Exploring Teacher Quality and Effective Teaching of Social Studies in Junior High Schools in Ghana

Abstract

Variances in various definitions support the combined differences in ways of measuring teachers’ quality and teaching effectiveness, can even yield inconsistent findings of educational proficiency. The purpose of this study was to explore teacher quality and effective teaching of Social Studies in junior high schools in Ghana. The target population was 225 teachers. However, sample size was 142 teachers which was sampled through proportionate stratified sampling procedure. The study employed a descriptive survey design, and questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of .990 was used to collect data for the study. Means, and standard deviations were used in the analysis of the data. The findings of the study revealed that most teachers in the Shama district believe that teachers’ academic and professional qualifications positively influence the teaching of Social Studies in junior high schools. The study also found out that most teachers in the Shama district believe that teachers’ knowledge of the subject matter positively impacts the teaching of Social Studies at the junior high school level. Based on these findings, the researchers recommended that teachers with academic and professional qualifications in Social Studies such as B. Ed. Social Studies, M. Ed. Social Studies or M. Phil Social Studies, have deep knowledge of the subject, teaching experience, and skill to deploy diverse teaching techniques and strategies should be allowed to teach Social Studies at the various junior high school levels.