Articles Information
American Journal of Educational Science, Vol.1, No.3, Jul. 2015, Pub. Date: Jun. 13, 2015
Mentees’ Social Studies Curriculum Conceptions and Their Classroom Practices in the Junior High Schools (JHSs) in Ghana
Pages: 69-78 Views: 5418 Downloads: 2109
Authors
[01]
Augustine Yao Quashigah, Department of Social Studies Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[02]
Boadu Kankam, Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
[03]
Samuel Ofori Bekoe, Department of Social Studies Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[04]
Isaac Eshun, Department of Arts and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
[05]
Anthony Bordoh, Department of Arts and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
Abstract
Researching on Colleges of Education (CoE) final year teacher-trainees’ (mentees) Social Studies curriculum conceptions and their classroom practices in the Junior High Schools (JHS) in Ghana has become indispensable since the subject introduced solely to right the wrong in society is taught mostly by diploma teachers from the country’s thirty-eight public Colleges of Education. Qualitatively, interpretative research technique was carefully chosen for this study. Non-probability sampling method was used. Classroom observation and interview outcomes of teacher-trainees were triangulated for consistency. Ratings of the observation were put into weighted average. The study revealed that School Based Assessment (SBA) was essentially not focused on attitudes and values; that is, affective skills development. Assessments were of mainly lower level of understanding like knowledge and comprehension. For the teaching of social studies to makeover, it is recommended that Social Studies tutors of CoE should hold it a duty to help students have better, more realistic ideas about the multiple realities of what constitutes Social Studies in the real world since they (teachers) influence what is taught.
Keywords
Conceptions, Curriculum, Classroom Practices, Social Studies, Teacher-Trainees, Junior High Schools (JHS), College of Education
References
[01]
Bednar, A. & Levie., W. H. (1993). Attitude-change principles. In M. Fleming & W. H. Levie (Eds.), Instructional message design: Principles from the behavioural and cognitive sciences. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Educational Technology Publications. Pp. 283-304.
[02]
Bekoe, S. O., Kankam, B., Ayaaba, D. A., Eshun. I. & Bordoh, A. (2014). Teacher-trainees’ sense of efficacy in students’ engagement, instructional practices and classroom management in Social Studies lessons. American Journal of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 1 (6), 52-60.
[03]
Bekoe, S. O., Quashigah, A. Y., Kankam, B., Eshun. I., & Bordoh, A. (2014). Sense of efficacy in implementing the basic school social studies curriculum in Ghana. International Journal of Educational Research and Information Science, 1(4), 53-61.
[04]
Bekoe, S. O., & Eshun, I. (2013a). Curriculum feuding and implementation challenges: The case of Senior High School (SHS) social studies in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 4(5), 39-45.
[05]
Bekoe, S. O., & Eshun, I. (2013b). Exploring social studies teachers’ conceptions on nature and content of Social Studies in Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(5), 85-95.
[06]
Bekoe, S. O., & Eshun, I. (2013c). Influence of the differences in social studies teachers’ curriculum conceptions on curriculum implementation in Senior High Schools in Ghana: Implication for national curriculum policy. Development Country Studies, 3(6), 105-113.
[07]
Calderhead, J. (1996). Teachers: Beliefs and knowledge. In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of Educational Psychology. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillan. pp. 709-725.
[08]
Cheung, D. (2000). Measuring teachers' meta-orientations to curriculum: Application of hierarchical confirmatory analysis. Journal of Experimental Education, 68(2), 149-165.
[09]
Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (1992). Teacher as curriculum maker. In P. F. Jackson (Ed.), Handbook of research on curriculum. New York: Macmillan. Pp. 363-401.
[10]
Cuthrell, K., & Yates, P. (2007). Making it all fit: Integration strategies for social studies and literacy. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 73(4), 22-25.
[11]
Ediger, M. (2007). Philosophy of social studies education. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34(1), 18-21.
[12]
Ertmer, P. A. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for technology integration? Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4), 25-39.
[13]
Eshun, I., Bordoh, A., Bassaw, T. K., & Mensah, M. F. (2014). Evaluation of social studies students’ learning using formative assessment in selected Colleges of Education in Ghana. British Journal of Education, 2(1), 39-48.
[14]
Eshun, I., & Mensah, M. F. (2013a). Investigation of pedagogical content knowledge of graduate social studies teachers in Senior High Schools in the Western Region of Ghana, Journal of Education and Practice, 4(4), 176-184.
[15]
Eshun, I., & Mensah, M. F. (2013b). Domain of educational objectives social studies teachers’ questions emphasise in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Journal of Education and Practice, 4(4), 185-196.
[16]
Kankam, B., Bekoe, S. O., Ayaaba, D. A., Bordoh, A., & Eshun. I. (2014). Curriculum conceptions of the scope of content of Social Studies in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. American Journal of Social Sciences, 2(6), 137-144.
[17]
Quashigah, A. Y., Dake, Y. G., Bekoe, S. O., Eshun, I., & Bordoh, A. (2014). Evaluation of Colleges of Education (CoE) social studies curriculum vis-à-vis the Junior High School (JHS) social studies curriculum in Ghana. European Journal of Training and Development Studies, 1(2), 1-13
[18]
Quashigah, A. Y., Eshun, I., & Mensah, M. F. (2013). Influences of the pedagogical content knowledge of graduate social studies teachers on questions they set in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(6), 76-86.
[19]
Simonson, M., & Maushak, N. (2001). Instructional technology and attitude change. In D. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of research for educational communications and technology. Mahway, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Pp. 984-1016.
[20]
Smith, P., & Ragan, T. J. (1999). Instructional design. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
[21]
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk-Hoy. A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17 (7), 783-805.
[22]
Vogler, K. E., & Virtue, D. (2007). "Just the facts, ma'am": Teaching social studies in the era of standards and high-stakes testing. Social Studies, 98(2), 54-58.
[23]
Wetzel, C. D., Radtke, P. H. & Stern, H. W. (1994). Instructional effectiveness of video media. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
[24]
Zimbardo, P. G., & Leippe, M. R. (1991). The psychology of attitude change and social influence. New York: McGraw-Hill