Teacher-Trainees’ Sense of Efficacy in Students’ Engagement, Instructional Practices and Classroom Management in Social Studies Lessons
[1]
Samuel Ofori Bekoe, Department of Social Studies Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[2]
Boadu Kankam, Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
[3]
David Asakiba Ayaaba, Department of Social Studies Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[4]
Isaac Eshun, Department of Arts and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
[5]
Anthony Bordoh, Department of Arts and Social Sciences, Enchi College of Education, Enchi, Ghana.
Teacher efficacy has been linked to several personal and contextual variables, important teacher behaviours, and student outcomes. Researching on Colleges of Education final year teacher-trainees’ (mentees) sense of efficacy in students’ engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management in Social Studies lessons seems to be very essential as products from the teacher training colleges are supposed to teach the subject at the basic school level in Ghana. The research methods chosen for this study are; both qualitative and quantitative (mixed method). Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the colleges and the 150 final year teacher-trainees for the study. The study revealed that where final year teacher-trainees are responsible to conduct curriculum-based teaching in the Ghanaian Basic Schools, the orientation about what they believe in rather impact on what and how they go about their classroom activities; instructs, engage their students, and manage their social studies lessons. It is therefore suggested that participatory techniques such as role-play, simulation, discussion, debates, brainstorming, writing narratives, and other cooperative learning approaches should be used in the teaching and learning of Social Studies to help pupils become critical thinkers, tolerant and problem solvers since the subject was introduced solely to the right the wrong in society.
Efficacy, Sense of Efficacy, Students’ Engagement, Instructional Practices, Classroom Management, Social Studies Lessons
[1]
Akmal, T. T., & Ayre-Svingen, B. (2002). Integrated biographical inquiry: A student centred approach to learning. Social Studies, 93(6), 272-276.
[2]
Babad, E. (2009). The social psychology of the classroom. New York: Routledge.
[3]
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191-215.
[4]
Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117-148.
[5]
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.
[6]
Bekoe, S. O., & Eshun, I. (2013). Influence of the differences in social studies teachers’ curriculum conceptions on curriculum implementation in Senior High Schools in Ghana: Implication for national curriculum policy. Development Country Studies, 3(6), 105-113.
[7]
Berman, P., McLaughlin, M., Bass, G., Pauly, E., & Zellman, G. (1977). Federal programs supporting educational change. Vol. VII: Factors affecting implementation and continuation (Report No. R-1589/7-HEW). Santa Monica, CA: Rand Corporation (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 140432).
[8]
Caliskan, S. (2010). Instruction of problem-solving strategies: Effects on physics achievement and self-efficacy beliefs. Journal of Baltic Science Education 9(1), 20-24.
[9]
Chun, M. (2010). Taking teaching to (performance) task: Linking pedagogical and assessment practices, Change, 42(2), 22-29.
[10]
Cuthrell, K., & Yates, P. (2007). Making it all fit: Integration strategies for social studies and literacy. The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 73(4), 22-25.
[11]
Eshun, I., Bordoh, A., Bassaw, T. K., & Mensah, M. F. (2014). Evaluation of social studies students’ learning using formative assessment in selected Colleges of Education in Ghana. British Journal of Education, 2(1), 39-48.
[12]
Evans, E. & Tribble, M. (1986).Perceived teaching problems, self-efficacy and commitment to teaching among pre-service teachers. The Journal of Educational Research, 80, 81-85.
[13]
Gibson, S. & Dembo, M. (1984). Teacher efficacy: A construct validation. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 569-582.
[14]
Graham, S., Harris, K. R., Fink, B., & MacArthur, C. A. (2001). Teacher efficacy in writing: A construction validation with primary grade teachers. Scientific Studies of Reading, 5, 177-202.
[15]
Hattie, J. A. C. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London, England: Routledge.
[16]
Jia, Y., Eslami, Z. R., & Burlbaw, L. (2006).ESL teachers’ perceptions and factors influencing their use of classroom-based reading assessment. Bilingual Research Journal, 29(2), 459-482.
[17]
Johnson, K.E (1992). The relationship between teachers’ beliefs and practices during literacy instruction for non-native speakers of English. Journal of Reading Behaviour, 24(1), 83-108.
[18]
Jones, A. (2004). Teaching critical thinking: An investigation of a task in introductory macro-economics. Higher Education Research & Development, 23(2), 167-181.
[19]
Kaplan, A., & Maehr, M. L. (2007). The contributions and prospects of goal orientation theory. Educational Psychology Review, 19(2), 141-184.
[20]
Kennedy, M., Fisher, M. B., & Ennis, R. H. (1991). Critical thinking: Literature review and needed research. In L. Idol & B. F. Jones (Eds.).Educational values and cognitive instruction: Implications for reform. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Erlbaum.
[21]
Laxman, K. (2010). A conceptual framework mapping the application of information search strategies to sell and ill-structured problem-solving. Computers & Education, 55(2), 513-526.
[22]
Mandernach, B. J. (2006). Thinking critically about critical thinking: Integrating online tools to promote critical thinking. Critical Thinking, 1, 41-50.
[23]
Manzoor, I., Mukhtar, F. & Hashmi, N. R. (2012). Medical students’ perspective about role-plays as a teaching strategy in community medicine. Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan. 22(4), 222-225.
[24]
McDaniel, K. N. (2000). Four elements of successful historical role-playing in the classroom. History Teacher, 33(3), 357-362.
[25]
McMurray, A. J. (2007). The role of discussion and dissent in creating civic understanding. American Secondary Education, 36(1), 49-58.
[26]
National Council for the Social Studies (2009). Powerful and purposeful teaching and learning in elementary social studies. Social Education, 73(5), 252-254.
[27]
Oberle, A. P. (2004). Understanding public land management through role-playing. Journal of Geography, 103(5), 199-210.
[28]
Parker, W. C. (2009). Social Studies in elementary education. New York: Pearson.
[29]
Patrick, H., Anderman, L. H., Ryan, A. M., Edelin, K., & Midgley, C. (2001). Teachers' communication of goal orientations in four fifth-grade classrooms. Elementary School Journal, 102, 35-58.
[30]
Riera, J. R., Cibanal, J. L., & Mora, M. P. (2010).Using role playing in the integration of knowledge in the teaching-learning process in nursing: Assessment of students. Texto Contexto Enferm, Florianópolis, Out-Dez; 19(4), 618-26.
[31]
Roeser, R. W., Marachi, R., & Gehlbach, H. (2002). A goal theory perspective on teachers' professional identities and the contexts of teaching. In C. Midgley (Ed.), Goals, goal structures, and patterns of adaptive learning (pp. 205-242). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
[32]
Savery, J. R. (2009). Problem-based approach to instruction. In C. Reigeluth, & M. Carr-Chellman (Eds.), Instructional-design theories and models. New York: Routledge. Pp. 143-165.
[33]
Schmidt, L. (2007). Social Studies that stick: How to bring content and concepts to life. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
[34]
Soodak, L. C. & Podell, D. M. (1997). Efficacy and experience: perceptions of efficacy among preservice and practicing teachers. Journal of Research and Development in Education, 30, 214-221.
[35]
Svinicki, M. D., & McKeachie, W. (2011). McKeachie's teaching tips: Strategies, research, and theory for college and university teachers (13th ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
[36]
Tanner, L. (2009). Teaching social studies to the media generation. Social Science Research & Practice, 4(2), 140-144.
[37]
Tschannen-Moran, M., & Woolfolk-Hoy. A. (2001). Teacher efficacy: Capturing an elusive construct. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(7), 783-805.
[38]
Tschannen-Moran, M., Woolfolk Hoy, A., & Hoy, A. W. (1998). Teacher efficacy: It's meaning and measure. Review of Educational Research, 68(2), 202-248.
[39]
Vogler, K. E., & Virtue, D. (2007). "Just the facts, ma'am": Teaching social studies in the era of standards and high-stakes testing. Social Studies, 98(2), 54-58.
[40]
Wheatley, K. F. (2002). The potential benefits of teacher efficacy doubts for educational reform. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18(1), 5-22.
[41]
Woolfolk Hoy, A., Hoy, W. K., & Davis, H. A. (2009). Teachers' self-efficacy beliefs. In K. R. Wentzel & A. Wigfield (Eds.), Handbook of Motivation in School (pp. 627-653). New York: Routledge.
[42]
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology 25(1), 82-91.
