A capacity-analysis paradigm for the senior high school economics teacher’s professional identity in Ghana.

Abstract

Professionalism in teaching has an impact on teacher identity in the sense that how teachers perceive themselves in relation to the profession can affect how they perform their roles. This study developed a set of core professional identity indicators to which professional Economics teachers and Economics teacher educators in Ghana responded in order to determine their validity as components of the Economics teachers’ professional identity in relation to their ideal professional capacity. In specific terms, the study investigated opinions of respondents on the importance attached to the rubrics of teachers’ professional capacity as well as differences in opinion on the importance placed on indicators of teachers’ professional knowledge, values, skills and reflective practice. The study was a descriptive type which employed the survey method. The study sample comprised 751 professional Economics teachers and 125 Economics teacher educators. Two self developed instruments, namely Questionnaire on Senior High School Economics Teachers’ Identity (QSHSETI) and a Structured Interview Schedule (SIS) were administered on the respondents. Using a test-retest procedure of a four- week interval, the QSHSETI was administered on 75 Economics teachers and 20 Economics teacher educators. A reliability index of 0.96 was obtained. The data were analyzed using mean, t-test and one-way Analysis of Variance statistical techniques. The findings showed that: i. Economics teachers considered the professional knowledge rubric (mean score = 3.11) as more important relative to the other indicators. Conversely, the teacher educators ranked the professional skills rubric (mean score = 3.28) as more important than the other indicators; ii. there was significant difference in opinion on the importance attached tQ knowledge r in methods of inquiry (Z=l 0.610, p< 0.05) and knowledge in other related subjects (t= 2AMfp< 0.05) as indicators of Economics teachers’ professional knowledge; iii. there was significant difference in opinion on the importance of emotional stability (t= 6.786, p< 0.05) and moral uprightness (t=5.721, p< 0.05) as indicators of Economics teachers’ professional values; iv. there was significant difference in opinion in respect of the importance placed on skills of drawing schemes of work (£=5.574, p< 0.05) and improvisation of instructional materials (£=6.402, p< 0.05) as indicators of Economics teachers’ professional skills; and v. there was significant difference in opinion on the importance of reflection on one’s knowledge of students' strengths and weaknesses (£=2.654, p< 0.05) and attitude towards professional development (£=5.174, p< 0.05) as indicators of Economics teachers’ reflective practice. There are three paradigmatic levels for considering teachers’ identity. They are the ideal paradigm as shown in the conceptual framework, the implementable paradigm as obtained from the researcher-developed instrument, and finally the perceived or realistic paradigm based on the consensus of Economics teacher educators and Economics teachers. The findings of this study revealed discrepancies in opinion between the perceived competency and ideal targets of Economics teacher educators and that of Economics teachers. Curriculum development in Economics teacher education should therefore aim at bridging the gap between the ideal competency targets and the perceived or core competency targets. The study concluded that, teacher education policy makers should support a continuous capacity-building programme among Economics teachers and Economics teacher educators.