The Attitude of Students towards the Teaching and Learning of Social Studies Concepts in Colleges of Education in Ghana

Abstract

The study was structured within the framework of descriptive survey.  Two hundred second year students drawn from four Colleges of Education constituted the sample. The simple random sampling technique was used to select fifty second year students from each of the four sampled colleges.

The instrument of data collection was the questionnaire.  Ten items designed on a four-point Likert scale were used to collect data on research question 1.  For research question 2, respondents were required to list some factors that facilitated, as well as those that hindered the teaching and learning of social studies.

The study revealed that the college students had a positive attitude towards the teaching and learning of social studies.  Factors such as the provision of instructional materials, including computers, and the use of resource persons enhanced the teaching, learning and internationalization of concepts.  It also came to light that the attitude of students towards the learning of social studies, lack of funds to organize fieldtrips and lack of well equipped libraries and social studies resource rooms hampered the effective teaching and learning of concepts in social studies.

Key-Words: Attitudes. Social Studies. Social Studies Concepts. Teaching and Learning of Social Studies.