Assessment of teachers’ instructional strategies used in creative arts lessons in public primary schools in the Effutu Municipality

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess teachers’ instructional strategies used in teaching creative arts lessons in the Effutu Municipality. The study was underpinned by the pragmatist paradigm and influenced by the mixed method research approach. The sequential explanatory mixed method design was used for the study with a target population of 75 lower primary school teachers in the Effutu Municipality. The study sampled all 75 lower primary school teachers from public basic schools in the municipality using census technique.5 teachers were purposefully sampled for the interview. The data was gathered using questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. While the reliability of the instrument was ascertain through a Cronbach Alpha coefficient value of 0.78, trustworthiness of the interview were ensured through credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. The data was analysed using frequencies, percentages, mean of means, standard deviations and thematic approach. The study revealed that brainstorming, dramatization, independent learning, cooperative learning and experiential learning were the instructional strategies used in teaching creative arts lessons in the Effutu Municipality. Again, classroom size, teachers’ beliefs of teaching and learning, learners’ interest, availability of resources, teaching experience, time allocation, academic qualification, national curriculum, and availability of technology were factors that influence teachers’ choice of instructional strategy. However, the national curriculum and learners’ interest have the greatest influence on teacher’s choice of instructional resources for teaching creative arts lessons while academic qualification does not influence the respondent’s choice of teacher’s instructional strategy in the Effutu Municipality. It was therefore recommended that head teachers should encourage the use of appropriate instructional strategies and resources in the teaching and learning creative arts.