Implementation of the social studies programme in teacher training colleges in Ghana: An evaluation

Abstract

This is an evaluative study of the implementation of the programme of instruction developed for social studies in the teacher training colleges (TTCs) of Ghana. Data obtained through interviews with principals, questionnaires administered to and discussions held with tutors and students as well as field observation have been combined with material from documentary sources. A conceptual framework put forward for the project emphasizes an ‘illumino-process’ evaluation of a curriculum which is implemented from fidelity and adaptation perspectives as opposed to approaches which, in tune with the dominant conventional evaluation model, stress the extent of achievement of objectives in assessing the worth of an instructional programme. The study gives background information on the historical development of social studies as a subject in the Ghanaian school system; provides some perspectives on the nature of social studies; and conceptualizes implementation evaluation. From this review, the curricular and pedagogical requirements implied in the nature of the TTC social studies programme are isolated and combined with the recommendations by the designers of the programme to serve as the criteria for evaluating the process of implementation. There is strong evidence to suggest that the characteristics of the social studies programme were fairly clear to both tutors and students and that they regarded all the components of the programme as important. Data also shows, conclusively, that the principals, tutors and students involved in the study had favourable attitudes toward the teaching of social studies in the TTCs. However, the professional and academic backgrounds of the tutors were not found to be supportive of the implementation of the programme. Consequently, some important methods recommended for teaching social studies were rarely used by the tutors. The implementation was also found to be hindered by non-availability and/or inadequacy of requisite instructional resources and facilities as well as insufficiency of time allotted to teaching the subject. The study demonstrates that most of the problems that besetted the implementation of the programme had their roots in inadequate pre-implementation preparations. There is therefore a need to take care of this deficiency in future implementation of curricula.