Mentees’ social studies curriculum conceptions and their classroom practices in the junior high schools (JHSS) in Ghana

Abstract

Researching on Colleges of Education (CoE) final year teacher-trainees’ (mentees) Social Studies curriculum conceptions and their classroom practices in the Junior High Schools (JHS) in Ghana has become indispensable since the subject introduced solely to right the wrong in society is taught mostly by diploma teachers from the country’s thirty-eight public Colleges of Education. Qualitatively, interpretative research technique was carefully chosen for this study. Non-probability sampling method was used. Classroom observation and interview outcomes of teacher-trainees were triangulated for consistency. Ratings of the observation were put into weighted average. The study revealed that School Based Assessment (SBA) was essentially not focused on attitudes and values; that is, affective skills development. Assessments were of mainly lower level of understanding like knowledge and comprehension. For the teaching of social studies to makeover, it is recommended that Social Studies tutors of CoE should hold it a duty to help students have better, more realistic ideas about the multiple realities of what constitutes Social Studies in the real world since they (teachers) influence what is taught.