TITLE:
Classroom Practices of Basic School Teachers in the Implementation of the Standards-Based Physical Education Curriculum in Public Basic Schools in the Effutu Municipality, Ghana
AUTHORS:
Simon Kormla Donkor, Charles Domfeh
KEYWORDS:
Classroom, Practices, Standards-Based Curriculum, Physical Education
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
19,
2024
ABSTRACT: This study scrutinizes the classroom practices of public basic school teachers in implementing the Standards-Based Physical Education Curriculum in public schools within the Effutu Municipality, Ghana, through the lens of Ecological Systems Theory. Employing a census approach, all teachers teaching physical education in the municipality participated, ensuring a comprehensive representation of the target population. A structured questionnaire adapted from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s Standards-Based Physical Education Curriculum was used to collect quantitative data. The questionnaire comprised two sections. Section A gathered biographic data, while section B included thirty statements assessing teachers’ classroom practices on a 5-point Likert scale. Analysis of the data revealed a diverse range of classroom practices, with teachers scoring highest in learner planning (M = 4.34, SD = 0.48) and assessment (M = 4.34, SD = 0.45), followed closely by feedback (M = 4.31, SD = 0.50), motivation and discipline (M = 4.27, SD = 0.53), and reflection (M = 3.38, SD = 0.63). Notably, professional learning community/continuous professional development was identified as the least practiced area (M = 3.12, SD = 0.94). The overall mean for classroom practices was (M = 3.93, SD = 0.38). The findings highlight that while learner planning is the dominant practice among teachers, there is a significant need to enhance engagement in Professional Learning Communities to foster continuous development. The study underscores the relevance of addressing gaps in professional development to improve the implementation of physical education curricula.