Teacher quality and the effective teaching of social studies in Kumasi Metropolis

Abstract

The study sought to provide empirical evidence about teacher quality and the effective teaching of Social Studies. The thesis used questionnaires and observation guide to examine teacher quality and the effective teaching of senior high school Social Studies in Kumasi Metropolis. Simple random sampling technique was used to select a sample size of one hundred and fifty-nine teachers to respond to the questionnaire and thirty teachers were selected for the observation. A-59 item questionnaire and twenty-nine (29) detailed observation guides were used in the collection of data for the study. The study focused on the teacher’s academic and professional qualification, knowledge of the subject-matter, teaching experience and techniques teachers employed in the teaching of Social Studies in the senior high school. It revealed from the results of the study that large numbers of teachers were academically qualified to teach at the senior high school but majority of them did not posses professional qualification in Social Studies even though it was established from the study that teachers with B. Ed Social Studies, M.Ed. Social Studies or M. Phil Social Studies Education, Knowledge of the subject-matter, Teaching experience in Social Studies are strong indicators of achieving Social Studies objectives. Teaching of Social Studies was mostly done by the use of lecture technique with the dictation of notes for students to copy without paying attention on the other techniques of teaching Social Studies. The researcher recommended that deployment of teachers by GES should be strictly based on both academic and professional qualification in Social Studies. Regular in-service training should be organized and teachers should be encouraged to use appropriate teaching learning resources and employ variety of teaching techniques in teaching Social Studies in the senior high school.