Community Resources in Social Studies Education: The Case of Tamale College of Education, Northern Region of Ghana

Abstract

The study sought the level of use of community resources in Senior High School (SHS) within Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region of Ghana. The explanatory survey research method was adopted to assess the phenomenon of community resource use during Social Studies lessons from the perspectives of SHS Social Studies teachers within the metropolis. The study adopted quantitative methodology in which a sample of 40 Social Studies teachers was selected for the study using purposive sampling technique. Community Resource Use (CRU) questionnaires comprising closed-ended items, were used in generating data from the respondents. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Findings of the study showed that even though SHS Social Studies teachers within the Tamale Metropolis perceive the importance of community resources for effective teaching of the subject, the usage of the resources was relatively low. Hence the study recommended that effort should be made by all the stakeholders especially Ghana Education Service (GES) and teachers involved in the Social Studies curriculum implementation to promote the regular use of community resources for effective teaching and learning of Social Studies in SHS within the Metropolis.