Social Studies Teachers’ Instructional Techniques Knowledge and Its Impact on Learners’ Attitudes, Values and Skills in Senior High Schools in the North East Region of Ghana

Abstract

This study set out to examine how Social Studies teachers knowledge of instructional techniques in Senior High Schools impact on the attitudes, values, and skills of learners. To achieve this, interview guides and questionnaires were designed and employed to elicit the views of respondents. For this research, 54 Social Studies teachers were involved. The simple random, cluster, and convenient sampling techniques were employed to select the respondents for the research. Frequency counts and percentages were employed as statistical tools for analyzing the questionnaire data gathered, and the data from the interview guide was transcribed, categorized, analyzed, and discussed based on themes and research questions. The findings revealed that most teachers of Social Studies in Senior High Schools in Ghana are not teaching to develop attitudes, values, and skills of learners. Majority of Social Studies teachers in Senior High Schools are not familiar with instructional techniques such as project work, simulations and games, problem-solving, demonstrations, among others. Based on the findings, it was recommended that there should be courses on Social Studies instructional pedagogy to develop teachers' knowledge about instructional techniques of the subject to enhance effective teaching.

Keywords: Social Studies, Instructional Techniques Knowledge, Instructional Techniques Knowledge Impact, Senior High Schools.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/10-22-02

Publication date: November 30^th 2020