Foso College of Education

Quantitative and mixed-methods studies are more popular among Ghanaian researchers than qualitative studies. The preference for quantitative and mixed-methods studies originates from the notion that these are more scientific and rigorous, and produce generalizable findings and conclusions. Though qualitative studies appear difficult and laborious to design and conduct, and generally, the findings produced from qualitative studies seem not to be rigorous, qualitative studies can also produce robust findings and conclusions. Researchers who want to conduct qualitative studies must have good knowledge of the ontology, epistemology, and methodology of qualitative research. A vital skill qualitative researchers must possess to conduct quality research is the application of triangulation in qualitative research. The effect of the weaknesses of qualitative research on findings and conclusions can be minimized through the application of triangulation. The purpose of this article is to highlight the application of triangulation in qualitative research. It begins by explaining triangulation and its origin and then discusses the four main types of triangulation and how they can be applied in qualitative research

This study investigated the effects of flipped inquiry-based learning approach (FIBL) on chemistry students’ academic performance and learning experiences. This study utilized a mixed research methods approach with a quasi-experimental design. A convenient sampling technique was used to identify pre-service teachers studying chemistry at the college of education in Ghana. Quantitative data was obtained using a chemistry academic achievement test and critical thinking skills test. Qualitative data was obtained through a focus group conducted in the experimental class. Results from the quantitative data analysis showed a significant increase in students’ academic performance and critical thinking skills in the pre-and post-test scores in experimental classes. Female pre-service teachers performed better with higher scores in chemistry learning outcomes than their male colleagues. In addition, the focus group results showed that students had positive views on learning in the FIBL environment in terms of learning convenience, peer collaboration, conceptual understanding, and learning skills. The study provides insight into flipped and inquiry-based learning as effective pedagogical approaches for delivering chemistry instructions. Overall, the results show that flipped inquiry-based learning is an effective pedagogical approach enabling students to develop learning potentials in chemistry.

The aim of this study was to assess how basic school teachers’ job satisfaction relates to their productivity in the Asante Akim South District of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The descriptive design was employed in conducting the study. The population covered all the Basic School teachers in the Asante Akim South District. The sample size was 217, made up of 179 males and 38 females. A questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Data analysis was done, using frequency and percentage counts as well as the Pearson Product Moment correlation. Key findings of the study indicated that majority (71.9%) of the respondents perceived that the government’s District Best Teacher award scheme only motivates a few teachers at the expense of the majority of teachers. Teachers’ level of job satisfaction shows a strong positive correlation with teacher productivity (r = 0.870, p = 0.020). In order to enhance teacher job satisfaction and productivity, it was recommended that the District Best Teacher award scheme should be made to cover at least 20% of teachers in the district instead of an individual so that majority of them would not feel unmotivated, neglected and unrecognized. Government should make teacher promotions and salaries relatively equitable and competitive with that of workers in other analogous institutions in the country in order to enhance their job satisfaction and productivity.

This research aims to understand the presence of the independent curriculum in early childhood education with a specific focus on the correlation between this curriculum and the locally infused P5 program. The study formulates research objectives centered on planning P5 programs themed around local wisdom, implementing these programs, and evaluating their effectiveness. Employing a qualitative approach with a descriptive method, data collection methods include observation, interviews, and documentation. The research findings emphasize the essential role of the P5 program within the independent curriculum. This program successfully enriches students' knowledge and understanding of local wisdom, suggesting a need for further integration of local wisdom elements into the independent curriculum at the early childhood education level. It is crucial to enhance parental involvement in the implementation of the P5 program. Additionally, developing more holistic evaluation strategies is recommended to measure the long-term impact of the independent curriculum and the P5 program on the overall development of students.  

This paper reports on a study that sought to improve pre-service science teachers’ performance in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) nomenclature of aliphatic hydrocarbons using flipped classroom instructional approach (FCA). The study employed a single group pre- and post-test action research design. The sample size consisted of forty-five (45) 1st year pre-service science teachers of Foso College of Education (FOSCO) taking the Introduction to Organic Chemistry I course. A purposive sampling technique of the non-probability sampling procedure was used to select the pre-service science teachers in an intact class. Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Hydrocarbon Concept Diagnostic Test and Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Hydrocarbon Concept Achievement Test were the research instruments used to collect the data. The instruments were pilot-tested at St. Ambrose College of Education and the reliability index found to be 0.75 for the pre-intervention test and 0.78 for the post-intervention test. After 9 weeks of engaging pre-service science teachers through in-class face-to-face activities and out-of-class online interaction of teaching and learning IUPAC nomenclature of aliphatic hydrocarbons, it came to light that pre-service science teachers’ performance had improved greatly after they have been exposed to FCA as an intervention strategy. It was recommended that College of Education chemistry tutors should adopt newly interactive and innovative instructional strategies such as the FCA so as to help pre-service science teachers overcome challenging chemical concepts like the IUPAC nomenclature and other difficult chemistry concepts in and out of colleges or schools.

This study aimed to find out the perception of University of Cape Cost students about their body image and the factors which influenced their body image perception. Cross-sectional descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A sample of 380 students was used for the study through the proportional stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected by using questionnaire adapted from the instrument of Pop (2016). A Cronbach co-efficient alpha of 0.821 was obtained indicating that the instrument was reliable. Mean and standard deviation were used in analysing the data. The study revealed that the respondents did not see themselves as having the perfect body shape, were not satisfied body shape and size and were not satisfied with their weight. Overall, the respondents had poor body image. The study revealed also that media and peer influences were the main factors which influenced body image perception among the students. The other identified factors were society and cultural background, family members and partners. It was recommended that university authorities should organise outreach programmes for students on how to improve their self-esteem and self-image so that the incidence of poor body image can be reduced.

AbstractIn the field of modern education, the meteoric rise in distance learning in higher education has brought unprecedented convenience and accessibility. Yet, beneath the surface of this educational revolution lies the issues of academic stress and burnout among students, particularly distance education students. Therefore, this study examined academic stress and burnout among distance education students at the University of Education, Winneba, Cape Coast Study Center. A quantitative approach was adopted in this study, employing a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. In total, 231 students were selected for this study. The Academic Stress Inventory and Academic Burnout Inventory were adapted as the data collection instruments for this study. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Two-way MANOVA) were used to analyse the data. This study revealed that distance education students had moderate levels of academic stress and burnout. Additionally, there were no significant gender differences in academic stress and burnout. Conversely, the study discovered significant differences in academic stress, personal burnout, and studies-related burnout based on programme of study. In addition, it was revealed that the interaction effect of gender and programme of study had no significant influence on distance education students’ academic stress and burnout. Consequently, it was recommended that educational institutions should consider creating support programmes tailored specifically for distance education students. These programmes can offer guidance on stress management techniques, time management skills, and resources to help students cope with the demands of their programme.

This study examined the awareness level of chemistry tutors on gender responsive instructional approaches, and the extent to which the tutors apply gender responsive teaching practices in chemistry lessons at St. Ambrose College of Education in Ghana. A case study design was adopted for this study. Non-probability sampling techniques were used for the study. Specifically, the quota sampling and the purposive sampling procedure were adopted for the study. Purposive sampling procedure was used to select two chemistry tutors and a vice principal of the college. The student population was 72. Quota sampling was used to select 20 % of 38 females and 20 % of 34 males for the study. The sample for the study was 18. An interview guide and structured observation checklists were the main instruments used for the data collection. To determine the reliability of the interview questions and observation guide for both students and tutors, pilot test was conducted at Foso College of Education. Manual analysis was used to analyse the data. Thematic analysis was used for the analysis. The findings from the study revealed that chemistry tutors have adequate knowledge in gender instructional approaches because of regular professional development sessions. The vice principal, chemistry tutors and students identified the lack of chemistry laboratory, unsuitable classroom set up and desks and the weak guidance and counselling unit as the major hindrances to effective implementation of gender responsive instructional approaches during chemistry lessons. It was recommended that ergonometric desk, guidance and counselling unit, adequate teaching learning resources and chemistry laboratories should be provided to enhance effective implementation of gender pedagogy during chemistry lessons. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0902/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of computer-assisted instruction approach to the teaching and learning of photosynthesis on the performance of second year Senior High School (SHS 2) Biology students in science. The design for the study was a quasi-experimental research. This study was carried out in Sefwi Wiawso SHS and Asawinso SHS all at Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly in the Western North Region of Ghana. They are all mixed institution. The purposive sampling techniques was used to schools, classes and students for the study. One-hundred one (101) electives biology participants were purposively selected, they consist of SHS 2 Science of (55) fifty-five students from Sefwi Wiawso SHS and SHS 2 Home economics of (46) forty-six students also from Asawinso SHS. The third years were not selected because they were preparing to write their WASSCE. The main instrument for data collection was questionnaire. The study collected only quantitative data and employed quantitative method of data analysis. Data obtained from participants in both experimental and control groups on the Test 2 were analysed statistically using independent-measures t-test. The independent-measures t-Test was used to investigate whether any differences existed between experimental and control groups’ mean scores on the Test 2. The study further revealed that computer-assisted instructions gives feedback to learners to have the opportunity to master computer-assisted instructional package tool used. It is recommended that, computer-assisted instruction method should be encouraged in many Biology classes in Wiawso Municipal Assembly, since it gives students opportunity to see links between concepts, summarise and organise their works, thoughts logically and sequentially. Both genders must be encouraged to use computer-assisted instruction method to studying Biology.

The purpose of the study was to examine the use of 21st-century teaching skills in basic school science classrooms. The study adopted a qualitative research design. An observation checklist was employed to gather relevant data for the study. The study was carried out in Enchi, the Aowin Municipal Capital in the Western North Region, and Assin Foso, the Assin Central Municipal Capital in the Central Region of Ghana. The population used for the study was made up of eighteen science teachers selected from six public Junior High Schools in Enchi and eighteen science teachers selected from six public Junior High Schools in Assin Foso. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the six public Junior High Schools from Enchi and six public Junior High Schools from Assin Foso because the teachers from the public schools have acquired professional training. The thirty-six science teachers were conveniently selected. Concerning the data collected from the observations conducted, percentages and average values were computed for teachers who used 21st-century teaching skills in their science classroom and for those who did not use 21st-century teaching skills in their science classroom. It came out that an average of 30.20 % of the teachers used for the study did apply the 21st-century teaching skills in their science classroom whiles 69.80 % of the teachers did not use all the 21st-century teaching skills in their science classroom. Therefore, teachers who did not use all the 21st-century teaching skills should be encouraged to apply them to produce 21st-century learners.

Over the past two decades, teachers have adopted several teaching and learning strategies for motivating students to learn chemistry. Learning chemistry in context enables students to develop richer crosscutting learning experiences relevant to contributing to solving problems. A qualitative case study method was adopted to examine student teachers’ experiences in digital inquiry-based learning. Questionnaires with closed-ended and open-ended questions were used to evaluate student teachers’ motivational orientations and learning strategies during a general chemistry course for one month. The results show that student teachers utilized varied perspectives such as self-efficacy, task value, and intrinsic goals to elaborate their learning for knowledge construction and application when performing collaborative tasks. The approach enables students to receive maximum support and feedback from instructors who use pedagogical styles to self-direct them during class discussions, which enhances their active participation in learning with the learning materials. The findings provide a practical insight into instructional strategies in delivering chemistry concepts when students are motivated to use and adopt varied learning strategies.

This paper is a sequel. The authors, after seeing the positive effects of the strategies implemented to remedy poor sanitation practices in three schools in the locality, sought to review the effects of poor personal hygiene on teaching and learning in three other basic schools in the Assin North Municipality in the Central Region of Ghana and design practical workable and innovative (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) WASH strategies to remedy them. The study, carried out within the structured school environment, used the action research for immediate solvable intervention strategies to be implemented. The main objective of the study was to examine the efficacy of three interventional strategies among these basic school pupils to minimize their feeling of discomfort and withdrawal resulting from phases of personal hygiene deficiencies. Census and purposive sampling procedures were used to select all 35 pupils for the study in each case. Three students who were members of the WASH club of the only initial teacher training institution in the municipality were chosen to help the authors in the implementation of the strategies in each school to see the extent to which the menace could be minimized. A certified medical doctor, Dr. Barbara Asare, was invited to examine the effects of the oral interview results from the pupils for needed medical recommendations. Observation and interview were the instruments used in each school. The pre-intervention observation carried out in school by Mr Charles Appiah Nuamah and Bismark Amoh revealed that class one pupils’ uniforms were dirty even on the first day of the week. Especially after break on mid weeks, the classroom atmosphere became so saturated with stinky sweat and this did not augur well for effective teaching and learning. Intervention 1 aimed at increasing teeth and cloth hygiene by introducing the early morning inspections and mid-week cloth washing. School 2 recorded a problem of overall personal hygiene. Miss Comfort Arthur and Victoria Amoakoh identified that hand washing before and after eating, after visiting the toilet, after playing were challenges to the pupils. They were also negligent of the use of handkerchiefs. Intervention 2 took pupils through hand washing techniques, use of handkerchiefs and general batheing techniques because the odour in the classroom was indicative of the fact that pupils do not pay attention to particular parts of the body during batheing. Intervention 3, which was implemented by Ruby Jecty and Leticia Donkoh, emphasized on food hygiene. Pupils were taken through the causes and effects of food contaminations because they were not particular about washing fruits or plates before eating. The author and students used WASH resources as intervention strategies to help pupils take their baths well, cut their nails, shave private parts, and the use of anti-perspiring materials and fruits and plate washing techniques to remedy the problem. After successfully implementing the strategies in each school, a post- intervention interview was administered to evaluate the consequences of the intervention. These intervention strategies were designed by Miss Ruby Jecty upon the recommendation of Dr. Barbara Asare and implemented by each author and student in their prospective schools. The intervention procedures, pre and post intervention results were collated and analyzed by Miss Comfort Siaw and the final script prepared by Mr. Charles Appiah Nuamah.

The average postgraduate student in Ghana has about 20 years exposure in English language, having been taught and instructed in English from primary to tertiary level. It is, therefore, not far-fetched to expect the postgraduate student to commit minimal to no errors in their L2 writings. The seeming consequential minimal scholarly attention on errors in postgraduate writings regardless of the many studies on students’ errors is therefore not surprising. This study is an attempt to identify, categorise and describe the errors in postgraduate dissertations in Ghana and highlight their implications for language teaching. This exploratory qualitative study carries out a content analysis of 20 randomly selected MA, MPhil and PhD dissertations published between 2020 and 2021. The data are analysed using the theory of Error Analysis. After critically assessing the dissertations, seven (7) categories of concord errors were identified and recorded. These are; subject-verb concord errors, inverted subject concord errors, concord errors associated with ‘has’ and ‘have’, determiner-noun errors, concord errors on numbers, noun-pronoun antecedent errors and compound subject concord errors. This implies that postgraduate students are prone to errors, hence, the need to introduce or intensify the teaching of English at the postgraduate level.

This paper aims to explore the effect of using GeoGebra in teaching and learning circle theorems on student-teachers’ performance. This paper is based on the results of the four-week experiment of GeoGebra software in teaching and learning the concepts of circle theorems of the geometry of student-teachers at the College of Education. The effectiveness of using GeoGebra software was explored by measuring the achievement level with the help of achievement tests and perceptions of using GeoGebra software through the questionnaire. The data were analyzed and interpreted by using a frequency distribution table, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The findings showed that there was a higher mean score in achievement in circle theorems of the experimental group, that is, those taught with GeoGebra software than that of the control group, that is, those taught without GeoGebra software, and the difference was significant at 0.05 level. Similarly, the student-teachers of the experimental group had a positive perception to support the use of GeoGebra software in teaching and learning circle theorems in geometry and mathematics in general. Thus, the use of GeoGebra software is an effective tool to increase achievement; promote curiosity and creativity; make clear sense of concepts and encourage overall learning of students in mathematics. Finally, this study suggests that mathematics teachers need to use ICT tools including GeoGebra for effective teaching and learning.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0073/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

This study is a follow up or confirmatory study of an earlier study that dealt with tutors of Colleges of Education perceptions about integrating social studies teaching with science in the three Colleges of Education in the Central Region. The current study sought the possibility of uncovering the hindrances social studies teachers at the basic school level encounter in implementing integrated curriculum of social studies. The main purpose of the study was to explore the strategies for integrated study of any kind as well as the difficulties educators in basic schools in Ghana face in using integrated curriculum approach in teaching social studies. The study employed the descriptive survey. The targeted population for the study was all Social Studies teachers in the basic schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region. The researchers used simple random sampling technique to select 30 Social Studies teachers from 30 basic schools within Cape Coast Metropolis. Questionnaire was the main instrument used for data collection and the result from the study indicated that there are factors hindering teachers use of integration in Basic Schools in the study area. The study recommended that for effective use of integrated curriculum at the basic school level, Pre service teachers should be made to fully appreciate the concept of integrated curriculum and how to make effective use of the approach in teaching. Again, the difficulties or hindrances of teachers use of integrated approach in teaching social studies can be minimized if there are post qualification professional development workshops to keep teachers updated on how to teach across disciplines while maintaining social studies as an independent subject.

This study aims to investigate the motivation with which all the 18 final year English-major students of a College of Education in the Western North Region of Ghana made the ‘choice’ to major in the English language. This qualitative study employed a semi-structured one-on-one interview and focus group discussions as the data collection instruments. The data collected were subjected to a thematic analysis. The outcome of the study reveals that the learners admit that motivation plays a crucial role in their choice to major in the English language. Seven thematic areas were identified as the motivation for the choice. These are; self-esteem and fulfillment, communicative functionality, global competitiveness, technology, home and family factors, academic relevance, and the teacher factor. It is revealed that the stakeholders of education, such as teachers, curriculum planners and designers, developers of teaching and learning materials, principals, and school managers, should be aware of the motivation of the students for ‘choosing’ to major in a particular course [such as English] to design programs, curriculum, teaching and learning activities and materials that would best sustain and enhance the interest of the learner in the program.

The study focused on the relationship between social media usage and test anxiety. It investigated how specific uses of social media are associated with test anxiety. The study classified the uses of social media into four dimensions and explored the relationship between each of the four dimensions and test anxiety. The study also explored the test anxiety levels of students before, during, and after the test. A descriptive survey design was used for the study. This survey used a Test Anxiety and Social Networking Questionnaire to collect data from 106 College of Education students sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure. The data collected from the respondents were analyzed using scatter plots, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Co-efficient, mean scores, and independent samples T-test. It was found that the respondents’ test anxiety was generally high and it progressively increased from before to after the test. There was a strong positive correlation between test anxiety during and after the test. This finding suggests that if the students are well prepared for a test and can answer questions to their satisfaction, their anxiety during the test will be low and this will, in turn, reduce their anxiety after the test. The study also found that excessive use of social media networking sites essentially increases test anxiety during and after the test. This implies that students can reduce test anxiety by using social media networking in moderation and focusing on their academic work.

Teachers play an essential role in any education system and are an important factor that has a bearing on student success. Teachers’ anticipation and commitment in the field of teaching and learning are but a significant component of the teacher’s performance in general. This study seeks to offer ways to improve students learning behaviour in the Aowin Municipality by considering the relationship between teachers’ expectations and students’ learning behaviour in the Ghanaian context. A Correlational research design was employed for the study. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table of sample size, a sample of 225 comprising 205 students and 20 teachers from 19 Junior High Schools in the Aowin Municipality was selected for the study. A multi-stage sampling method is adopted and used for conducting the study. An adapted Teacher Expectations questionnaire by Gallahar, with a reliability coefficient of 0.87 was used for the study. It was found that the relationship between teacher expectation (independent variable) and students’ behaviour (dependent variable), though not statistically significant (r (215) = -.204, p = .403), it was concluded that what teachers expect of their students may have some form of influence on the learning behaviours of students. It is therefore recommended that the school authorities should regulate the kind of expectations teachers give their students. For instance, the head teacher can have the general expectations for the school as well as specific classroom expectations by the individual class teachers. This can be read or pasted to keep reminding the students of what is expected of them

Technology has profound and lasting influence in classroom as being a powerful tool that can change the way lessons are taught by facilitating both teachers’ instruction practices and students’ learning processes. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of technology in teaching physics within the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana.The study employed descriptive cross-sectional survey. The population for the study was Senior High School (SHS) physics teachers and students of the Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana. The sample size for the study was made up of 20 teachers and 100 final year students. The main instrument used for the study was a questionnaire for both the teachers and the students. Data were analyzed using means, standard deviations and frequencies. It was found that the physics teachers hardly use modern and digital forms of technology in teaching physics.

Tertiary education institutions are established to provide quality post-secondary education. Tertiary education institutions have established quality assurance units to guarantee that clients are served appropriately according to predefined quality indicators. Despite this guarantee, the quality of tertiary education is being questioned. This paper discusses the quality of tertiary education largely from the perspective of clients. It explores the concept of quality, examines a model of the path to quality tertiary education, and states the challenges of institutional massification with respect to quality. The discussion points to the key roles of leadership and management and institutional massification play in student engagement. Leadership and management have to set the stage for the process of achieving quality tertiary education, and sustain the process by harnessing human and material resources to meaningfully engage students. Leadership provides the physical infrastructure, recruits qualified staff, operationalizes sound employability and entrepreneurship strategies, and creates a democratic environment to promote accountability and productivity. At the heart of quality tertiary education is good student engagement. While massification has improved access and equity, it has put pressure on physical infrastructure and staff and reduced the quality of student engagement.