Teachers Perspective on Redesigning Social Studies Curriculum for Student-Centered and Constructivist Learning: Empirical Study of Secondary Schools, Northern Region

Abstract

Effective, equitable, and student-centered Social Studies instruction occurs in an environment which is prepared and well designed for that purpose. The 21st Century Social Studies curriculum should be planned to allow teachers to adopt constructivist student-centered pedagogies to improve the learning outcomes of students. However, it appears most teachers in Ghana still apply the traditional rote methods of instruction that deprives students of the ability to acquire 21st century learning due to weaknesses in the existing curriculum. This study was, therefore, conducted to explore from teachers how the Social Studies curriculum can be reformed to create a room for active and student centered learning. A cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study. Senior High School (SHS) Social Studies teachers in Northern Region were the target population for the study (N = 175 teachers). Using Yamane's (1967) formula for sample size determination, 151 teachers were randomly sampled for the study with a confidence level of 97% and a margin error of ±3. Closed-ended item questionnaires were used to mine data from the respondents. The reliability of the items in the questionnaires was tested using the Cronbach alpha formula which yielded a = 0.78, which was acceptable for the study. Using SPSS, data were analyzed employing descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviations and the results were presented in tables. The study discovered a high endorsement by teachers on the need for a new Social Studies curriculum that provides an opportunity for meaningful learning; a call for Social Studies curriculum reform to create a room for student-centered learning to improve learning outcomes of students in line with SDG 4. The study recommends curriculum reforms, capacity-building programmes for teachers based on training needs; supply of relevant instructional resources; expansion of SHSs infrastructure and rethinking a ban on SHSs students' use of phones and personal laptops on campuses.

Systematic literature review: Curriculum development principle

“…3. Theoretical foundation, serving as the developmental orientation and illuminating framework (Bariham et al, 2022;Wang et al, 2018).…”

Social Studies Teachers' Authentic Assessment Practices, Tools and Challenges in Assessing Students' Learning Outcomes

“…Social Studies teachers within the study area have a positive perception of a meaningful Social Studies curriculum. Social Studies curriculum engages students in the formulation of educational goals, selection of instructional strategies and assessment of learning outcomes; focus on the psychological and developmental needs of students; place emphasis on the social world, its challenges, strengths, and its prospects; and emphasis on contemporary, enduring and pervasive social problems and link them to students' real-life situations [2]. Social Studies curricula is more of authentic forms of profile dimension assessment techniques in laying a strong foundation for knowledge base for teaching and assessing the learners' learning outcomes [3].…”

Influence of oncam feature in online conference on learning motivation during the pandemic

“…As a result, students can become less active in conveying their aspirations and thoughts, resulting in boring learning. This is because it is difficult for the interaction between educators and students to occur, so the learning process often only occurs in one direction (Safarati, 2021), so that learning is centered on the teacher only, while students become passive during the learning process takes place (Bariham et al, 2022;Daniati et al, 2020). These reasons can be the cause of students' learning outcomes not progressing even though the teaching and learning process should continue to optimize the delivery of material properly to maintain the quality of learning outcomes, including increasing student learning motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic as it is today (Almendingen et al, 2021;Mandailina et al, 2021;Hapsari et al, 2021).…”