Filling the Feedback Gap: The Roles of Curriculum Supervisors and Supervisees in Social Studies Education

This study was designed to examine the roles of curriculum supervisors (curriculum leaders) and supervisees (Social Studies teachers), and the use of feedback in Social Studies education in selected senior high schools in the Western and Central Regions of Ghana. The following research questions guided the study - How do curriculum leaders and teachers use feedback in Social Studies curriculum supervision? and What roles do curriculum supervisors and supervisees play in curriculum supervision in Social Studies education? Sequential mixed-method approach was adopted for the study. Purposive sampling procedure was employed to select curriculum leaders and Social Studies teachers for the study. Conveniently, forty curriculum leaders and one hundred and twenty Social Studies teachers were selected for the study. Questionnaire and interview were employed to elicit responses from both curriculum leaders and Social Studies teachers. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyse the quantitative data collected, whilst interpretative analytical technique was employed for the analyses of the qualitative data. Triangulation was employed to test the consistency of findings obtained through the different instruments used, whilst complementarity clarifies and illustrates results from one method with the use of another method. It was concluded that motivated staff requires less supervision and are willing to accomplish tasks in the Social Studies classroom. Also, mutual trust creates conditions for self-direction and self-confidence in supervisees. It was recommended that, ensuring compliance with established rules should be considered as a major purpose of Social Studies curriculum supervision. This would enable curriculum implementers in Social Studies education to follow what has been stipulated in the guidelines for curriculum implementation.