Senior high schools teachers’ perceptions of out-of-door activities in the teaching of social studies in the Ho municipality of Volta region

Abstract

The study explored Senior High Schools Social Studies teachers’ perceptions of out-ofdoor activities as an instructional technique in Social Studies in the Ho Municipality in the Volta Region and further examines how these perceptions influence the teaching of Social Studies. Three research questions guided the study: 1). How do Senior High Schools Social Studies teachers in the Ho Municipality perceive out-of-door activities? 2). How do these perceptions influence the teaching of Social Studies in the Senior High Schools in Ho Municipality? 3). How do Senior High Schools Social Studies teachers in the Ho Municipality use out-of-door activities in their instruction? A concurrent mixed method design was used for the study. The instruments for data collection were interview and questionnaire. These sources were for the purpose of data triangulation. Nonprobability sampling method, that is, convenience and purposive sampling techniques, were used to select the sample of districts, schools and respondents for the study. In all, seventy (70) Social Studies teachers were selected from fourteen (14) Senior High Schools. The findings showed that, SHS Social Studies teachers’ questionnaire and interview responses to their perceptions of out-of-door activities are a mismatch to their usage of the technique in teaching. Teachers showed positive perceptions and practices in the questionnaire findings and part of the interview finding, but the qualitative findings regarding their use of the technique revealed the contrary. It is recommended that conferences be held by experts of Social Studies with the support of government and other concerned NGOs at least once each year in every region for Social Studies teachers, in order to help refresh their skills and techniques of teaching.