An Evaluation of Teacher's Classroom Performances in Implementing the New Social Studies Syllabus In The Second Cycle of Primary Education: The Case of South Gondar
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Date
1998-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to make an evaluation of teachers' classroom
performances in implementing the new social studies syllabus of grades 5 and 6 in
South Gondar. Attempts were also made to identify some factors that influence
teachers classroom performances.
Data regarding teachers' classroom performances were obtained from the 16
sample schools that were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling techn ique.
Within these schools all social studies teachers of grades 5 and 6 (32 in number), 16
school directors, and 16 school pedagogical center coordinators were taken as
sources of information. Questionnaires, observation rating scales and interview
schedules were the instruments of data collection. The data gathered through these
instruments were analyzed using percentage, mean score, chi-square, correlations
and simple regression.
The findings indicated that a large proportion that is 47.66% and 17.19% of the
social studies teachers were found to be "low" and "very low" re spectively in view of
the general teaching characteristics. On the other hand, a relatively high level of
teachers' classroom performance was found out in the skills of classroom
management, in which 37.5% of the teachers were rated as "h igh" and 13.28% of
them as "very high". The re sults of the study also show the wide gap between the
actual teaching of social studies and the techniques of teaching suggested by the
syllabus. Although the dominantly suggested teaching techniques of social studies
syllabus are inquiry, group discussion and written reports , their implementation is very
minimal in that the observed teachers appear to use the lecture method only.
A moderately positive relation (r=0.46) was found out between teachers
attitude toward the syllabus and their classroom performance. The regress ion resu lt
made clear that the attitude of teache rs toward the prescriptions of social studies
syllabus accounted 21.4% of the variation in their classroom performance. Significant
difference was also obtained between more experienced and less experienced
teachers in classroom performance. The findings further indicated that some factors
such as overcrowded classrooms, absence of teachers' participation in workshops
and seminars, delay in the delivery of textbooks and other teach ing-materials,
inadequacy of periods alloted, inadequacy of teaching aids and curricu lum materials
appear to have contribution to the ineffectiveness of teachers in the implementation
process of social studies syllabus.
Based on these findings and the conclusions drawn, related recommendations
regarding the improvement of teacher training and the provision of the neces sary
instructional materials were forwarded .
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Evaluation of Teacher's Classroom Performances