UNIVERSITY OF GHANA UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF TEACHERS’ QUALITY AND STUDENTS’ ACQUISITION OF QUALITY LEARNING AT THE BASIC SCHOOL LEVEL IN THE ACCRA METROPOLIS BY SANDRA AMA ADDICO (10754361) A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ORGANISATION AND HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF ART IN ORGANISATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE SEPTEMBER,2020 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh i DECLARATION I hereby certify that this dissertation constitutes my own work, that where the language of others is set forth, quotation marks so indicate, and that appropriate credit is given where I have used the language, ideas, expressions or writings of another. ……………………………………………. Date …………………………… SANDRA AMA ADDICO (10754361) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ii CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that this dissertation was supervised in accordance with the procedures laid down by the University. ……………………………………………. Date …………………………… DR. MOHAMMED-AMINU SANDA (SUPERVISOR ) University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iii DEDICATION This study is dedicated to my mother, Madam Florence Osei-Ampomah founder of The Flobar School, who has been my source of inspiration and strength to pursue my goals and provided me with the moral, spiritual and emotional support to complete this study University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank the Almighty God for His guidance and mercies bestowed on me throughout my course of study at the University of Ghana Business School. I am greatly indebted to my supervisor Dr. Aminu Sanda, a lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School for his efficient supervision. Without his helpful advice, critiques, corrections and suggestions, I would not have been able to complete this dissertation. My appreciation is also extended to my husband Group Captain Charles Addico (rtd) and family for their patience, encouragement and support. I am also thankful to Miss Sally Konadu Ayim who motivated me to pursue this study and my colleagues at The Flobar School for their immense contributions University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh v ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to provide an understanding as to how the inadequacy of quality trained teachers at the Junior High School Level in both public and private schools affects students’ acquisition of quality learning. Guided by literature on the dynamics of teachers’ quality and students’ acquisition of quality learning at the basic school, data was collected from forty-one basic school teachers in the Accra Metropolitan area using a self-administering questionnaire and analyzed descriptively. Based on the analysis, nine best practices that guided the success of quality trained teachers and contributed to students’ achievement were identified. These included: completion of formal training in a recognized educational institution and also being certified to teach, having positive behavior and knowledge of the curricular, knowledge and skills through teacher professional development, better disposition and understanding of the subject matter, pedagogical orientation and teachers decisiveness in the classroom. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the success of quality trained teachers was guided by nine best practices that range from teacher certification to teacher decisiveness in the classroom. It is recommended that these identified nine best practices be documented and further developed by policy makers to enhance the quality of teaching and learning at the Junior High School level in both private and public schools. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh vi TABLE OF CONTENT DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ i CERTIFICATION ..................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ......................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................................ iv ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................ vi LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Study Background ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 Profile of the organization ................................................................................................ 1 1.1.2 Organization’s vision and mission .................................................................................... 2 1.1.3 Objectives of the organization ........................................................................................ 2 1.2 Organization’s Basic Education Division ............................................................................ 3 1.3 Research Problem ............................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Research Purpose ................................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Research Question ............................................................................................................... 4 1.6 Research Objectives ............................................................................................................. 4 1.7 Significance of the Study ..................................................................................................... 5 1.8 Organization of the Study .................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................................... 6 LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Inadequacy of Quality Trained Teachers and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic School Level............................................................................................................... 6 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh vii CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................. 13 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................. 13 3.1 Research Design................................................................................................................. 13 3.2 Data Collection Method ..................................................................................................... 13 3.2.1. Data collection tool ........................................................................................................ 13 3.2.2 Data collection procedure ............................................................................................... 14 3.3 Data Analysis Method........................................................................................................ 14 3.4. Ethical Consideration ........................................................................................................ 14 CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................................... 15 RESULTS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................... 15 4.1 Analysis of Respondents’ Demography............................................................................. 15 4.1.1 Analysis of respondents’ gender ..................................................................................... 15 4.1.2 Analysis of respondents’ number of years in organization ............................................. 16 4.2 Analysis of Understanding the Dynamics of Teachers’ Quality and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic Level .................................................................................... 18 4.2.1 Analysis of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification ..................................................................... 18 4.2.2 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular ................................................................................. 20 4.2.3 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior ............................................................................................................... 21 4.2.4 Analysis of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students ............................. 23 4.2.5 Analysis of respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students ..................... 25 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh viii 4.2.6 Analysis of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students .............................................................................. 27 4.2.7 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter .......................................................... 28 4.2.8 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation ............................................................................. 30 4.2.9 Analysis of respondents’ perception t perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom ............................................................. 31 CHAPTER FIVE ..................................................................................................................... 33 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ................................................ 33 5.2 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 34 5.3. Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 34 REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................ 36 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 37 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ix LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Distribution of respondents’ gender .......................................................................... 15 Table 2: Distribution of number of years respondents worked in organization ...................... 16 Table 3: Distribution of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification. .................................................. 18 Table 4: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular. ....................................................... 20 Table 5: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior. ..................................................................................... 21 Table 6: Distribution of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students. ............................................................................................................................ 23 Table 7: Distribution respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. ............. 25 Table 8: Distribution of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. ....................................................... 27 Table 9: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. .................................. 28 Table 10: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. ..................................................... 30 Table 11: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. ..................................................... 31 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh x LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Distribution of respondents' gender .......................................................................... 16 Figure 2: Distribution of number of years respondents worked in organization ..................... 17 Figure 3: Distribution : Distribution of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification. ......................... 19 Figure 4: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular.. ...................................................... 20 Figure 5: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior. ..................................................................................... 22 Figure 6: Distribution of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students. ............................................................................................................................ 24 Figure 7: Distribution respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. ............. 26 Figure 8: Distribution of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. ....................................................... 27 Figure 9: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. .................................. 29 Figure 10: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. ..................................................... 30 Figure 11: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. ..................................................... 32 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Study Background 1.1.1 Profile of the organization The Ghana Education Service was established as part of the Public Service of Ghana in 1974, by NRCD 247 and was subsequently amended by NRCD 252,357 and SMCD 63 (GES, 2019). Under the fourth Republican Constitution of Ghana, these earlier legislations have been amended by Acts of Parliament, including Act 506(1994) and Act 778(2008). Act 778, Education Act 2008 provides for the establishment of an educational system intended to produce well balanced individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills, values, aptitudes to become functional and productive citizens for the total development and the democratic advancement of the nation and for related matters. The Act gives the structure of the education system and says that it shall be organized in three progressive levels to be known as: basic education, second cycle education and the tertiary education. The basic level of education consists of : two years of kindergarten education, six years of primary education and three years of junior high school education. The Act further stipulates at Section 2. (1) (2) that any child who has attained school going age shall at the basic level, attend a course of instruction as laid down by the Minister which is compulsory and free. Since September 2017, the Senior High School level has been included in the compulsory free education. The Service is responsible for the implementation of pre-tertiary educational policies of the Government to ensure that all Ghanaian children of school going age irrespective of tribe, gender, disability, religious and political affiliations are provided with good quality formal education University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 2 1.1.2 Organization’s vision and mission The vision of GES “is to create an enabling environment in all educational institutions and management positions that will facilitate effective teaching and learning and efficiency in the management of the attainment of the goals of the Service.” Whiles its mission “is to ensure that Ghanaian children of school –going age are provided with quality formal education and training through effective and efficient management of resources to make education delivery relevant to the manpower needs of the country.” (GES, 2019). 1.1.3 Objectives of the organization The objectives of GES are in accordance with the National Policy Objectives espoused in the Education Strategic Plan (ESP). The key objectives of the Service are as follows: • Increase inclusive and equitable access to and participation in education at all levels. • Ensure provision of life skills training and management of personal hygiene, family life, gender, health, HIV/AIDS/STDs. • Improve the quality of teaching and learning. • Improve the management of education service delivery. There are four main programmes under the organization and these include: • Pre-tertiary education management including Headquarters Divisions, Regional and District directorates. • Basic Education, comprising Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High Schools. • Secondary Education comprising SHS and TVET. • Special and Inclusive Education. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 3 According to GES (2019), basic education has been redefined to include Secondary Education as part of the Government’s new policy initiative on Pre-tertiary Education. 1.2 Organization’s Basic Education Division According to GES (2019), the Basic Education Division has the main section and three other units: Early Childhood Unit (ECE), Private Schools Unit and the Girls’ Education Unit (GEU). According to GES (2019), the ECE is headed by a Director and it oversees kindergarten education in the country and supports the Department of Children to oversee pre-school education (0-3 years old). According to GES (2019), the Private Schools Unit is headed by a Director and among others, it collaborates with the Secondary and Technical /Vocational divisions to oversee private education delivery at the pre-tertiary level. It also coordinates activities of private schools (Basic, Secondary and Technical /Vocational Institutions including Computer Training Schools and Professional Institutes) across the country. The GEU also oversees the education of the girl child at all levels of pre-tertiary education. According to MoE (2012) EMIS Report at the Basic level, whereas Basic National Enrolment (for KG, Primary and JHS) stood at 5487398 pupils, there were only 190198 teachers available. Out of this figure 130,317 were trained and the rest untrained. The Report went on to say that at the kindergarten level, there were averagely 38 pupils to a teacher instead of 25; and pupil trained teacher ratio of 85:1. At the primary level averagely, there were 34 pupils to a teacher, with a pupil teacher ratio of 52:1. At the JHS level, there were 17 pupils to a teacher as against 25, with the pupil teacher ratio of 20. Over the years, successive Governments have initiated reforms geared towards increasing the number of trained teachers and the quality of education in the schools. By definition a trained University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 4 teacher is a teacher who has satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study of training at a higher education institution or such other course or courses which the Director General determines as satisfying requirements for classification as a teacher (GES, 2019). 1.3 Research Problem As it has been outlined in section 1.2. above , the organization requires that all teachers in the classroom both public and private must be trained. However, the inadequacy of quality trained teacher at the JHS level in both public and private schools, is deemed a challenge due to its consequences on students’ acquisition of quality learning. This represent an issue that needs to be explored and possible remedies identified. 1.4 Research Purpose The purpose of this research is to provide an understanding as to how the inadequacy of quality trained teachers at the JHS level in both public and private schools affects students’ acquisition of quality learning. 1.5 Research Question The research question is as follows; i). How does the inadequacy of quality trained teachers at the JHS level in both public and private schools affect students’ acquisition of quality learning? 1.6 Research Objectives The objective of this research is to find out how the inadequacy of quality trained teachers at the JHS level in both public and private schools affect students’ acquisition of quality learning. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 5 1.7 Significance of the Study The findings of this study would contribute towards creating awareness among educationists, decision makers, and educational institutions both public and private, about best practices which can be incorporated by teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning as well as students’ achievements in the basic schools. 1.8 Organization of the Study The study is organized into five main chapters. Chapter one contains the background information, research problem, research purpose, research questions, research objective, and significance of the study. Chapter two consist of the review of literature related to the study. Chapter three highlights the methodology and procedure adopted for the data collection and chapter four focuses on results analysis and discussions University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 6 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Inadequacy of Quality Trained Teachers and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic School Level The importance of enhancing the number of new teachers, as well as encouraging the active teachers to maintain working as teachers, has been recognized in several countries. Nearly everyone now accepts the premise that teachers make a difference in the lives of their students. Coleman et al., (1966) however held a different view regarding any direct impact of teachers on student achievement. According to Coleman et al., (1966), the impact of teachers and the quality of teaching were less important to student learning and achievement than other factors, such as students’ socioeconomic status. However, subsequent research in classrooms has demonstrated that there is a positive correlation between teachers and student achievement. For example, variation in student achievement has been systematically related to variation in the classroom behaviors of teachers Good et al., (1975). According to King and Newman (2000), since teachers have the longer and most direct contact with students and considerable control over what is taught and the climate for learning, improving teachers’ knowledge, skills and dispositions through professional development is a critical step in improving student achievement. The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future (NCTAF, 1996) and other national groups, such as the Education Trust (1998), earlier reached similar conclusions based on research that tracked the academic achievement of individual students over long time periods, Sanders and Rivers, (1996). Furthermore, as it is noted by Ferguson (1991), all of these organizations have shown that well- University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 7 qualified teachers and high-quality teaching can close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and their more affluent peers. The American public also acknowledged the significance of well-prepared teachers. In a large survey, Haselkorn and Harris (1998) reported that roughly nine out of ten Americans believe the best way to enhance student achievement is to ensure a qualified teacher in every classroom. According to Sanders and Rivers, (1996) there was a strong belief by the public that prospective teachers need special training and skills, not simply a good general education. According to the American National Science Board (1999), public opinion favoured a well-qualified teacher in every classroom as the top education priority. In a study intended to gauge the cumulative and residual effects of teacher qualifications on student achievement, Sanders and Rivers (1996) gathered test or achievement data for a group of students from the time they were second-graders to the time they had completed fifth grade. By analysing the data, the researchers were able to see the impact of quality teaching on each child over time (Sanders and Rivers, 1996). Sanders and Rivers (1996) reported that student achievement at each grade level correlated positively with the quality of the teachers who taught those students. According to Sanders and Rivers (1996), placing students in classrooms with high-quality teaching does matter. Variables such as the racial and/or ethnic composition of schools, students’ socioeconomic levels, and the mean achievement of an entire school correlated far less with student achievement when compared to the variable of teacher quality. In a large- scale study of younger children in grades 3-5, Sanders, Wright and Horn (1997) found that “teacher effects are dominant factors affecting student academic gain,” especially in University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 8 mathematics but also, noticeably, in science (Wright et al., 1997). Ferguson (1991) also examined student scores on standardized tests in reading and mathematics, teacher qualifications, and class size in 900 out of 1,000 school districts in Texas. The teacher’s qualifications examined in each district, included teacher performance on the Texas state teacher examinations, years of teaching experience, and teachers’ acquisition of advanced (master’s) degrees. Ferguson (1991) found that the following teacher qualifications, listed in order from most to least important, had statistically significant effects on student scores: teacher language scores on the state examination, class size, years of teaching experience, and the earning of an advanced degree. According to Druva and Anderson (1983), Teachers with more content knowledge also had a greater orientation toward seeking information from students through questioning and discussion in their teaching compared to teachers with less content knowledge. This, according to Druva and Anderson (1983) was particularly significant in the case of biology teachers. According to McDiarmid et al. (1989), Students’ ability to understand the essentials of the scientific method was positively correlated with the number of science courses (both in biology and in other science disciplines) that their teachers had taken. According to McDiarmid et al. (1989), The degree to which students reported that they “liked science” correlated positively with the number of science courses taken by the teachers. It has been determined by McDiarmid et al. (1989) teachers’ subject matter understanding and their pedagogical orientations and decisions critically influence the quality of their teaching. According to McDiarmid et al. (1989), Teachers’ capacity to pose questions, select tasks, evaluate their pupil’s understanding, and to make curricular decisions all depend on how they themselves understand the subject matter. Chaney (1995) demonstrated a relationship between University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 9 middle-school science and mathematics teachers’ professional preparation and student performance. According to Chaney (1995), these consistently positive correlations appear to support the importance of high levels of preparation for teachers in both content and pedagogy. This preparation and subsequent teaching experience also appear to enhance student achievement. Burroughs et. al 2019, also identified and examined three main categories of teacher effectiveness, namely, teacher experience, teacher knowledge, and teacher behavior. According to Burroughs et. al 2019 Teacher experience refers to the number of years that a teacher has worked as a classroom teacher. Many studies show a positive relationship between teacher experiences and student achievement (Wayne and Youngs 2003). For example, using data from 4000 teachers in North Carolina, researchers found that teacher experience was positively related to student achievement in both reading and mathematics (Clotfelter et al. 2006). Rice (2003) found that the relationship between teacher experience and student achievement was most pronounced for students at the secondary level. Additional work in schools in the United States by Wiswall (2013), Papay and Kraft (2015), and Ladd and Sorenson (2017), and a Dutch twin study by Gerritsen et al. (2014), also indicated that teacher experience had a cumulative effect on student outcomes. According to Burroughs et al .2019, a teacher’s professional knowledge refers to their subject-matter knowledge, curricular knowledge, and pedagogical knowledge (Collinson 1999). This professional knowledge is influenced by the undergraduate degrees earned by a teacher, the college attended, graduate studies undertaken, and opportunities to engage with on-the job training, commonly referred to as professional development (Collinson 1999; Rice 2003; Wayne and Youngs 2003). University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR50 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR12 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR39 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR52 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR35 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR29 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR21 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR13 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR13 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR39 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR50 10 In terms of teacher preparation programs, Boyd et al. (2009) found that overall these programs varied in their effectiveness. In their study of 31 teacher preparation programs designed to prepare teachers for the New York City School District, Boyd et al. (2009) drew from data based on document analyses, interviews, surveys of teacher preparation instructors, surveys of participants and graduates, and student value-added scores. Boyd et al. (2009) also found that if a program was effective in preparing teachers to teach one subject, it tended to also have success in preparing teachers to teach other subjects as well. Additionally, Boyd et al. (2009) found that teacher preparation programs that focused on the practice of teaching and the classroom, and provided opportunities for teachers to study classroom practices, tended to prepare more effective teachers. Furthermore, Boyd et al. (2009) also found that programs that included some sort of final project element (such as a personal research paper, or portfolio presentation) tended to prepare more effective teachers. In a review of 14 studies, Wilson and Floden (2003) were unable to identify consistent relationships between a teacher’s level of education and their students’ achievement. Similarly, in their review of data from 4000 teachers in North Carolina, Clotfelter et al. (2006) found that teachers who held a master’s degree were associated with lower student achievement. However, specifically in terms of mathematics instruction, teachers with higher degrees and who undertook more coursework during their education seem to be positively related to their students’ mathematics achievement (Goe 2007). Likewise, Harris and Sass (2011) found that there was a positive relationship between teachers who had obtained an advanced degree during their teaching career and their students’ achievement in middle school mathematics. They did not find any significant relationships between advanced degrees and student achievement in any other subject area. Further, using data from the United States’ Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), Phillips (2010) found that subject-specific graduate degrees in University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR8 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR8 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR8 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR8 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR8 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR51 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR12 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR22 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR26 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR36 11 elementary or early-childhood education were positively related to students’ reading achievement gains. According to Burroughs et al .2019 another possible indicator of teacher effectiveness could be whether or not a teacher holds a teaching certificate. Much of the research has focused on the United States, which uses a variety of certification approaches, with lower grades usually having multi-subject general certifications and higher grades requiring certification in specific subjects. Wayne and Youngs (2003) found no clear relationship between US teachers’ certification status and their students’ achievement, with the exception of the subject area of mathematics, where students tended to have higher test scores when their teachers had a standard mathematics certification. Rice (2003) also found that US teacher certification was related to high school mathematics achievement, and also found that there was some evidence of a relationship between certification status and student achievement in lower grades. Meanwhile, in their study of grade one students, Palardy and Rumberger (2008) also found evidence that students made greater gains in reading ability when taught by fully certified teachers. In a longitudinal study using data from teachers teaching grades four and five and their students in the Houston School District in Texas, Darling-Hammond et al. (2005) found that those teachers who had completed training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate were more effective that those who had no dedicated teaching qualifications. The study results suggested that teachers without recognized US certification or with non-standard certifications generally had negative effects on student achievement after controlling for student characteristics and prior achievement, as well as the teacher’s experience and degrees. The effects of teacher certification on student achievement were generally much stronger than the University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR50 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR39 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR34 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR17 12 effects for teacher experience. Conversely, analyzing data from the ECLS-K, Phillips (2010) found that grade one students tended to have lower mathematics achievement gains when they had teachers with standard certification. On professional development , although Desimone et al. (2013) suggested that professional development may influence the quality of instruction, Blomeke et al. (2016) as well as Harris and Sass (2011) found that teachers’ professional development experiences showed only limited associations with their effectiveness. In their meta-analysis of the effects of professional development on student achievement, Blank and De Las Alas (2009) found that sixteen studies reported significant and positive relationships between professional development and student achievement. According to Burroughs et. al (2019), characteristics like experience and education may be imperfect proxies for teacher content knowledge; unfortunately, content knowledge is difficult to assess directly. However, according to Burroughs et. al (2019), there is a growing body of work suggesting that teacher content knowledge may be associated with student learning. According to Baumert et al. (2010), it should be noted that there is an important distinction between general content knowledge about a subject (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) specifically related to teaching that subject, each of which may be independently related to student outcomes. On teacher behaviors and opportunity to learn, Burroughs et. al (2019) noted that although the impact of teacher characteristics (experience, education, and preparedness to teach) on student outcomes remains an open question, there is a much more consistent relationship between student achievement and teacher behaviors (instructional time and instructional content), especially behaviors related instructional content. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR36 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR19 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR6 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR26 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR4 https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-16151-4_2#CR3 13 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research Design The study employed the descriptive research design which is best suited when conducting research of this nature, to help identify trends among others. The sample was drawn from Junior High School teachers within the Accra Metropolis. Purposive sampling was used to select forty-one (41) respondents for the study. 3.2 Data Collection Method For the purpose of this study, data was collected from respondents through the administration of structured questionnaires. 3.2.1. Data collection tool Literature reviews on work climate and performance was carefully conducted, out of which questionnaire was developed, to guide the study. The questionnaires consisted of two sections. Section A was used to collect demographic data of the employees. Section B entailed statements that covered nine broad areas including the quality of teachers and impact on learning, teachers’ pedagogical orientation, skills, behaviours, understanding of subject matter and curricula, whether the teacher had attended a recognized educational institution and whether certified to teach and the effect on students learning. The response options was based on the 5-point Likert scale. The options ranged from for Strongly Agree, Agree, Not Sure, Disagree to Strongly Disagree. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 14 3.2.2 Data collection procedure The questionnaire was pretested and forwarded to the respondents online. In all, forty-one (41) questionnaires were administered. The decision to adopt the online method was influenced by the need to protect the health of respondents against the Corona virus. 3.3 Data Analysis Method The data was collated and analyzed descriptively, using Microsoft Excel software as the analytical tool. Descriptive statistics was conducted to establish the variations in the response options and the outputs, in terms of number of respondents and percentages, were presented in both tabular and chart forms. 3.4. Ethical Consideration In the conduct of this study, the all the necessary forms of ethical behavior was adhered to. Clearance was firstly obtained from the Department of Organization and Human resources Management, University of Ghana Business School before embarking on the study. Measures to protect all confidential information about respondents’ personal details was also taken in the course of the data collection. Therefore, the names and identities of respondents were not referred to in the study. Other ethical measures such as seeking the consent of the respondents before administering the questionnaire was also sought. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 15 CHAPTER FOUR RESULTS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION The total number of questionnaires distributed for this research were forty-one. All the 41 were validly completed and retrieved from respondents. All retrieved questionnaires were useful as none was rejected for the purposes of this research. Therefore, the percent response rate is 100%. 4.1 Analysis of Respondents’ Demography Analysis of the respondents’ demography is shown in the sections below. 4.1.1 Analysis of respondents’ gender The gender distribution of the respondents is shown in table 1and figure 1 below. Table 1: Distribution of respondents’ gender Gender No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Male 18 43.90 Female 23 56.10 Total 40 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 16 Figure 1: Distribution of respondents' gender From table 1 and figure 1 above, 18 (43.9%) respondents were males whiles 23 (56.1%) were females. Therefore, there were more female respondents than males. The implication is that most of the voices gave a more feminine influence. 4.1.2 Analysis of respondents’ number of years in organization The distribution of the respondents’ job tenure is shown in table 2 and figure 2 below. Table 2: Distribution of number of years respondents worked in organization No. of Years No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Less than one year 7 17.1 More than 1 year but less than 2 years 13 31.7 More than 2 years but less than 3 years 4 9.8 More than 3 years but less than 4 years 2 4.9 More than 4 years 15 36.6 Total 41 100 43.9 56.1 Male Female University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 17 Figure 2: Distribution of number of years respondents worked in organization From table 2 and figure 2 above, seven (17.1%) respondents have been working with the organization for less than one year. Thirteen (31.7%) respondents have been working for more than one year, but less than 2 years. Four (9.8%) respondents have been working for more than 2 years, but less than 3 years, Two (4.9%) respondents have been working for more than 3 years, but less than 4 years while Fifteen (36.6%) have been working with the organization for over 4 years. Overall, a total of 34 (83.0%) respondents have been with the organization for one year and beyond. In the organization, employees who have spent one year are considered to have a good understanding of issues in the organization. The implication is that majority of the respondents have been in the organization for a longer period and thus have a good understanding of issues in the organization covered in this study. 7 13 4 2 15 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Less than one year More than 1 year but less than 2 years More than 2 years but less than 3 years More than 3 years but less than 4 years More than 4 years N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 18 4.2 Analysis of Understanding the Dynamics of Teachers’ Quality and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic Level 4.2.1 Analysis of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification The distribution of the respondents’ perception of a teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate being more effective than a with no dedicated teaching qualification is shown in table 3 and figure 3 below. Table 3: Distribution of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 17 41.46 Agree 10 24.39 Not Sure 6 14.63 Disagree 7 17.07 Strongly Disagree 1 2.44 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 19 Figure 3: Distribution : Distribution of respondents’ perception of a certificated teacher being more effective than a teacher without dedicated teaching qualification. From table 3 and figure 3 above, 17 (41.6%) respondents strongly agree that a teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate is more effective than a teacher like me who has no dedicated teaching qualification., while 10 (24.39%) agreed and 6 (14.63%) indicated that they were not sure. 7 (17.07%) respondents disagreed, while none strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 27 (65.85%) respondents agreed that A teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate is more effective than a teacher like me who has no dedicated teaching qualification., 8 (19.51%) disagreed, and 6 (14.63%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that a teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate is more effective than a teacher like me who has no dedicated teaching qualification. 17 10 6 7 1 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 20 4.2.2 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular The distribution of the respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular is shown in table 4 and figure 4 below. Table 4: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 22 53.66 Agree 16 39.02 Not Sure 1 2.44 Disagree 1 2.44 Strongly Disagree 1 2.44 Total 41 100 Figure 4: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ knowledge of the curricular.. 22 16 1 1 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 21 From table 4 and figure 4 above, 22 (53.66%) respondents strongly agree that the quality of their teaching is critically influenced by their knowledge of the curricular, while 16 (39.02%) agreed and 1(2.44%) indicated that they were not sure. One (2.44%) respondents disagreed, while 1 (2.44%) strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 38 (92.68%) respondents agreed that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their knowledge of the curricular, 2 (4.88%) disagreed, and 1 (2.44%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their knowledge of the curricular. 4.2.3 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior The distribution of the respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behaviour is shown in table 5 and figure 5 below. Table 5: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 21 51 Agree 17 41 Not Sure 3 7 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 22 Figure 5: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teaching is critically influenced by teachers’ behavior. from table 5 and figure 5 above, 21 (51.22%) respondents strongly agree that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their behaviour, while 17 (41.46%) agreed and 3 (7.32%) indicated that they were not sure. none of the respondents disagreed, and also none strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 38 (92.68%) respondents agreed that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their behaviour, none disagreed, and 2 (4.88%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their behaviour. 21 17 3 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 23 4.2.4 Analysis of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students The distribution of the respondents’ perception that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students is shown in table 6 and figure 6 below. Table 6: Distribution of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 29 71 Agree 10 24 Not Sure 2 5 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 24 Figure 6: Distribution of respondents’ perceptions that improving teachers’ knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of students. From table 6 and figure 6 above, 29 (70.73%) respondents strongly agree that improving teachers knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students, while 10 (24.39%) agreed and 2 (4.88%) indicated that they were not sure. None of the respondents disagreed, while none also strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 39 (95.12%) respondents agreed that improving teachers knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students, none disagreed, and 2 (4.88%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that improving teachers knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. 29 10 2 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 25 4.2.5 Analysis of respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students The distribution of the respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students is shown in table 7 and figure 7 below. Table 7: Distribution respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 25 60.98 Agree 15 36.59 Not Sure 1 2.44 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 26 Figure 7: Distribution respondents’ perception that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. From table 7 and figure 7 above, 25 (60.98%) respondents strongly agree that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students, while 15 (36.59%) agreed and 1 (2.44%) indicated that they were not sure. None of the respondents disagreed, while none also strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 40 (97.56%) respondents agreed that improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students, none disagreed, and 1 (2.44%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that, improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. 25 15 1 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 27 4.2.6 Analysis of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students The distribution of the respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students is shown in table 8 and figure 8 below. Table 8: Distribution of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 25 60.98 Agree 13 31.71 Not Sure 3 7.32 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 Figure 8: Distribution of respondents’ perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. 25 13 3 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 28 From table 8 and figure 8 above, 25 (60.98%) respondents strongly agree that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students, while 13 (31.71%) agreed and 3 (31.71%) indicated that they were not sure. None of the respondents disagreed, while none also strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 38 (92.68%) respondents agreed that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students, none disagreed, and 3 (7.32%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. 4.2.7 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter The distribution of the respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter is shown in table 9 and figure 9 below. Table 9: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 32 78.05 Agree 9 21.95 Not Sure 0 0 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 29 Figure 9: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. from table 9 and figure 9 above, 32 (78.05%) respondents strongly agree that, the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter, while 9 (21.95%) agreed and None indicated that they were not sure. None of the respondents disagreed, while none strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 41 (100%) respondents agreed that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter, none disagreed, and none also were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. 32 9 0 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 30 4.2.8 Analysis of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation The distribution of the respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation is shown in table 10 and figure 10 below. Table 10: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 20 48.78 Agree 16 39.02 Not Sure 5 12.20 Disagree 0 0 Strongly Disagree 0 0 Total 41 100 Figure 10: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. 20 16 5 0 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 31 From table 10 and figure 10 above, 20 (48.78%) respondents strongly agree that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation, while 16 (39.02%) agreed and 5 (12.20%) indicated that they were not sure. None of the respondents disagreed, while none strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 36 (87.80%) respondents agreed that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation, none disagreed, and 5 (12.20%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. 4.2.9 Analysis of respondents’ perception t perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom The distribution of the respondents’ perception t perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom is shown in table 11 and figure 11 below. Table 11: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. Response Option No. of Respondents Percentage (%) Strongly Agree 26 63.41 Agree 10 24.39 Not Sure 3 7.32 Disagree 1 2.44 Strongly Disagree 1 2.44 Total 41 100 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 32 Figure 11: Distribution of respondents’ perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. From table 11 and figure 11 above, 26 (63.41%) respondents strongly agree that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom., while 10 (24.39%) agreed and 3 (7.32%) indicated that they were not sure. One (2.44%) respondent disagreed, while 1 (2.44%) strongly disagreed. From the distribution, a total of 36 (87.80%) respondents agreed that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom, 2 (4.88%) disagreed, and 1 (2.44%) were not sure. The implication is that majority of the respondents hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. 26 10 3 1 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree N o . o f R e sp o n d e n ts Response Options University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 33 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 5.1. Summary of Findings From the analysis, it emerged that, though the respondents’ voices show a more feminine influence, majority of them have been in the organization for a longer period, and thus have a good understanding of issues in the organization covered in this study. The following key findings were made. i). The respondents generally, hold the perception that a teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate is more effective than a teacher like me who has no dedicated teaching qualification. ii). The respondents generally, hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their knowledge of the curricular. iii). The respondents generally, hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their behaviour. iv). The respondents generally, hold the perception that improving teachers knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students v). The respondents generally, hold the perception that, improving teachers skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of their students. vi). The respondents generally, hold the perception that improvement in teachers disposition will help improve the achievement of their students. vii). The respondents generally, hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their understanding of the subject matter. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 34 viii). The respondents generally, hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically influenced by their pedagogical orientation. ix). The respondents generally, hold the perception that the quality of teachers teaching is critically affected by their decisions in the classroom. 5.2 Conclusion Based on the analysis and findings, it is concluded that a teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate will make more impact in students’ acquisition of quality learning than the untrained teacher at the JHS level, in both the public and private schools. It also concluded that a teacher’s disposition, understanding of the subject matter, pedagogical orientations and decisiveness in the classroom improve students achievement. 5.3. Recommendations Based on the findings outlined in section 5.1 above, the following recommendations are made to the organization. i). Teachers recruited to teach in the JHS Level in both public and private schools should have formal education in teaching from a recognized educational institution and must be certified to teach. ii). Curricular designers for the academic syllabus must ensure that adequate training is conducted for teachers to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the curricular. iii). Recruitment process for teachers must include background checks on their conduct and behaviours to ensure that those recruited impact positively on the students and quality of teaching and learning. This will also help Schools to ascertain the kind of training to be given to the teacher when hired. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 35 iv). There should be frequent in-service training for teachers which should be deliberate and intentional, to enable the teacher to acquire more knowledge in the field of education. v). Teacher training should focus more on teacher improving on pedagogical skills which is key in teaching and learning. vi). Teacher survey from students and among colleagues on disposition should be encouraged. This will help sharpen teacher’s behavioural skills, attitude towards work and contribute positively to students learning. vii). Attention should be given to teacher’s area of study when allocating subjects for teachers to teach at the JHS level. viii). viii). Pedagogical orientation during training sessions must be reinforced at all levels. ix). ix). Visits to the classroom during instructional period by supervisors should be regular. Again, the teacher should be appraised, and instant feedback given on ways for improvement. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 36 REFERENCES Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition- GNECC Policy Brief Global Action Week 13, (2013) Teacher Gaps in Public Schools in Ghana. Holmqvist, M (2018) Lack of Qualified Teachers: A Global Challenge for Future Knowledge Development. Mashau TS, Mutshaeni HN, Kone LR. Teacher education: The South African context. International Journal of Educational Sciences 2016; 14(1-2):167-173. McGarr O, O’Grady E, Guilfoyle. Exploring the Theory-practice gap in Initial Teacher Education Journal of Education for Teaching.2017; 43(1):48-60. National Research Council. 2001. Educating Teachers of Science, Mathematics, and Technology: New Practices for the New Millennium. Washington, DC: The National Academies TALIS 2013 Results: An International Perspective on Teaching and Learning. Paris: OECD; 2014. UNESCO Institute for Statistics, http://on.unesco.org/ Van -Broekhuizen H. Teacher Supply in South Africa: A Focus on Initial Teacher Education Graduate Production. Vol. 7. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University, Department of Economics Working Paper; 2015. p. 15. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 37 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE Understanding the Dynamics of Teachers’ Quality and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic School Level Synopsis The purpose of this research is to provide an understanding as to how the inadequacy of quality trained teachers at the JHS level in both public and private schools affects students’ acquisition of quality learning. It is expected that the outcome of this research will help management better manage employees and help improve job satisfaction and ultimately, retain them. I undertake that all information provided will be used solely for the purpose of this research and not be shared. Thank you. Mrs. Sandra Ama Addico Graduate Student (MA- Organisational Leadership and Governance) Department of Organization and HRM University of Ghana Business School Legon SECTION A Demography Please, kindly answer the following by ticking the appropriate answer of your choice 1. Gender: [ ] Male [ ] Female 2. Number of years in the organization [ ] Less than one year [ ] More than one year but less than two years [ ] More than two years but less than three years [ ] More than three years but less four years [ ] More than four years University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 38 SECTION B Dynamics of Teachers’ Quality and Students’ Acquisition of Quality Learning at the Basic School Level Please, kindly answer the following by ticking the appropriate answer of your choice Strongly Agree Agree Not Sure Disagree Strongly Disagree 1. A teacher who has completed formal training that resulted in a recognized teaching certificate is more effective than a teacher like me who has no dedicated teaching qualification. 2. The quality of my teaching is critically influenced by my knowledge of the curricular. 3. The quality of my teaching is critically influenced by my behaviour. 4. Improving my knowledge through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of my students. 5. Improving my skills through teacher professional development will help improve the achievement of my students. 6. Improvement in my disposition as a teacher will help improve the achievement of my students. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 39 7. As a teacher, the quality of my teaching is critically influenced by my understanding of the subject matter. 8. As a teacher, the quality of my teaching is critically influenced by my pedagogical orientation. 9. As a teacher, the quality of my teaching is critically affected by my decisions in the classroom. Thank You Very Much University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh