3 research outputs found
Inclusive education in Ghana : understanding inclusive pedagogical practices of primary school teachers in regular classrooms
No full textThe concept of inclusive pedagogy is an effective approach for ensuring equitable, quality learning for all children in the same classroom, regardless of their challenges. Despite the ongoing discourse about inclusive pedagogy, research examining how teachers conceptualise the concept and enact practices in their classrooms in Ghana is limited. This study adopts the sociocultural theoretical perspective to examine teachers' conceptualisation of inclusive pedagogy and how they enact, adapt and justify their pedagogical practices to promote the inclusion of children with special educational needs in Ghana. The study was guided by an overarching research question: How do teachers enact and justify their inclusive pedagogical practices in regular education classrooms in Ghana? Three sub-questions were developed to help answer the main research question: (1) How do teachers conceptualise inclusive pedagogy? (2) What is the nature of teachers' inclusive pedagogical practices within a regular classroom context? (3) What is the rationale behind teachers' inclusive pedagogical practice? The current study provides critical insights into how teachers conceptualise inclusive pedagogy and documents useful practices regarding their pedagogical practices that could be adopted or adapted by other teachers in similar research contexts.
The study methodology was a qualitative case study within the constructionists' paradigm. Participants included ten classroom teachers who were purposively selected from five regular public primary schools in Ghana. Data were collected using lesson observations at two time points per teacher (20 observations) and in-depth interviews (n=17). Teachers' lesson notes and artefacts were collected to supplement data generated from the field. Data were analysed through a five-stage process using the reflective thematic analysis approach.
Findings revealed that classroom teachers conceptualised inclusive pedagogy in nonuniversal ways. These include teaching all children together, promoting the participation of children with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms, making separate or inclusive provisions and adopting reflexive or reactive processes. These conceptualisations were based on their understanding of inclusive education. Further, all the participants favoured including children with special educational needs in the regular classroom. However, although all six female teachers believed that inclusion would benefit all children, three out of the four male teachers thought otherwise. They believed that making separate provisions for children with special educational needs would be more beneficial than teaching them with their typically developing peers in the same classroom. Other demographic variables, such as teachers' experiences (years taught) and their professional qualifications, appeared to have no direct impact on their views about inclusion.
Additionally, findings revealed that teachers used different pedagogical strategies to deliver their lessons, described under four main themes. The themes include (1) Providing accommodations and support for all learners, (2) Promoting lesson accessibility through multiple communication techniques, (3) Encouraging learners' action using a variety of assessment techniques and (4) Building support for learners with special needs through creative collaboration. Teachers' inclusive pedagogical strategies identified in the data comprised more generic practices such as questions and answers, multiple examples, role play and field trips. Others, such as differentiated learning, deficit or strength-based approaches and peer support, were used purposely to assist children with special educational needs.
The findings indicate that teachers continue to create several learning opportunities for children with special educational needs using various inclusive pedagogical approaches. However, observation showed that some children with special educational needs were excluded from some lessons. Challenges such as limited resources, inadequate training, and large class sizes impacted teachers' inclusive pedagogical practices. This situation was compounded by the diverse characteristics of special needs children in classrooms. The results demonstrate that addressing the barriers identified can improve teachers' practices and attitudes toward supporting all learners. Thus, given the appropriate support, teachers in resource-constrained countries like Ghana can adapt their lessons and practices to provide for all learners regardless of their needs. This research's output can help improve in-service and pre-service training programmes to enhance teachers' knowledge in effective inclusive pedagogical practices. Finally, the study proposed an inclusive pedagogical approach (Introspective Inclusive Pedagogical Approach), which could be adapted to study or improve practices of classroom teachers in all settings, including resource-constrained countries.The concept of inclusive pedagogy is an effective approach for ensuring equitable, quality learning for all children in the same classroom, regardless of their challenges. Despite the ongoing discourse about inclusive pedagogy, research examining how teachers conceptualise the concept and enact practices in their classrooms in Ghana is limited. This study adopts the sociocultural theoretical perspective to examine teachers' conceptualisation of inclusive pedagogy and how they enact, adapt and justify their pedagogical practices to promote the inclusion of children with special educational needs in Ghana. The study was guided by an overarching research question: How do teachers enact and justify their inclusive pedagogical practices in regular education classrooms in Ghana? Three sub-questions were developed to help answer the main research question: (1) How do teachers conceptualise inclusive pedagogy? (2) What is the nature of teachers' inclusive pedagogical practices within a regular classroom context? (3) What is the rationale behind teachers' inclusive pedagogical practice? The current study provides critical insights into how teachers conceptualise inclusive pedagogy and documents useful practices regarding their pedagogical practices that could be adopted or adapted by other teachers in similar research contexts.
The study methodology was a qualitative case study within the constructionists' paradigm. Participants included ten classroom teachers who were purposively selected from five regular public primary schools in Ghana. Data were collected using lesson observations at two time points per teacher (20 observations) and in-depth interviews (n=17). Teachers' lesson notes and artefacts were collected to supplement data generated from the field. Data were analysed through a five-stage process using the reflective thematic analysis approach.
Findings revealed that classroom teachers conceptualised inclusive pedagogy in nonuniversal ways. These include teaching all children together, promoting the participation of children with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms, making separate or inclusive provisions and adopting reflexive or reactive processes. These conceptualisations were based on their understanding of inclusive education. Further, all the participants favoured including children with special educational needs in the regular classroom. However, although all six female teachers believed that inclusion would benefit all children, three out of the four male teachers thought otherwise. They believed that making separate provisions for children with special educational needs would be more beneficial than teaching them with their typically developing peers in the same classroom. Other demographic variables, such as teachers' experiences (years taught) and their professional qualifications, appeared to have no direct impact on their views about inclusion.
Additionally, findings revealed that teachers used different pedagogical strategies to deliver their lessons, described under four main themes. The themes include (1) Providing accommodations and support for all learners, (2) Promoting lesson accessibility through multiple communication techniques, (3) Encouraging learners' action using a variety of assessment techniques and (4) Building support for learners with special needs through creative collaboration. Teachers' inclusive pedagogical strategies identified in the data comprised more generic practices such as questions and answers, multiple examples, role play and field trips. Others, such as differentiated learning, deficit or strength-based approaches and peer support, were used purposely to assist children with special educational needs.
The findings indicate that teachers continue to create several learning opportunities for children with special educational needs using various inclusive pedagogical approaches. However, observation showed that some children with special educational needs were excluded from some lessons. Challenges such as limited resources, inadequate training, and large class sizes impacted teachers' inclusive pedagogical practices. This situation was compounded by the diverse characteristics of special needs children in classrooms. The results demonstrate that addressing the barriers identified can improve teachers' practices and attitudes toward supporting all learners. Thus, given the appropriate support, teachers in resource-constrained countries like Ghana can adapt their lessons and practices to provide for all learners regardless of their needs. This research's output can help improve in-service and pre-service training programmes to enhance teachers' knowledge in effective inclusive pedagogical practices. Finally, the study proposed an inclusive pedagogical approach (Introspective Inclusive Pedagogical Approach), which could be adapted to study or improve practices of classroom teachers in all settings, including resource-constrained countries
HIV/AIDS-related stigma and HIV test uptake in Ghana: evidence from the 2008 Demographic and Health Survey
No full textThe study examined the association between HIV test uptake and socioeconomic characteristics of individuals, including HIV-related stigma behaviours. The study also investigated the socioeconomic determinants of HIV-related stigma in Ghana. Cross tabulations and logistic regression techniques were applied to data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey. The results showed significantly low HIV test uptake and some level of HIV-related stigma prevalence in Ghana. Higher wealth status, educational attainment and HIV-related stigma were significant determinants of HIV test uptake. Aside wealth status and education, rural place of residence and religious affiliation were positive and significant determinants of HIV-related stigma. The findings call for comprehensive HIV education including treatment, prevention and care. Legislations to discourage stigma and improve HIV-testing will be critical policy steps in the right direction.
PHC Progression Model: A novel mixed-methods tool for measuring primary health care system capacity
No full textHigh-performing primary health care (PHC) is essential for achieving universal health coverage. However, in many countries, PHC is weak and unable to deliver on its potential. Improvement is often limited by a lack of actionable data to inform policies and set priorities. To address this gap, the Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) was formed to strengthen measurement of PHC in low-income and middle-income countries in order to accelerate improvement. PHCPI´s Vital Signs Profile was designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the performance of a country´s PHC system, yet quantitative information about PHC systems´ capacity to deliver high-quality, effective care was limited by the scarcity of existing data sources and metrics. To systematically measure the capacity of PHC systems, PHCPI developed the PHC Progression Model, a rubric-based mixed-methods assessment tool. The PHC Progression Model is completed through a participatory process by in-country teams and subsequently reviewed by PHCPI to validate results and ensure consistency across countries. In 2018, PHCPI partnered with five countries to pilot the tool and found that it was feasible to implement with fidelity, produced valid results, and was highly acceptable and useful to stakeholders. Pilot results showed that both the participatory assessment process and resulting findings yielded novel and actionable insights into PHC strengths and weaknesses. Based on these positive early results, PHCPI will support expansion of the PHC Progression Model to additional countries to systematically and comprehensively measure PHC system capacity in order to identify and prioritise targeted improvement efforts.Fil: Ratcliffe, Hannah L.. Brigham And Women's Hospital; Estados Unidos. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Estados UnidosFil: Schwarz, Dan. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Estados Unidos. Brigham And Women's Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Hirschhorn, Lisa R.. Northwestern University; Estados UnidosFil: Cejas, Cintia. Ministerio de Desarrollo Social; Argentina. Ministerio de Salud de la Nación; ArgentinaFil: DIallo, Abdoulaye. Ministry Of Health And Social Action; SenegalFil: Garcia Elorrio, Ezequiel. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fifield, Jocelyn. Brigham And Women's Hospital; Estados Unidos. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Estados UnidosFil: Gashumba, DIane. Ministry of Health; RuandaFil: Hartshorn, Lucy. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Estados Unidos. Brigham And Women's Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Leydon, Nicholas. Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation; Estados UnidosFil: Mohamed, Mohamed. Ministry Of Health And Social Welfare Dar Es Salaam; TanzaniaFil: Nakamura, Yoriko. Results For Development; Estados UnidosFil: Ndiaye, Youssoupha. Ministry Of Health And Social Action; SenegalFil: Novignon, Jacob. Kwame Nkrumah University Of Science And Technology; GhanaFil: Ofosu, Anthony. Ghana Health Service; GhanaFil: Roder Dewan, Sanam. Organización de las Naciones Unidas. Unicef. Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia; ArgentinaFil: Rwiyereka, Angelique. Global Health Issues and Solutions; Estados UnidosFil: Secci, Federica. The World Bank Group; Estados UnidosFil: Veillard, Jeremy H.. The World Bank Group; Estados UnidosFil: Bitton, Asaf. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Estados Unidos. Brigham And Women's Hospital; Estados Unido
