The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Acquisition Of Agricultural Knowledge And Skills In Senior High Schools In The Volta Region

Abstract

Agricultural knowledge and skills acquired by Agricultural science students in Senior High Schools in Ghana is very crucial in developing the career pathways of students after successful completion of their course of study. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of Project-Based learning on acquisition of Agricultural knowledge and skills in Senior High Schools in the Volta Region. Using multi-stage sampling techniques such as purposive and stratified random sampling techniques, 150 final year students offering Agriculture courses and 12 of their teachers were selected from three Public schools in the Volta Region. Non-experimental descriptive survey design was used and the data collected were analysed using Statistical package for social sciences version 18. Two separate sets of questionnaires were constructed for students and teachers respectively to complete them from which data were collected. The study revealed that both Traditional teaching methods and Project-based learning methods indicated positive correlation and significant relationships with crop production related knowledge (r=0.284.,p<0.01) and (r=0.334.,p<0.01) respectively at the 0.01 levels perceived to be acquired by students during instructions. Again, both Traditional teaching methods and Project-based learning methods had positive correlation and significant relationship with knowledge in livestock production(r=0.219.,p<0.05) and (r=0.245.,p<0.05) respectively and again, both had positive correlation and significant relationship with knowledge in farm management (r=0.163.,p<0.05) and (r=0.215.,p<0.05) respectively and all the 0.05 significant levels. But in all the cases, Project-based learning methods had stronger relationships with knowledge in livestock production and knowledge in farm management than Traditional teaching methods respectively. Therefore, Project-based learning methods is highly recommended to be used to teach Agricultural science subjects that would result in acquisition of more Agricultural knowledge. The study also revealed that Project-Based learning methods in Agriculture in Senior High Schools had more positive impact on student’s Agricultural skills than Traditional teaching methods. Project-Based learning methods had higher positive and significant relationship with crop production skills (r=0.322., p<0.01), farm management skills (r=0.204., p<0.05) at 0.01 and 0.05 alpha levels respectively than Traditional teaching methods with crop production skills (r=0.286., p<0.01), Farm management skills (r=0.174., p<0.05). Again the Project-Based learning methods had positive relationship with animal production skills (r=0.015) while Traditional teaching methods had negative relationship with animal production skills (r=-0.011). It is concluded that Project-Based learning methods had more positive impact on acquisition of Agricultural knowledge and skills than Traditional teaching methods including the lecture method. If Project-Based learning is to make more meaningful impact in society in job creation, then the Government, Parents, Community organizations and Development agencies should play their respective roles in promoting Agricultural Education in Ghana.