The Middle Ground of Curriculum: History Teachers’ Experiences in Ghanaian Senior High Schools

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 111-138
Author(s):  
Charles Adabo Oppong ◽  
Moses Allor Awinsong ◽  
Stephen Kwakye Apau
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Curriculum Change ◽  
Middle Ground ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Formal Curriculum ◽  
History Teachers ◽  
Classroom Implementation ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Curriculum Negotiation ◽  
Qualitative Phase

This study explores Ghanaian history teachers’ experiences of the "middle ground of curriculum; a crucial stage of curriculum negotiation and a process, according to  Harris (2002), that includes what “teachers individually and collectively perceived and enacted. . . prior to classroom implementation” The study employed the concurrent parallel design (Quan-qual). The researchers collected quantitative data from sixty history teachers in Cape Coast Metropolis through the census method. Six teachers were randomly selected from the sixty to participate in the qualitative phase of the study. The quantitative data was analysed descriptively (means and standard deviations) while the qualitative data was analysed based on emerging themes. The findings revealed that the history departments through departmental relation, subject conceptualisation and governance influence the ways in which teachers negotiate the formal curriculum prior to teaching. More specifically, the study established the interaction of these variables that shape history teachers’ decision-making on the middle ground of the curriculum. The study, therefore, showed that the internalisation of curriculum change is a dynamic process that is evidenced at all levels of curriculum change – the high ground, middle ground of the curriculum, and lower ground

scholarly journals History teachers’ pedagogical reasoning and the dynamics of classroom implementation in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gideon Boadu ◽  
Debra Donnelly ◽  
Heather Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Classroom Practices ◽  
Historical Narratives ◽  
Grand Narrative ◽  
History Teachers ◽  
Classroom Implementation ◽  
Pedagogical Reasoning ◽  
History Curriculum ◽  
School History ◽  
Depth Interviews

The Ghanaian senior high-school history curriculum encourages teachers to guide students to explore, question and construct historical interpretations, rather than accept established historical narratives. This study investigates how those teachers conceive and implement the curriculum intent by exploring their pedagogical reasoning and classroom practices. The project described in this paper draws from a range of investigative instruments including in-depth interviews, classroom observations, post-lesson interviews and teachers’ planning paperwork from 15 public senior high schools in Ghana’s Central Region. This research found that teachers’ pedagogical reasoning was consistent with constructivist educational theory as well as responsive to the history curriculum, but that their stated understandings did not align with classroom practice. The findings indicate limited constructivist strategies in history lessons, as most teachers were didactic in approach and tended to teach history as a grand narrative.

scholarly journals Development and Validation of a Scale for Measuring Sustainability Factors of Informal Microenterprises – A Qualitative and Quantitative Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eijaz Ahmed Khan ◽  
Mohammed Quaddus
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Method ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Scale Validity ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Development And Validation ◽  
Qualitative Phase

AbstractThe growing interest in sustainability has dominated the area of entrepreneurship research. However, the measuring of sustainability factors has been largely ignored. As a result, so far, no researchers have developed sustainability factor scales and this might lead to a question of scale validity. This paper attempts to fill this gap: the aim of this study is to develop and validate scales of sustainability factor by investigating a microenterprise from the informal sector. In its design, the study uses a mixed method research approach. In the qualitative phase, content analysis has been applied to analyse the transcribed field study interviews. This procedure explores and confirms the sustainability variables and factors. The quantitative data are analysed through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) followed by Partial Least Square (PLS) approach. Quantitative analysis then validates the variables and factors. The study then specifies scales of sustainability factors in the context of an informal microenterprise and assesses them as reflective in nature. The limitations of the study are then identified and thoughts to stimulate future investigations discussed.

Curriculum Proposals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmund C. Short
Keyword(s):  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Curriculum Change ◽  
Teacher Educator ◽  
Curriculum Policy ◽  
Formal Curriculum ◽  
Perceived Need ◽  
Educational Situation ◽  
Curriculum Policies ◽  
Policies And Programs ◽  
Constituent Elements

Curriculum proposals are sets of visionary statements intended to project what some person or group believes schools or school systems should adopt and utilize in formulating their actual curriculum policies and programs. Curriculum proposals are presented when there is a perceived need for change from curriculum that is currently in place. The specific changes stated in a curriculum proposal can be either quite limited or very comprehensive. If a totally restructured curriculum is recommended, particular prescriptions are necessarily based on some overall conception of what curriculum is by definition and what its constituent elements are, and therefore what topics are to be addressed in a curriculum proposal. Attempts have been made to conceptualize curriculum holistically, as an entity clearly distinguished from all other phenomena, but no agreed upon conception has emerged. To provide a new theoretical and practically useful framework for how curriculum may be conceived, a 10-component conceptualization of curriculum has been stipulated, elucidated, and illustrated for use in designing curriculum policy, programmatic curriculum plans, or formal curriculum proposals. In this conceptualization, curriculum is defined as having the following interrelated components: (a) focal idea and intended purpose(s), (b) unique objective(s), (c) underlying assumptions and value commitments, (d) program organization, (e) substantive features, (f) the character of the student’s educational situation/activity/process, (g) unique approaches/methods for use by the teacher/educator, (h) program evaluation, (i) supportive arrangements, and (j) justifications/rationale for the whole curriculum. Any proposal for total curriculum change should make prescriptions related to all these components. Discussion of other aspects related to curriculum proposals include how to locate existing curriculum proposals, how to analyze them in relation to this new conceptualization of curriculum, how to choose suitable ones among them for possible adoption, and how to translate a curriculum proposal into actual curriculum policies or plans.

scholarly journals Research Liminalities and Graduation Rates of Doctoral Students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. p117
Author(s):  
Paul Nyagome, Ph.D. ◽  
Eugene Yaw Milledzi, Ph.D.
Keyword(s):  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Graduation Rate ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Mixed Methods Design ◽  
Cape Coast ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The University ◽  
Qualitative Phase

This paper explores research liminalities that affect graduation rate of Ph.D. students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. The study draws on the mixed methods design approach using the exploratory sequential mixed method. Nine (9) Ph.D. students are stratified and interviewed for the qualitative phase of the study. On the other hand, systematic sampling technique is employed to select ninety-seven (97) Ph.D. students as respondents to the questionnaire for the quantitative phase of the study. The thematic data analysis approach is used to analyse the qualitative data while the linear multiple regression analysis is used to test the hypothesis. Results of the study show that students and supervisors related-factors have a significantly negative effect on graduation rate of Ph.D. students of the University of Cape Coast. It is recommended that supervisors facilitate and promote active and student-centred approaches and engagements that help Ph.D. students to develop their research skills in order to maintain the continuity of work throughout their doctoral programme.

scholarly journals Determinanty expertního výkonu v tělesné výchově pohledem učitelů

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-146
Author(s):  
Marcela Janíková ◽  
Jiří Sliacky
Keyword(s):  
Physical Education ◽  
Q Methodology ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Physical Education Teachers ◽  
Expert Teachers ◽  
History Teachers ◽  
Organizational Skills ◽  
Expert Teaching ◽  
Teachers Experiences

In the paper, we deal with determinants of expert teaching in Physical Education from the expert-teachers’point of view. Our research study aims at highlighting how expert-teachers perceive the importance of various determinants of expert teaching in Physical Education. The research sample includes five expert-teachers (three female and two male) from schools in Brno they sorted determinants of expert teaching in Physical Education using Q-methodology. It was shown, that the researched teachers perceived following determinants as most important for expert teaching in Physical Education: teachers’ organizational skills, teachers’ improvisational skills, teachers’ experiences, teachers’ skills to motivate pupils, and teachers’ commitment to the teaching profession. Contrary, following determinants was seen as not very important: teachers’ demonstrating of subject matter, the number of pupils, teachers’ “sport-history”, teachers’ subjectively perceived limits and teachers’ using of punishments.

scholarly journals The Strategy of Enhancing Student’s Social Awareness through History Learning Based on Selimbur Caye Oral Tradition Values

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 22
Author(s):  
Een Syaputra ◽  
Sariyatun Sariyatun ◽  
Sunardi Sunardi
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Oral Tradition ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
History Learning ◽  
Qualitative Phase ◽  
Method Approach

ABSTRACTThis research aims to examine the implementation and effectiveness of history learning based on Selimbur Caye oral tradition values. This research uses mixed method approach. The subjects of this research are the student of X Social Science 1 (experimental class) and X Social Science 2 (control class) in SMA Negeri 4 South Bengkulu. The data of this study were collected using interview, observation, and documentation (qualitative phase) and questionaire (quantitative phase). They were, than, analyzed by using interactive model for qualitative data and t-test for the quantitative data. The result of this research are: 1)  history learning based on Selimbur Caye oral tradition was conducted by combaining Problem Based Learning, Value Clarification Technique model, and the Values of Selimbur Caye oral tradition; 2) the implementation of history learning based on Selimbur Caye oral tradition is very efective in enhancing student’s social awareness. Keywords: Social awareness, oral tradition, problem based learning, value                    clarification technique, history learning

scholarly journals Teachers’ Experiences of the Implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in Three Primary Schools in KwaZulu Natal

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lokesh R. Maharajh ◽  
Thandi Nkosi ◽  
Mbekelezi C. Mkhize
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Curriculum Change ◽  
Analytical Framework ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Assessment Policy ◽  
Teachers Experiences ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Trained Teachers

This article examined on teachers’ experiences on the implementation of CAPS, using three primary schools in KwaZulu-Natal. This article employed the curriculum theory as an analytical framework. The aim of this article is to examine teacher’s experiences of the implementation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The article employed a qualitative research design to gather data. The data gathered through the use of semi-structured face to face interviews with teachers. The findings of the article reveal that there are many dynamics and possibilities relating to curriculum change in South Africa. The findings of the article further reveal that despite the challenges facing CAPS, South Africa’s education system as a whole is plagued by challenges. The challenges are attributed to lack of resources and poorly trained teachers. The article concludes that understanding these dynamics depend, to a large extent, on paying attention to constraints and challenges influencing curriculum change. This article fills the knowledge-gap with reference to teacher’s first-hand knowledge of CAPS and the challenges associated with it. The article thus recommends that appropriate resources should be made available in order to ensure efficient and effective implementation of curriculum implementation. It also recommends that a teacher: learner ratio of 1:30 should be practiced to ensure that teachers give special attention to each learner.

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