Department of Teacher Education
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Item Analysis of study skills employed by Ghanaian high school science students(Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 2020) Aboagye, G.K.; Amponsah, K.D.; Johnson, E.A.This study was motivated by the desire to explore the study skills employed by science students in senior high schools (SHS) in the Cape Coast metropolis across the Central Region of Ghana. A total of 600 SHS second-year science students, 354 males, and 244 females, took part in the investigation. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The “Study Skills Scale” the questionnaire was utilized for data collection to determine the kind of study skills employed by the science students, across gender, age range, and school type. The arithmetic mean was used to establish the degree to which students employ study skills strategies in their learning. Similarly, the consequence of gender, age range, and school type on the eight subscales of study skills strategies was determined using a one-way multivariate examination of variance. Findings from the investigation indicated that SHS science learners employ study skills strategies in their learning to a large extent for all the subscales of study skills strategies. However, female students employ the memory and concentration study skills strategies more effectively than their male counterparts; demographic variables, such as age range and school type, do not influence students’ study skills significantly. The implications of this study for policy and practice were discussed.Item Childrearing, motherhood and fatherhood in Ghana(Parenting Across Cultures, 2014-09) Nyarko, K.This study examines childrearing practices, motherhood, and fatherhood in Ghana. It looks at the contextual background of the country, ethnic groupings, family systems and childrearing practices, and the patrilineal and matrilineal systems. The evidence shows that mothers are oriented towards the permissive style of parenting, whereas fathers use an authoritarian style. However, it further shows that some mothers and fathers use an authoritative parenting style. The study also revealed that some parents accept corporal punishment as a method of disciplining children, while others frowned on its usage. The study underscores the importance of situating parenting within one’s culture.Item A comparison of DIF detection and effect size measures among Mantel-Haenzel, SIBTEST, and Logistic regression using a science test data(frican Journal of Science and Research, 2015-02) Butakor, P.K.The Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when individuals of the same a bility level from separate groups have different probability of answering an item correctly. This study was conducted in two parts: in the first part a real science test data was analyzed and the consistencies among the three DIF detection procedures were examined and in the second part, simulated data for a short test was used in comparing the consistencies among the procedures. In the first part, students’ response data from a large-scale science achievement test were analyzed for gender DIF. A sample of 2600 (1500 males and 1100 females) was randomly selected for this study. The Science test consisted of 49 items. DIF statistical analyses were conducted on the data using MH, SIBTEST, and LR. All test statistics were interpreted at an alpha-level of 0.05. For SIBTEST, the guideline developed by Roussos and Stout (1996) was employed. The study suggests that the different procedures provided consistent estimates on the magnitude and direction of DIF and thus supports the recommendation that multiple DIF detec tion procedures should be used in real testing situation to reduce the uncertainty associated with the analysis interpretation of empirical testing data.Item Constructivism in Mathematics Classrooms: Listening to Ghanaian Teachers’ and Students’ Views(Africa Education Review, 2018-04) Ampadu, E.; Danso, A.One of the challenges of implementing a new curriculum is how to bridge the gap between the underlining principles of the curriculum and the cultural and social orientations of the society which includes teachers and students. This article reports on a study that explored how the cultural and social orientations of teachers and students can influence the implementation of a constructivist curriculum in mathematics classrooms. The data for the study came from 250 students and 41 mathematics teachers, using questionnaires, observations, and interviews. The results showed that inasmuch as mathematics teachers and their students acknowledge the importance of student’s active participation and teamwork, these practices have not been fully conceptualised into the Ghanaian mathematics classroom due to some cultural factors. Two main cultural factors were discovered from the analyses of the results. Firstly, the culture of acknowledging only correct answers in class has a negative impact on individual students’ confidence and participation during mathematics lessons. Also, the culture of teamwork is not fully accepted within Ghanaian classrooms as most students find it difficult working in groups and accepting and appreciating each other’s view. It was evident in all lessons that students were ridiculed by their peers when they provide a wrong answer to a question and this affected individual students’ participation in the classroom. Therefore, we suggested that teachers should be pro-active in promoting a classroom environment which is free from fear and intimidation to motivate students to be actively involved in the classroom discourse.Item Corporal punishment in the schools of Ghana: Does inclusive education suffer?(Australian Educational Researcher, 2006-12) Agbenyega, J.S.This paper reports on a study that compared the practice of corporal punishment in ten basic schools in the Greater Accra District in Ghana. Five of the ten schools were designated as inclusive project schools (IPS) and the other five as non-inclusive project schools (NIS). The primary purpose was to find out if the inclusive project schools were more effective in eradicating corporal punishment from their schools than were the non-project schools. One hundred teachers responded to a six-item questionnaire. A further 22 participants comprising ten teachers from the survey group, ten pupils and two directors of education were interviewed. Observation of the classroom practices, where these teachers work, substantiated the questionnaire and interview findings. The overall results indicated that corporal punishment still persists in both school sites at relatively the same scale. Three themes were found to underpin the administration of corporal punishment to students in these schools. (1) Punishment as an effective learning imperative (2) Punishment as a moral imperative (3) Punishment as religious imperative. The implications of these findings pertaining to inclusive education are discussed.Item COVID-19 and tertiary students’ knowledge, usage and challenges of using online learning platforms(Cogent Education, 2022) Yeboah, R.The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in most universities engaging in emergency online learning, which they were not adequately prepared for. The emergency nature of the learning process raises questions on how students are able to effectively engage in the process. This study explored undergraduate students from the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Ghana’s knowledge, usage and challenges of using online learning platforms during the 2019 2020 is the second semester of the academic year. The students had to complete all courses online in the middle of the semester because of the pandemic. Five hundred and thirty-eight (538) students participated in the study; a survey was used to collect data from the students. Descriptive statistics (percentages and frequencies) and inferential statistics (t-test) were used to analyse the data. The results show that not all students who took part in online learning knew about online learning platforms, indicating that students were not given the needed training before all courses were migrated to be taught online. Almost half (45%) of the students were not engaged in online platforms for learning before COVID-19, indicating engaging Online learning was a very new experience for many of the students. As a result, some students were not able to use and engage in the online platforms and a lot of them indicated they were not comfortable learning online. Access to internet data (61%), stable electricity (54%), technological equipment (47%), internet connectivity problems (77%) and geographical location (47%) did not allow some students to participate well in online learning.Item The effect of child abuse on children’s psychological health(Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 2014-07) Nyarko, K.; Amissah, C.M.; Addai, P.; Dedzo, B.Q.The study examines the impact of child abuse on children’s psychological health. Child abuse was defined as physical and psychological abuses against children whilst psychological health was defined in relation to children’s self-esteem, depression, and anxiety. 109 children were purposively sampled to partake in the study. The sample consisted of both males (n = 68) and females (n = 41) from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, whose ages were from 9 to 18 years. The research design used was a survey, and the independent samples t-test was used to analyze the data. Some of the participants have histories of abusive treatment (n=57) whilst others were without any such history (n=68). Among those who had suffered abusive treatment, 36 suffered physical abuse and 21 suffered psychological abuse. Standardized measures were used to rate each participant’s level of depression and anxiety. The analyses of the data show that both physical and psychological abuses lead to a significant increase in children’s depression and anxiety. These findings are discussed with reference to existing psychological literature and theories.Item The effect of corporal punishment and math anxiety on math performance among junior high school students in Ghana(IFE PsychologIA: An International Journal, 2013-09) Nyarko, K.; Kwarteng, A.B.; Akakpo, G.M.; Boateng, R.; Adjekum, N.The study investigates the effect of corporal punishment and math anxiety on math performance at the Virgo Preparatory School in Adabraka, Ghana. Thirty four (34) participants were pre-tested and post-tested using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for elementary school students. Analysis of the results shows that there is no difference in math performance between students who receive corporal punishment and those who are reinforced as well as those who receive neither reinforcement nor corporal punishment. Finally, no significant negative correlation was found between math anxiety and math performance; however, females were found to be more anxious of maths than males. The implications of the findings are discussed.Item The Elite, Elitism, and Ensuing Conversations in Ghana’s Higher Education: Myth or Reality?(Journal of Black Studies, 2019-11-11) Amuzu, D.Contemporary higher education in Ghana and many parts of Africa has European colonial antecedents. In spite of the many goals that it aspired to achieve, a preoccupation was to nurture an elite group. Though widely used, the concept of elite and elitism is vague and hardly conceptualized. It hoovers from status—occupants of the apex or top echelons of an organization/society, to consumption—people with immense wealth. Influence, on the other hand, seems to be a common denominator in both cases. But, does this capture the scope of the phenomenon? This article engages people who have worked in different capacities in Ghana’s higher education space to examine the deeper meanings that could be embedded in elitism, elicits conceptualizations of elitism, and further finds out how elitist higher education is in Ghana. Ultimately, the article intends to initiate a conversation on whether indeed there are elites being produced from the university system. This study was done with reference to an empirical study on decolonizing higher education in GhanaItem Examining Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Government Of Ghana’s Wi-Fi Technology Program On Teaching Practices: An Empirical Study From The Senior High Schools In The Cape Coast Metropolis(Cogent Education, 2024) Asomah, R.K.; Amponsah, K.D.; Agyei, D.D.; et al.The study discusses the impact of a nationwide deployment of Wi-Fi technology in some Senior High Technical Vocational Schools (SHTVs) in Ghana, using the first four levels of Guskey’s framework. A stratified sampling approach was used to select 119 teachers as participants in the study. An embedded mixed-methods research design was employed to collect data using a questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended items. The findings revealed that the deployment of Wi-Fi technology impacted positively on the teachers’ learning experiences and was positively perceived by the teachers in facilitating teaching and learning practices. However, the study also revealed some deficits in reliability, trust, and connectivity associated with the Wi-Fi technology, highlighting the need to explore factors that maximize the output of technological initiatives. The study identifies the school’s organization and the teachers’ learning experiences as two key predictors of maximizing the use of Wi-Fi technology in educational establishments. The study recommends equipping teachers with the requisite competencies in the use of Wi-Fi technologies through professional development programs, training, and the enactment of ICT curriculum-based policies in schools. These policies and support will promote and enhance the effectiveness of of Wi-Fi technology among teachers, enabling them to shift from traditional to more technologically inclined, student-centred learning.Item Exploring postcolonial relationships within policy transfer: the case of learner-centred pedagogy in Ghana(Comparative Education, 2023) Sakata, N.; Okrah, A.K.; Yates, C.; Edjah, H.Framed by Homi Bhabha’s concepts of hybridity and the third space. of enunciation, This study explores postcolonial relationships conceivably enacted through policy borrowing processes of learner-centred pedagogy (LCP) in Ghana. Nine Ghanaian and nine foreign stakeholders were interviewed. Conscious of the power imbalance implicit in traditional aid, the case project attempted to challenge the asymmetrical power relationships by allocating policy leadership and responsibility to Ghanaian stakeholders. However, the third space of enunciation created within the project, it did not seem to lead to a hybridization of pedagogical ideas: while it was the Ghanaians themselves who promoted LCP within the project, the conceptual basis of the reform was dependent on knowledge and experiences, which they gained in the West. This article concludes that the postcolonial turn through hybridization of indigenous and Western pedagogies was not observed, although hybridity may happen in the process of actualizing LCP at school and in the classroom levels.Item Exploring postcolonial relationships within policy transfer: the case of learner-centred pedagogy in Ghana(Comparative Education, 2023) Sakata, N.; Yates, C.; Okrah, A.K.; et al.Framed by Homi Bhabha’s concepts of hybridity and the third space. of enunciation, this study explores postcolonial relationships conceivably enacted through policy borrowing processes of learner-centred pedagogy (LCP) in Ghana. Nine Ghanaian and Nine foreign stakeholders were interviewed. Conscious of the power imbalance implicit in traditional aid, the case project attempted to challenge the asymmetrical power relationships by allocating policy leadership and responsibility to Ghanaian stakeholders. However, the third space of enunciation created within the project, it did not seem to lead to a hybridization of pedagogical ideas: while it was the Ghanaians themselves who promoted LCP within the project, the conceptual basis of the reform was dependent on knowledge and experiences, which they gained in the West. This article concludes that the postcolonial turn through hybridization of indigenous and Western pedagogies was not observed, although hybridity may happen in the process of actualizing LCP at school and in the classroom levels.Item Game-based learning in Ghanaian primary schools: listening to the views of teachers(International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 2023) Yeboah, R.; Amponsah, K.D.; Mintah, P.C.; Sedofia, J.; Donkor, P.B.K.This research explores how primary school teachers use games to enhance pupils’ learning and development of conceptual knowledge. The study employs an illustrative case study design; data was collected through interviews with thirty (30) teachers who were selected using purposive sampling technique. Twenty teachers had some knowledge of game-based learning, ten teachers, however, did not know anything about the concept game-based learning. The results show that the use of non-digital games of different kinds to engage pupils is common in the learning of Maths, English, and Science. Teachers ascribed positively that the integration of game-based learning motivates pupils to come to school, actively engages them in the learning process, helps pupils to easily assimilate lesson contents, makes lessons lively and fun, and builds collaborative skills amongst pupils. Inadequate resources, noisy classes, time constraints, large class sizes, the reluctance of some pupils to participate, and inadequate knowledge are challenges reported by the teachers.Item Ghanaian Students in TIMSS 2011: Relationship between Contextual Factors and Mathematics Performance(African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 2017-09) Butakor, P.K.; Ampadu, E.; Cole, Y.Educational effectiveness research has witnessed some growth in the last three decades because the current era of global competitiveness compels each country to train and equip its citizens with knowledge and skills that would make them successful. Researchers from different countries are investigating factors across various levels within the school system that affect students’ learning outcomes and social development. This study applies a multilevel modelling technique (Hierarchical Linear Modeling) on the TIMSS 2011 mathematics data of the Ghanaian Grade 8 students to examine which student-, classroom/teacher- and school-level variables contributed significantly to the performance of Ghanaian students in mathematics. The results indicated that the education system in Ghana is similar to other education systems where the students’ academic achievement is correlated with a set of students, classroom/teacher and school characteristics. However, unlike other educational systems, the findings of the current study suggested that the difference in students’ achievement in mathematics is mainly due to school factors. It was concluded that the poor performance of Ghanaian students in mathematics is at least partially attributable to inadequate preparation of teachers, emphasis on lower rather than higher thinking skills, inconsistent use of homework, failure to engage students in their learning, lack of progress of girls, lack of students’ interest and confidence in mathematics and students’ lower educational aspiration.Item Hierarchical Linear Modeling of the relationship between Attitudinal and Instructional Variables and Mathematics Achievement(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION METHODOLOGY, 2016-05) Butakor, P.K.Students’ achievement in mathematics is often considered necessary for the success of the future of a country. Therefore, the training and preparation of students to do well in mathematics has become fundamental goal of educat ion for most countries and more specifically in Ghana. Applying Hierarchical Linear Modeling on the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 data, the relationship between attitudinal and instructional variables and mathematics achievement among Ghana’s grade eight students was examined. Prior to the analyses, exploratory factor analyses were conducted for clusters of similar items to reduce the number of predictor variables. The results indicate that student’s gender, educational aspirations, self-confidence in mathematics, value for mathematics, and frequent use of some instructional variables were significant positive predictors at Level 1. Whiles amount of homework, years of teaching, major area of study were significant positive predictors, teaching license or certificate was a significant negative predictor at Level 2Item The home environment as a predictor of mathematics achievement in Ghana(International Journal, 2017-01) Butakor, P.K.; Nyarko, K.This paper examined the significant role of the learner’s home environment in Ghanaian grade 8 students’ performance in mathematics in the 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Applying multiple linear regression analyses on the TIMSS 2007 data from Ghana revealed a positive association between father’s educational level, watching of TV or videos regularly at home, reading books for enjoyment at home regularly, and doing homework regularly at home and mathematics achievement. On the contrary, a negative relationship was found between mathematics achievement and the number of books at home, home possessions, and the playing of computer games at home regularly. The paper concluded with the recommendation that the learner’s home background should be considered when designing policies and interventions aimed at improving students’ mathematics performance.Item Illness perception, religiosity and mental health of diabetic patients in Ghana(Am J App Psychol, 2014-02) Nyarko, K.; Kugbey, N.; Atindanbila, S.This study examines the influence of diabetic patients’ perception of their illness and their levels of religiosity on their mental health problems. A sample of 194 diabetic patients was drawn from two major hospitals (Korle-Bu Teaching and Tema General Hospitals) in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The cross-sectional survey method was used as the study design. Results from Pearson correlation show that the diabetic patients’ level of religiosity did not significantly correlate with their mental health problems. However, illness perception correlates significantly and positively with their general mental health problem (GSI) and specific ones such as somatization, obsessive-compulsion, depression, anxiety and psychoticism. Multiple regression analyses show that level of general mental health problem (GSI) was significantly predicted by perception of illness Coherence followed by perceptions Symptoms and Concern. Similarly, perception of coherence was the most significant predictor of both depression and anxiety among diabetic patients. The implications of the findings are discussed.Item Influence of childhood attachment on adolescents’ interpersonal relationship and self-esteem among undergraduate students of the University of Ghana(British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 2014-11) Nyarko, K.; Addai, P.; Amissah, C.M.Childhood insecurities may affect a wide range of personality development such as interpersonal relationship and self-esteem during adolescence. The present study explores the effect of childhood attachment on adolescents’ interpersonal relationship and self-esteem among undergraduate students of the University of Ghana. The study also examines gender differences in interpersonal relationship and self-esteem. A total of two hundred undergraduate students from the University of Ghana were selected using convenient sampling to complete the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, the Perceived Interpersonal Relationship Scale (PIRS) and the Childhood Attachment Inventory (CAI). Data were analyzed using the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Results reveal that adolescents who have secured childhood attachment have good interpersonal relationship and higher level of self-esteem than adolescents who have unsecured attachment. There was however no gender differences found in adolescents interpersonal relationship and self-esteem. Based on the findings, it is recommended that parents assess how they relate with their children and not to inculcate trepidation in their children since these have the tendency to affect personality development during adulthood.Item The influence of motivation on the job satisfaction of Junior High School Teachers in Ghana(Journal of education and practice, 2014) Nyarko, K.; Twumwaa, D.A.; Adentwi, K.I.The study investigates the influence of motivation on the job satisfaction of teachers. The population of the study was Junior High School teachers in the Accra metropolis. The sample was drawn on two hundred Junior High school teachers in Accra with diverse socio-cultural backgrounds. A convenience sampling technique was used to select the teachers. The ages of the teachers range between twenty and sixty years and more than half of the teachers who participated in the study are trained teachers. As expected, the findings from the study indicate a positive correlation between teachers’ motivation and their job satisfaction. However, the study shows no significant difference in the level of satisfaction of teachers who are intrinsically motivated and those who are extrinsically motivated. Finally, the hypothesis that females will be more extrinsically motivated than males was not supported. The implications of the study are discussedItem The influence of peer and parent relationships on adolescents’ self-esteem(IFE PsychologIA, 2012-09) Nyarko, K.The study was conducted to find out how parental relationship with their adolecent children and adolescent-peer relationship affect the self-esteem of adolescents. The study was drawn on a sample of 100 adolescent students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The results did indicate contrary to expectation, a negative relationship between adolescent-peer relationship and their self-esteem. Surprisingly, no link was found between parent-adolescent relationship and the self-esteem of the adolescents. The implications of the study are discussed.