Project Method of Teaching Visual Arts and Teacher Trainees Content Knowledge Achievements in Ghana Colleges of Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the content knowledge achievement of teacher trainees who are taught practical topics in visual arts using project method of teaching and those who are not. The study employed analytical survey design. The study targeted 3-year diploma in basic education colleges of education students in second year offering visual arts as an elective and visual arts lecturers in colleges of education in Ghana. The sample size for the study was 122 (115 students and 7 lecturers). The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. The hypotheses formulated for the study were tested using Pearson point-biserial correlation coefficient. The result of H0 1 indicated that there is significant difference in content knowledge achievements between the teacher trainees who were taught using project method and those who were not. H0 2 revealed that practical activities teacher trainees offering visual arts are exposed to through the project method of teaching has a positive relationship on their content knowledge achievements. It was found out that teacher trainees who were taught practical topics in visual arts using project method of teaching acquire new and adequate content knowledge than those taught using other methods of teaching. The study recommended that lecturers teaching visual arts should employ protect method in teaching practical component of the syllabi. Teacher trainees studying visual arts should be motivated to undertake project works that would enable them to acquire relevant skills needed to effectively handle the creative arts and basic design and technology subjects at the basic level of education in Ghana.

Virtual Learning and Readiness of Tutors of Colleges of Education in Ghana

“…In this study, analytical survey design was employed because both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. According to [13] cited in [14], a survey is a systematic technique for amassing data from (a sample of) individuals for the purposes of constructing a quantitative description of the attributes of the bigger population of which the individuals are members. Surveys are conducted to collect data that reflects the population's attitudes, behaviours, opinions and beliefs that cannot be observed directly.…”

“…Surveys are conducted to collect data that reflects the population's attitudes, behaviours, opinions and beliefs that cannot be observed directly. Reference [30] cited in [14] states that analytical survey design is a research design that allows for both descriptive and inferential statistics to be used in data analysis. Analytical survey design enabled researchers to answer questions such as why, what, where, who, how many and how much.…”

“…degree students and tutors in the 46 colleges of education in Ghana. According to [16] cited in [14], the purposive sampling is normally used to select respondents who are likely to provide the relevant data a researcher is interested in collecting. Simple random sampling was used to randomly select students and tutors who formed the sample size for the study.…”