The Impact Of Leadership Styles On Teaching And Learning Outcomes: A Case Study Of Selected Senior High Schools In The Nkronza Districts Of Brong Ahafo Region In Ghana

The issue of leadership styles used by school heads and the academic performance of students has recently attracted the attention of the general public and people are exerting energies into research to find its courses and effects. Nkoranza-North district is selected as a result of the fact that the researcher works there and the districts also have two senior high schools for the study. Primarily, the study was to find out the courses and impact of leadership styles on teaching and learning outcomes in the Nkoranza-North district. The study covered a sample size of sixty (60) people comprises of Headmasters, selected teachers and selected students of the two. The researcher employed the descriptive method, while interview schedule and questionnaire were used to gather the information. Frequency and percentage were used to analyse the data. The study also looks at the various leadership styles employed by leaders some of which are Autocratic, Democratic and Laissez-faire. The findings of the study are discussed, conclusion draw and recommendations made

The Relationship Between Shyness, Self-Esteem, Coping Skills and Academic Performance in the Offinso College of Education

The study examined the relationship between shyness, self-esteem, coping skills and academic performance. The sample was made up of 35 males and 29 females, the shy students were purposively sampled from level 100 and 200 Teacher-trainees. Data collected was analyzed using the Chi-Squre test and Pearson’s product-moment correlation. A positive relationship was found between shyness and academic performance (r=37,p<0.1), thus, the hypothesis was supported. However, there was no significant relationship between self-esteem and academic performance (r=23, p=ns), the hypothesis was therefore not supported. Per the Chi-Square test revealed no significant relationship between academic performance and coping skills X2 (2.60-4.019, p=1, 34 ns) Per the Chi-Square test, revealed insignificant relation between self-esteem and academic performance X2 (2, 35) =1.539, P=.463 (ns), thus, the hypothesis was not supported. The school Counsellor in collaboration with the classroom teachers should interact with their students to identify and help solve their psychological learning problems. The school Counsellor should provide educational guidance, vocational guidance and psychological counselling, and other measures to help individual students with shyness and its related problems. Keywords: Shyness, Self-esteem and Coping Skill

Using Activity – Based Instructional Approach to Change Students’ Attitude Towards the Study of Science in the Colleges of Education in Ashanti Region of Ghana

The study investigated the attitude of teacher trainees towards the study of science in the colleges of education. The study sought to look at students’ attitude from four (4) significant perspectives namely; interest to do science, motivation to do science, level of students’ involvement in science lessons and the type of interpersonal relationship between science teachers and students. The study also considered gender and attitude of students towards science as well as teachers’ pedagogical strategies and students’ attitude towards science as other issues worth investigating. A twenty nine (29)-item questionnaire on a five (5) likert-scale for students was used to collect data on students’ attitude towards science. An instructional intervention activity was also carried out. The information gathered was analyzed under the four (4) main perspectives of attitude and under the two related issues considered using descriptive statistics. (Mean score values).The study revealed that students’ attitude towards the study of science was not encouraging, per the perspectives considered. The male students were of the view that gender has no influence on students’ attitude to study science whilst the females’ response was in the affirmative. There was also an indication that science teachers’ instructional methods did not suit students learning style and as such influenced their disinterest in science, hence their poor attitude towards the subject. It is recommended that science teachers, especially those in the colleges of education, adopted Activity-based instructional approach in the teaching and learning of science. Again, stakeholders in education in the country are requested to periodically organize in-service training courses to improve teachers’ self-esteem, self-confidence and self-efficacy. Arguments supporting the need for better science education in elementary schools have been based on the desire to develop in today's students the knowledge, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required for the rapidly changing and technology based society (Plourde, 2002). Keywords: ICSU, MESS, Attitude Motivation, Interest, Healthy interpersonal relationship, Classroom Environment, Performance, Optimal, Emotionally, Behavior, Minimizing, Elaborate, Regurgitate, Achievement.

Agogo Presbyterian College of Education Under the Missionaries and After Take-Over by the Government (1931-2013): A Comparative Study

The study analyzed the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education (1930-1971) and when it was taken over by the Government (1972-2013). This became relevant in the wake of the recent plea by the churches that the Government should hand over Mission Schools to the churches. The study therefore examines the state of management and leadership and infrastructural development both under the regime of the Missionaries and the Government. It also sought to assess academic standard of the students, and the discipline of the College, qualification of the teachers, supervision, and students’ patronage of library and entry grade of students to the College with the view of establishing the progression or retrogression over the period. In doing this, a comparative study was undertaken and data were derived from archival materials of the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education, and direct interviews with past Principals and Administrators of the College. The results revealed that despite an increase in student-intake (210 students in 1942 to 750 students in 2014) with a corresponding increase of teachers (from 5 missionary teachers with lower academic degrees in 1931 to 28 teachers with masters qualifications), inadequate infrastructural development; lack of discipline and competitions among students have characterized APCE since it was managed by the Government as compared to the Missionaries. The study recommends that the Government would complete the construction of the students‟ hall complex, and also put up large auditorium and classroom blocks to accommodate the high students’ intake in the College to enhance education delivery

Improving Pre-Service Teachers’ Performance in the Teaching of Common Fraction Using Cuisenaire Rods

This research study was undertaken to assess the difficulties pre-service teachers face using Cuisenaire Rods in teaching Common Fractions and how often these concrete models are used in their mathematics lessons. The extent of pupils’ participation and understanding the basic concept of common fractions, the student-teachers’ preference of using Cuisenaire Rods as against the use of fractional rules in teaching common fractions formed the integral part of the research study. Action research design was used for this study. The design allows the researcher to obtain answers to the questions raised directly from the respondents. The target population was pre-service teachers of Berekum College of Education.  Random sampling procedure was used to select 50 student-teachers and JHS2 pupils as sample for the study so as to enhance the validity and generalization of the result. Observation of student-teachers’ teaching practices, model teaching by the researcher, questionnaire, and interviews granted to pupils on the study of common fraction on the use of Cuisenaire Rods were among the research instruments used. Descriptive statistics in terms of frequencies with their percentages were also used in analyzing the data obtained from the questionnaire. The research findings revealed that the use of Cuisenaire Rods to teach Common Fractions stimulates motivates and arouses the interest of learners to participate fully in the teaching and learning process. This helps pupils to actively partake in learning basic concepts in mathematics whenever concrete models were used in the lesson presentation. The research findings strongly indicated that no matter how different the pre-service teachers are prepared; the competencies of teacher education in our contemporary world would much depend on student-teachers’ teaching methods and teaching practices that can bring real meaning into the lives of their pupils. It is recommended that the supply of mathematics syllabus into the Colleges of Education should be accompanied with adequate teaching and learning aids for pre-service teachers. This would allow them to receive sufficient pre-training in all aspects of the curriculum before becoming professional teachers DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-9-01 Publication date:March 31st 201

Social Studies Teachers’ Perception of Junior High School Social Studies Curriculum in Berekum Municipality

The study aimed at determining teachers’ perception of Social Studies and how they teach the subject at Junior High Schools in Berekum Municipality of Brong Ahafo Region in Ghana. Four research questions guided the study: 1, what are the perceptions of Social Studies teachers about the nature of Social Studies? 2. What are the techniques employed by social studies teachers? 3. What is the nature and purpose of Social Studies curriculum at the Junior High School? 4. What is the significance of in-service training to the Social Studies teachers at the Junior High School? The main instrument used for the study was questionnaire. A questionnaire made up of forty (40) close-ended four-point Likert Scale Structured items were administered to hundred (100) Social Studies teachers in the selected twenty-five (25) Junior High Schools in Berekum Municipality. The questionnaire was divided into seven parts (A, B, C, D, E, F, & G). Areas examined include Meaning of Social Studies, Academic and professional Qualification, Scope and Goals of Social Studies, nature of Social studies Education and Techniques of Teaching Social Studies. The sampling technique for the study was both purposive and random sampling. The data obtained from the questionnaire suggest that in all, most teachers were homogenous in their assertion that the nature of social studies is that of citizenship education. This is consistent with Banks (1990) that citizenship education is the primary focus of social studies in the school curriculum which promotes desirable participatory citizenship and further confirmed by the position of Bar and Shermis, (1977) that social studies is an integration of experience concerning human relations for the purpose of citizenship education. It was also concluded that the purpose of Social Studies is to develop positive attitudes, values and skills of pupils. It is recommended that teachers continue to acquire relevant knowledge on making Social Studies more relevant to the needs of the citizenry and abreast themselves with teaching techniques that would enhance practical ways of learning and encourage the application of real- life situation. Keywords:JHS: Junior High School, MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CRDD; Curriculum Research and Development Division, NACC: National Association of the Curriculum and Courses, fCUBE: free Compulsory and Universal Basic Education DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-11-03 Publication date: April 30th 202

School of Thoughts of the Essentialist Philosophers on the Aims of Education, Role of Education and the Focus of Education: Implications for Curriculum Development and Practice in Ghana

The aim of this paper is to discuss comprehensively the school of thoughts of the essentialist philosopher on the aims of education, the role of education and the focus of education. Again, the discussion would pay attention to examine the implications of the essentialism to curriculum development and practice. In this philosophical school of thought, the aim is to instill students with the “essentials” which means the “main things” of academic knowledge, enacting a back-to-basics approach. Essentialists believe that there is a common core of knowledge that needs to be transmitted to students in a systematic, disciplined way. From the Essentialist point of view, the aim of education is to equip students with common core or the “basic” of information and skills needed for the promotion of citizenship. According to the Essentialist, the role of education is the transition of a common body of knowledge, skills, concepts and traditions from generation to learners in order to transform them to meaningfully and constructively contribute democratically to the society. The essentialist focus on intellectual training in the areas of grammar, literature and writing, mathematics, sciences, history and modern foreign language. On the implication for curriculum development and practice, the essentialist places emphasis on core curriculum, the curriculum is developed around the teacher rather than the learner, the mastery of content matter of an essential knowledge as a yardstick before moving on to the next level, placing less emphasis on non-academic subjects such as; Vocational education, Physical Education, Arts and Music and eventually ensuring that the curriculum focuses on grouping students according to their intellectual ability. Keywords: curriculum, curriculum development, essentialist, essentialism, social value

College Climate and Teacher-Trainee’s Academic Work in Selected Colleges of Education in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

The study aimed at investigating the extent to which College climate (Leadership roles/practices and Class size) impact on academic work of Teacher-trainees. A survey research design was used for the study because it involved a study of relatively large population who were purposively and randomly selected. A sample size of 322 out of the population of 1850 from Offinso, Akokerri and Wesley Colleges of Education comprising 226 males and 114 females were used for the study. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect data for the study. The data collected were analyzed using Means, Standard deviations and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The study established that effective leadership roles and practices of Principals and Tutors had impact on the academic work of Teacher-trainees. By implication, good leadership practices had a positive relationship with students’ academic work. The results of the ANOVA tests indicated that there was no significant difference in the means of the responses on College class size provided by the respondents (p>-.05). The implication is that large class sizes turn to affect classroom teaching and learning as compared to small class size. The respondents from Offinso College had the lowest mean of 2.41on infrastructure, implying that their College infrastructure was the least developed. However, the respondents of Akokerri had an overall mean of 3.55 which implied that their College infrastructure was moderately developed. The study also revealed that, the higher the academic qualification of college tutors in their respective area of study, the more likely they are to impact positively on the academic work of Teacher-trainees. Keywords:Leadership, School/College Climate, Organic Leadership and Transformational Leadership

Parenting Approaches and Pupils’ Classroom Reinforcement in Sagnirigu District, Tamale-Ghana

This study examines the relationship that exists between parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian and permissive) and student’s classroom motivation. Simple random sampling was used to select the subjects for the study. The sample consisted of 390 comprising of 130 students, 130 parents and 130 teachers from twenty public and private Junior High Schools in the Tamale Metropolis. The data were analyzed using partial correlation and logistic regression and analytical techniques with SPSS version 16. Results showed that majority of parents perceived themselves as authoritative, followed by authoritarian and permissive. The findings revealed that mothers were more permissive than fathers. The results also did confirm a positive correlation between paternal parenting approaches and pupil’s classroom reinforcement/motivation.These findings are consistent with earlier findings of Cramer (2002) and Baumrind (1971). Possible reasons why the study findings of the present study are consisted with earlier ones were discussed.The study’s result also suggest that even though cultures differ in the kinds of opportunities they provide children to develop the competencies the need, parenting everywhere has direct influence on children’s social and emotional development. The present study concluded that both paternal and maternal parenting styles have a great bearing on student’s classroom motivation. Keywords: Parenting Style, Classroom Motivation, Mastery Motivation, Authoritarian Parenting, Permissive ParentingAuthoritative Parenting,Intrinsic Parenting, Family andStatistical Package for Social Sciences (S.P.S.S.

Determination of the Levels of Some Heavy Metals in Cocoa Beans from Selected Cocoa- Growing Areas in Western and Ashanti Regions of Ghana

In this study, six heavy metals in cocoa beans from some cocoa-growing towns in the Western and Ashanti regions were determined after acid digestion using analytical grades of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated hydrochloric acid. Cadmium, lead, copper, Manganese, Iron and zinc in the samples were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The metal levels in cocoa beans from the Western region, expressed in mg/ kg varied from 0.045 to 0.066 with mean value of 0.054 for cadmium, from 0.013 to 0.03 with mean value of 0.02 for lead, from 46.47 to 55.17 with mean value of 51.98 for copper, from 48.36 to 64.65 with mean value of 55.18 for manganese, from 43.80 to 53.11 with the mean value of 47.51 iron, from 43.04 to 52.06 with the mean value of 48.29 for zinc. That of Ashanti region ranged from 0.05 to 0.065 with the mean value of 0.056 for cadmium, from 0.014 to 0.02 with the mean value of 0.017 for lead, from 47.43 to 54.17nwith the mean values of 49.10 for copper, from 47.15 to 57.34 with the mean value of 54.62 for manganese, from 50.23 to 63.87 with the mean value of 54.63 for iron and from 53.02 to 58.71 with the mean value of 56.49 for zinc. For overall conclusion, heavy metals were present in all samples but the levels of zinc, copper, iron and manganese which are considered as essential elements were high as compared to the toxic cadmium and lead. Levels according to codex set up by FAO/WHO therefore makes cocoa beans from the Western and Ashanti regions of Ghana analyzed in this study  safe for consumption