Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Award Winner

Recipient of the 2005 Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award.

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Availability

Open Access Dissertation

Keywords

Sexual health--Study and teaching (Secondary)--Ghana; Student teachers--Ghana--Attitudes; Self-efficacy;

Abstract

Youth and adolescents in African Countries have been experiencing high prevalence levels of the outcomes of high-risk sexual behavior (HRSB), such as HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, illegal abortions, and dropping out of school. Education is one means by which HRSB can be reduced among adolescents, but the sensitive nature of sex education and the controversy over which prevention approach to use have made the teaching of HRSB prevention in schools a cautious undertaking. The purpose of this study was to describe (a) pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs for teaching HRSB prevention and (b) pre-service teachers’ preferred approach to HRSB prevention, as determinants of their intention to teach HRSB prevention to secondary school students in Ghana.

A mixed sample of 196 graduating students of health-related Bachelor of Education degree programs at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, responded to a researcher-designed instrument that measured HRSB prevention teaching efficacy (teaching efficacy expectation [TEE], teaching outcome expectation [TOE], and teaching outcome value expectation [TOVE]), preferred approach to HRSB prevention (abstinence-only, safer-sex-only, and combination), and intention to teach HRSB prevention. Reliability coefficients of the instrument ranged from .74 to .92. Using SPSS, descriptive statistics were reported for efficacy subscales, and frequencies for preferred approach and intention to teach HRSB prevention. Binary logistic regression was used to predict intention to teach from teaching efficacy and preferred approach. Pre-service teachers’ strongest HRSB prevention teaching efficacy was in TOVE, followed by TEE, and TOE. In all, 44% of the sample favored teaching abstinence, 3% safer sex, and 53% favored the combination approach. Eighty-seven percent of pre-service teachers intended to teach HRSB prevention, compared to 13% with no such intention. No significant association was found between preferred approach and intention to teach. A strong association existed between teaching efficacy and intention to teach. The logistic regression results showed that pre-service teachers’ intention to teach HRSB prevention can be predicted using TEE, TOE, TOVE, and preferred approach together; TEE and TOE together; TEE alone; or TOE alone. Implications of the findings for practice were discussed.

Year of Submission

2003

Year of Award

2005 Award

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Sue Joslyn, Chair

Date Original

12-2003

Object Description

1 PDF file (x, 154 pages)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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