"I can take you to riverside but you have to drink yourself" : ghanalaisen kotitalousopetuksen tarkastelua

Aims. The purpose of this study is to explore, interpret and describe Ghanaian home economics education. The data for the study were collected during my university exchange in Ghana in the spring 2014. The theoretical background focuses on learning and teaching and cultural relatedness in those two phenomena. It also sets Ghana in the context of Sub-Saharan Africa with the focus on Ghanaian education. This study describes the contents and the implementations of home economics education through a cultural perspective. Methods. The data were collected using three different methods. It consists of interviews of three local home economics teachers and a learning assignment for 22 pupils which was implemented in a home economics class. Also, the data were produced by observing home economics classes in two different junior high schools for six weeks. The data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results and conclusions. According to the study, home economics appeared as a subject that increases well-being. From the teachers' point of view home economics has far-reaching impacts for pupils' futures. The teachers had an urge to make pupils learn. The role of a teacher was significant in the classes and the interaction between pupils and teacher quite one-sided. The inadequate resources for teaching made it difficult to teach with diverse teaching methods. The results of the learning assignment reflected the contents and the implementations of home economics education. The answers were many-sided but less creative. Culture was strongly present in everything. The study does not qualify for broad generalizations about Ghanaian home economics education. However, culture and its impacts on teaching and learning are important to take into consideration in every educational context.