Perceived effectiveness of teaching and learning of agricultural science in colleges of education in the Hohoe Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

The lack of resource and the marginalization of the place of agricultural science in the general curricula in pre-university education in Ghana are identified as the key constraints in the study of the subject. The purpose of this study was to ascertain students' perceived effectiveness of the teaching and learning of agricultural science in colleges of education in Hohoe Municipality. A simple random sampling was used to select 120 level 100 and 200 students for the study. The data collected was analyzed and outcomes presented in the forms of descriptive statistics. The majority of respondents disagreed that administrators' support for successful teaching and learning of agricultural science was satisfactory, according to the study's principal findings. However, the respondents were divided on the effectiveness of the methods tutors use in teaching of agricultural science. They said, the lecture and discussion methods are frequently and effectively used. The respondents also concurred that the instructors' methods and approaches for persuading students to study agriculture were very successful. Additionally, it was noted that there was a significant relationship (p-value 0.10) between male and female students, constraints on teaching agriculture, and tutor effectiveness. The study concluded that, agricultural science tutors though had the requisite skills and motivation to teach, the absence of resource materials and incentives among others however, serves as a de-motivator to tutors. It also recommended tutors should also use other methods of teaching such as demonstration, field trips, exhibition, and activities to make lessons more interesting for students.