Teachers’ preparedness towards content integration in social studies instruction- a case of primary schools in Ndhiwa sub-County, Kenya

Abstract

This study was designed in 2010 to establish teachers’ preparedness towards content integration in social studies instruction in primary schools in Ndhiwa Sub-County. The study examined social studies teachers and head teachers necessary training and skills to implement integrated social studies instruction, the adequacy of teaching materials for the subject teachers, the attitude and perception held by teachers towards content integration in the teaching of social studies and the management support teachers get from those in authority. The theoretical framework employed in this study was that of innovation and implementation advanced by Gross et al (1971). The study adopted descriptive research design. The research sample was gotten by using simple random sampling techniques to select schools and respondents for the study. The study population was 20 head teachers and 80 teachers of social studies. The research instruments used in this study included questionnaires for head teachers and social study teachers. Interviews were used to collect data. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Programme for Social Sciences (SPSS). Piloting was done in neighbouring sub-county, which is Homa Bay to ascertain validity. Reliability of the instruments was confirmed using the test-retest technique. The results were presented in the form of frequencies, percentages and bar graphs. The study established that majority of the teachers were well trained on teaching social studies as an integrated discipline. There is perception and attitude among teachers that linking subtopic and/or topics is quite challenging in social studies instruction and also that the content is too wide and overloaded against inadequate time; another finding revealed that there is lack of necessary and continuing in-service training of social studies teachers. It was also established that the support the teachers receive from Ministry of Education and various stakeholders in education sector is not enough, for example teaching resources and professional advice from education officials in the field are quite limited. The study recommends that teachers and head teachers should continue updating their teaching skills through in-service courses to enable them teach integrated social studies successfully, stakeholders in education sector to put in place facilities such as library in primary schools, curriculum developers should strive to re-organize the content of social studies by removing some topics to other disciplines or remove the overlapping ones. The research finding will enable the relevant stakeholders and curriculum developers to make appropriate professional advice on adjustments or improvement to be effected on the design, teaching and in-servicing of social studies teachers to enable them teach the subject effectively.