Social studies teachers’ competence in teaching and assessing learning outcomes in the affective domain in new Juaben Municipal Senior High Schools

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the competence of Social Studies teachers of senior high schools in New Juaben Municipality in Eastern Region of Ghana in teaching and assessing the affective domain. A census of 55 teachers was taken from eight public senior high schools in New Juaben Municipality. A 32-item questionnaire was used to collect data from these social studies teachers. Areas examined included teachers’ competence in formulating affective objectives, the extent to which teachers exhibit skills in teaching to achieve affective learning outcomes, differences that teaching experience make in teaching the affective domain as well as the techniques teachers employ in assessing affective learning outcomes. The results show that a large number of social studies teachers were not abreast of the formulation of the affective objectives. The teachersignored the affective domain entirely due to the fact that WAEC does not assess it in any way. The study also revealed that teachers lacked the skills in teaching to achieve the affective learning outcomes. They gave reasons that character, values and attitudes are difficult to transform. The study also showed that social studies teachers never used any technique for assessing affective learning outcomes. It is recommended that inservice training course is organised for the teachers to equip them on the task.The coordinators for second cycle teachers should monitor social studies teachers in teaching affective domain. The training institution should also strengthen the teaching of the use of techniques for assessing the affective domain.