum and exit examinations.[4]
- Instructional effectiveness: studies of the 5E instructional model and Po-shen Loh’s method for quadratic equations.[5]
Publications
Selected publications include studies in Educational Point, SAGE Open, the Interdisciplinary Journal of Education and the East African Journal of Education Studies. Earlier papers on probability learning, examination malpractice and numerical analysis appeared in the International Journal of Computer Applications.[2][3][4] Most work is co-authored, reflecting collaboration with colleagues in Ghanaian education research.
Research Impact
Bibliometric indicators are modest, as expected for a researcher with recently indexed output, but the work addresses practical questions in TVET mathematics, an area with limited published evidence in Ghana. Its relevance lies in implications for curriculum design, assessment alignment and teaching practice.[1]
Award Suitability
The Top Teachers Awards recognise contributions to teaching and educational scholarship.[6] Folson’s profile is consistent with this focus because it joins long classroom service with sustained, peer-reviewed inquiry into instruction and assessment.
Conclusion
Derick Folson’s career links teaching practice with research on mathematics education and TVET in Ghana. His publications on curriculum alignment, learner experience and instructional methods provide a documented basis for his recognition in educational research.[2][4]
External Links
References
- Elsevier. (n.d.). Scopus author details: Derick Folson, Author ID 59516275300. Scopus. https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=59516275300
- Folson, D., & Awuah, F. K. (2026). When geometry stays abstract: A qualitative study of pre-tertiary TVET instruction in Ghana. Educational Point, 3(2), e177. https://doi.org/10.71176/edup/19885
- Folson, D., & Awuah, F. K. (2026). Workplace experience learning at the pre-tertiary TVET level in Ghana: A phenomenological study. SAGE Open, 16(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251411964
- Folson, D., & Awuah, F. K. (2025). Assessing topic alignment in pre-tertiary TVET core mathematics: A Ghanaian case study (2011–2023). Interdisciplinary Journal of Education, 8(1), 35–56. https://doi.org/10.53449/yzxenc70
- Andam, E. A., Folson, D., & Adu, A. (2024). Effects of Po-shen Loh’s method on students’ achievement in quadratic equations. Journal of Advances in Mathematics and Computer Science, 39(6), 91–100.
- Top Teachers. (n.d.). Top Teachers Awards. https://topteachers.net/