Assessment of school-based drivers influencing teaching and learning of social studies in Senior High Schools in the Akuapem South and Akuapem North Districts of the Eastern Region

Abstract

Chief Examiners‘ WASSCE annual reports on Social Studies largely attribute candidates‘ abysmal performance to lack of knowledge of the subject matter and inability to establish the nexus between concepts as well as inadequate preparation. Consequently, candidates‘ performance in the subject are comparatively low to what is regarded as the norms of Standard Performance. Hence, the main objective of this study was to assess school-based drivers influencing teaching and learning of Social Studies in the SHSs in the Akuapem South and Akuapem North Districts of the Eastern Region. The study adopted school-based cross-sectional survey using descriptive correlational research design. Data was collected from 261 final year students from five SHSs and 33 social studies teachers using structured questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS Version 24. Descriptive statistics (mean, SD) was conducted to summarise the data and t-test was applied to establish if there is a statistically significant difference in the views of students and teachers on the schoolbased drivers and effective teaching and learning of social studies. The study revealed that the key school-based drivers influencing the teaching and learning of social studies in the districts relate to classroom environment; lack of management supports in terms of resource provision for practical lessons, lack of supportive physical environment such as large class size = 32.881, mean difference = 6.2422, p<0.05)- thus preventing teachers from engaging students in practical work and individualising their assignments (t-statistics=37.563, mean difference= 3.0920, p<0.05); and teachers inability to use diagnostics assessment tools to unraveled students difficulties and support them. The conclusion is that, the key drivers influencing effective teaching and learning of social studies are school-based and policy driven. The study therefore recommends that the government should support the teaching of the subject through provision of adequate resources. Again, the student-teacher ratio should be reduced.