For educators, it is crucial to not only understand what the metaverse is and its uses within education but to also realize the benefits of immersive learning with the metaverse. Misconceptions previously reported include the interpretation of warning signs of pre-eclampsia as a normal occurrence during pregnancy. Target 4.a calls for the upgrading of educational facilities so that they are child-and disability-sensitive and to promote inclusive learning environments (United Nations [UN], 2015). 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. Every child has a right to access quality education and acquire skills UNICEF/UN362021/ACQUAH He noted that: For example, go to the new schools, yes, we are building nice laboratories, but they are not accessible for learners and student teachers with disabilities. From our observation, the entire school environment was not accessible. KM contributed to the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of the data, wrote the introduction section and assisted with the formulation, and editing of the draft manuscript. Given that persons with disabilities have been marginalized in all spheres of life, including their families and caregivers (Naami, 2019), conscientious efforts must be made to ensure that persons with disabilities/organizations of persons with disabilities or individuals/organizations that have the capacity to represent them are at the decision-making table to ensure that their needs are adequately addressed (Agyire-Tettey et al., 2019). One of the profound characteristics of the SDGS is the fact that all the goals are interconnected. Your source for IT solutions and innovations to support school-wide success. Maybe a better phrase is, Those who teach create those who do. Michael Jay, One of my favorites is, Those who cant, teach. Teachers must be well educated in their field of study, of course,but that is only the beginning. The FCUBE concentrated on enhancing the standard of instruction and learning, expanding educational access, and promoting the involvement of all school-age children, including the formation of local educational organizations to facilitate effective management of education (Agbenyega et al., 2005). Newman, E. K. (2013). Assoc. Senior High School Education in Ghana, from September 2017 became free (Tamanja and Pajibo, 2019). Educ. In the 24 years I've worked as a teacher, I've never had a single summer "off.". Challenges of Inclusion: Local Support Systems and Social Service Arrangements for Persons with Disabilities in Suhum, Ghana: Baseline Study Report. 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. Prod. The proponents of the social model of disability contest that a students personal characteristics such as having an impairment is not the major impediment to learning, but barriers created by schools and society (World Health Organization, 2011; Nakua et al., 2017; Braun and Naami, 2021). Royal Geographical Society - Resources for schools The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. If so, what were some of the teachers actions that seemed to promote or not promote participation? These questions aim at understanding how the teacher manages the classroom environment. University surroundings and infrastructures that are accessible and inclusive for all: listening to students with disabilities. Oliver, M. (1990). London: University World News, The Global Window on Higher Education. 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. For most parts of the country, life is better than the outside world is made to believe. Tertiary institutions such as universities, Colleges of Education and nursing training institutions have been recognized as drivers toward achieving the SDGs particularly, SDG 4, considering the formative roles they play in molding the future of young people in countries (Machado and Davim, 2022). Teachers' Experiences With Overcrowded Classrooms in A Basic School in Inclusive education policy. Available at: http://www.voiceghana.org/downloads/MoE_IE_Policy_Final_Draft1.pdf (Accessed November 25, 2022). Front. We asked our key informant about how they teach students to self-reflect. Although the various studies by Dodor et . To be effective, a science teacher should not underestimate the importance and the persistence of these barriers to true understanding. 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. Stud. UNESCO organizes the Global Education Meetings in partnership with all global education actors toward achieving SDG 4 (Fontdevila and Grek, 2020). She is the 2013 recipient of the Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award and the 2013 Boston Red Sox Most Valuable Educator Award. Inclusion in the policy sets out to create an education system that is responsive to learner diversity and to ensure that all learners have the best possible opportunities to learn. Also, the B.Ed. 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). Beyond models: understanding the complexity of disabled peoples lives in New Directions in the Sociology of Chronic and Disabling Conditions. Coast, Ghana E-mail of the corresponding author: kodwo33@gmail.com Abstract The general objective of the study was to evaluate the perspectives, conceptions and misconceptions of students on Industrial Attachment. Confronting them is difficult for the student and the teacher. There are so many more misconceptions about teaching that I could easily write a Part II to this article. Ghana is no exception. (2021). Adera, B. I wrote an entire paragraph to which my former classmate responded: "We can agree to disagree." doi: 10.5430/jct.v9n1p86. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Disabil. Fontdevila, C., and Grek, S. (2020). Particularly, the target 4.5 calls for the elimination of gender disparities and inequities in education, specifically highlighting the need to ensure access to education for persons with disabilities. London: Chartered Society of Physiotherapy London. Policies, targets, and strategies Education Strategic Plan 20032015 May. It can deliver greater immersive learning for students while also creating some new and exciting teaching opportunities. Akyeampong, K. (2009). The case study as a serious research strategy. Traditional beliefs and knowledge base about epilepsy among university students in Ghana. Naami, A. The focus on myths and misconceptions is borne out of the fact that they are potential threat to preventive efforts [18-20]. World Health Organization. Misconceptions as Barriers to Understanding Science Welcome to the Ministry of Education Changing Ghana Through Education. Or maybe like those of firefighters: brave, self-sacrificing! "Teachers Have a Paid Summer Vacation", Each year, teachers must take an unpaid furlough during July and August. However, disability is not mentioned in the four learning outcomes of the equity and inclusivity of the cross-cutting pillar and their targets. It further does not recognize learners with disabilities as a targeted category for student reflection. World Health Organization. Access of the surroundings of the classroom and school facilities should be target for reflection given that inaccessible school environment affects learning outcomes (Moria and Morgado, 2018; Braun and Naami, 2021). 5. The 5 million figure collaborates with the World Health Organizations estimates that disability affects 1520% of every countrys population (World Health Organization, 2018). All Rights Reserved. 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. Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Ghana: The truths beyond the Goal four of the SDGs calls for inclusive and equitable quality education for all (Johnstone et al., 2020). United States Department of States. Spec. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Want to share a great resource? Copyright 2023 eSchoolMedia & eSchool News. Available at: http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Ghana/Ghana%20Education%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf (Accessed July 28, 2022). Teachers share the 12 biggest misconceptions people have about their job Rachel Gillett Sep 15, 2016, 7:37 AM PDT 'Bad Teacher'/Sony Pictures With more than 4 million teachers in the US,. Over five millennia, human hunting, fishing and habitat destruction . doi: 10.4102/ajod.v6i0.341. Educ. Crit. 232, 285294. Kokutse, F. (2018). Beyond Knowledge and Awareness: Addressing Misconceptions in Ghana's Agbenyega, J. S., Deppeler, J., and Harvey, D. (2005). Produc. University-Level Upgrade for Teacher-Training Colleges. 3. doi: 10.21083/ajote.v3i2.2728. 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. Using the curriculum to promote inclusive education? Int. doi: 10.1080/17508487.2016.1247737, Tamanja, E., and Pajibo, E. (2019). Comp. 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). There is nothing like hearing a former student tell you about the positive change you've made in their life. Barnes, C. (1991). These questions, as far as I can tell, partly state some of the misconceptions about the teaching of CSE. B. Ministry of Education. However, we think it's more accurate . Available at: https://ghana.un.org/en/about/about-the-un (Accessed August 10, 2022). Received: 29 September 2022; Accepted: 16 January 2023; Published: 23 February 2023. Clearing misconceptions about the ongoing teachers licensing and The achievement of one goal leads to achieving another goal (Bentzen, 2015; United Nations Communications Groups [UNCG], 2017; United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], 2021). For example, Did the teacher ask learners with disabilities questions, and how did the teacher react to their responses? This will help identify the teachers perceptions, including biases and prejudices against learners with disabilities. Teachers need much pedagogical preparation on topics including educational psychology, classroom management, assessment, curriculum instruction, communication skills, and budgeting. ), but not the accessibility of these facilities. 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. It was the first news agency . The GCM is built on the back of the 2015 Incheon Declaration and Education 2030 Framework for Action, which envisages a cooperation, monitoring and evaluation mechanism which has the Global Education Meeting (GEM) as the pivot of action (Mundial, Grupo Banco, and UNICEF, 2016). "Education 2030: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action: Towards Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All, UNICEF. Her work has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Guardian, Scholastic, Inc., the College Board, the Center for Teaching Quality, and Education Week. The Politics of Disablement. International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health: Children & Youth Version: ICF-CY. And that is all before a teacher steps into a classroom. Disability inclusiveness requires care and proper planning, but that is not emphasized in the curriculum of Colleges of Education in Ghana. The data sources were a face-to-face in-depth interview with the Quality Assurance Officer of the case and one site observation by the researchers. Finkelstein, V. (1988). Available at: www.t-tel.org/hub.html (Accessed June 30, 2022). Teachers teach on average 24 periods per week. S. Grek, C. Maroy, and A. Verger (Milton Park: Routledge), 4358. 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. GhanaS free senior high school policy: evidence and insight from data. Of course, the known architectural barriers are the impediments as postulated by the social model of disabilities. All these barriers could inhibit access of persons with disabilities in the school and impact on their learning. For years, governments and other national and international stakeholders have focused their attention on making sure that all children can attend school, and they have backed up that commitment with funding. Without the commitment and involvement of tertiary institutions and in the case of training institutions such as Colleges of Education, perhaps the SDGs 4 may not be sustainably attained. In this paper, we use the social model of disability, anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, to examine the preparedness of student teachers in meeting the needs of learners with diverse learning needs. J. Revisiting free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE) in Ghana. School of Education, Western Sydney University, Australia, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Norway. 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). Ten common myths about teaching - eSchool News "Teacher Unions Impede Education Reform". In addition, the curriculum requires student teachers to find out if there are other learning resources apart from computer(s). (2021). These points provided below are responses and comments that were duly and diligently gathered through surveys and seminars in an attempt to provide some possible ways of raising teaching standards to an appreciable level in the country. 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. Unstructured questionnaires and Teacher observations were utilised in the process of generating the data. Concept Cartoon as a Teaching Technique for Conceptual Change: A 2nd Edn. But the section seems to relate more to learners with learning difficulties. See response below: Whatever course that they take, we have components of misconceptions. How do learners with visual and hearing impairment benefit from these forms of learning if resources do not have features of alternative formats (subtitles/captions, narrations) for these learners? (PDF) Misconceptions, Misinformation and Politics of - ResearchGate 4. The author concluded that concept-changing texts were efficient in comprehension of photosynthesis and Ghana 2012 human rights report. READ MORE Welcome to the Ministry of Education The Government of Ghana initiated some key education reforms to transform teaching and learning and improve educational outcomes under the Education Strategic Plan (ESP 2018-2030) which was approved by cabinet in November 2018. This study investigated the use of concept cartoons to diagnose and remedy pupils' misconceptions in selected science concepts. Revista Educacin Superior y Sociedad (ESS) 32, 167201. The Jophus Anamuah-Mensah Educational Reform report (2007) presented the structure of education in Ghana to consist of two to threeyears of nursery school, six compulsory years of primary school, three compulsory years of junior high school and another threeyears of senior high school. High. Here, Jo discusses common misconceptions that may prevent career changers from entering the teaching profession. The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence, Washington, DC: World Bank Publications. To deny or not to deny disability. 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. Physiotherapy 74, 650652. Educ. Class sizes range from about 20 students to 45 or more. Dis. - Improve education and training needs of teachers. The site observation was taken to audit the accessibility of the physical environment. For example, ICF combines both the social and the medical models of disability. Challenges and opportunities for inclusive education in Ghana. 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). Amandas Ong. Disclaimer|Privacy Policy|Contact Us|About. The policy further envisions professional development of teachers in pedagogical skills that meets the needs of children with special needs using child-centered approaches. Unlike gender which was given much attention and detailed reflection in the Colleges of Education curriculum. Ghanas 2019 SDGs Budget Report. Johnstone, C. J., Schuelka, M. J., and Swadek, G. (2020). Access barriers encountered by persons with mobility disabilities in Accra, Ghana. In response to the challenges confronting the education of students with disabilities in Ghana, stakeholders have made concerted efforts in the education sector to embrace the ideals of inclusive education. Sustainable Development Goals and sustainability teaching at universities: Falling behind or getting ahead of the pack? The Ghana news Agency (GNA) was established on March 5, 1957, i.e. Yes, this is what we want the students to know. (2019) explains that while the CoE provides a yearlong school-based teaching practice in addition to a semester-long campus-based peer teaching, their colleagues offering education degrees in the University of Cape Coast (UCC) engage in a semester-long school-based teaching experience. 29, 316321. Available at: http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report.pdf (Accessed June 17, 2017). Your source for IT solutions and innovations to support school-wide success. The sample comprised 37 Junior High School (JHS) pupils and one science teacher in Abelemkpe Junior High School in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Thus, there are questions regarding participation on the student teacher checklist which states that: Did the teacher encourage students to actively participate in the lesson? Teacher Education in Ghana: Policies and Practices. J. Furth. Myths and misconceptions about tuberculosis transmission in Ghana Adjei, P., Akpalu, A., Laryea, R., Nkromah, K., Sottie, C., Ohene, S., et al. It could be an ice breaker or other warming up exercises that could exclude learners with disabilities. The Teaching Profession In Ghana: What Can Be Done To Improve It? Corruption - African leaders are generally perceived to be corrupt. The policy defines inclusion in its broadest sense as ensuring access and learning for all children: especially those disadvantaged from linguistic, ethnic, gender, geographic or religious minority, from an economically impoverished background as well as children with special needs including those with disabilities. The best way to answer this question is by sharing a few stories of your own. But here's what teachers do make: a difference in the world. They want to learn and are interested in making a contribution to the world. 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. What are some of the misconceptions and prejudices about teaching and how can they be addressed ? Republic of Ghana (2019). 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. Published by the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike International. Thus, there should be more exercises to enable the student teachers to strengthen their reflection on disability to improve acceptance of persons with disabilities. The requirements for a qualified teacher include all of the skills needed for the 21st-century workplace. Mary Montag, teacher, St. Teresas Academy. The perils and promises of inclusive education in Ghana. Ghana Statistical Service. As noted by Calles (2020) the process of truly integrating the SDGs in tertiary institutions is sine qua non. So, its good that you are bringing some of these things out. It is worth mentioning that the student observation checklist listed a section on students with special needs. Umm.Not.So.Much. 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. The observation checklist and reflective journals do not make enough room for student teachers to self-reflect on disability, which could be a barrier to the education of persons with various forms of disabilities. doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2019.1651833, Buabeng, I., Ntow, F. D., and Otami, C. D. (2019). Students' ages can range from 12 to 23 years old. Geneva: World Health Organization. Bentzen, L. (2015). true, instead, the Vocationalization of Ghana's education will put money into people's pockets (Anamuah-Mensah, 2004). The proponents of the Social Model of Disability acknowledge that impairment could pose a limit to the functioning of persons with disabilities. Education Ghana - What are some of the misconceptions and - Facebook J. Int. Access to higher education in Ghana: examining experiences through the lens of students with mobility disabilities. Afr. One of the major features of the policy is that it adheres to universal design for learning. Initially, myths were largely on causes and vulnerability. Post-2015 Education MDGs. 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). 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.". This has the potential of influencing the learning experience of such students in the classroom. Available at: http://UNCT-GH-SDGs-in-Ghana-Avocacy-Messages-2017%20(5).pdf (Accessed August 4, 2022). World Health Organization. Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Vol 5. J. Curr. 4 Articles, This article is part of the Research Topic, https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1056630, United Nations Educational, Scientific and cultural organization [UNESCO], 1994, United Nations Communications Groups [UNCG], 2017, United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], 2021, Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation [UPIAS], 1976, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2023.1056630/full#supplementary-material, https://www.ntu.eu/news-archive/the-importance-of-the-sustainable-development-goals/, http://planipolis.iiep.unesco.org/upload/Ghana/Ghana%20Education%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf, http://www.voiceghana.org/downloads/MoE_IE_Policy_Final_Draft1.pdf, https://mofep.gov.gh/sites/default/files/news/Ghana-SDGs-Budget-Report-July-2019.pdf, https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf, http://UNCT-GH-SDGs-in-Ghana-Avocacy-Messages-2017%20(5).pdf, https://ghana.un.org/en/about/about-the-un, https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/204336.pdf, http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/report.pdf, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/, Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), Department of Social Work, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana. (2018). The Teaching Profession In Ghana: What Can Be Done To Improve It? and can opt-out at any time. So, we probed further and the narrative was: Yes, for example, so when you go to the school, we want you to try and see if you can find a child with special needs. doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2019.1906. The Curriculum Framework provides for teachers at the Universities offering Education and the Colleges of Education. For example, in math, when you are teaching math, you will let them know that these and that are some of the misconceptions. Awareness of oneself is vital to bracketing biases and prejudices against vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities. Sometimes I just give these folks a little rundown of my week. Ministry of Education. 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. Educ.