Professor Douglas Adjei, Dean of Faculty of Science and Technology Education, University of Cape Coast (UCC), has asked science teachers to be creative in teaching to demystify the notion and misconception that it is a difficult area of study.
He said teachers’ ability to be creative would eliminate fear and most importantly renew or ignite students’ interest and make them more focused and vibrant to study subject areas.
He said students had different learning needs and styles and there was the need for teachers to choose basic strategies to best balance the disparities among students and ensure general understanding.
He was speaking at the opening of a capacity building workshop organised by the Ghana Science Association (GSA) for Senior High School science teachers at the University of Cape Coast.
The workshop was organised as part of measures to address challenges with students’ failure in the subject during the West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Dean indicated that the workshop was apt because science, over the years had been regarded by students as difficult because of its abstract nature.
He said teachers were enlightened to challenge their assumptions, work on their limitations and give their students time to brainstorm on innovative ideas.
In pursuit of achieving good results, Prof. Adjei said the inability of teachers to complete the curriculum, including lack of resources and technology for practical learning was a major challenge in teaching.
“As a matter of fact, teachers do not always have to cover the syllabus but the adoption of basic creative strategies can yield good results,” he said.
Professor Michael Adinortey, President of the Ghana Science Association (GSA), said the workshop would enhance the understanding of some concepts captured in the West Africa Examination Council’s (WAEC) report.
He said the Association had been a strong force in pushing Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in Ghana.
He said his outfit have had a significant impact in various sectors of Ghana’s economy, notable among them were the establishment of both the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Others he said were the formulation and discussions on National Science and Technology Policy, the formation of the Ghana Standard Authority, and the establishment of the Food Research Institute of the CSIR.