Students' Misconceptions about Visual Arts and Technical in the Study of SSTVET in Bagabaga College of Education, Tamale

Abstract

This study delved into the misconceptions of First-Year students of Bagabaga College of Education on the Visual Arts and Technical Education aspects of the Foundations of Social Studies and Technical Vocational Education and Training (FFSSTVET) subject. The study adopted the Action Research Design to gather data on the misconceptions of the students and analysed data using thematic and narrative analyses. Census Sampling Technique was used in attempt to use all the 550 Level 100 students who were offering the FFSSTVET subject as the sample. Hence the total population of 550 of Level 100 students was also used as the sample. Data was gathered at three stages analysed thematically. At the pre-intervention stage which is termed as 'before lessons', it was found that students had no idea about the nature of Visual Arts and Technical Education at the Colleges. At the intervention stage (during lessons), students expressed their desire for the study of Visual Arts and Technical programs after they had taken lessons in the nature and career opportunities of the subjects. At the post intervention stage (after lessons), many students with Non-Visual Arts and Technical backgrounds opted for change of programs from Maths, English, Early Childhood Education to Visual Arts and Technical programs. The study drew a major conclusion that lack of orientation for students at the basic and second cycle schools compounds their negative misconceptions about the choice and study of Visual Arts and Technical programs in Bagabaga College of Education, Tamale. The study, therefore, recommended that TVET stakeholders in general should design consistent outreach programs to educate students at the Basic and Second Cycle Schools on the need to opt for TVET Education for the creation of entrepreneurial skills to solve the devastating unemployment problems in Ghana.