Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Teacher quality is emerging as “the most important According to Burke (2000), staff development must not
ingredient in students’ achievement” according to studies only affect the knowledge, attitudes and practices of
carried out by (Proetheroe, Lewis and Paik, 2002; US individual teachers, administrators and other school
Department of Education, 2000). employees but it must also alter the cultures and structures of
the organization in which these individuals work.
Although research indicates the importance of having
qualified teachers in the classroom, evaluating teacher quality Protheroe, Lewis and Paik (2002) suggest that to ensure
can be a difficult task. Most researchers agree to the fact that quality teaching, administrators should:
basic skills are the most important indicators of teacher Make sure that each school has an equitable distribution
quality (Archer 2002). Research also suggests that at a of competent teachers;
minimum, teachers should have a solid general education and Select and support principals who know how to establish
know their subjects. Students whose teachers know their a collaborative, instructionally focused school
subject perform better than students whose teacher lack environment;
subject-master preparation (Olson 2000). Give schools the autonomy and support to create
professional learning environments for teachers;
Another factor that enhances teacher quality is Provide schools with high-quality expertise as part of
experience. Studies suggested that students learn more from consistent, intensive professional development;
experienced teachers than they do from less experienced Hold teachers responsible for student achievement school
teachers (US Department of Education 2000).Research also wide.
showed that teachers who teach in the field in which they
received their training and those who participate in high- Adeyemo (1999) gave the rationale for teachers’
quality induction and professional development programs are professional growth. These include:
more effective than those who do not (US Department of It is necessary for the building of a formidable teaching
Education 2000). Study by Jegede (1982) also revealed that force.
most integrated science teachers are mostly produced by the
For professional commitment to teaching and training of
Teacher Colleges and that most University graduates who are
our young ones.
qualified in other sciences like mathematics and physics are
For coping with the problem of teachers’ deficiencies.
found teaching integrated science in the classroom which
they are not actually trained to teach. For moral building, a qualified teacher is confident, as he
needs not fear any threat of incompetence.
Professional development plays an important role in For acquisition of new information in all areas of
creating and retaining quality teachers. Most teachers knowledge.
participate in such activities in some form; the US For social and job mobility.
Department of Education reported that as of 1998, 99 percent
of teachers participated in professional development Studies had also shown that teachers are not trained and
programme within the preceding 12 months period (US retrained in their various areas of specialization; teachers are
Department of Education 2000). neither sponsored to workshops and conferences nor are they
encouraged to attend in-service training in order to update
Teacher supervision also plays an important role in their skills. This finding is in line with Ifeakor, (2003,
successful professional development by providing teachers pp.227-283) in which she noted that “in-service training
with feedback regarding effective classroom practices. Four would help science teachers know how to use science
key strategies have emerged for enhancing the professional materials in teaching science subjects to their students in
Response on Response on
Region
Tonkolili 06 02 01 00 00 02 02 00 00 00 01 04
n-=51
Total 28 13 09 01 06 23 03 05 00 00 04 10
(54.90) (25.49) (17.65) (1.96 (11.77) (45.10) (5.88) (9.80) (0.00) (0.00) (7.84) (19.61)
Bo 11 05 04 01 00 13 02 04 00 00 02 00
Bonth 00 00 04 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 00
Moyamba 05 04 04 01 02 04 02 03 00 00 01 02
Southern
Pujehun 02 03 00 01 00 01 01 02 00 00 02 00
n=45
Total 18 12 12 03 02 22 05 11 00 00 03 02
(40.00) (26.67) (26.67) (6.67 (4.44) (48.89) (11.11 (24.45 0.0 0.0 6.67 (4.44)
Kailahun 06 07 0 00 04 06 02 04 00 00 01 01
Kenema 05 09 04 00 02 09 01 04 00 00 01 01
Eastern
Kono 09 01 02 03 03 01 01 01 00 00 02 07
n=51
Total 20 17 11 03 09 16 04 09 00 00 04 09
(39.22) (33.34) (21.57) (5.89 (17.65) (31.38) (7.85) (17.65 0.0) (0.0) (7.85) (17.65)
Western
Area
03 03 00 00 00 03 01 02 00 00 00 00
Rural
Western
Urban 08 10 06 02 01 05 04 10 02 02 00 02
Western
n=32
Total 11 13 06 02 01 08 05 12 02 02 00 02
(34.38) (40.63) (18.75) (6.25 (3.13) (25.00) (15,63 (37.50 (6.25) (6.25) (0.00 (6.25)
Grand Total 77 55 38 09 18 69 17 37 02 02 11 23
(43.02 (30.73 (21.23 (5.03 (10.01 (38.55) (9.50) (20.6) (1.12) (1.12) (6.15) (12.85)
Table 1:- Ages and Qualifications of Integrated Science Teachers in the Selected Schools
n=179 (Figures in Parentheses are Percentages)
Qualifications of Integrated Science Teachers of the In the Southern Region, 40% of the selected teachers
Selected Junior Secondary Schools and Their Subject had HTC(S) in integrated science, 6.67% had B.Ed. in
Areas of Specialization integrated science and 8.89 % in the basic sciences. Majority
The figure below shows the qualifications and subject of the teachers though trained, they were trained in other
areas of specialization of integrated science teachers in the subject areas rather than Integrated Science.
selected schools. In the Northern Region 31.38% had
HTC(S) in integrated science, 5.89% had Bachelor of Similarly, in the Eastern Region, 13.73% had HTC(S)
Education .and 9.81% had B.Sc. in the basic sciences. in Integrated Science, 7.81% in the basic sciences. Majority
of these teachers were also trained in other subjects and had
Fig 1:- Bar Chart Showing Qualifications and Areas of Specialization of Integrated Science Teachers.
Distribution of Qualified Integrated Science Teachers of Unqualified Teachers were found in the Western Area and
the Selected JSS least (5.72 %) in the Northern Region.
The figure below indicates the number of qualified
integrated science teachers. According to the figure, 71.43% For the Untrained and Unqualified Teachers, there were
from the Northern Region were trained and qualified, 80.53% 22.86 % from the North, 8.85% from the South, 43.04% from
were trained and qualified from the South, 48.73% were the East and 12.99% from the Western Area. There were
trained and qualified from the East and 75.32% were trained more (43.04%) untrained and unqualified Integrated Science
and qualified from the Western Area. The table shows that teachers in the Eastern Region followed by the Northern
there were more (80.53%) trained and qualified Integrated Region (22.86%).
Science teachers in the South as compared to the other
regions followed by the Western Area (75.32%). These untrained and unqualified Integrated Science
teachers included those who did not have the requisite
In terms of Trained and Unqualified Teachers (TU), professional qualification to teach Integrated Science, they
there were 5.72% from the North, 10.62% from the South, only sat to the GCE or WASSCE and were employed
8.23% from the East and 11.69% from the Western Area. The because the schools lacked qualified teachers. Some were
table further revealed that more (11.69%) Trained and employed as voluntary teachers.
Fig 2:- Bar Chart Showing Number of Trained and Qualified Integrated Science Teachers in the Selected Schools
C. Objective 2: Teaching Experiences of Integrated Science by (5-9) years with (31.38%). There was no teacher with
Teachers in the Selected Schools (20-24) years’ experience in all the districts of the Eastern
The study sought information on the experience Region. Only (1.96%) from Kailahun District had 30 years
integrated science teachers have in the teaching of the subject and above experience.
in the classroom. Statistics collected from empirical
investigation showed that in the Northern Region, 50.98% In the Western Area, most (37.50%) of the teachers
had (0-4) years’ experience, 15.69% had (5-9) years, 9.81 % from the Urban and Rural District had experience between
had (10-14) years, 5.89 % had (15-19) years, 9.89 % had (20- (10-14) years, with more (10) from the urban and (2) from
24) years and equal 3.93% of the teachers had (25-29) years the rural. There was no teacher with, (25-29) years and 30
and 30 and above years’ experience respectively. The figure and above years’ experience.
further revealed that 50% of these teachers had (0-4) years’
experience and 66.67% had at least 10 years’ experience. From the figure, it was observed that highest percentage
(27.94%) of years of teaching experience of these teachers
In the Southern Region, Bo had (5) teachers and fell between the age range (10-14) years; this implies that, the
Moyamba (2) teachers with (0-4) years’ experience. There teachers had the adequate knowledge of their work and with
were no teachers with (5-9) years’ experience from Bonthe. that number of years especially from 5 to 30 years and above,
Bo had the highest number (6) of the teachers with (5-9) these teachers would play a greater role in helping candidates
years of experience. There were more (31.12%) teachers for most especially in the examination classes (BECE) to
the entire South with (10-14) years’ experience. Only Bo and perform better in the public examinations. Years of
Moyamba District had one teacher each with 30 years and experience do seem to improve professionalism among
above experience. This also occurs in the Northern Region Integrated Science teachers, the least experienced teachers
with only (2) teachers with at least 30 years’ experience. fell between (0-4) years 24.03% while the more experienced
teachers 75.97% fell between (5-9) years to 30 years and
In the Eastern Region, the concentration 37.26 % of the above.
teachers with experiences fell within (10-14) years followed
Fig 3:- Bar Chart Showing Teaching Experience of Integrated Science Teacher
Students’ Rating of Integrated Science Teachers on Their Integrated science teachers is always absent in school;
Conduct to the Teaching /Learning of Integrated Science. Come late to class ;
As indicated in the table below, the junior secondary Integrated science teachers stay in the staff room when
schools pupils who participated in the study claimed that he/she is scheduled to be in class;
integrated science teachers are engaged in all listed practices. Integrated Science teachers hit their students ;
The following items are in a greater proportion of the pupils Integrated Science teachers come to class without
at least 60% upheld the view that: preparing for the class