United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural organization [UNESCO]. Koomson et al (2000) also cites many activities which are involved in teaching. The critical question is what to teach? For example, in math, when you are teaching math, you will let them know that these and that are some of the misconceptions. Front. Feel free to quote Diane Ravitch, one of the most respected voices in education, who notes that unions protect teachers' rights, support professionalism, and check administrative power. There are few jobs that offer this kind of reward. In spite of the progress that Ghana has made in improving access to school, several children cannot read or write. If your head doesn't explode upon hearing this comment, take the time to explain the endless lesson planning and grading teachers do after school, at home, and on the weekends. Avoiding anthropomorphism helps young people to open the closed box of AI applications. Let us know at submissions@eschoolmedia.com. South and South-West Asia Development Papers, 2101. Although the 2021 Ghana Population and Housing Census reports, that persons with disabilities in Ghana constitute about 8% (2,098,138) of the countrys population of 30,832,019 (Ghana Statistical Service, 2012), other reports show otherwise. Harlow: Longman. Other building facilities were ramped, but the ramps were not accessible. Each period lasts 45 minutes and each grade is expected to receive an average of 45 periods of instruction a week covering all subjects (nine periods a day for all subjects). It is important that persons with disabilities are explicitly mentioned in targets and indicators to ensure that their needs are adequately addressed. Knowledge about genetically modified (GM) food and biotechnology is low among the Ghanaian public due to low levels of . Educ. Figure 1 gives a pictorial illustration of how a particular health condition/disorder could affect the body functioning, activity and participation. Figure 1. Presently, there are 48 Colleges of Education (CoE) in Ghana, up from 38 in 2014 ( Buabeng et al., 2019) and in the 2018/2019 academic year, all Colleges of . The outcome of the conference called for students with disabilities to be educated within an inclusive education system. World 6:81. The forms and the student handbooks were published by the government of Ghana under the Transformative Teacher Education and Learning (T-TELL), School Partnership Program with support from the British government. Neubauer, C., and Calame, M. (2017). Education is necessary for persons with disabilities to break out of the cycle of poverty as recognized by both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals. Available at: https://ghana.un.org/en/about/about-the-un (Accessed August 10, 2022). J. Res. Disabil. 23, 15. Disability and health: Fact sheet. Spec. The student teacher is required to reflect on seven questions listed under this theme but none of them captures disability. 9, 8695. For most parts of the country, life is better than the outside world is made to believe. As the quality assurance officer of this particular institution, these are some of the questions I ask my coordinators. The 2012 Human Rights Watch report indicates that over 5 million persons with disabilities live in Ghana (United States Department of States, 2017). They are supposed to identify school facilities (e.g., football field, toilet, office space, tennis court, buildings etc. Persons with disabilities constitute about 15% of the world population, with about 80% of them living in countries of the global south, including Ghana (World Health Organization, 2011). Stay up-to-date with the latest edtech tools, trends, and best practices for classroom, school and district success. One College of Education in the southern sector of Ghana was the site for the study. Challenges and opportunities for inclusive education in Ghana. doi: 10.1016/S0031-9406(10)62916-1. (2015). But the section seems to relate more to learners with learning difficulties. Socioeconomic factors hindering access to healthcare by persons with disabilities in the Ahanta west municipality, Ghana. Weekly on Wednesday. International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: Children & Youth Version: ICF-CY. The SDGs target 4.8 outlines the need to build and upgrade educational facilities that are disability sensitive. They want to learn and are interested in making a contribution to the world. The policy (Ministry of Education, 2015: p. 6) defines a child with special educational needs [SEN] as: a child with disability, namely, visual, hearing, locomotor, and intellectual impairments. Throughout the curriculum and other auxiliary documents, there are phrases and statements such as How much time was spent helping this student? Did the teacher spend time helping them Did the student(s) with learning needs successfully complete the activities/tasks assigned in the lesson? These questions amply testify that the focus of curriculum and other auxiliary documents are on learners with learning difficulties to the neglect of other categories of disabilities. Ghanas 2019 SDGs Budget Report. I was shocked that my Facebook friend didn't understand teacher tenure either, so I posted its legal definition. In in view of the above, there has been a rising awareness and activism for the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular mainstream classrooms, but the reality in many underdeveloped nations including Ghana is still a gloomy picture (Adera and Asimeng-Boahene, 2011). The proponents of the Social Model of Disability acknowledge that impairment could pose a limit to the functioning of persons with disabilities. J. Int. Barnes, C. (1991). Attitudinal barriers are cited as major barriers to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all spheres of life in Ghana (Kassah et al., 2012; Adjei et al., 2013; Dugbartey and Barimah, 2013; Naami, 2014). 10 Tips and Truths of Living with a Teacher, A Chance to Build Meaningful Relationships with Students, Engaging Students during the Long Winter Months, 5 REALISTIC Ways for Teachers to Get Healthier This Year. curriculum is used by Colleges of Education and other Universities offering education programs, as it was collaboratively produced by four teacher education universities with senior members of Colleges of Education (Ministry of Education National, 2017). But the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) program was introduced in 1995 as part of efforts to fulfill UNESCOs mission of free universal education for all by 2015 (Akyeampong, 2009). Evolving Indian strategy on SDGs and scope for regional cooperation. - Equip teachers with good communication skills. The Curriculum College of Education in Ghana also recognizes effective class management as sine qua non for classroom participation. In all one hundred and seventy-one (171) students participated in the study. Using the curriculum to promote inclusive education? eSchool News recently asked readers: If you could clear up one misconception about teachers and/or teaching, what would it be? Our goal was not only to help others understand these misconceptions, but also to learn how teachers feel they are perceived by others. doi: 10.36251/josi.149, Nakua, E., Yarfi, C., and Ashigbi, E. (2017). Republic of Ghana (2019). He further made a remark, which we also observed on a visit to that College of Education. (2013). The upgrading of teacher training institutions to colleges of education: Issues and prospects. Oliver, M. (1990). In 2015, Ghana developed an inclusive education policy with an overarching goal of fostering equitable access to education for all children. Misconception:Some materials are intrinsically cold.22 Concept: Light propagates and interacts with matter, and it is passively detected. doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2019.1906. 5. In 2015, a policy on inclusive education was developed and adopted by the country toward fulfilling the aspirations of the 1992 constitution, which guarantees education as a fundamental human right. It can deliver greater immersive learning for students while also creating some new and exciting teaching opportunities. London: Results for Development Institute en Overseas Development Institute. Perhaps it would be a different matter if the conceptions of teaching were like those of NASA engineers: smart, genius! doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2019.1651833, Buabeng, I., Ntow, F. D., and Otami, C. D. (2019). CBR Inclus. The importance of the SDGs. The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author. Crit. Before working at eSchool Media, Meris worked as an assistant editor for The World and I, an online curriculum publication. The Supplementary material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1056630/full#supplementary-material, Adams, R., Martin, S., and Boom, K. (2018). United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], (2021). 1, 78377846. Available at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf (Accessed July 29, 2022). Nancy Barile is a National Board Certified Teacher, who has been teaching English Language Arts at a low-income, urban high school near Boston, MA for 22 years. Post-2015 Education MDGs. The B.Ed. Access to higher education in Ghana: examining experiences through the lens of students with mobility disabilities. During this period, they are required to keep a portfolio for the documentation of their field experience activities. The Inclusive Policy also sets out to facilitate and enable education structures, systems, and methodologies to meet the needs of all children; and it is a good attempt to promote an inclusive society. We wanted to know more about how the student teacher is taught to reflect on disability. Inclusive education places emphasis on all aspects of education, including the pedagogy, school culture and environments that promote inclusion. Available at: www.t-tel.org/hub.html (Accessed June 30, 2022). Awareness of oneself is vital to bracketing biases and prejudices against vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities. She was also awarded the 2011 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award in Creative Leadership, and in 2007 was named a member of the 2007 USA Today All-Teacher Team. doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2013.07.034, PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar. AN managed the project, including research planning, methodology, the design of the research instruments, fieldwork, data analysis, writing of results and assembled, wrote, and edited the first draft of the manuscript. Vol. If you're a teacheror if you've even thought about being a teacheryou've probably heard a few of these common misconceptions about teaching. B. According to the Colleges of Education Act of 2012, Act 847, the process of preparing teachers in Ghana to teach at the basic school level takes place at the College of Education (CoE). This view has gained currency among several scholars (Adams et al., 2018; Leal Filho et al., 2019; Stein et al., 2019). 60, 281301. Therefore, it is very important to assess how student teachers at the Colleges of Education in Ghana are integrating inclusive education consistent with SDG 4. I created a meme about the misconception, and almost immediately, a former classmate of mine wrote, "It also makes it almost impossible to get rid of bad teachers.". We met to discuss and merged emerging codes and themes and subthemes. Here are 10 misconceptions about teachers and teaching that emerged from readers (responses edited for brevity): 1. (2018). Assoc. High. in Behavioral Science, a Masters in Education, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Education Leadership. University surroundings and infrastructures that are accessible and inclusive for all: listening to students with disabilities. This assertion is also emphasized in Article 24 of the CRPD. The World Health Organizations report on disabilities indicates that students with disabilities continue to have lower academic achievement than their peers without disabilities (World Health Organization, 2011). This has led to misconceptions and poor public image of TVET because many people still hold the view that TVET is good for students who cannot use their brains or students who do not qualify for admission into the universities. Copyright 2023 eSchoolMedia & eSchool News. My students have gone on to become doctors, nurses, legislators, activists, business owners, musicians, social workers, and yesteachers. The components of the learning outcomes we analyzed in the light of the SDGs Goal 4 targets 4.5, 4.6, and 4.8 and the social model of disability (See Supplementary Tables S1S3). 3. doi: 10.21083/ajote.v3i2.2728. I wrote an entire paragraph to which my former classmate responded: "We can agree to disagree." Teachers in the U.S. do make far less than similarly educated professionals. She holds a B.A. The study employed the descriptive research design. Soc. (2017). In year two, the student teachers are required by the curriculum to imbibe knowledge on values and attitudes that has the potential of impacting learning. 2010 Population and Housing Census: Summary Report of Final Results . CBR Incl. If you're in the same boat, here's a handy cheat sheet to help set your lunatic cousin Larry straight when he claims to know more than you do about your own vocation. SDGs Goal 4-Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (specifically, targets: 4.5, 4.6, 4.8), and the social model of disability guided the review. As Neubauer and Calame (2017) argues, the SDGs ought to be recognized as a unique opportunity to strengthen and intensify the dynamics of sustainability in higher education institutions all over the world. Also, the condition was perceived to cause severe disease. Finkelstein, V. (1980). The principle of universal design in the policy offers learners multiple means of representation, expression, engagement, motivation and tapping into learners interest. Mundial, Grupo Banco, and UNICEF. New York: World Rehabilitation Fund. Students' ages can range from 12 to 23 years old. The National Teacher Education Curriculum Framework, (NTECF): The Essential Elements of Initial Teacher Education. It further does not recognize learners with disabilities as a targeted category for student reflection. However, they posit that persons with disabilities are disabled more by their environment and other processes than their perceived impairments (Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation [UPIAS], 1976). Take the example of a smart speaker. Education has long been recognized as a global priority. Further, the student teachers in year three are tasked to identify learners who struggle to overcome barriers. The student reflective journal and the observation checklists identify barriers to learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Keywords: Ghana, inclusive education, persons with disabilities, student teacher, teacher preparedness, Citation: Naami A and Mort KS-T (2023) Inclusive education in Ghana: How prepared are the teachers? Accra: Sakoa Press Ltd, Accra, Ghana. In their observation checklist, it is important that the students also identify whether what they identify are accessible to all learners particularly, persons with disabilities. (2019). Revisiting free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE) in Ghana. J. Soc. The main body of the module focuses on a comparison between two contrasting countries in Africa: Sudan and Ghana. Curriculum in 2018 was written to reform education and the school curriculum. Most teachers I know work other jobs during the summer months. As part of the global communitys efforts to address social problems collectively, post the Millennium Development Goals era, the Sustainable Development Goals were birthed in 2015 (United Nations [UN], 2015). But how prepared are student teachers at Colleges of Education in Ghana. Produc. Common misconceptions of Africa are explored in the second lesson, through a range of activities which again highlight the wide diversity of opportunities, challenges and life styles. Disabil. Disabil. 171, 434445. The policy sets an agenda of child friendly schools, which implies schools in Ghana ought to look out for children; that is child-seeking and again they should focus attention on children; that is, schools should be child-centered. The school and its environment must be safe and accessible for all learners. (2019). Abuse of disabled children in Ghana. curriculum tasks student teachers to Identify school and student characteristics that act as barriers to learning. However, this statement is problematic as it is a wrong premise to understand barriers to learning for learners with disabilities. Johnstone, C. J., Schuelka, M. J., and Swadek, G. (2020). Received: 29 September 2022; Accepted: 16 January 2023; Published: 23 February 2023. London: University World News, The Global Window on Higher Education. The curriculum of Colleges of Education in Ghana rightly states the need to identify barriers to learning and working with stakeholders to address these barriers, which is also listed in the student reflective journals. (2021). Published by the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike International. Kokutse, F. (2018). J. 1. The ICF and social model of disability, on the other hand, helped us identify barriers that could inhibit access of persons with disabilities to inclusive education in Ghana at the systemic (teaching training colleges) and unit (classrooms) levels and to identify what could be done to address issues at these levels. I explained that tenure is a right to due process, so a teacher can't be fired without the administration presenting evidence that the teacher was incompetent or unprofessional. J. Prod. Sometimes I just give these folks a little rundown of my week. Braun, A. M. B., and Naami, A. So, its good that you are bringing some of these things out. Attitudes towards inclusive education in africa scale (ATIAS): an instrument to measure teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education for students with disabilities. The policy emphasizes that the curriculum should stress three key principles: Setting suitable learning targets, responding to pupils diverse needs, and overcoming barriers to learning for individuals and groups of pupils. There were storey buildings with no elevators, most of the entrances to the buildings were inhibited with steps and not ramps. 6, 18. In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications offer hope to candidates and educators. London: UPIAS. In this paper, we used two analytical perspectives, the SDGs Goal 4 and the social model of disability, to understand whether or not student teachers are adequately prepared to deliver inclusive education in Ghana. Ministry of Education National (2017). The B.Ed. Dev. Welcome to the Ministry of Education Changing Ghana Through Education. In Ghana, a considerable milestone has been the integration of the SDGs into the medium-term development of Ghana. And since the student teachers are required to Recognize how the teacher is a key influence on a learners self-esteem and, as a consequence, their learning potential, there is the need for student teachers to be grounded in disability awareness to understand persons with disabilities, their issues and needs and how best they could be helped. The findings relating to the equity and inclusivity cross-cutting pillar of the curriculum is that emphasis is placed more on gender rather than disability inclusion. Article 8 of the CRPD outlines measures that states parties could adopt to ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access education, including vocational training and lifelong learning. In other words, Vocational and Technical Education and Training . Comp. A., and Asimeng-Boahene, L. (2011). Ghana 2012 human rights report. (2018a). She graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 with a BA in English, and enjoys spending way too much time either reading or cooking. Yes, this is what we want the students to know. There are two major case study designs: single-case study designs and multiple-case study designs. Naami, A. The ICF helps our understanding of the functioning of people with different disorders and their level of participation in activities as well as how contextual factors could facilitate or impact negatively on functioning. Moria, A., and Morgado, B. doi: 10.54674/ess.v32i2.288. Ofori, E. A. (2016). Initially, myths were largely on causes and vulnerability. true, instead, the Vocationalization of Ghana's education will put money into people's pockets (Anamuah-Mensah, 2004). 68, 95115. The sample was made up of one hundred and fifty-five students (155) from Aggrey Memorial . Clean. In addition, alternative assessment procedures are seriously encouraged in all educational institutions to respond to the diverse needs of all learners. Paris: UNESCO. The policy also highlights a flexible curriculum in which schools: owe a responsibility to teach all children, exhibit no discrimination, utilize early intervention practices, ensure childrens participation, involve NGOs, agencies, parents, and government, develop positive attitudes, conduct monitoring and evaluation, have a policy on Persons with Disabilities, and develop assessment practices. By submitting you will receive emails from Hey Teach! Dev. Kassah, A. K., Kassah, L. L., and Agbota, T. K. (2012). (2015). Misconceptions previously reported include the interpretation of warning signs of pre-eclampsia as a normal occurrence during pregnancy. The student teacher is also expected by the curriculum to recognize what makes him/her an inclusive teacher. The observation checklist requires student teachers to identify traits of professionalism of their mentor teachers compared with theirs. We also reviewed the Four-Year Bachelor of Education degree curriculum (Developed by the University of Ghana), student reflective journal and the daily portfolio sheet. In a similar vein, the Government of Ghana has identified several factors that prevent persons with disabilities from attending school, including the general publics negative perception of people with disabilities, physical obstacles, the lack of adequate facilities for assessments, and a rigid curriculum, inadequate planning by regular teachers for students with special needs (Government of Ghana, 2003). doi: 10.1080/03050060902920534. Teaching should therefore involve the full participation of pupils. The number of persons with disabilities is likely to grow as incidences such as chronic ailments, falls, injuries, conflicts, accidents, and aging continue to occur (Howard and Rhule, 2021; World Health Organization, 2021). See Appendix A for details of the interview guide. (2007). Ghana: Ministry of Education. (2021). Yin emphasized that a single-case design could be selected because of its criticalness, extremeness, typicalness, revelatory power, or longitudinal possibility (Yin, 1994). World Health Organization. Many attend mandatory professional development, and some work to get their master's degree. Consistent with achieving improvement in the quality of teachers, the B.Ed. (2013). As noted by Calles (2020) the process of truly integrating the SDGs in tertiary institutions is sine qua non. Examples of how anthropomorphism is misleading. These include talking, and chalking, marking . Our analytical tools, social model of disability and the SDGs goal 4 were synergistic, which allowed for comparative analysis. *Correspondence: Augustina Naami, anaami@ug.edu.gh, Transforming Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan African Countries Towards the Achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 by 2030: New Opportunities, Challenges, Problems and Prospects, View all
For example, in week five the learning activity for student teachers requires Observation of how socio-economic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds influence the way learners (a boy and a girl) learn. The statement above does not recognize disability as one of the backgrounds that influences learning. Science, Language Arts, History), K-12 educators have committed themselves to developing skills in how to engage and foster growth of young people around the content and processes that comprise that area of expertise. Dev. (2018). Available at: https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/204336.pdf (Accessed May 10, 2022). Yin, R. K. (1981). Nancy Barile, Award-Winning Teacher, M.A.Ed. All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Stud. Challenges of Inclusion: Local Support Systems and Social Service Arrangements for Persons with Disabilities in Suhum, Ghana: Baseline Study Report. Adera, B. Educ. The Social Model of Disability was proposed by advocates of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation (UPIAS) in 1976 (Shakespeare and Watson, 2010) which was later given credence to the works of scholars such as Oliver (1990), Oliver and Barnes (1998), Finkelstein (1980, 1988), Barnes (1991), and Shakespeare and Watson (2010). "Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action: Towards Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All, UNICEF. In this paper, we use the social model of disability and anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, to examine the preparedness of student teachers in meeting the needs of learners with diverse learning needs. However, it is equally important to find out whether what the teacher does promotes participation or alienates others. Government of Ghana. Social Policy and Disabled People: From Exclusion to Inclusion. Buabeng et al. Policies, targets, and strategies Education Strategic Plan 20032015 May.
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