Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate Junior High School (JHS) integrated
science teachers’ knowledge and practice of inquiry-based instruction in Tano South
Municipality of Ghana. In this study, convergent mixed method design was employed.
The study was conducted in Tano South Municipality in the Ahafo Region of Ghana.
The sample for the quantitative study was 75 Junior High School (JHS) integrated
science teachers. In the qualitative study, a sub-sample of 8 Junior High School (JHS)
integrated science teachers was sampled. The teachers who participated in the study
were included through the census method. The researcher used questionnaire and
interview guide as the primary tools for collecting data. The questionnaire and
interview guide were employed to collect quantitative and qualitative data
respectively. The quantitative data was analysed using frequency, percentages, mean
and standard deviation whereas the qualitative data was analysed using the cross-case
analysis procedure. From the findings, it was revealed that a large number of JHS
integrated science teachers do not acknowledge the fact that inquiry-based instruction
depicts science as an ongoing process of exploration and discovery rather than a
content domain to be memorized. Also, the study findings again revealed that,
majority of the teachers do not know that inquiry in science stresses on dialoque,
reporting, deliberations as well as debate. Again, the study revealed that a large
number of teachers lack the requisite knowledge on how to use the inquiry-based
instruction. The study concluded that JHS integrated science teachers although
demonstrated some kind of knowledge about inquiry-based instruction but, on
average it found out to be low. The study recommends that the Municipal Education
Directorate should organize regular in-service training for teachers on the use of
inquiry-based approach in teaching.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Early Childhood Education,
Faculty of Educational Studies, submitted to the School
of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Early Childhood Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
OCTOBER 2022
