The study investigated the potential of information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching of chemistry at Senior High Schools (SHSs) in Ghana. The study uses a cross-sectional survey design while employing purposive and simple random sampling techniques to select the SHSs and science teachers, respectively. A total of three chemistry teachers were sampled from 10 SHSs purposely selected making a total of 30 teachers. The study investigates the competence and ICT tools usage by science teachers and how the usage of these tools can be sustained and improved for the teaching of chemistry in Ghana. Furthermore, the study identifies the possible factors that impede science teachers' use of ICT tools in teaching chemistry at the SHSs in Ghana. The study has found that science teachers are competent in using ICT tools in performing teaching and learning activities. However, the utilization of ICT has not been most effectively utilized in secondary schools in teaching and learning chemistry since the general usage of ICT by teachers was low. Besides, the study found that the utilization of ICT tools in teaching chemistry is bedeviled by myriads of factors and these factors greatly influence the science teachers' and students' capabilities of using ICT for the teaching-learning process. These factors were found to be teacher-level factors, cost-related factors, technological-related factors, management and leadership-related factors, and environmental-related factors. Based on the findings of the study, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education should ensure that adequate ICT resources and facilities needed for proper utilization of ICT tools for teaching and learning chemistry in SHSs in Ghana are provided in the right numbers.
The study explores the role of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in expanding access to and participation in basic education in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. The research design used for the study is based on descriptive survey. Basic school teachers, officials of NGOs and District Education Office Staff constituted the population for the study. The final sample size stood at one hundred and fifty nine (159). Data was gathered using a questionnaire in the form of a likert scale and interview guides. Major findings of the study among others are that NGOs in their quest to promote access and participation provide means of transport to pupils, school uniform and footwear to pupils. They also engage in monitoring and supervision of instructions in schools. They are also beset with some challenges in terms of funding and other related matters.
This study presents the pedagogical content knowledge of science tutors of colleges of education and its impact on the pedagogical content knowledge advancement of teacher trainees. A descriptive survey design was employed to obtain data for the study using 120 teacher trainees and six science tutors from two colleges of education. The research instruments used for the study were a questionnaire, interview guide, and observation checklist. The study found that the pedagogical content knowledge demonstrated by the science tutors was dependent on the number of years of teaching experience and qualification. Out of the six tutors, two tutors demonstrated the highest pedagogical content knowledge with 10-12 years of teaching experience. The Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient (r) was found to be reaching unity suggesting that the science tutors' pedagogical content knowledge has a very strong positive influence on their teacher trainees' pedagogical content knowledge development. About 62.5-87.5% of their pedagogical content was influenced by the pedagogical content knowledge of their tutors. Based on the findings, the study recommends adaptation of a transformative model of pedagogical content knowledge, for initial training of teacher trainees starting out as teachers and continuous training for experienced teachers who are learning to teach new subjects. This will offer a mechanism for changing practice.
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