High Schools In Ghana Research Articles

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

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.

Perceptions of the Usage of WhatsApp for Instruction: A Study of Teachers in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Perceptions of the Usage of WhatsApp for Instruction: A Study of Teachers in Senior High Schools in Ghana

Selection of Students for Visual Arts Programme at Senior High Schools in Ghana

Selection of Students for Visual Arts Programme at Senior High Schools in Ghana

Technology Integration into the Teaching and Learning of Geography in Senior High Schools in Ghana: A TPACK Assessment

In Ghana, the integration of technology into the teaching and learning process seems to be making strides in tertiary education. However, the case is not the same in Senior High Schools. This study, therefore, sought to assess Senior High School Geography teachers' knowledge in integrating technology into their classroom adapting the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model as a framework for analysis. The study adopted the descriptive survey design to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research problem. Through a survey, a total of 113 geography teachers participated in the study, responding to a TPACK survey questionnaire. The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study showed that teachers possessed a high level of content and pedagogical knowledge in geography. The analysis, however, showed that teachers were not as confident as they were in content and pedagogy compared to technological knowledge and its subsequent integration into the teaching and learning of geography. It was, therefore, recommended among others that courses at the higher education level should integrate Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) into teaching and learning to help student-teachers appreciate the place of specific technologies, hardware and software in the teaching and learning of their respective disciplines.

Biology Education in Perspective: An Inquiry into Ghanaian Senior High School Students’ Attitude Towards Biology Practical Lessons

This study aimed at finding out the attitude of students towards Biology practical lessons in selected Senior High Schools in Ghana. The study adopted the descriptive sample design, involving both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The population of the study comprised 408 students and 24 teachers. The students and teachers were chosen at random from a table of random numbers respectively. Data was collected using informal observation, questionnaire and documents. The questionnaire was made up of both open and close-ended questions. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 was the software that was used in processing the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed that 5% of students from well-endowed schools, as against 40.5% of those from less-endowed schools, indicated that they have poor attitudes towards Biology practical lessons and this was confirmed by their teachers. It was also shown that practical lessons in Biology, in both well-endowed and less-endowed Senior High Schools, were greatly impeded by lack of proper laboratory, lack of laboratory assistants/technicians and inadequacy of practical equipment and materials for practical work. Based on the findings of the study, the government, Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and other stakeholders should help in providing the needed resources such as well-equipped laboratories and materials among others to facilitate the teaching and learning of Biology practical in the schools.

Digitalizing the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at the Senior High Schools in Ghana; the Case of Flipped Classroom Approach

Introduction: The 21st century comes with its own challenges so far as the teaching and learning of mathematics is concern. This is because most of the senior students have access to digital devices that allow them to navigate the social media channels like the WhatsApp, Twiter, instagram, SnapChat, Facebook, TikTok and the likes. Unfortunately these handles are loaded with various forms of videos and other stuffs that these innocent young ones turned to love to follow more than their studies, thereby affecting their academic achievements.
 Purpose: The motive of this study was to enhance students’ conceptual understanding in circle theorems using the flipped classroom approach.
 Methodology: A sample of Fifty (50) Remedial students from the Bekwai Municipal Assembly in the Ashanti Region of Ghana was selected by means of purposive sampling method for the study. With the use of quasi- experimental design, a pretest post test method was use to gather the data on the students to ascertain the impact of the interventional design. In addition to the tests, a questionnaire was also used to find out how students feel about the flipped classroom pedagogy in teaching and learning.
 Findings: The analysis of the questionnaire came out that students enjoyed the lessons and their performance appreciated as a result. A statistical significant improvement in the students’ performance made the researcher reject the null hypothesis and concluded that flipped classroom approach impacted positively on students’ performance.
 Recommendations: It was therefore recommended that the flipped classroom should be adopted as one of the pedagogical strategies in teaching mathematics at the Senior High school.

Assessment of Peer Pressure and Sexual Adventurism among Adolescents in Ghana: The Moderating Role of Child-Rearing Practices

The rationale of this study was to examine the influence of peer pressure on sexual adventurism among adolescents in Ghana, and as well to explore the role of child-rearing practices in this relationship. The study covered adolescents in junior high schools in Ghana within the age range of 12 to 19 years. A sample of 525 adolescents was surveyed to participate in the research using the multistage sampling approach. The main instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. Data gathered were analysed using means and standard deviation, multivariate linear regression, and three-way interaction-moderation analysis. Child-rearing practices and peer pressure significantly and independently predicted sexual adventurism. Parental discipline acted as a significant moderator in the relationship between peer pressure and sexual adventurism. Again, only in the presence of discipline could monitoring and warmth moderate the relationship between peer pressure and sexual adventurism. Based on the findings, parents are encouraged to incorporate reasonable disciplinary measures in shaping their children’s behaviours against sexually deviant activities. Besides, guidance and counselling coordinators should plan and organize programs that centre on reducing the prevalence of peer pressure and sexual adventurism. Conclusions drawn from the study include bringing out a better understanding of the role that discipline and peer pressure play in influencing adolescents’ sexual adventurism.

Influence of School Counsellor’s Demographic on the Provision of Guidance Services in Senior High Schools in Ghana

This study investigates how school counsellor’s demographics influence the provision of guidance services in senior high schools in Ghana. The study was underpinned by a positivist philosophical viewpoint where a quantitative approach and the descriptive survey was used to assess how school counsellor’s demographics influence their provision of guidance services. A self-developed questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. A total of a hundred and thirty-six (136) respondents was selected on a purposive base. The study found out that there was a significant difference between the age, gender, experience and academic qualification of counsellors have an influence in the provision of guidance services in SHSs in Ghana. The study also revealed that orientation, information and counselling services were adequately performed in SHSs, but consultation and follow-up were the least provided services. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education should ensure that the employment criteria for school counsellors should be based mostly on academic qualification and experience. Finally, the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service should organise seminars for school counsellors frequently to have rudimentary knowledge and skills to help them in practice.

Classroom Assessment Literacy Levels of Mathematics Teachers in Ghanaian Senior High Schools

The mathematics teacher’s ability to assess and integrate assessment data into instructions is a function of their assessment literacy. While the teacher’s assessment literacy level is a determinant of quality of mathematics education delivery, research in the domain is limited. The study employed a descriptive survey design to explore perceived levels of assessment literacy of mathematics teachers in implementing classroom assessment within the school based assessment framework. A 35-item classroom assessment inventory was adopted, modified and administered to a purposive sample of 96 mathematics teachers from eleven Senior High Schools in Ghana. Seven other items were included to further collect data on their self-efficacy beliefs about their assessment literacy. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U test and correlation analysis. The result shows that majority of the participants did not attain the required assessment literacy standards for quality assessment in mathematics classroom. Moreover, there was a mismatch between participants’ assessment literacy and their self-efficacy beliefs in assessment in mathematics education even when gender and teacher experience were controlled. The study recommends that institutions training mathematics teachers or providing professional development should accentuate assessment literacy development to ensure standard assessment practices and quality instruction in mathematics at senior high schools. The assessment inventory used in this study could be adapted for use in college of education in Ghana to measure mathematics teachers’ literacies in assessing students.

Washback Effect of High-Stakes English Language Tests on the Learning Behaviours of Ghanaian ESL Learners

The term washback or backwash is used in Applied Linguistics to refer to the impact of second/foreign language testing on learning behaviours, teaching practices, and curriculum design. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) English language tests administered by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) are high-stakes tests which have very important consequences for the junior and senior high school leavers. The English language syllabus for both junior high school and senior high school levels has listening , reading , writing , and speaking components. Unfortunately, the BECE and WASSCE English language tests do not assess students on all the language skills. Although the WASSCE English language test has oral English component (which was introduced in 1999), it assesses candidates on listening comprehension only. Since teachers and students are likely to concentrate on what is going to be assessed, there may be negative washback effect on teaching and learning of English language in junior and senior high schools in Ghana. This paper reports on the washback effect of high-stakes English language tests on the learning behaviours of Ghanaian ESL learners. A total of 344 students from 3 junior high and 5 senior high schools were purposively sampled for the study. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of data revealed that the BECE/WASSCE influenced how students learnt English, and that they wanted their teachers to concentrate on language areas that would only make them perform well in the high-stakes tests. This confirms the Alderson and Wall’s washback hypotheses that a test will influence what and how learners learn. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-30-10 Publication date: October 31 st 2021

Using Quality Teaching and Learning Resources for Effective Integrated Science Education among Senior High Schools in Ghana

The study examined the use of quality teaching and learning resources and how these affect the teaching and learning of Integrated Science. A total of 172 randomly selected second year Senior High School (SHS) students and 25 Integrated Science teachers purposively sampled served as the subjects for the study within six districts in the Central Region of Ghana. Questionnaires were used to collect the students’ and teachers' needed data. This study's key findings revealed a lack of teaching and learning materials and the stereotyped nature of Integrated Science teachers' methods of teaching. It was noted that access, selection and usage of good and quality teaching and learning materials and methods influenced learning outcomes of students in SHS Integrated Science. However, it was observed that both government and private school teachers used similar teaching methods in delivering the Integrated Science content. It was concluded that for successful teaching and learning of Integrated Science, the challenges should be addressed by SHS education stakeholders. As a result, the paper recommended possible solutions that would ameliorate the challenges hindering the teaching and learning of Integrated Science.

INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP PRACTICES OF HEADS OF SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN GHANA

A non-experimental survey was conducted to investigate the instructional leadership practices of senior high school heads in Ghana. Data were collected using a closed-ended Likert type items from a simple randomly selected sample of a defined population of school heads of senior high schools in Ghana. Data collected were analysed using rank-ordered means and independent samples test of differences of means. The study findings revealed that the school heads frequently adopt major key practices of instructional leadership. However, the school heads most frequently adopt the practice of communicating the school’s goals. The study further revealed that differences exist the frequency at which heads of high performing schools and those of non-high performing schools adopt instructional leadership dimensions of defining the school’s goals and promoting a positive school learning climate.

Teacher approaches, attitudes, and challenges to sexuality education: A case study of three junior high schools in Ghana.

While school-based sexuality education programs are established to reduce risky sexual behaviour among young people, teachers who play a central role are challenged by social factors which affect program outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the training and support offered to teachers on the delivery of sex education in three contrasting Junior High Schools in Ghana, the attitudes and approaches to the delivery of sex education, and the response of students to teacher delivery of sex education. A qualitative study design was employed with 13 in-depth interviews with head teachers, teachers, and students. Although teachers received similar training, teachers adopted different attitudes and approaches which resulted in student accounts of disinterest in sex education programs. Applying the health-promoting schools framework, the study concluded that the individual values and attitudes, as well as the type of school support, affects teacher modes of delivery and influences student interest in sex education, and should be considered in the design of in-school sex education programs.

A Modified Version of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Critical Language Awareness: Evaluating EAL Textbooks for Junior High Schools in Ghana Through a Critical Literacy Approach

This study set out to evaluate three English as an additional language (EAL) textbooks used by junior high schools in the Ho West District of Ghana. It adopted a critical literacy framing and employed purposive sampling to select five junior high schools in the Ho West District. It utilised a modified version of Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy of cognitive dimensions and Cummins’ (1999) CALP, respectively, to evaluate the language contents of the three EFA textbooks: Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3. The three evaluated areas were: thinking skills; integration of various school subjects; and critical language awareness. Two of the findings of this study are worth mentioning. First, of the six cognitive dimensions of a modified version of Bloom’s taxonomy that are graded in degrees of cognitive complexity (e.g., from lower-order thinking skills to higher-order thinking skills), knowledge, as the first lower-order cognitive skill, was the most foregrounded in all the three textbooks. It was followed by understanding as the second lower-order cognitive skill. Second, all the three textbooks incorporated elements of other school subjects in their language contents in line with CALP. By contrast, all the three textbooks did not foster or develop critical language awareness. Overall, the three textbooks foregrounded lower-order thinking skills over higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, inventive thinking (synthesis), and evaluation.

The Realities of Teacher Distribution in Primary and Junior High Schools in Ghana: Experiences of Rural Areas in Sekyere Central District

The study critically looked at teacher distribution in Ghana's Primary and Junior High Schools in Sekyere Central District; in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Data were gathered from Education Monitoring Information Systems (EMIS) from the District Education Office, Nsuta for the analysis. Evidence from the rural communities in teacher deployment for the 2021 academic year for 10 rural Primary Schools and 5 Junior High Schools depicted a gloomy picture because there was uneven teacher deployment to these areas where their services are needed. There was a huge teacher deficit in the rural communities so the question of quality and equitable education will not be achieved if policymakers fail to provide incentive packages to the rural teachers. The paper recommends that rural teachers' conditions of service should be different from those of their colleagues in the urban areas. When this is done, teacher manpower utilization and retention of teachers in rural communities would be improved.

Perceived Influence of Large Class Size and Psychological Classroom Environment on Students’ Academic Performance in Senior High Schools in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

This study investigated how large class size and the psychological class environment influenced students’ academic performance. Survey design was employed. Three hundred and twenty students were purposively selected from ten senior high schools in Kumasi Metropolis. Questionnaire was used to obtain data from the respondents with a reliability coefficient of 0.7. The study revealed that large class size influenced students’ academic performance and also limits their learning opportunities. It also came up that psychological class environment have a great influence on students’ academic performance. Furthermore, the study showed that students perform well in smaller class size and good psychological classroom environment. The study, therefore, recommends that small class size and good psychological class environment are better for good performance. Teachers and head teachers should make sure they conform to the required teacher to student ratio of 1:40 recommended by the Ghana Education Service. Teachers should create an enabling environment for students to participate in classroom activities. Government should, therefore, employ more teachers and build more classrooms to solve the problem of large class size in the senior high schools in Ghana.

Developing Technology Pedagogical and Content Knowledge in Pre-Service Accounting Teachers with the Use of Audio-Visuals: A Ghanaian Perspective

The paper focused on how eight pre-service teachers developed their TPACK to integrate audio-visual materials in teaching concepts in Accounting in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Sequential multiple case study design was employed to observe two cohorts of four pre-service teachers who worked in two phases of professional development to design and enact Accounting audio-visual supported lessons. Data for the study were collected through observation, interview, lesson documents and questionnaires. Content and thematic analysis procedures were used to analyse the qualitative data, whilst means and standard deviation were used to analyse the quantitative data. It emerged from the results that the pre-service teachers developed their TPACK significantly through the professional development arrangement. The study also revealed that the teachers themselves developed knowledge of their subject matter which they teach much better when they designed and prepared to enact the audio-visual lessons. One limiting factor however, that impeded their proficient TPACK development, was lack of ICT resources. Consequently, the study advocates that key stakeholders in education must put priority on the provision of ICT facilities in Ghanaian schools; easy access to ICT resources will certainly contribute to teachers’ use of ICT innovations in schools.

Emotional Intelligence of Headteachers in the Senior High Schools in Ghana: A Conundrum?

The study employed the explanatory sequential mixed methods design where quantitative and qualitative data sets were collected to address the research problem. Two hundred and sixty-two (262) headteachers were sampled randomly from the Central and Greater Accra regions of Ghana for the quantitative phase of the study whilst eight (8) headteachers were subsequently sampled purposively for the qualitative phase of the study. The quantitative data were analyzed using means and standards deviations whilst the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The study found that the emotional intelligence of the headteachers was low. The study further established that the academic qualification of the headteachers was not a significant predictor of their Emotional Intelligence (EI). However, the gender and age of the headteachers predicted their EI significantly. It was concluded the EI level of the headteachers may affect how they lead and manage their respective schools. It is recommended that periodic pragmatic and purposeful in-service and workshops in EI should be provided for headteachers in the study area by the Metro Directorate of Education. Furthermore, the Circuit Supervisors, Metro Directors and the Ghana Education Service should liaise with the Ghana Psychological Council to provide psychological support for the headteachers in the Senior High Schools within the study area. Finally, the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission should ensure that teacher education programmes that are offered in the institutions of higher learning in Ghana have contents in the area of emotional intelligence and educational leadership to equip headteacher in the management of their schools.

An initiative to develop a public engagement ecosystem in Ghana: a case of WACCBIP’s High Schools’ Engagement Programme

Background: The High Schools Engagement Programme (HSEP), is a West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP) public engagement initiative that targets students in under-resourced high schools in Ghana. Annual programmes are directed towards providing information on prospective careers in Science and discussing the causes of and preventive measures against endemic infectious diseases. Using peer-learning strategies, post-undergraduate research trainees (graduate interns) encourage collective action against the diseases and work to inspire high school students to consider scientific research as a career, either directly or in support roles. The objective of this study was to explore the outcomes of the HSEP, specifically revealing how it met its initial objectives, and other relevant unintended outcomes. Methods: An evaluation design, which relied on a survey and interviews of 138 high school students, 9 graduate interns, and 3 teachers who participated in the 2019 edition of the HSEP, was employed. Results: The HSEP presented a likelihood of improving the academic performance of high school students and provided motivation for them to pursue careers in scientific research. The programme also equipped the students with requisite knowledge to contribute to the prevention of infectious diseases prevalent in their communities. As trainee scientists, graduate interns also developed awareness on the need for public engagement, the challenges of STEM education in Ghana and the need to make efforts to address these challenges, and also developed key leadership and soft skills. Conclusions: Overall, the HSEP could potentially be a model for developing a public engagement ecosystem in Ghana. It is recommended that the programme is scaled up to include master’s degree and PhD researchers as facilitators to further widen the favorable impacts.

Latent structure of psychotic-like experiences in adolescents: Evidence from a multi-method taxometric study of a school-based sample in Ghana

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are subclinical psychotic symptoms that occur outside the context of sleep or are unrelated to drug use. PLEs of varying severity are reportedly very common in adolescence. However, there are concerns about whether the structure of PLEs among adolescents is latently dimensional or categorical (“taxonic”). The current study investigates the latent structure of PLEs in 1,886 adolescents recruited from senior high schools in Ghana. Four multivariate taxometric procedures (MAMBAC, MAXEIG, l-Mode and MAXSLOPE) were applied to analyze the data. Across the taxometric procedures, there was evidence that a dimensional structure underpins positive PLEs, negative PLEs and a combination of positive and negative PLEs. The findings suggest that PLEs are distributed in the adolescent population at differing degrees/severity and that evidence of discontinuity between milder and more severe PLEs is non-existent. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating a dimensional assessment of PLEs into the existing categorical approach so that differences between people can been seen as quantitative variations along the PLEs continuum.