Sense of efficacy in implementing the basic school social studies curriculum in ghana

Abstract

Final year teacher-trainees’ sense of efficacy in implementing the Basic School Social Studies curriculum in Ghana has become indispensable since the subject introduced solely to right the wrong in society is taught mostly by graduates from the Colleges of Education (CoE). Mixed method approach was used. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select 150 final year teacher-trainees for the study. Questionnaires and interviews were used to gather the data. The study revealed that pedagogical training is a strong predictor of teacher-trainees’ conception about Social Studies. Critical thinking is the most important skill for problem solving, inquiry and discovery in Social Studies. Final year teacher-trainees (mentees) lack the needed knowledge and teaching skills to impart Social Studies as a problem/issue-oriented subject. It is recommended that Social Studies tutors of CoE should hold it a duty to help students have better, more realistic ideas about the multiple realities of what constitutes Social Studies in the real world since they (teachers) influence what is taught.