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

SMS and Customer Satisfaction in the Banking Industry

The study sought to examine Short Messaging Service (SMS) as a marketing communication tool and customer satisfaction in banking. The study draws on multi-variables to explain consumer perception of receiving text messages and the influences on understanding of customer satisfaction in the banking industry. The key variables that were related to customer satisfaction included benefits of SMS, facilitation of relationship, SMS as nuisance and the relationship between Short Messaging Service (SMS) and customer satisfaction. These factors were measured against customer understanding of customer care by selected banks in the Kumasi Metropolis. One hundred and three (103) customers participated in the study through random selection. A Likert scale questionnaire was used to gather responses from the customers.  The study found that there is relationship between SMS and customer understanding of customer care and customer satisfaction. There was no statistical significance of the contributory variables, satisfaction however, showed a highly statistical significance relationship with Short Message Service (SMS) as a marketing communication tool in the banking industry. Keywords: Short Messaging Services, customer satisfaction, marketing communicatio

Marketing performance of service firms: Recognizing market sensing capability and customer interaction orientation

Purpose: This study examines the effect of market sensing and interaction orientation capabilities on the marketing performance of service based firms in Ghana. The study particularly explored the moderation effect of interaction orientation capability on the relationship between market sensing and firm performance of the service firms. Methods: This study adopted the survey approach focusing on a convenient sample of 200 employees of service firms. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship between the variables of interest. Results: the study revealed that market sensing capability and interaction orientation significantly account for variations in the marketing performance of the service businesses. Furthermore, the findings showed that the interaction of market sensing and interaction orientation capabilities is vital for extracting a higher marketing. Implications: The research target of service firms limits the generalizability of the findings since the participants were not proportionally participated. In addition to insights on how marketing sensing and interaction orientation should fit the realization of marketing performance, the research offers other ideas to enhance measurement of marketing performance based on customer profits and customer relations

Consumer Choice Analysis of Imported and Locally Produced Chicken Products: Evidence from Ghana.

An understanding of why a person makes purchasing is very important in the marketing process of those consumers located at Kumasi metropolis. The paper investigated into consumer choice analysis of imported and locally produced chicken in Kumasi metropolis. Of which convenience sampling was used to select the sample size of three hundred and fifty (350) respondents to answer the questionnaires. The study revealed that influence of price on purchasing decision was high. Also issues of   quality had poor influence in the purchasing decision of chicken products thus accounting for the higher rate of neutrality of respondents view in that regard. In addition, the study showed that participants responded to all the elements on the influence of quality on the demand for chicken products in the Kumasi metropolis, as well as influence of quantity on the demand and purchase for chicken products. The recommendations are based on the weaknesses identified in the study:  effect of price, quality and quantity. It is believed that the recommendations such as ensuring effective competitive price for locally produced chicken by providing adequate and readily funding for farmers. Also, improving the packaging of the locally produce chicken to be at par with an international standard. These will help to improve the bottlenecks associated with the production of locally produced chicken. Key words: Consumer; Purchasing; Behaviour; Decision makin

Development and Validation of Questionnaire for Physics Learning Self-Efficacy among Ghanaian Senior High Schools

This study focused on developing an instrument for assessing Senior High School students Physics learning self-efficacy beliefs. An instrument known as PLSE was administered on-site and in-person. The PLSE was tested on 290 final year Senior High School Physics students. Prior to this, the initial scale was administered to 60 Senior High School Physics students after validation by seven experts of Science educators. The PCA extracted four factors with loadings ranging from 0.588 to 0.889. The four factors were Physics Practical, Every Application of concepts, High-Order Thinking Skills and Physics Content. The calculated Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and Composite Reliability of the PLSE items were also found to range from 0.540 to 0.718 and 0.823 to 0.927 respectively. The subsequent reliability results showed excellent internal reliability for each of the sub-scales with Corrected Item-total Correlation (CIC) values, ranging between 0.571 and 0.752. Validity, and reliability assessments revealed accepted threshold cut-off of Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR,) and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. This paper suggests that the current proposed Physics learning instrument represent a reliable research scale to measure Senior High students Physics learning self-efficacy belief

Mathematics Teachers’ Problem-Solving Knowledge, Practices and Engagement among Public Junior High Schools in Berekum West, Ghana

This study focused on Mathematics teachers’ problem-solving knowledge, practices and students’ engagement based on Polya’s problem-solving model, using the sequential explanatory research design. The study adopted the census technique to collect data from 80 Junior High School Mathematics teachers for the quantitative phase. Thereafter, five Mathematics teachers were selected from the 80 teachers for interview to supplement quantitative findings. The quantitative data was analysed using means and standard deviations while the qualitative data was transcribed and analysed thematically. The results demonstrated that even though Mathematics teachers had knowledge, they moderately used problem-solving instructional strategies in their lessons. They applied manipulative materials other than the standard procedures espoused in problem-solving techniques. Therefore, the researchers recommend a new paradigm of training teachers on problem-solving techniques for Mathematics instruction

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS: LEARNING FROM STUDENTS' EXPERIENCES IN PRESBYTERIAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL, ABETIFI, GHANA

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered how we interact with one another. The novel COVID-19 pandemic that peaked in 2020 led to protocols that reduced social contact and relationships. When schools closed, students had less time to talk to each other, hurting their friendships and ability to learn. This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on Abetifi Presbyterian SHS students' social connectedness just after the easing of the lockdown restrictions. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology with an interpretivist viewpoint encapsulated within the inductive epistemological framework. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were employed to interview 40 students (SHS 1, 2, and 3). According to the findings of the study, COVID-19 made it more difficult for students to have social contact, making learning more difficult. The study further revealed that the closure of schools for several months limited students' close ties and social relationships. The study also indicated that peer connections and interactions had become weaker and more strained during the peak season of COVID-19. The findings have ramifications for managing COVID-19 and future pandemics and understanding social relationships amongst social actors. Educational governing authorities like the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should maintain educational programmes that seek to rebuild social bonds damaged by pandemics.  Article visualizations

Analyzing Gender Differences in Misconception in Linear Momentum Using Two-tier Diagnostic Test Instrument

Misconceptions that occur can vary between male and female students, therefore, the study analyzed gender difference in misconceptions in linear momentum. The diagnostic- descriptive research method was used in this study. A total of 70 (35 males and 35 females) first-year Senior High School students in the La-Nkwantanan Municipality were used for this study. Identification of misconceptions was conducted using the Two-tier multiple-choice diagnostic test instrument that was equipped with the Certainty of the Response Index method. The study showed both males' level of understanding and misconception (56.88%; 42.88%) and females (28.51%; 50.24%), respectively. Three research questions were raised and two research hypotheses were formulated and tested in this study. The data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test and the hypothesis were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that male’s students understanding of concept was statistically more [(18) = 0.003, p < .05] than females and misconception was found not be statistically significantly different [(18) = 0.285, p > .05]. The researchers recommend that physics teachers use cutting-edge pedagogical instructional techniques such as the use of two-tier diagnostic test instrument to maximize students' prior knowledge and uncover misconceptions. Keywords: linear momentum, misconception, gender, tier-two, test, instrument DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-1-10 Publication date: January 31st 202

The role of government and the international competitiveness of SMEs: evidence from Ghanaian non-traditional exports

PurposeThe nature of international markets and the challenges with respect to the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) makes it imperative to examine government support. The study aims to assess the role and effectiveness of government and the Export Promotion Agencies in supporting exports by non-traditional horticultural SMEs in Ghana.Design/methodology/approach The study employed a qualitative research design which involved semi-structured interviews with senior managers of six export facilitating institutions to gain understanding of the services offered to SMEs with respect to exports of non-traditional horticultural products.FindingsThe findings reveal inadequate cost-efficient sources of non-traditional horticultural export financing for SMEs. This is a hindrance to the international competitiveness of exporting SMEs in developing countries such as Ghana. In addition, effective and co-ordinated support from export promotion agencies was found to be critical.Originality/valueThe study highlights the importance of government's role in policymaking and implementation of export-led programmes for horticultural exporting firms in Ghana. Despite their strategic importance, this area of research has not attracted the attention of researchers, with little or traditional horticultural products

Cigarette smoking during breastfeeding in Papua New Guinea: Prevalence and demographic and socio-economic predictors

Background Cigarette smoking during breastfeeding is reported to contribute to significant changes in the composition of breast milk not only by reducing its protective features but also affecting infants' response to breastfeeding and breast milk. However, studies on the prevalence of cigarette smoking and associated factors during breastfeeding are limited in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study estimates the prevalence of cigarette smoking and its association with demographic and economic factors among breastfeeding women in PNG. Methods We used weighted survey data from the 2016-2018 PNG Demographic and Health Survey (PNGDHS). A weighted sample of 3, 822 women who were breastfeeding during the survey were included in the study. The outcome variable in the present study is current cigarette smoking. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between current cigarette smoking status and socio-demographic and economic variables of breastfeeding women. The regression analysis results were reported using adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results From the weighted sample, the prevalence of cigarette smoking among breastfeeding women was 21.9%; of which 60.8% smoked daily. The mean number of cigarettes smoked in the last 24 hours preceding the survey was 6.05(SD = 5.99). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that breastfeeding women who were from the Momase (aOR: 2.337, CI: 1.786-3.058, p<0.001) and Highlands (AOR: 1.589, CI: 1.213-2.082, p = 0.001), had no religious affiliation (aOR: 3.665, CI: 1.235-10.877, p = 0.019), and households with daughters as household heads (aOR: 1.901, CI: 1.231-2.935, p = 0.004) and being in more than one union (aOR: 2.374, CI: 1.805-3.123, p<0.001) were significantly more likely to smoke cigarette compared to women from southern region, those affiliated to Anglican church, those with husband as household heads, and being in one union respectively. Conclusion Cigarette smoking among breastfeeding women in PNG is relatively high, and region of residence, religion, relationship to household head, and the number of unions remain independent predictors. Interventions should target the individual socio-economic and cultural contexts within which breastfeeding occurs