Masters

Voice notebook as an alternative communication support for deaf students at the St. John’s Integrated Senior High Technical School, Navrongo

2025-03-01T00:00:00Z

Voice notebook as an alternative communication support for deaf students at the St. John’s Integrated Senior High Technical School, Navrongo Addi, A. Deaf students in inclusive secondary schools continue to face communication barriers that limit classroom participation and academic performance, particularly where sign language support is inadequate. This quantitative study examined the effectiveness of Voice Notebook as an alternative communication support tool for deaf students at St. John’s Integrated Senior High Technical School, Navrongo. An experimental research design was adopted, involving an experimental group and a control group. A total of 79 deaf students participated in the study. Data were collected using pre-test and posttest achievement tests in English and Social Studies, as well as a structured questionnaire measuring students’ use and perceived effectiveness of Voice Notebook. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (paired-sample t-tests and independent-sample t-tests). The findings revealed that Voice Notebook was most effective for note-taking (M = 3.6) and recording reminders (M = 3.8), but less effective for real-time conversations (M = 3.1). Deaf students reported a high overall effectiveness rating (M = 4.4, SD = 0.4), indicating strong satisfaction with the tool. Academic performance significantly improved among students in the experimental group, with post-test gains ranging from 3.6 to 4.9 points across class levels (p < 0.05), while improvements in the control group were minimal and statistically insignificant. The study concludes that Voice Notebook is an effective assistive technology that enhances communication access, classroom participation, and academic performance among deaf students. Based on these findings, the study recommends the integration of Voice Notebook into teaching and learning processes, alongside appropriate training and support mechanisms to enhance inclusive education for deaf learners. A thesis in the Department of Special Education, Faculty of Applied Behavioural Sciences in Education, submitted to the school of Graduate Studies, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Special Education) in the University of Education, Winneba MARCH, 2025

Use of play- based learning in enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills in young children in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality

2026-03-01T00:00:00Z

Use of play- based learning in enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills in young children in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality Nseleye, G. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of play-based learning as a pedagogical approach for enhancing creativity and problem-solving skills among young children in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipality. The study employed a case study design. The sample for the study was fifteen (15). The sampling techniques employed for the study was purposive sampling. The data collection instrument used in this study was semistructured interview guide. The data from the study were analysed thematically. The findings from the study revealed that teachers value play for fostering creativity and problem-solving, yet its daily classroom integration varies due to challenges balancing curriculum demands with play-based methods. The study findings further revealed that uneven professional development as some teachers attended play-based pedagogy workshops, while others reported lacking opportunities to enhance classroom practices fostering learners’ creativity. Moreover, the study highlighted resource limitations, with some schools having inadequate or outdated materials, restricting meaningful play. Respondents stressed municipal authorities’ role in supporting resources, training, and monitoring. It is therefore recommended that the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Education Directorate should design and implement structured, ongoing professional development programs focused specifically on play-based learning and also collaborate with school administrators and community stakeholders, should prioritize the provision of adequate and developmentally appropriate play materials. A dissertation in the Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Applied Behavioural Sciences in Education, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Education (Early Childhood Education) in the University of Education, Winneba MARCH, 2026

Textile arts of the Anlo Hetsofui clan a historical acuity

2024-11-01T00:00:00Z

Textile arts of the Anlo Hetsofui clan a historical acuity Kpogo, R.R. Anlo is one of the sub-groups of the Ewe people who speak the Anlo dialect (Anlogbe). The Hetsofui clan is one of the 15 clans of the Anlo and has been involved in various traditional artistic practices as part of their culture and heritage. In times past, the Anlo Hetsofui clan was known for producing various art forms including textiles arts on commercial scale which has socioeconomic impact on the people but the textile arts keep fading in recent times. The study seeks to identify and describe the characteristics, symbolic functions and documentation of the textile arts of the Hetsofui clan. The study employed qualitative research, using descriptive research to identify and examine the textile arts. Qualitative research was used for the study because it allowed for a detailed description of the textile arts and facilitated close interactions between the researcher and the participants in their natural settings. Twenty-four (24) participants were purposively chosen, and data were collected using a semi-structured interview and participant observation. The findings, among others, indicated that the textile arts of the Hetsofui clan include the characteristics, symbolism, and functions of Ketiba, Aflagba, Gbadze, Papa, Kevi, Bayaxa, Tsatsa, and Kete, all of which have been documented in this study. The arts of the Hetsofui clan are mostly associated with their daily livelihood including social, cultural, religious and chieftaincy purposes. It is recommended that these artefacts be produced by artists with the active support of chiefs, queens, opinion leaders, and indigenes, in order to enhance aesthetic value, promote appreciation, and ensure the preservation and sustainability of their cultural heritage A thesis submitted to the school of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree Master of Philosophy (Arts and Culture) Department of Music Education School of Creative UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA NOVEMBER, 2024

Teachers’ use of guided play in early grade settings in the Nanumba North Municipality

2024-12-01T00:00:00Z

Teachers’ use of guided play in early grade settings in the Nanumba North Municipality Alidu, A.R. Using a concurrent triangulation design, this study aimed to examine teachers' use of guided play in Early Grade Centre settings in the Nanumba North Municipality. The population for the study consisted of early childhood teachers in the Nanumba North Municipality. A census technique was used to select 100 early childhood teachers for the quantitative phase, while purposive sampling was employed to select 9 headteachers. The instruments used for data collection were a questionnaire for the quantitative phase and a structured interview guide for the qualitative phase. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The findings revealed that most early childhood teachers recognized the importance of guided play in promoting learners' cognitive, social, and emotional development. However, the effective implementation of guided play was hindered by factors such as large class sizes, lack of adequate teaching and learning materials, and insufficient in-service training. It was also found that while some teachers integrated guided play into their instructional strategies, others lacked the pedagogical knowledge and support to do so effectively. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the District Education Directorate of Nanumba North Municipality should organize regular professional development workshops on guided play methodologies, ensure the provision of adequate teaching and learning resources, and support early childhood teachers in reducing class sizes to facilitate more effective use of guided play in teaching and learning. A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy (Early Childhood Education) DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION FACULTY OF APPLIED BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES IN EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA DECEMBER, 2024 University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.gh