An evaluation of the teaching and learning of history in senior high schools in the Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

The study evaluated the teaching and learning of history in Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. Specifically, the study focused on the methods of teaching the subject, learning styles of students, teaching-learning resources, assessment instruments and teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the subject. Data were collected from documents, through the use of questionnaire and observation of classroom lessons. The internal reliability co-efficient of the questionnaire was .735. The sample comprised 570 students (selected randomly) and all the 31 history teachers from all the Senior High Schools in the Central Region which offer History. Frequencies, percentages and means were the main statistical tools employed for the data analysis. The study found that the most prominent methods of teaching history, in order of ranking, were the question and answer, discussion and lecture methods. Students were found to use both audio-visual and active-reflective learning styles. The findings also revealed the inadequacy of instructional resources in the schools and teachers’ use of class tests and exercises in assessing students’ learning outcomes. Finally, the study found that history teachers have a positive perception of the teaching of the subject while history students have a negative perception of the learning of the subject. It is recommended that teachers should adopt interactive teaching methods and use investigative study and project work in assessing students’ learning outcomes. Also, the Ghana Education Service should provide instructional resources to schools.