Assessing the pedagogical content knowledge of social studies teachers and the realisation of social studies objectives in senior high schools in the Accra metropolis

Abstract

The study sought to provide an assessment of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of social studies teachers and the realization of its objectives in Senior High Schools in the Accra Metropolis. The thesis was necessary because studies have indicated that there are teachers with insufficient PCK teaching social studies, thus affecting the realization of the objectives of the subject. This thesis used questionnaires, interviews and observation guide to assess the Pedagogical Content Knowledge of social studies teachers and the realization of its objectives in Senior High Schools in the Accra Metropolis. The purposive and convenience sampling technique were used to select a sample size of eighty-six teachers to respond to the questionnaire and nine and seven teachers were selected for the interviews and observation respectively. A- twenty-item questionnaire, nine – item interview guide and twenty-two detailed observation guides were used in the collection of data for the study. The study focused on the teachers’ conception of social studies, teachers’ understanding of the goal and objectives of social studies, teachers’ professional background and experiences and teachers’ understanding and use of the techniques employed in the teaching of Social Studies in the Senior High School. The results from the study showed that large numbers of teachers met the minimum academic requirement needed to teach social studies at the Senior High School level in Ghana as it was established from the study that teachers had B. Ed/BA Social Studies, but they perceive the meaning of social studies differently due to how they were trained. Teaching of Social Studies was mostly done by the use of discussion, lecture technique, brainstorming and questioning and answering techniques without paying attention on the other techniques, such as field trips, project work, and role playing of teaching Social Studies. The study recommended that deployment of social studies teachers by GES to various Senior High Schools should be done with high recourse to those who possess the required Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Social Studies. And the social studies training programme run by University of Education, Winneba and the University of Cape Coast should be harmonized to give the subject an identical meaning and focus in achieving its objectives.