The Value of Continuous Assessment Strategies in Students’ Learning of Geography in Senior High Schools in Ghana

This survey investigated the views of geography teachers and students on the value of continuous assessment strategies in students’ learning of geography in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis and Cape Coast North District within the Central Region of Ghana. Data were collected with the use of two sets of questionnaires from 20 geography teachers and a random sample of 198 geography students. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. The study revealed that although there are various kinds of continuous assessment strategies, geography teachers most often used take-home assignment, written test and recap exercise to assess how geography students learn geography. It was found that the use of continuous assessment helps students to understand difficult areas as well as master the content of geography. Continuous assessment also makes students more confident and ready for final examinations. Therefore, it was recommended that geography teachers need more assistance in devising the rubrics for using the various kinds of continuous assessment strategies. Key concepts: Assessment, continuous assessment, value, students’ learning and continuous assessment strategie

A Review of the Geography One Aspect of the 2010 Geography Syllabus for Senior High Schools in Ghana

This is a non-empirical article whose main focus is a review of the 2010 Geography One Teaching syllabus currently being used in Senior High Schools in Ghana. Though the 2010 SHS Geography syllabus has been structured and organized into three sections, the review has however been done on the Physical and Practical Geography aspects which constitute the Geography One domain of the syllabus. Certain principles for evaluating instructional programmes (curricula) have been used to assess the relevance of the syllabus to the Geography student in particular and the Ghanaian context in general. The review focused on a discussion of the relative strengths and weaknesses in the organization and integration of content and learning experiences towards the attainment of instructional objectives. The review holds the view that the new syllabus is a comprehensive document which has used the holistic approach to address issues of interconnections, distribution linkages and patterns of geographic phenomena and processes and above all, has been able to blend all the components of content to a very high degree. In conclusion, the article suggests that the designers of the syllabus should take steps to rectify the shortcomings identified and then pass on the feedback to the classroom geography teacher for implementation. But before this is done, the article recommends the use of the new Geography One Syllabus in all Senior High Schools where geography is taught. Key Concepts: Teaching syllabus, curriculum principle, geography, evaluation, strengths, weaknesse