Project Method of Teaching Visual Arts and Teacher Trainees Content Knowledge Achievements in Ghana Colleges of Education

Johnson Kofi Kassah,Agbeyewornu Kofi Kemevor,Godwin Gbadagba

doi:10.12691/education-7-6-1

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the content knowledge achievement of teacher trainees who are taught practical topics in visual arts using project method of teaching and those who are not. The study employed analytical survey design. The study targeted 3- year diploma in basic education colleges of education students in second year offering visual arts as an elective and visual arts lecturers in colleges of education in Ghana. The sample size for the study was 122 (115 students and 7 lecturers). The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. The hypotheses formulated for the study were tested using Pearson point-biserial correlation coefficient. The result of H01 indicated that there is significant difference in content knowledge achievements between the teacher trainees who were taught using project method and those who were not. H02 revealed that practical activities teacher trainees offering visual arts are exposed to through the project method of teaching has a positive relationship on their content knowledge achievements. It was found out that teacher trainees who were taught practical topics in visual arts using project method of teaching acquire new and adequate content knowledge than those taught using other methods of teaching. The study recommended that lecturers teaching visual arts should employ protect method in teaching practical component of the syllabi. Teacher trainees studying visual arts should be motivated to undertake project works that would enable them to acquire relevant skills needed to effectively handle the creative arts and basic design and technology subjects at the basic level of education in Ghana.

Highlights

IntroductionBackground to the StudyThe motive of teaching and learning visual arts in colleges of education in Ghana is to produce qualified and better visual arts teachers for basic schools in the country
Background to the StudyThe motive of teaching and learning visual arts in colleges of education in Ghana is to produce qualified and better visual arts teachers for basic schools in the country
To test the null hypothesis which stated that there is no significance difference between content knowledge achievements of teacher trainees who are taught practical topics using project method and those who are not, point-biserial correlation coefficient was used because this statistical tool is normally used to test the relationship between independent variables and dependent variables in a research

Summary

Introduction

Background to the StudyThe motive of teaching and learning visual arts in colleges of education in Ghana is to produce qualified and better visual arts teachers for basic schools in the country. Project method of teaching is a mode of teaching that comprises learners in inquiries of probing problems which end in authentic products. Project method of teaching and learning is a non-traditional education model that seeks to better prepare students for solving real-world problems and issues while teaching them what they need to know to succeed in school . According to [3], the project method encourages the learners to be self-directed, build research skills and help them to determine their own needs. Project method of teaching and learning involves giving tasks to students to produce something, such as a process or product design, a computer code or simulation, or the design of an experiment and the analysis and interpretation of the data. The project method of teaching aids the student to develop competencies such as the intellectual skills, psychomotor skills and affective skills [5]

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Results

Conclusion