Abstract:
This study investigates the utilization of community resources by Social Studies
teachers in assessing concepts within Senior High Schools in Ho Municipality, Volta
Region, Ghana. The research objectives include examining teachers' knowledge base
on community resources, analyzing integration practices, and assessing barriers faced
in deploying community resources. The study was carried out in Ho Municipality,
focusing on OLA Senior High School, Mawuli Senior High School, and Mawuko
Girls Senior High School. Adopting an interpretivism paradigm and qualitative
approach, the researcher explored the teachers' experiences in deploying community
resources. The target population consisted of Social Studies teachers in Senior High
Schools within the specified municipality. The study employed purposive sampling,
selecting 12 participants based on data saturation, ensuring a comprehensive
exploration of teachers' perspectives. Data was collected through semi-structured
interviews, revealing three key findings. First, teachers defined and identified
community resources, emphasizing their relevance and suitability for teaching Social
Studies. Second, the study highlighted various benefits, including curricular
enrichment, cognitive development, and social-cultural engagement. Lastly, barriers
were identified, including institutional policies, resource constraints, and resistance
from students or parents. The study concluded by emphasizing on the alignment of
teachers' practices with established theories such as constructivism and experiential
learning. Recommendations include the development of clear guidelines by
policymakers, ensuring adequate resources, and promoting awareness of the benefits
of community resource deployment. Social Studies teachers are encouraged to be
collaborative and respectful of community diversity, while future research should
explore different contexts, utilize diverse research designs, and focus on various
dimensions of community resource deployment in teaching Social Studies concepts.
Description:
A dissertation in the Department of Social Studies Education,
Faculty of Social Sciences Education, submitted to the school of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the award of the Degree of
Master of Education
(Social Studies Education)
in the University of Education, Winneba
