March 2013 Vol. 1 No. 2 
 

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Full Length Research Paper

The relation between teacher trainees’ background in science and success in the end of first year first semester integrated science examination (a case study at St. Louis College of Education, Kumasi)

Solomon Sarfo

Department of Science, St. Louis College of Education, Kumasi.

E-mail: osarfokofi@yahoo.com; Tel: 0203330555/0244618988

Accepted March 26, 2013

Abstract

There has been some concern regarding teacher trainees’ low understanding of basic science concepts, though the topics that are treated have been covered at the Senior High School level. This study was conducted at St. Louis College of Education with the purpose of verifying the relationship between the teacher trainees’ background in Integrated Science and their performance in the Diploma in Basic Education Examinations (DBE) at the End of First Semester Examinations. The study revealed that teacher trainees who possessed poor background in Integrated Science displayed poor observational skills, poor problem solving skills and fleeting attention during Integrated Science lessons and thus performed poorly in the Diploma in Basic Education examinations in Integrated Science. However, the teacher trainees who possessed good background in Integrated Science displayed good problem solving skills, increased interest in Integrated Science lessons and quality observational skill and thus performed creditably well in the Diploma in Basic Education examination in Integrated Science. It is argued that teacher trainees who enter College of Education with good grades in Integrated Science in WASSCE examinations are more likely to perform better in Integrated Science in the Diploma in Basic Education examinations. It can be recommended that the students who apply to enter the Diploma in Basic Education program must be rigidly examined to ensure that they possess sound knowledge in Integrated Science. This is due to the fact that the study has revealed that there is significant relationship between the background knowledge in Integrated Science and performance in Diploma in Basic Education examinations in Integrated Science.
 
Keywords: Integrated Science, Senior High School, West African Senior Secondary Certificate, Teacher Trainees, Examination, Diploma in Basic Education Examination, Basic School, College of Education, End of First Semester Examinations