The purpose of the study was to examine technological pedagogical content knowledge of teachers and their formative assessment practices in Social Studies lessons in the Junior High Schools in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (K.E.E.A) Municipality of Ghana. With a mixed method approach, the study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population for the study included all Social Studies teachers at the public junior high schools in the in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem Municipality. Purposive sampling technique was used to select all the seventy-four (74) public Junior High Schools and the Social Studies teachers for the study. The purposive sampling technique was used to sample the respondents because they constitute expert knowledge in the subject area and having the same characteristics. The two main instruments used to gather data for the study were questionnaire and observation. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study indicated that the assessment practices of teachers during Social Studies lessons were on the average. There was disparity between theory and practice as far as the dictates of the profile dimensions are concerned. Teachers mostly assess the cognitive aspect of the child with little attention to the affective domain. The study also concluded that there was a significant positive relationship between TPACK of teachers and their formative assessment practices at 0.05 level of significance. It is recommended that Ministry of Education, National Teaching Council, Ghana Education Service should organize professional development workshop for teachers on their formative classroom assessment practices in Social Studies lessons. It is also recommended that, in order to ensure effective formative assessment practices, Ghana Education Service should collaborate with Colleges of Education and Universities training teachers to develop appropriate TPACK for teachers to improve on their formative assessment practices in the classroom.
The study focused Effective teaching of Social Studies Concepts in Basic Schools in Ghana. The study adopted the descriptive survey design using quantitative approach. The population for the study consisted of all Social Studies teachers in the Junior High Schools (JHS) in the Tano South District. There were fifty-two Social Studies teachers at the JHS level in the district. Non-probability sampling technique (purposive and convenient sampling techniques) was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select all the fifty-two teachers and forty-one schools in the Tano South District. While the district was conveniently sampled for this study. The main instrument used to gather data was observation guide. The data gathered was analysed using the Statistical Product using Service Solutions (SPSS). The study concluded that, in respect to the teaching effectiveness of Social Studies teachers, the general performance in all the thematic areas assessed indicate that, Social Studies teachers are not at their optimum best in terms of planning and preparation, instructional skills, classroom management, communication skills and assessment skills. It is therefore recommended that, the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with all the teacher training institutions training Social Studies teachers should fashion out teacher development programmes such as workshops and short courses for Social Studies teachers. In these programmes, the organisers must ensure that teachers have access to high quality content course work in Social Studies.
This study centered on the use of teacher’s profile dimensions to assess Social Studies student’s learning outcomes in the Senior High Schools in Aowin and Wassa Amenfi West Districts in the Western and Western North Regions of Ghana. The objective of the study was to assess how graduate teachers use profile dimensions to assess student’s learning outcomes in teaching and learning of Social Studies in Senior High Schools. This study adopted a multiple case study design. The data were used together to form one case. The population for the study were the Social Studies teachers teaching in the Aowin and Wassa Amenfi West Districts. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the twelve (12) graduate Social Studies teachers and senior high schools respectively. The two main instruments employed for data collection in this study are interview guide and observation checklist. The findings concluded that, the way and manner Social Studies teachers assess their learners’ learning outcomes in Social Studies lessons was contrary to the main goal and objectives of the subject which is to develop a reflective, concerned, responsible and participatory citizen in the civic life of a country. It is recommended that, since most teachers do not use more authentic forms of profile dimension assessment techniques such as portfolio and peer and self-assessments techniques during lesson delivery, the teacher training institutions/universities should endeavour to infuse in their Social Studies curricula with more authentic forms of profile dimension assessment techniques in order to lay a strong foundation for knowledge base for teaching and assessing the learners learning outcomes.
Effective, equitable, and student-centered Social Studies instruction occurs in an environment which is prepared and well designed for that purpose. The 21st Century Social Studies curriculum should be planned to allow teachers to adopt constructivist student-centered pedagogies to improve the learning outcomes of students. However, it appears most teachers in Ghana still apply the traditional rote methods of instruction that deprives students of the ability to acquire 21st century learning due to weaknesses in the existing curriculum. This study was, therefore, conducted to explore from teachers how the Social Studies curriculum can be reformed to create a room for active and student centered learning. A cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study. Senior High School (SHS) Social Studies teachers in Northern Region were the target population for the study (N = 175 teachers). Using Yamane's (1967) formula for sample size determination, 151 teachers were randomly sampled for the study with a confidence level of 97% and a margin error of ±3. Closed-ended item questionnaires were used to mine data from the respondents. The reliability of the items in the questionnaires was tested using the Cronbach alpha formula which yielded a = 0.78, which was acceptable for the study. Using SPSS, data were analyzed employing descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviations and the results were presented in tables. The study discovered a high endorsement by teachers on the need for a new Social Studies curriculum that provides an opportunity for meaningful learning; a call for Social Studies curriculum reform to create a room for student-centered learning to improve learning outcomes of students in line with SDG 4. The study recommends curriculum reforms, capacity-building programmes for teachers based on training needs; supply of relevant instructional resources; expansion of SHSs infrastructure and rethinking a ban on SHSs students' use of phones and personal laptops on campuses.
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