Junior High school social studies teachers' perception of classroom assessment in Ghana

In contemporary times, researchers have recognized the crucial role of classroom assessment in school effectiveness and the realization of educational goals. Therefore, this study investigated Social Studies teachers' perception of classroom assessment and the extent to which teachers' demographic variables influence their perception of classroom assessment. The study utilized the sequential explanatory mixed method design which involved collecting and analyzing of both quantitative and qualitative data. With the purposive, and convenience sampling techniques, 65 Social Studies teachers were selected for the study. Questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were the instruments used to collect data for the study. The quantitative data were analyzed using both descriptive (frequency, mean, standard deviation) and inferential (t-test, and ANOVA) statistics. The qualitative data were analyzed through the thematic approach. The study revealed that even though Social Studies teachers held different perceptions of classroom assessment. They perceived classroom assessment as a means of improvement of teaching and learning more than students' progress, and school accountability. Additionally, apart from gender and rank the study revealed that age, academic qualification, and years of teaching experience influenced Social Studies teachers' perception of the nature of classroom assessment. Therefore, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service through the Kwahu South Education Directorate should design and implement programmes to conscientize teachers on the need to develop and practice effective classroom assessment to their teaching. Finally, Social Studies teachers should be