Self-efficacy belief and classroom management: How Senior High School Social Studies teachers navigate through the challenges of overcrowded classrooms to facilitate effective teaching and learning

Abstract

The rapid expansion of access to education, particularly at the secondary level, has often outpaced the provision of adequate infrastructure and human resources to support the growing student population. The increase in enrolment has contradicted the teacher-to-student ratio of 1:40 by the Ghana Education Service behavioural model approach highlighting the need for improving access through the availability of learning infrastructures and classroom space to facilitate effective instruction. The inadequacy of educational resources has resulted in overcrowded classrooms, overworked teachers, lack of essential learning materials, decreasing students' motivation to learn, and hindering individualized attention to students leading to a deficit in the delivery of quality education. As a result, the purpose of this study was to explore how the self-efficacy belief of senior high school Social Studies teachers can be used to mitigate the constraints of teaching a large class size. A cross-sectional survey methodology was used to enable researchers to collect data from a diverse sample of participants at a single point in time. A convenience sample was used to sample 437 SHS Social Studies teachers. The main data collection instrument was a close-ended questionnaire, and the data were collected using a combo collection kit. The analysis of the quantitative data involved using frequencies, percentages, and multiple linear regression. The study revealed that large class sizes caused noise and disruptive behaviour and hindered student participation, where senior high school teachers are forced to adapt lecture techniques that inhibit the conduct of assessment for and as learning and prompt feedback. The consequences are detrimental to students' learning outcomes as students need personalized attention and feedback to stay engaged and motivated in the classroom. Senior High School Social Studies teacher's self-efficacy beliefs significantly mitigate the challenges of large class sizes. This emphasizes the need for respondents to develop a positive mindset to enable them to respond positively to the constraints of large class sizes through the use of innovative strategies intended to stimulate student engagement and active participation in lessons.