Integrated Science Entry Grades Connection with End-of-Course Completion Grades in Science in a College of Education in Ghana

Previous experience is essential in the teaching and learning process because it serves as a basis for learners in tackling subsequent problems. It is on the basis of this, the researchers took up this study to explore the relationship between the entry grades of pre-service teachers in integrated science and their end-of-course completion grades in science-related courses at the college level. The quantitative descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. A sample of 124 pre-service teachers was purposively selected for the study with a checklist as the data collection instrument. Frequencies, percentages, and Spearman’s rho were used to analyse the data collected. The study discovered a noteworthy result regarding the relationship between entry grades and academic performance in science-related courses. The findings revealed a weak positive correlation between pre-service teachers' integrated science entry grades from the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and their subsequent performance in general biology, chemistry, and physics at the college level. It emphasised the limited effectiveness of relying only on entry grades as a criterion for college admissions. Based on the findings, it was recommended that policymakers and colleges of education move beyond the singular reliance on entry grades in admissions and consider a more comprehensive approach incorporating a broader range of factors that influence academic performance. Keywords: Entry grades, integrated science, pre-service teachers, biology, chemistry, physics DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-23-05 Publication date:August 31st 202

The Effect of teacher motivation and instructional methodologies on student outcomes in integrated science in the upper east region, Ghana

This study\u27s focus was to ascertain how teaching strategies and teacher motivation affected students\u27 performance in integrated science in Ghana\u27s Upper East. The researcher employed a survey design. Heads of senior high schools and teachers of integrated science constitute the study\u27s population. Purposeful and straightforward random samplings were utilised to choose the respondents. 84 respondents made up the sample, comprising 80 integrated science teachers and 4 school heads. A structured questionnaire served as the primary tool, and the Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used to analyse the data (SPSS). The data analysis revealed that a large percentage of integrated science instructors (52.5%) thought that teacher motivation led them to perform in-depth study in order to teach effectively. Additionally, it was found that every integrated science instructor stated that skilled teachers employ effective teaching strategies to raise student achievement

Improving First Year Integrated Science Students’ Biological Drawing at Mfantsipim School

This study was action research, descriptive in nature and designed to improve first year Science students’ biological drawing skills at Mfantsipim School. The study was descriptive in nature. The main instruments used to collect data were observation schedules, interviews and a set of questionnaires. A sample of 74 students and 7 teachers were involved in the study. During the pre-intervention stages an exercise was used to assess the magnitude of students’ problems. After which, intervention activities were designed and implemented to help students improve their performance in their Biology and Integrated Science drawings to be specific. The outcome of the study revealed that students’ drawing skills had improved in Biology and Integrated Science respectively. Based on the findings, it was recommended that all stakeholders in Education should review the biology syllabus, equip teachers with the basic skills of biological drawing and organize frequent In-service Training for teachers, as this will enhance the performance of students in biological drawings in Biology and Integrated Science subjects respectively

Factors critical for the growth of science in a society

The purpose of this paper is to sensitize all stakeholders in Science Education in Ghana to the level of scientific literacy in the country through a discussion of the factors that promote the growth of science. Before this is tackled, the paper briefly discusses the importance of the conceptual and the methodological structures of science and contends that both need to be given equal emphases if science is to thrive in any society or institution. The history of science education reveals that six factors namely: interaction with nature; openness; the existence of the plurality of views; naturalistic explanations of phenomena; experimentation; record-keeping are critical pre-requisite for the advancement of science in any society. The paper discusses each of the factors by making reference to practices that fostered the scientific enterprise and kindled the flame of scientific and technological advancement in the developed countries. These are contrasted with practices in traditional societies in Ghana and elsewhere which act as barriers to the growth of science. JOURNAL OF THE GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION Volume 1 Number 1, July (1998) pp. 1-

The status of biology teaching and learning materials in selected central regional schools, Ghana

AbstractThis paper investigated constraints associated with biology teaching and learning materials in selected schools in the Central Region of Ghana. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the classroom implementation of biology curriculum. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used for the study. The target population comprised 187 biology teachers and 7790 second year biology students in all the 58 public senior high schools that offered elective biology during the 2016/2017 academic year. The accessible population however consisted of 4500 second year biology students drawn from 21 schools. The final sample comprised 106 biology teachers and 354 biology students. Factor analysis was used to perform inferential analysis and draw conclusions on the research questions. Resources for teaching and learning biology was inadequate in all schools visited. Most teachers did not organise practical activities regularly and this affected some profile dimensions suggested by the teaching curriculum. It is recommended that only qualified and experienced teachers should be employed to handle senior high school students in order to build a good and strong foundation for them