ATTITUDE OF TEACHERS AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE

This study investigated the attitude of Integrated Science Teachers in Senior High Schools and its impact on their instructional practice. The study employed the quantitative research approach adopting the descriptive survey design. The study employed the use of questionnaire and observation checklist to collect data from 138 participants. This attitude towards the subject stems from the perception these respondents have had about the subject for so many years since perception influences one's attitude towards an event. These attitudes also influence their expectations of how their teaching can effectively help students learn which adversely affects their attitude towards the instructional process. It was also realised that persons’ attitude towards instruction affects the demeanour and how the person carries out the instruction. The study therefore concludes that teacher’s competency and positive attitude towards instructional practice could contribute to effective teaching and students’ achievement. Knowledge on the subject matter of the curriculum that the teachers are required to teach influence the teachers’ own perception of the subject that influences their attitude. Integrated Science teaching skills is highly technical therefore; teachers’ personal development training enhances the content knowledge of teachers in Integrated Science as well as classroom management skills should be enhanced as this will go a long way to impact on the teachers’ attitude in the classroom.   Article visualizations

INTEGRATED SCIENCE TEACHERS’ SELF-EFFICACY BELIEFS AND IT’S IMPACT ON THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE

This study investigated the self-efficacy beliefs of Integrated Science Teachers in Senior High Schools and its impact on their instructional practice. The study employed the mixed method approach adopting the descriptive survey design. The study employed the use of questionnaire, interview and observation to collect data from 138 participants. Findings of the study observed that majority of the teachers had the requisite qualification to teach at the senior high school level, not all of them can confidently teach Integrated Science as an integrated whole. Some participants were of the view that since the subject encompass the various branches of science with the three main branches of the natural science dominating, it is imperative that more integrated science specialist are employed to handle the subject as an integrated whole and not in aspects as majority of the schools in the country are doing. Again, it was realised from this study that, teachers confidence level were low whenever they are teaching aspects that are not in their field of study. The study therefore recommends that regular, effective and efficient organisation of science workshops and seminars, continuous discussions about issues relating to the effective teaching of science in Senior High Schools should be held at least once every two years to enable teachers be updated with current practices in education. Again stakeholders of education should institute a scholarship package to enable more teachers to be trained to teach Integrated Science as an integrated whole to boost confidence in students. Article visualizations

Impact of In-Service Training Programme on the TPACK of Science Teachers: A Case of New Juaben-North Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana

This study assessed the impact that in-service training in selected Web 2.0 tools had on the performance of science teachers within the New-Juaben North Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The research adopted the case study design with a quantitative approach and was guided by two research questions. Twenty-five science teachers, drawn from some randomly selected senior high schools within the New-Juaben North municipality participated in this study. The questionnaire was used to collect data for analysis. The study found that in-service training in Web 2.0 tools had a strong positive impact on the TPACK of the science teachers and this had translated into improved performance of their students. It was recommended that more in-service training activities should be organised in diverse fields to enable teachers to acquire more skills to improve their teaching performance and hence students’ achievement

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

SSusceptibility of Dermestes Maculatus Degeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidea) Larvae Infesting Smoked African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) to Alchornea Cordifolia (Schum. & Thonn.) Leaf Powder

The efficacy of the plant powder of Alchornea cordifolia was evaluated under laboratory conditions against the larvae of the leather beetle Dermestes maculatus which is a major fish pest that cause serious damage when left uncontrolled. The experiment was in concentrations of 0g, 1.0g, 2.0g, 2.5g, 3.0g admixed with 15g of smoked fish powder; while all the treatment containing 0g were without plant powder which served as control, all the treatment were in triplicates. Newly emerged (0 - 72 hours old) larvae of D. maculatus were introduced. Evaluation of the potency of the plant powder was based on larvae mortality and the adult emergence. The weight losses in fish muscle in the treated and untreated samples were compared as index of fish damage during storage. The result showed that higher plant powder concentration were significantly (P<0.05) effective in killing larvae stage of the insect as well as the larvae at 1st and 2nd weeks after infestation (WAI). Adult emergence was significantly (P<0.05) inhibited in the treated fish and weight loss due to insect infestation was greatly suppressed by the higher dosage rate of the plant powder compared to control. The findings showed that efficiency of A. cordifolia leaf powder is dosage dependent and is capable of controlling the larval stage of D. maculatus in smoked fish (Clarias gariepinus) during storage. It is therefore recommended that plant could be used by poor resource fish farmers, processors and marketers in protecting smoked-dried fish against D. maculatus during processing, transportation, marketing and storage

SSusceptibility of Dermestes Maculatus Degeer (Coleoptera: Dermestidea) Larvae Infesting Smoked African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) to Alchornea Cordifolia (Schum. & Thonn.) Leaf Powder

The efficacy of the plant powder of Alchornea cordifolia was evaluated under laboratory conditions against the larvae of the leather beetle Dermestes maculatus which is a major fish pest that cause serious damage when left uncontrolled. The experiment was in concentrations of 0g, 1.0g, 2.0g, 2.5g, 3.0g admixed with 15g of smoked fish powder; while all the treatment containing 0g were without plant powder which served as control, all the treatment were in triplicates. Newly emerged (0 - 72 hours old) larvae of D. maculatus were introduced. Evaluation of the potency of the plant powder was based on larvae mortality and the adult emergence. The weight losses in fish muscle in the treated and untreated samples were compared as index of fish damage during storage. The result showed that higher plant powder concentration were significantly (P&lt;0.05) effective in killing larvae stage of the insect as well as the larvae at 1st and 2nd weeks after infestation (WAI). Adult emergence was significantly (P&lt;0.05) inhibited in the treated fish and weight loss due to insect infestation was greatly suppressed by the higher dosage rate of the plant powder compared to control. The findings showed that efficiency of A. cordifolia leaf powder is dosage dependent and is capable of controlling the larval stage of D. maculatus in smoked fish (Clarias gariepinus) during storage. It is therefore recommended that plant could be used by poor resource fish farmers, processors and marketers in protecting smoked-dried fish against D. maculatus during processing, transportation, marketing and storage