Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
Articles Information
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vol.1, No.3, Jul. 2015, Pub. Date: Jun. 13, 2015
Social Studies Teachers’ Knowledge Base in Authentic Assessment in Selected Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana
Pages: 249-257 Views: 4453 Downloads: 2241
Authors
[01] Anthony Bordoh, Department of Art and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
[02] Isaac Eshun, Department of Art and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
[03] Ama Mbeaba Quarshie, Department of Art and Social Sciences, Holy Child College of Education, Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana.
[04] Thoephilus Kweku Bassaw, Department of Art and Social Sciences, Komenda College of Education, Komenda, Ghana.
[05] Patrick Kwarteng, Department of Art and Social Sciences, Wiawso College of Education, Sefwi Wiawso, Ghana.
Abstract
The knowledge base of senior high school teachers’ in authentic assessment will be paramount to both teachers’ students if they are implemented effectively in a social studies classroom. The study used a descriptive case study design. Both the schools and teachers’ were randomly selected from fifty seven (57) government assisted senior high schools in the Central Region of Ghana. The study used ten (10) senior high schools and twenty (20) teachers. Semi structured interviews were the main instruments used for data collection. The results indicated that knowledge in authentic assessment was relatively poor. Clearly, there were noticeable gaps and variations between the teachers’ conceptions and theoretical knowledge of authentic assessment and their relevant practices in the classrooms. It was also discovered that authentic assessment use in the Social Studies classroom was limited by policy systems, time, resources and assessment methods employed by the various schools. It recommended that the teaching universities in Ghana should broaden their scope on the teaching of assessment to incorporate authentic assessment.
Keywords
Assessment, Authentic Assessment, Social Studies, Authentic Assessment in Social Studies, Senior High Schools
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