Qualitatively, the study focused constructivist research paradigm. A case study research design was adopted for the study. The study population comprised all six (6) Social Studies teachers, the headmaster and the School Improvement Support Officer (SISO). Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used to select the participants for the study. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured interview guide and observation protocol. The data were analysed using the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the data collection from the semi-structured interview. The study revealed that multimedia usage is a quality enhancer in educational settings for teaching Social Studies concepts. It also indicated that teachers perceived their incompetence when using technology as they feel less in control of their classes and are unlikely to explore new possibilities that utilise technology when planning their lessons. They learn the theoretical aspect and practice and perceive the teacher’s role in the classroom changes from an instructor to a facilitator, which changes the teaching method to student-centred (constructive methodology) which aids content absorption by the learner through learning by doing. The study also indicated that teachers perceived their incompetence when using technology as they felt less in control of their classes and were unlikely to explore new possibilities that utilised technology when planning their lessons. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education and National Teaching Council collaborate with Ghana Education Service to set up Social Studies training centres in all the district capitals equipped with competent staff to periodically organise in-service training for teachers to build their capacity on how to pedagogically incorporate multimedia resources in their instructions to improve students learning outcomes.

In this 21st-century media-suffused environment, the advancement of technologies has stimulated the production of more interesting and effective approaches in teaching and learning contexts. In the education field, we use audio, video, slides, overhead transparencies, etc., to assist in the teaching process inside the classroom. The word ‘multimedia’ describes a combination of different media [1]. Multimedia has been used in education for many years. In teacher-driven education, multimedia lessons were found to be effective in teaching and produced higher levels of performance than non-multimedia instruction. This highlights that the unique characteristics of a subject influence the success of learning via picture or audio presentations. Multimedia (e.g. text, images and audio) have been used regularly to support teaching and learning. Lessons have become more active and learner-centred concerning multimedia integration and the use of multimedia resources in teaching and learning at schools in South Africa. Researchers of teaching recommend the use of a wide variety of multimedia resource material (text, images and audio) [2].

Writers revealed that “in other to ensure effective methods of teaching Social Studies teaching, serves as a useful and practical art call for intuition, creativity, improvisation and expressiveness” [3, 4]. Writers opined that the difference between creative and uninspired teaching could be determined by the techniques teachers use in presenting lesson content, skills and values to students. They emphasize that the responsibility of every Social Studies teacher is to select a particular technique that may provide for the active involvement of students in the teaching and learning processes. The kind of technique that the teacher may use in teaching Social Studies can easily affect the achievement of its objectives. The use of appropriate techniques by a Social Studies teacher is therefore very essential for the effective achievement of lesson objectives [5, 6, 7]. Similar studies supported this view and indicated that there are several techniques in the art of teaching Social Studies and it is very important for a Social Studies teacher to emphasize the active participation of learners in whatever technique may be employed by the teacher when teaching Social [5, 8]

Teachers should be competent and have a set of skills to employ them using a flexible responsive set of higher-order strategies that bring the desired outcome. There is a need for the right technique of teaching in these words, “every teacher and educationist with experience knows that even the best curriculum and the most perfect syllabus remain dead unless quickened into life by the right technique of teaching and right teachers [5, 8, 9, 10, 11]. Effective teachers do not use the same set of practices forever, whether students are learning or not, but adjust their practices accordingly. Instead, what effective teachers do is constantly reflect on their work. Because of the unique nature and purpose of Social Studies, the techniques employed in teaching Social Studies must be very useful to direct the learner’s attention and focus. Because of this, the teacher of Social Studies has to be well-grounded in the use of a variety of teaching techniques if he or she is to be effective. Social Studies teachers need to possess not only Social Studies content knowledge but also the teaching methodology that best facilitates students' learning [5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13]. The implication is “that a good technique employed by a Social Studies teacher enables the learners to identify problems and adopt appropriate measures to handle such problems and also develop critical thinking abilities”. For effective teaching of Social Studies, the adoption of the right technique is paramount for effective teaching. Social Studies teachers should dedicate enough time to the preparation of lesson plans, teaching-learning materials and other related activities that will make the teaching of the subject effective and influence the attitude of learners positively.

National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) posits that Social Studies classrooms must be “laboratories for democracy” where learners analyze historical and contemporary public issues that impact their lives and engage in their local community, state, nation, and world [14]. How one teaches is inseparable from what one teaches. NCSS further emphasized that, in the principles of teaching and learning considering the processes through which knowledge is constructed, produced, and critiqued, teaching Social Studies powerfully and authentically begins with a deep knowledge and understanding of students, the subject, and each subject’s unique goals. Teachers must pursue ongoing professional development to develop a deep understanding of their subject and best practices centred on research-based social studies pedagogies to effectively build on the pillars that support powerful teaching and learning in Social Studies classrooms [14, 15, 16].

The use of multimedia might play a significant role in this area as technology continues to change the world around us. Students and teachers everywhere are discovering exciting and innovative ways to make learning more dynamic, longer lasting, and more applicable to the world outside the classroom. The changing role of education is currently being reinforced with the integration of multimedia technology and this has led to a new paradigm in education and the evolution of new concepts in content development and several innovative methods in which information can be communicated to the learner [17]. Presbyterian Women’s College of Education Aburi, Demonstration Junior High School in the Akuapim South Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana is a demonstration school hub for pre-service teachers to observe demonstration lessons for their professional training. The use of multimedia resources is a game-changer in the teaching and learning of Social Studies, teachers have an onerous responsibility of laying a firm and sound foundation in the educational career of the young ones entrusted into their care [7]. The researcher’s visit to the school revealed that teachers are reluctant to integrate multimedia resources in the delivery of Social Studies concepts. It is very important to determine teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about multimedia-enhanced teaching to find strategies that will maximize its usage. It is against this background the researcher believes that Social Studies teachers' perceptions and attitudes of Social Studies teachers in the usage of multimedia resources in teaching and learning Social Studies concepts in Junior High Schools need to be assessed. There is, therefore, the need to examine teachers' perceptions and attitudes Social Studies teachers in the usage of multimedia resources in teaching and learning Social Studies concepts. The study was guided by this research question - What are the perceptions and attitudes of Social Studies teachers regarding the usage of multimedia resources in teaching and learning Social Studies concepts in Junior High Schools?

1.1. The Perceptions and Attitudes of Social Studies Teachers' Usage of Multimedia Resources in the Classroom

As the educational system continually battles the needs of the 21st-century workforce, technology has caused great tension with pedagogical practices in education. With the advancements in technology, teachers are struggling to personalize instruction in part because of the learning styles of the digital natives [18]. With the growing popularity of educational technology, multimedia is an area of increased interest as educators and instructors seek to enhance the learning opportunities and experiences of students in multimedia environments [19]. Zheng writes that “perception refers to the belief of a group of constructs that name, define, and describe the structure and content of mental states that are thought to drive actions; so, beliefs have the capability of influencing both teachers' professional development and classroom practices [20]. Again, beliefs and perceptions are often the propositions of mind that determine individuals' behaviours, from both psychological and educational perspectives [21]. From these views, it is obvious that “teachers can play a crucial role in developing an optimal multimedia teaching application in their classes” [22]. Teachers’ beliefs and attitudes may accelerate or impede the success of any educational reform and they are highly influenced by their beliefs [4, 22].

A writer took the ideas a step further and defined perception as the way one thinks about something and one’s idea of what it is like. In addition, it is an ability to understand the true nature of a subject especially as it affects our environment [23]. Perception is a step to understanding the concept of information. From the environment, the received information is called the process of perception. In other words, the process of receiving information is received by the perception of the surrounding information. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resource (multimedia) has been shown to enhance student learning experiences in the classroom, by its capability of creating a more realistic learning context through its different media and allowing a learner to take control of his learning. Again, interactive multimedia can provide an effective learning environment for different kinds of learners but teachers are still hesitant to incorporate it into their instructional practices [18].

A writer postulates that “multimedia provides a sensory and real learning experience and offers greater opportunity for learning and the teacher’s attitude can also impact the motivation of the learners” [24]. Therefore, it is important for teachers to sustain and promote positive attitudes toward the usage of multimedia resources and to reflect this positivity in their classrooms. Factors affecting teachers’ use and perceptions of technology have also been widely researched. Writers claimed that “technology can be a means for enhancing instruction through “scaffolding students’ concrete learning” [25]. For example, asserted that ICT promotes active learning and higher-order thinking while encouraging interactive learning and contemplation over the content [26]. An article on teachers’ perception and the use of multimedia resources states, “In the 21st century, teachers as educators must be able to create innovations in the learning process to improve the learning achievement of their students” [27]. One form of innovation create effective and technology-based learning resources [28]. This implies that technology-based learning can bring education in a better and more modern direction, and teachers are expected to be able to utilize technology in the learning process and they need to perceive this.

Despite all the merits, most of the countries are facing similar problems whereby the teachers are not maximizing the usage of the technology provided in teaching. This has become a serious matter as many previous researches have also proven the usage of multimedia in the teaching and learning process could improve students’ achievement [29]. Another writer reiterates that despite the numerous constraints to the student’s achievement in secondary schools in Nigeria, the teachers’ perception of teaching seems to be the most important. The perception of teachers’ teaching, largely, determines the level of understanding reached by their students. Most teachers perceive teaching as a boring, none interesting and highly none rewarding profession. In recent years, new research has demonstrated the dramatic effect that teachers can have on the outcomes of students from all academic and social backgrounds. Studies have shown that teachers’ perception is the most important educational input in predicting students’ achievement [30]. Empirical research recently has shown a significant gap between teachers' perception of the use of technology and their actual use of technology in the classroom. Teacher self-efficacy towards the use of technology was thought to be more important than content knowledge and skills in the implementation of a curriculum [18, 30, 31, 32].

A writer reported, “The success of the integration of multimedia resources into classroom learning and teaching depends on the teachers' attitudes towards ICT. Teachers who are more likely to integrate multimedia resources in classroom teaching and learning are those who have developed a positive attitude towards technology use in school” [33]. Writers carried out research in Turkey to explore teachers' perceptions of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) used by Geography teachers. The findings discovered that though challenges such as lack of software and hardware existed, teachers’ positive perception of GIS was a significant determinant of the successful application of GIS in Geography instructions [34]. The implication is that multimedia use in the classroom depends on certain variables of the teacher and his/her attitude.

Similarly, a quantitative study examined teachers’ experiences with the internet and examined their attitudes towards Web 2.0 technologies. The participants consisted of teachers in all 3113 middle and high schools in two countries in West Virginia. They reported positive attitudes towards the web 2.0 technologies [35]. Many, researchers have made an effort to analyze the factors that affect teachers’ acceptance of multimedia usage in the classrooms [36]. All these show that the major barrier to the implementation was the teachers’ belief that the teachers are the persons who implement the change in their teaching and learning process. Moreover, another research shows that “the correlation between teachers’ beliefs and the use of ICT is high” [37]. A writer explored how teachers’ attitudes and beliefs can influence technology integration in their classes. To do this, thirty-two teachers responded to a questionnaire measuring their attitudes and beliefs about teaching with technology. A classroom observation technique was also used to find out how teachers’ beliefs and attitudes may be associated with their teaching practices and the implementation of technology. The study found that there was a discrepancy between teacher’s beliefs and their actual instructional practices of integrating technology [38].

Another assertion made by a similar writer revealed that “teachers' technological use and positive attitude towards the utilization of ICTs correlated with the innovative use of ICTs in teaching” [39]. Several studies have indicated that “the successful pedagogical use of technology depends on teachers’ attitudes and acceptance towards that technology; therefore, all stakeholders involved in education need to know whether the future use of multimedia-enhance teaching by teachers can be predicted [40, 41]. Research on the perspectives and experiences of Social Studies teachers indicates that “teachers were willing to use educational media, expressed positive experiences with educational media integration training, increased their use of technology in the classroom, and used technology more creatively” [16, 42]. The implication is that “teachers perceive technology is dependent on its usage in the classroom”.

Teacher perception of the use of educational media in Nigerian classrooms asserts that the way teachers view the role of media in classroom teaching will largely determine the level and degree of its usage. Teacher forms an impression, which is favourable, or otherwise, depending on specific traits such as teacher attributes to media. Teachers' perception of media is predicated upon what they feel media can do in the teaching and learning process. Teachers’ educational media beliefs are influenced by their philosophy. Resistance to adopting new technologies stems from teachers’ existing teaching beliefs. For educational media, adoption to be successful teachers must be willing to change their role in the classroom. When educational media is used as a tool, the teacher becomes a facilitator and students take a proactive role in learning. Successful integration of educational media into teaching depends on transforming teachers’ beliefs and philosophies concurrently [43]. A writer revealed that “teachers' perception of the utilization of ICT in education in pre-tertiary institutions is limited as compared to their counterparts schools in developed countries. ICT improve students’ engagement in the educational process, and assessment to educators and also increase students’ participation but are finding it problematic to adopt or integrate multimedia resources in their classrooms. The discovery of the study also revealed a positive correlation between ICT use and competencies and inferred that educators' capability and certainty were indicators of utilizing ICT in educating and learning. When technology is used as a tool, the teacher becomes a facilitator and students take a proactive role in learning [44].

Teachers are highly influenced by their beliefs [45]. Beliefs and perceptions are often described as propositions of mind that determine individuals' behaviours, from both psychological and educational perspectives [46] There are different definitions for the concept of teachers' beliefs with some communal qualities for this concept. As it refers to a subset of a group of constructs that name, define, and describe the structure and content of mental states that are thought to drive actions, so beliefs have the capability of influencing both teachers' professional development and classroom practices [45]. Teachers' attitudes can also impact the motivation of the learners. So, it is important for teachers to sustain and promote positive attitudes toward multimedia usage and to reflect this positivity in their classrooms [24].

The research paradigm of focus is constructivism. Constructivism’s central idea is that human learning is constructed and that learners build new knowledge upon the foundation of previous learning. The implication here is that constructivism requires a Social Studies teacher to act as a facilitator with the use of multimedia resources whose main function is to help students become active participants in their learning and make meaningful connections between prior knowledge, new knowledge, and the processes involved in learning [47]. A qualitative research approach was adopted in the study as the researcher considered the study objectives and the sources of information that will be available in choosing the approach appropriately as the study sought to explore individuals’ understanding of a social phenomenon. The case study was used, because the focus of the study was more to describe and explain rather than predict, and the variable studied is not easily unidentifiable or embedded in the phenomenon to be extracted for the study [48]. The population of the study comprised all six (6) Social Studies teachers, the headmaster and the School Improvement Support Officer (SISO) for social studies in Presbyterian Women's College Education, Demonstration school in the Akuapim South Municipal District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used to select the participants for the study. Teachers, Headteachers and SISO were selected purposively; they were the ones who had received professional training in the subject. The school was conveniently selected because the researcher lives in the same enclave of the study area. The main instruments for data collection were a semi-structured interview guide and observation protocol. The data was analysed using the interpretative technique based on the themes arrived at during the data collection from the semi-structured interview.

3.1. Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes of the Usage of Multimedia Resources in Teaching of Social Studies Concepts

This section presents findings and discussions on the objective of the study “perception and attitudes of teachers on the usage of multimedia resources in teaching and learning Social Studies concepts”. Participants in the school under study were asked to reveal their perceptions and attitudes based on these sub-themes: time use by the teacher, knowledge and skills of the teacher (competence), attitude and beliefs, the role of the teacher in the classroom, teaching methodology and content absorption by the learner. This was to find out if teachers had divergent or similar perceptions towards the utilization of current educational media or multimedia resources in the teaching process. The reason is that a teacher’s attitude and perception had a significant correlation with their adoption of technology (multimedia resources) in their instructional processes and vice versa. The success of the application of technology into classroom instructional processes hinges on the perception of teachers towards technology.

3.1.1. Time Use by the Teacher:

About this question, almost all the participants indicated that,

‘Using multimedia resources is laborious and more time-consuming for teachers as compared to traditional teaching, although it can improve both teaching and learning of Social Studies concepts. Again, in unison, they perceived the use of multimedia in teaching as tedious as well as additional responsibilities adding to the teacher’s function without financial motivation or reward’.

With this, participants did not agree with a previous study that the burnout and stress that result from the traditional mode of teaching and learning have been eliminated by the use of ICT in education which provides a conducive learning atmosphere for students [49]. This common opinion from the participants is rather in line with a similar study that “teachers felt more comfortable using the traditional method of teaching rather than using technology because Information Communication Technology (multimedia) integration into education required additional time and expertise to apply appropriate application to suit the lesson objectives” [38]. The participant's opinions again confirm the writings of other writers that “external factors affect multimedia usage in the classroom due to the teacher’s lack of time to prepare PowerPoint or similar materials. The majority of teachers complained that they were too busy to mark students’ homework and examination papers, in addition, they were forced to finish the syllabus assigned by the school. Using multimedia resources in the classroom is time-consuming and they could not complete the school syllabus” [50]. The implication here is that the participants feel more comfortable with traditional teaching methodologies instead with the integration of multimedia in Social Studies instruction.

3.1.2. Knowledge and skills (competency) of the teacher:

Competence is a set of knowledge, skills and behaviours that must be possessed, internalized, and mastered by teachers or lecturers in carrying out professional duties [51]. A participant started with the statement “Most teachers’ competencies in areas such as being computer literate, presentation skills in terms of audiovisuals, and technical skills to prepare the media to be used are lacking in teaching Social Studies concepts”. The idea from the participant is in line with an earlier study that “for the media to be successfully used during the teaching-learning process, particularly in the teaching and learning process of Social Studies concepts, teachers should possess certain competencies such as being computer literate, deep knowledge on curricular issues, communication skills, technical skills, and presentation, evaluation and follow-up skills”. Two (2) participants perceived

‘The knowledge and skills for utilizing multimedia in the classroom mean the level of training and professional development the teacher has received based on the new technology. The participants added that ‘the level of training and professional development received by teachers does not give them enough competence to warrant technology usage in the classroom’.

This view of the participants concords with a similar that “teachers’ usage or integration of technology can be influenced by the level of training and professional development they have received based on the new technology” [53]. Two (2) participants mentioned that the Social Studies teacher's ability to tailor the message being transmitted by the media to the ability, understanding (vocabulary), age (learner characteristics) etc. are all essential competencies required in the usage of multimedia technology. Another similar study confirms that learners’ characteristics in terms of the number, age, and ability among others in the classroom will determine the type of media to be selected and utilized [52]. Again, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development implies that the teacher should make sure that the messages being carried by the media are within the learners’ ability, comprehension, and age and from a sociological point of view one can add the background, and from philosophy the kind of knowledge among others.

“A participant stated further that many current teachers were born and grew up without having access to technologies like personal computers, cell phones and the internet, but students of today are raised in an environment saturated by computer technology and these “digital natives” can intimidate teachers, especially teachers with little technological knowledge. If teachers feel they do not have the necessary competencies when using technology, they may feel less in control of the class and are unlikely to explore new possibilities that utilize technology when preparing for teaching. By sticking to traditional teaching methods, teachers who are less competent with technology maintain a feeling of control in the classroom and will not have to prepare to face the challenges of instructing digital natives”.

This opinion is in line with another writer’s assertion that “the lack of teachers’ competencies appears to be one of the significant obstacles to the effective utilization of multimedia resources in teaching and learning settings” [54]. This same view concords with a previous study that “many current teachers grew up without access to technologies like personal computers and the internet, but students of today are raised in an environment saturated by computer technology and they can intimidate teachers, especially teachers with little technological experience” [55]. This implies that if teachers feel they do not have the necessary competencies when using technology, they may feel less in control of the class, use less technology, and be unlikely to explore new possibilities that utilize technology when designing their lessons.

3.1.3. Teacher Attitude and Beliefs

Pre-usage beliefs might serve as anchors for post-usage beliefs, as people tend to rely on their initial beliefs and early impressions in the formation of future beliefs [56]. In this regard, it is very important to determine teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about multimedia-enhanced teaching to find strategies that will maximize its usage [56]. Again, teachers' attitudes and beliefs are crucial factors in determining the role and effectiveness of technology in classrooms. Attitudes and beliefs about both educational technology and pedagogy in general will ultimately influence how teachers implement technology [57]. When participants were asked how they perceived the attitude and beliefs of the teacher in using multimedia resources in Social Studies instruction,

“a participant’s response revealed that the use of ICT in the form of multimedia resources is for the young teachers graduating with 1^st degree from the University Colleges of Education who have been taught the ‘modern’ teaching methods with some expertise to apply multimedia to suit lesson objectives”.

This is in line with another study that “internal factors that refrain teachers from using multimedia which stated that teachers’ attitudes which means teachers themselves may refrain from using technology in the classroom as they do not like to use computers because of their old age; they expect younger people to learn and use it; while they believe that older practitioners do not have to use it anymore” [50]. Additionally, they believe that they can use traditional methods to teach interactive lessons like Social Studies without using technology. a similar study postulated in his studies that “teachers felt more comfortable using the traditional method of teaching rather than using technology because multimedia integration into education required some expertise to apply appropriate application to suit the lesson objectives” [38]. Furthermore, four (4) participants expressed that self-confidence is a factor that affects the usage of modern technology in lesson delivery. This points to the fact that their idea aligns with a similar study that “teachers who interpret their interactions with computers as indicative of a high growth in self-confidence, regardless of their experience” [43].

A classroom observation was used by the researcher to find out how teachers’ beliefs and attitudes may be associated with their teaching practices and the implementation of technology and the researcher realized there was an inconsistency between teachers’ beliefs and their actual instructional practices of integrating technology. The teachers make use of conventional teaching methods still, where students’ voice is controlled in the learning and students simply obey orders. Again, it was observed that there was an epistemological gap between student’s preferred learning approaches and teachers’ classroom philosophy or pedagogical approach; teachers only talk and give assignments. This is in line with classroom observation on teachers' beliefs, attitudes and the use of ICT which revealed a dissimilarity between teacher’s perceptions and actual instructional practices of multimedia usage [38, 45]. This implicates an anomaly between practice and theory of the teacher, theory learns the theoretical aspects and practices otherwise.

3.1.4. The Teacher’s Role in the Classroom

Teaching is fundamentally concerned with how best to bring about desired learning through activities [58]. This makes teaching, the most essential way that enable people to relate to one another as far as knowledge and skills acquisition are concerned. Other researchers added that “One of the most important factors influencing the success of students is the teacher. Participants were asked about their perception concerning the Social Studies teacher’s role in bringing about the desired learning” [59, 60]. A common opinion from the participants was that” the teacher’s role now in the classroom and the teaching-learning process has changed from a teacher (instructor) to a guide and facilitator with the advent of multimedia resources in education”. This confirms a similar study that “the most important role of a teacher in the school is to guide students. Nowadays a teacher has become a guide for students throughout the learning process” [59, 60]. Again, a previous study affirmed that “the active role the learners assumed with multimedia resources usage, the teacher is no longer the king or queen of the classroom as students are now active procurers, extractors and architects of information” [61]. Furthermore, writers in comparing the traditional mode of knowledge construction to the multimedia integration lesson delivery wrote that “the basic objective of interactive multimedia material is not so much to replace the teacher but as to change the teacher's role entirely. It advocates the teacher becoming a "Guide on the Side" rather than a "Sage on the Stage" [62]. This implies that, with the advent of multimedia technology in education, teachers should be aware of their role in the new education media and go accordingly.

3.1.5. Teaching Methodology

Social Studies subject matter and methods of instruction in instructional settings by teachers can help the student to understand concepts, think, transform and reflect on the body of knowledge presented to him or her [63, 65]. Based on premises, participants’ perceptions of teaching methodology in multimedia usage technology in teaching Social Studies concepts, were sought by the researcher. Three (3) participants view was this:

“For effective use of multimedia technology by the teachers, they must experience a paradigm shift from the teacher-centred classroom to the student-centred classroom and in this situation, to allow educational technologies to have a more central role because they permit active student learning activities in which the teacher serves as facilitator of the learning process”.

This agrees with another study that, “for teachers to achieve effective use of computers, they must experience a paradigm shift from the teacher-centred classroom to the student-centred classroom as educational technologies will have a more central role because they permit active student activities in which the teacher serves as a facilitator of the learning process” [57]. Other researchers stated that “the appropriate use of ICT in teaching transforms the learning environment from teacher-centred to learner-centred just as it is transforming all aspects of human life”. They emphasised that “the shifting from teaching to learning creates student-centred learning where teachers are there as facilitators and not sages on the stages, thus changing the role of the teacher from knowledge transmitter to that of a facilitator, and knowledge navigator and a co-learner” [66]. The other two (2) participants said “multimedia resources aid differentiation in classroom teaching”. A similar study assert that “using technology in teaching can also be used as a tool for curriculum differentiation, provides opportunities to adapt the learning content and tasks to the needs and capabilities of each pupil and provides individually tailored feedback” [45]. Other writers inscribed that “the traditional methodology in teaching has stressed content and teachers taught the content through the lecture method and the activities were designed to enforce the content knowledge but the usage of multimedia resources, present-day curricula promote aptitude and performance of the learners, emphasizing on the application of the information rather than factual knowledge” [67]. This confirms a point made by participants that “with the student-centred method of teaching, the multimedia resource allows practical teaching and application of knowledge acquired than the traditional method”. The implication of this is that with the use of the student-centred (constructive methodology) multimedia, Social Studies concepts can be presented with ease through learning by doing to be initiated and engaged by self-directed activity and in effect aid comprehension and application of knowledge to avoid teaching without learning taking place.

3.1.6. Content Absorption by the Student

There has been a shift from a teaching paradigm to a learning paradigm [68] Again, multimedia tools are used to deliver information to people for a better understanding of concepts [69]. The researcher agreed with these statements and wanted to know the perception of participants on content absorption by the students when multimedia is applied in the teaching and learning of Social Studies considering the statements above. A participant reiterated that “the combination of pictures and words enhances understanding of Social Studies concepts than the use of words only”. This assertion confirms a discovery by a previous study that “there are more positive results observed in learners who combine pictures and words than those who use words only” [69]. Other writers affirm with the study that “integration of multimedia elements in the classroom showed that multimedia elements such as video, animation, graphics, text and audio can make the lesson more interactive and appealing to the students” [70]. This indirectly attracts students’ attention and also aids their comprehension of the lesson. Two (2) participants mentioned that,

“The practical nature of multimedia usage in the classroom facilitates active learning and makes learners practice a subject rather than mere reading about it which in effect enhances content absorption. Again, multimedia offers a sense of reality which enhances student learning and increases motivation to learn.

Two (2) expressed that traditional teaching lays more emphasis on content absorption by the learner/student and teachers teach to that effect but ICT encourages the application of the knowledge”.

These concord with some writers that “the traditional methodology in teaching has stressed content and teachers taught the content through the lecture method and the activities were designed to enforce the content knowledge but the usage of the multimedia resource, present-day curricula promote aptitude and performance of the learners, emphasizing on the application of the information rather than factual knowledge” [67]. The usage of multimedia in the classroom is an enhancer for students to obtain a new learning experience with a better understanding of the concepts and perform better in their formative assessments [71, 72]. Another point made by participants was that” multimedia application tools for teaching and learning give the Social Studies teacher the ability to turn abstract concepts into concrete ones to enhance understanding by the learner”. This also agrees with the assertion that “multimedia is an application tool for teaching and learning that gives the teacher an ability to turn abstract concepts into concrete content [17].

However, from the lesson observation, the researcher realized that the teachers’ perceptions and beliefs do not align with their instructional practices (actual teaching), they make use of the conventional teaching methods still where students' voice is silenced, teachers control the learning environment, and students simply obey orders. Again, it was observed that there was an epistemological gap between student’s preferred learning approaches and teachers’ classroom philosophy or pedagogical approach; teachers only talk and give assignments. This is in line with other writers that “teachers' beliefs, attitudes and the use of ICT bridges the gap of discrepancy between teacher’s perception and actual instructional practices of multimedia usage” [38, 73]. This implies that there is inconsistency in teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and integration of multimedia resources in the teaching of Social Studies concepts.

3.2. The Head Teacher and the SISO Perception on the Usage of Multimedia Resources

The school manager’s perceptions of multimedia integration or usage and the school vision are critical in giving guidelines for interventions that lead to the attainment of the goals and vision of the school [74]. It is against this background that the views of the head teacher and the SISO’s perception of the usage of multimedia resources in the teaching of Social Studies concepts were sought. The researcher interviewed the two officers to elicit their views from the perspective of the supervisory role they play in the school setting. “Both believe multimedia technology is supporting education delivery and improving its quality as governments around the globe are encouraging pre-tertiary and tertiary schools to engage with new information technologies irrespective of location”. This idea corroborates with another writer that “new technologies are supporting the education system now and in the future because they provide more effective communication and better understanding to users continued by stating that, governments around the globe are encouraging schools and universities to engage with new information technologies in both urban and rural areas” [75]. However, according to the two supervisory officers, “the government encouraging engagement with new technologies alone cannot guarantee effective usage unless other variables are tackled”. There was an aspect of the interview questions the researcher wanted to see whether the school has a vision and mission statement as well as an ICT policy statement to support multimedia usage. It was clear from the varied responses from the participants that,

“the schools did not have ICT policies, goals or vision to drive the application of multimedia in the instructional processes, though the school had vision and mission statements, they were not directly connected with the use of technology during instructional processes. This was evident that the head teacher opines that the school has a vision and a set of goals but it has not occurred to them to have specific goals for ICT integration in teaching and learning and that is a fair enough point and is something that the school can learn as a challenge and set a goal for technology integration in various subjects including Social Studies”.

This is in line with a previous study that “the school manager’s perceptions of multimedia integration or usage and the school vision are critical in giving guidelines for interventions that lead to the attainment of goals and vision of the school” [74]. In this respect, the school’s ICT policy outlines the short-term, medium-term and long-term goals and expected outputs of the multimedia integration in both administration and instructional processes. The school supervisors and the teachers perceive the usage of multimedia in the school setting to be of immense importance, but certain facilities should be put in place to make the use problem-free. It also implies that the adoption of multimedia usage will improve the quality of our educational system but all efforts would be in place to ensure its usage.

The findings concluded that multimedia usage is a quality enhancer in educational settings for teaching the Social Studies concept. It was also, revealed that teachers still feel more comfortable with traditional teaching methods instead of integrating multimedia resources. Again, teachers perceived their incompetence when using technology as they felt less in control of their classes and were unlikely to explore new possibilities that utilize technology when planning their lessons. Furthermore, there is a vast difference between participants' instructional practices, beliefs, attitudes and the use of educational media. They learn the theoretical aspect and practice otherwise, and perceive the teacher’s role in the classroom changes from an instructor to a facilitator changing the teaching method to student-centred (constructive methodology) which aids content absorption by the learner through learning by doing. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education and National Teaching Council collaborate with Ghana Education Service to set up Social Studies training Centres in all the district capitals equipped with competent staff to periodically organise in-service training for teachers to build their capacity on how to pedagogically incorporate multimedia resources in their instructions to improve students learning outcomes.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization; methodology; formal analysis; investigation; Resources; data curation; writing-original draft preparation; writing-review and editing; visualisation; supervision; project administration; Author has read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding: “This research received no external funding”

Data Availability Statement: Data is available on request from the corresponding author.

Acknowledgements: I acknowledge respondents for their time with me.

Conflicts of Interest: “The author has declared no conflict of interest.” “No funders had any role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results”.