An Investigation into Factors That Militate Against Teaching and Learning of Integrated Science at the Junior High School Level, A Survey of Ten (10) Selected Schools in the Juaboso District

ABSTRACT 

The study was conducted to investigate the factors that affect the effective teaching and learning of integrated science at the Junior High School level in Juaboso district. The study stemmed from the Researcher’s involvement in teaching integrated science, conduct, supervision and marking of district mock examination in integrated science organized by Juaboso district education directorate. A total of 240 out of 987 students from 10 selected junior high schools in the district were randomly selected for the study. In addition, 10 integrated science teachers were purposely selected, one from each of the 10 schools selected for the study. A descriptive survey research design was used. This design was chosen because it follows various means of obtaining the perceptions of both students and teachers which have to be compared and contrasted. The main instrument used for the collection of date was questionnaire. This was followed by interviews with some of the students and the science teachers selected from each school which strengthened the validity of the results of the study. In order to validate the instrument and ensure that the results that would be obtained are reliable, the instrument was pilot tested and Cronback Alpha reliability co-efficient of 0.81 was obtained from the pilot tested results.  The following were the major findings of the study;  9 Most of the science teachers in Juaboso district are untrained with majority of them having their education up to the SHS level.  Most of the science teachers in the selected schools did not specialise in science during their education. Due to the lack of teaching and learning materials in the schools, most of the science teachers resort to the use of lecture method in teaching at the expense of child-centred approach method. Hence, they fail to involve students in practical activities. Majority of parents and students in the selected schools show negative attitude towards education in general and science education in particular.  

The implications of the findings are that the future of science education in Juaboso district is very bleak and that measures should be taken immediately to curb the situation. The Ghana Government, Ghana Education Service, Juaboso district directorate of education, parents and students should all come together and find lasting solutions to all the problems that make teaching and learning of science difficult in Juaboso district.