Final year teacher-trainees’ ideas and sense of efficacy in implementing the basic school social studies curriculum in Ghana

Abstract

Social Studies, as a subject in the Junior High School (JHS) curriculum in Ghana, is taught mostly by diploma teachers from the country’s 38 public Colleges of Education and graduates from other tertiary institutions. An out-and-out analysis of the Colleges of Education Social Studies curriculum vis-à-vis the JHS syllabus reveal differences in how the subject is structured and organised to prepare teachers to go and teach it at the JHS level. Thus, the aim of the study was to find out the conceptions of final year teacher-trainees and their sense of efficacy in implementing the Basic School Social Studies Curriculum in Ghana. A sequential mixed methods design was used. Data from questionnaire was triangulated with interviews, focus group discussion and classroom observation. Non-probability sampling methods (purposive and convenience sampling techniques) were used to select the districts, colleges and respondents for the study. The study revealed, among other things, that: (a) final year teacher-trainees’ current knowledge base about Social Studies as a problem solving was inadequate. Mentees lack teaching skills to impart Social Studies as an issue-oriented subject; (b) discrepancies exist between the ideal classroom activities mentees said they would exhibit and what they actually demonstrated in their teaching. It is recommended that there must be a national curriculum policy on Social Studies that all pathways to teaching of the subject should undergo review according to specified national standards to meet the needs of society.