St. Louis College of Education

The preparation and application of biochar by smallholder farmers is labour intensive hence an effective one-time application for multiple cropping seasons would be desirable by farmers and researchers. In this study, one-time biochar application as a soil amendment and its interaction with compost and NPK on yield performances of different crops was investigated across three cropping seasons. Treatments included biochar applied alone or together with compost, inorganic NPK fertilizer or both. Maize, okra and cassava were planted in succession and data was collected on their shoot N, P and K concentrations, yields as well as selected soil parameters (pH, exchangeable acidity, total exchangeable bases, effective cation exchange capacity, total N, total organic carbon, available phosphorus). Data was analyzed with GenSTAT and results were presented in tables and bar graph. Corn cob biochar applied solely did not significantly improve maize and okra yield in the first and second cropping season but increased yield of cassava significantly at the third cropping season. Yield increased in sole NPK, compost and NPK + compost treatments for all cropping cycles, but yields obtained from these treatments in the presence of biochar were greater than their corresponding treatments without biochar. The study also showed that biochar application together with compost, NPK or both, improved total organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, total exchangeable bases, exchangeable acidity, effective cation exchange capacity and pH as well as tissue N, P and K of all crops. Our findings demonstrated that a single application of biochar, particularly in the presence of compost, inorganic NPK fertilizer or both can increase yields across three cropping seasons and improve soil fertility.

The study focused Effective teaching of Social Studies Concepts in Basic Schools in Ghana. The study adopted the descriptive survey design using quantitative approach. The population for the study consisted of all Social Studies teachers in the Junior High Schools (JHS) in the Tano South District. There were fifty-two Social Studies teachers at the JHS level in the district. Non-probability sampling technique (purposive and convenient sampling techniques) was used for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select all the fifty-two teachers and forty-one schools in the Tano South District. While the district was conveniently sampled for this study. The main instrument used to gather data was observation guide. The data gathered was analysed using the Statistical Product using Service Solutions (SPSS). The study concluded that, in respect to the teaching effectiveness of Social Studies teachers, the general performance in all the thematic areas assessed indicate that, Social Studies teachers are not at their optimum best in terms of planning and preparation, instructional skills, classroom management, communication skills and assessment skills. It is therefore recommended that, the Ministry of Education through the Ghana Education Service (GES) in collaboration with all the teacher training institutions training Social Studies teachers should fashion out teacher development programmes such as workshops and short courses for Social Studies teachers. In these programmes, the organisers must ensure that teachers have access to high quality content course work in Social Studies.

This study examines the role of storytelling in preserving traditional Ghanaian folklore, considering its significance in cultural continuity and identity formation. Ghana boasts a rich tapestry of oral traditions, comprising myths, legends, proverbs, and folktales that have been passed down through generations. However, in the face of modernization and globalization, these indigenous narratives face the risk of being marginalized or forgotten. Through qualitative analysis and literature review, this paper explores how storytelling serves as a vital mechanism for the transmission and preservation of Ghanaian folklore. It investigates the cultural, social, and educational implications of storytelling practices within Ghanaian communities, highlighting their capacity to instill values, foster intergenerational bonds, and reinforce cultural pride. Moreover, the study investigates contemporary initiatives aimed at revitalizing traditional storytelling methods, such as community storytelling events, educational programs, and digital media platforms. By recognizing the intrinsic value of storytelling in safeguarding Ghana's cultural heritage, this research underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure the continued vitality and relevance of Ghanaian folklore in the modern era.

The study assessed knowledge base of food vendors’ hygiene practices in Koforidua in the eastern region of Ghana. As a descriptive survey study, fifty (50) respondents made up of food vendors were purposively and conveniently sampled respectively for the study. The data gathered was analyzed using SPSS Version 17 and converted into frequencies, percentages and tables. This study concluded that street food vendors do have relevant knowledge of hygienic food handling practices through the training they receive, but the knowledge they acquire is not put into practice. The study also revealed that effective and regular inspections by Environmental Health officers will couple stringent enforcement of all regulations governing their practices to streamline the activities of the food vendors for better health of their consumers. It is recommended that the training and certification of food vendors should be organized on a regular basis and should be designed using the Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Point (HACCP). Environmental Health Officers must conduct follow-up exercises after training programmes to ascertain whether food vendors are putting knowledge they have acquired into practice. It is also recommended that, the Metropolitan/Municipal/District environmental health officers should ensure that inspection of street food vendors are carried out effectively, efficiently and regularly so as to monitor the food handling practices of the food vendors’ right from the time of preparation to the point of sale. This is to ensure that food served to consumers is safe for consumption. Vendors who do not put the knowledge they have acquired into practice should have their certificates retrieved and signed up for retraining.

The preparation of pre-tertiary school teachers by colleges of education in Ghana is beset by varied challenges of quality. A lot of the products of the colleges are unable to measure up to desired standards of competence. It appears that efforts at promoting quality teacher education seem to centre mostly on enhancing the academic capabilities of teachers to enhancing students' capability to act as agents of their own learning. This article brings to the fore, the drivers of student-centred learning and how colleges of education can empower students as clients with absolute responsibility to drive their own learning. It clarifies the role of the administrative staff in the implementation of students’ relationship management and how their functions constitute the bedrock for effective teacher preparation.

This study centered on the use of teacher’s profile dimensions to assess Social Studies student’s learning outcomes in the Senior High Schools in Aowin and Wassa Amenfi West Districts in the Western and Western North Regions of Ghana. The objective of the study was to assess how graduate teachers use profile dimensions to assess student’s learning outcomes in teaching and learning of Social Studies in Senior High Schools. This study adopted a multiple case study design. The data were used together to form one case. The population for the study were the Social Studies teachers teaching in the Aowin and Wassa Amenfi West Districts. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the twelve (12) graduate Social Studies teachers and senior high schools respectively. The two main instruments employed for data collection in this study are interview guide and observation checklist. The findings concluded that, the way and manner Social Studies teachers assess their learners’ learning outcomes in Social Studies lessons was contrary to the main goal and objectives of the subject which is to develop a reflective, concerned, responsible and participatory citizen in the civic life of a country. It is recommended that, since most teachers do not use more authentic forms of profile dimension assessment techniques such as portfolio and peer and self-assessments techniques during lesson delivery, the teacher training institutions/universities should endeavour to infuse in their Social Studies curricula with more authentic forms of profile dimension assessment techniques in order to lay a strong foundation for knowledge base for teaching and assessing the learners learning outcomes.

While substantial literature exists on the parenting styles and students’ academic performance around the world, little is known about these variables in the Ghanaian context and much less in Asokore-Mampong Municipality. In view of this dearth of literature, this study investigated the parenting styles and academic performance of public Junior High Schools students in Asokore-Mampong Municipality, Ghana, within the context of Baumrind’s (1971) theory on parenting styles. In line with the pragmatist paradigm, this study utilized the sequential explanatory mixed methods research design where 545 students and 545 parents were sampled using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique for the quantitative phase of the study, while the convenience sampling technique was used to select 12 students and 12 parents for the qualitative phase of the study. After meeting validity and reliability requirements, a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used to collect data for the study which was analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and inferential (independent samples t-test, One-way between group ANOVA, Pearson Moment Correlation) statistics and thematic analysis. The study revealed that the authoritative parenting style was most experienced among the students, followed by authoritarian, and permissive while the uninvolved parenting style was least experienced. It was further observed that generally, there was a moderate and statistically significant positive relationship between parenting styles and students’ academic performance. Besides, findings from the study’s hypotheses showed that sex, age, class, and parental marital status of students did not affect their perception of parenting styles they experienced. In line with these findings, it was concluded that parenting styles are vital in enhancing students’ academic performance, hence, it was recommended that the Ghana Education Service through the Asokore-Mampong Education Directorate and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) should constantly educate parents, reorient them to adopt appropriate parenting styles that are needed in specific situations so as to enhance the academic performance of students.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0966/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong in Ghana, was one of the pilot institutions that has undertaken inclusive Education programme for students with special needs where students with disabilities (visual impairment, hearing impairment and the physically challenged) learn and share the same facilities with their non-disabled counterparts. Since the pilot project was started in 2003, no systematic study has been carried out to ascertain the extent to which the institution has been able to implement the concept of inclusive education. The aim of the study therefore was to assess Presbyterian College of Education as an inclusive educational institution. A case study design; in which tutors and students at Presbyterian College of Education, Akropong were interviewed, was adopted for the study. A convenience sampling and census techniques were used to recruit 35 students with disabilities and 15 tutors at Presbyterian college of education in the Eastern region of Ghana. In-depth interview and observational techniques were used to assess the views of the participants about inclusive education with regards to teachers’ knowledge about how to handle and teach students with special needs. The findings of the study revealed that currently, the teachers have very limited knowledge about how to handle and teach students with special needs. The findings further revealed that generally, the teachers had inadequate understanding of inclusive education before the programme was introduced. Also, lack of preparation on the part of teachers to teach students with special needs was revealed. This is because the teachers’ knowledge on the concept of inclusive education is very critical in educating persons with disability. Based on this finding, it is recommended that in-service training should be organised to educate teachers at the College of Education level to facilitate inclusion.

<p>The article sought to determine perceptions of Colleges of Education tutors on how the current Colleges of Education curriculum equips pre-service teachers to adapt and modify the general school curriculum to accommodate the needs of all children with special educational needs and disabilities for effective inclusive education in Ghana. A descriptive survey design was adopted using a sample of 235 tutors from 13 Colleges of Education in Ghana. The lottery method was used to select four regions out of the sixteen regions of the country and the purposive sampling technique was used to select all the colleges within the four regions, while convenience sampling technique was used to select the actual respondents for the study. Questionnaires with closed ended items were developed for the data collection. It was evident from the study that majority of the tutors believed that the curriculum prepares pre-service teachers to adapt the general school curriculum to accommodate the needs of all children with special educational needs and disabilities in an inclusive classroom. Recommendations were made based on the findings and conclusions were drawn.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0783/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Pre-school prepares children with the requisite skills and competencies necessary for formal education. It provides parents with productive time for their work while their children are being cared for in kindergartens, day-care centers, crèches, and pre-schools where children are provided opportunities for stimulation and holistic development using play-based activities. Enhancing the quality of Early Childhood Care and Education has been expressed through research and policy initiatives, development programmes, advocacy, theories, and philosophies that underpin practice in pre-schools. A qualitative approach was employed to look at views related to Early Childhood Care and Education. The purposive sampling method was adopted for the study. The findings however suggest that children in general exhibit relatively different cognitive and social competencies in varied environments. Data collected and analyzed concluded that there was a significant disparity in the experiences of the children, teacher expertise and experience, and academic and play facilities coupled with differences in the social and economic backgrounds of children. It is recommended that further research be conducted in other pre-schools to verify the findings of this research.

This investigated the nature of study habits and how the demographic variables (sex, age, level and residential status) determine the study habits among full-time regular undergraduate students. Using the cross-sectional survey design, 621 full-time undergraduate students were sampled through proportionate stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaire which had a reliability co-efficient of 0.91 determined through Cronbach alpha was the main instrument used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as mean, and standard deviation and inferential statistics such as independent samples t-test and One way between groups ANOVA. The study revealed that the undergraduate students practised homework and assignment most, followed by concentration related study habits, reading and note-taking, examination related study habits while time management related study habits was the least study habits practiced among the students. It was also discovered that students’ demographic variables like sex and level were statistically significant with their study habits. This was seen as male students had better study habits than the females while level 100 full-time undergraduate students had better study habits than their counterparts in level 200, level 300 and level 400 respectively. Besides, it was disclosed that though not statistically significant, students who were resident on-campus had better study habits than their counterparts living outside campus. Furthermore, it was revealed that there is a general disinterest in the practice of study habits as students advanced in age. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the University Management and Academic Board through various departments should introduce study skill courses to assist students in the development of effective study habits. In so doing, these demographic variables should be factored in rolling out interventions for improved academic performance. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0870/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The phenomenon of sin and reconciliation is extant in many religions and as a result, elaborate teachings and rituals are documented around them. The same however cannot be said about the Akan traditional religion. This can be due to the no or late documentation of the theology of the African traditional religion. The problem created is that the Akan perception of sin and its removal in particular and the African Traditional Religion, in general, is often seen as lacking authenticity. This article with the help of comparative theology examines the Akan concept of sin and reconciliation and elucidates how they share some similarities with the Catholic doctrine on sin and reconciliation. The authors used the literary approach and questionnaires to gather data. Twenty (20) Catholic priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi were purposively selected to answer eleven questionnaire items on the similarities between the Catholic and the Akan theology of sin and reconciliation. The findings and discussions on the problem elucidate that, the two religious traditions have a doctrine of original sin. They conceptualize sin as a stain, that sin offends God and humanity. Sin is moreover, categorized into serious and less serious offenses. They also agree that contrition, confession and penance are necessary conditions for the forgiveness of sins. Reconciliation again they concur restores the penitent to full communion with the divine and humanity. The article recommends that the Akan concept of original sin which is sketchy must be developed further. It also advocates that integrating the Akan and Catholic concepts of sin and reconciliation in the education of Akan Christians and pastoral agents would be a good enterprise. The paper fills the vacuum created that the Akan has a poor notion of sin and reconciliation. It shows evidence of the Akan concepts of sin and reconciliation, which are comparable to the teachings of the Catholic Church on sin and its removal. Keywords: Sin, Reconciliation, Akan, Catholic

The study aimed to determine the effect of 5Es with teaching aids on the academic performance of Junior High school students in mathematics non-routine problems. A sample of 48 students was randomly selected from Asawinso Methodist Upper primary school. Quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest-posttest control group design research design was adopted for the study. A pre-test was employed to assess the academic ability equivalence and homogeneity of the two groups, while post-testing was used to examine the effect of the 5Es inquiry model with instructional aids on the performance of pupils in mathematics non-routine problems. An independent sample t-test was employed to compare the values between the experimental and control groups to evaluate the data at an alpha level of 0.05. In addition, the effects 5Es inquiry-based approach on students’ mathematics non-routine problems was assessed based on gender. The results indicated that pupils taught using 5Es with teaching aids outperformed their counterparts taught using lecture method with teaching aids. Also, the results indicated that female learners perform better than male learners in mathematics non-routine problems. It is therefore recommended that when teaching pupils mathematics non-routine problems, 5Es supported with teaching aids should be adopted. A Teacher Made Test (TMT) was used to assess pupils’ knowledge on non-routine problems in mathematics.

Teachers need to possess appropriate pedagogical competencies to be successful in addressing the special needs of students in the classroom so as to ensure their accomplishment in education. This study investigated teachers’ pedagogical competencies applied to teaching learners with hearing difficulties in the Sekyere South District of Ghana. This study adopted the constructivist paradigm using the qualitative approach. The case study design was employed. In this case study, 16 teachers were purposively sampled, and data were collected from them using a self-constructed interview guide. The instrument was pre-tested to provide experiences and opportunities to engage in critical reflection with regards to the interview schedule. The pre-test also gave a fair idea of the responses to be obtained from the field. All the participants were individually interviewed and their responses were analysed using themes that were generated from the data. Results of the study revealed that although teachers used cooperation, elaboration and motivational strategies to teach learners with hearing difficulties, they did not use other equally good strategies such as storytelling, think-pair-share and demonstration. Additionally, the teachers indicated that they required differentiated and constructivist pedagogies in order to teach learners with hearing difficulties effectively in mainstream schools. Authorities in Universities and Colleges of Education should run programs to educate teachers to be competent in differentiated and constructivist pedagogies to enable effective teaching and learning. Finally, teachers should continuously ensure that there is proper seating arrangement and positive teacher-learner relationship in the classroom to promote a good classroom environment.

The study examined consumers’ Awareness in food hygiene and food borne diseases in Koforidua in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The research design for the study was a descriptive survey. The population of the study consists of one hundred (100) consumers. Convenience sampling technique was used to select seventy (70) consumers from the licensed food vendors and thirty (30) consumers from the unlicensed food vendors. Questionnaire was the main instrument for the study. The questionnaire had both open ended and close ended questions was on the consumers’ knowledge and perceptions on food borne diseases and the safety of foods. Data gathered checked, edited, coded, processed and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17. The study concluded that the consumers of vended foods have some knowledge of food hygiene and food borne diseases; however, they ignore the health hazards associated with poor food handling by food vendors and go ahead to patronize the food the vendors provide. The study also indicated consumers patronized street foods because prices were moderate as compared to the formal establishments and ignore the unhygienic conditions at the vending sites. The correlation analysis shows further that consumers patronage (r=-0.095) had negative and non-significant relationship with food handling practices. It is recommended that Consumers of vended foods should be educated to help improve upon their knowledge in food hygiene and food borne diseases to enable them make informed choices and also prompt regulatory bodies such as the environmental health officers on unacceptable food handling practices of food vendors. It is also recommended The Metropolitan/Municipal/District environmental health officers should ensure that inspection of street food vendors are carried out effectively, efficiently and regularly so as to monitor the food handling practices of the food vendors’ right from the time of preparation to the point of sale.

This ethnographic study investigated the linguistic landscape of Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti region of Ghana in West Africa. The paper looks into the languages used on the writings on stores on the streets, the mode of writing either with paint or stickers, the size of the writings and the colours used for that. Data collected for this study were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods.  Primarily, the data was from the public writings on stores which is a bottom-up approach. The results proved that the local Asante vernacular were highly represented as compared to the English language. English has a substantial impact on the Kumasi landscape confirming its status as; English is more of an index of globalization than a means of communication.  The use of multiple scripts was another dimension of this diversity and this study addressed it. In some cases, there were a combination of different languages represented on the same store. The languages were only the vernacular that’s the Twi and the Standard English language.

This action research was carried out with the purpose of using a Cooperative Learning strategy to improve the achievement of Form Two students of Eguafo-Abrem Senior High School, Abrem Agona, in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem municipal, in the central region of Ghana on some selected Core Mathematics topics and to investigate whether or not Cooperative Learning positively affects higher achieving students. It targeted a sample of 52 students who were divided into control (N=26) and experimental (N=26) group. The Student Team Achievement Division was employed on the experimental group for 8 weeks to achieve the purpose of the study. Quantitative data was gathered using questionnaires and tests. Paired sample t-test was run to compare the effect of the intervention on achievement scores of the experimental group. The results showed that there was a significant difference between scores of the experimental group before and after intervention (p=.000). The results concluded that cooperative learning strategy had a positive effect on academic achievement and interest of students in Core Mathematics at the Senior High School level irrespective of students’ achievement level and has no negative effect on high achievers. The STAD Cooperative Learning strategy is recommended over the conventional technique which could be attributed to the fact that it makes students develop more positive attitudes towards themselves, peers, adults, and learning in general. Cooperative Learning should be highly encouraged in schools that have the majority of their students being day students. In situations in which it is not suitable to implement Cooperative Learning in class, teachers can assign these tasks as group projects or take-home assignments for the students and this must be regular. Time is essential particularly in the early stages where students are now being introduced to the strategy, for this reason, teachers are therefore encouraged to sensitize the students before and during the intervention process.

This research aims to examine the language used by the commuter bus conductors and passengers moving to and from Kejetia bus terminal in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana. This research basically focuses on sociolinguistics approach. The source of the data is purely the utterances of the bus conductors and the passengers on board in the commuter buses. Observation and recording were used as the data collection instruments in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data gathered. The study found Asante Twi dialect as the most dominant language choice of the majority of the sampled population (passengers and drivers' mates). The use of unmarked code switching in conversational discourse was not uncommon among participants. Finally, the study found English language to be the second most dominant language choice in the participants' verbal discourse. The implication is that apart from Akan language, all the other seven languages stand the risk of experiencing language shift leading to eventual language death should the ethnic groups concerned fail to maintain their languages.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors contributing to domestic violence in Koforidua in the New Juaben Municipality of Ghana. The population of the study consisted of 340 men selected from four communities in Koforidua. Purposive sampling technique 4 communities. Using the Krejcie and Morgan table, a sample size of 340 men were selected which is appropriate for a population of 3428 with an alpha level of 5 percent in a quantitative study. The selection was based on the fact that these communities registered the highest cases of domestic violence in the Municipality. The main instrument used for the study was structured questionnaire. Data analysed using SPSS (Statistical Product for Service Solution, version 20). Statistical tools such as frequency distribution tables, percentages, charts and cross tabulation was used. The frequency tables were used to give the summary of the data for easy understanding and comparison. The study revealed that men perceive that factors like show of power, exposure to domestic violence, poor communication in marriage, unemployment and poverty, control of women through discipline and women’s low academic achievement are the triggers of domestic violence in a marital relationship. The study recommended that effort ought to be put in place to unravel the mystery surrounding male supremacy over women at both institutional and community levels by DOVVSU, Gender Advocacy Groups and other institutions to benefit humanity and society at large.

The research looked at the relevance of the indigenous African educated woman in contemporary African society: A case of Chimamanda Adeche's Purple Hibiscus. The purpose of the study was to use Adeche's Purple Hibiscus to showcase the position of the educated indigenous African educated woman in contemporary Africa. A qualitative approach was employed to look at views related to the indigenous African woman and her means of asserting herself through education and also adopted the traditional library research approach through the use of books, articles, journals and publications in as much as they contribute to the worth of the study. It was informed by the Feminist theory. The main findings of the study indicate that there have been positive changes in the roles of women over the years. This change has come about as a result of women's quest to assert themselves through education and contribute towards freeing their families from cultural and societal dogmas in which women were treated to subjugation and marginalization. A remarkable observation was the intentionality of ascribing to female characters more respectable roles in novels by various writers as the years go by. A conclusion drawn from the study is that education is still a major weapon of enhancing assertiveness in women but it is not the ultimate.