Statistical Modelling of the Academic Performance of Pre service Teachers of Regular and Distance Education in Ghana

Abstract

Almost all pre-service teachers from colleges of education in Ghana, whether from the regular mode or distance mode end-up in the basic schools. This research employed statistical modelling in investigating the academic performance of pre-service teachers in the regular and distance modes of teacher education in Ghana. A total of four hundred and fifty-five (455) students were selected for the study. Pre-service teachers' scores were considered as dependent variables, whereas the category of learning mode with two levels-regular and distance was treated as the main independent variable. Descriptive statistics and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were applied as statistical tools. Evidence gathered from the study indicated that there are statistically significant differences in pre-service teachers’ performance scores in English Language, Mathematics and Science content and methodology courses with regard to regular and distance learning modes in Ghana (p<0.001). It is recommended that policy makers, including the Ministry of Education and the National Council on Tertiary Education, liaise with Ghanaian universities to give equal attention to distance education as regular pre-service teacher education programmes.