Journal of Anthropology and Archaeology is a peer-reviewed international journal, which publishes original papers promoting theoretical, methodological and empirical developments in the discipline of socio-cultural anthropology.

Colour Consistency in Print: Ghanaian Printers’ Knowledge and Awareness of Colour Management

Textbooks are known to influence the behaviours and worldview of children. Apart from imparting critical knowledge to pupils, textbooks also encourage pupils to form certain perceptions and stereotypes, including the ‘appropriate’ gender-specific roles in society. This paper examined gender stereotypes in the content and design of the Pupil’s English textbook at the Basic Level in Ghana using content analysis. The study revealed that, as teaching materials, the English Pupil’s Books 1, 2 and 3 displayed gross gender bias that reinforces the stereotypical roles of males and females in Ghanaian society. This does not reflect the development of society towards equality between men and women since there was no equality in how both genders are represented in the textbooks.Keywords: Gender; stereotype; gender stereotype; textbooks

In today’s digitised era, the ability to competently navigate and utilise information, often termed ‘information literacy’, is a pivotal skill, especially for pre-tertiary visual art students. Their academic and artistic pursuits are significantly influenced by their capability to harness relevant information. This research sought to ascertain the degree of information literacy self-efficacy amongst pre-tertiary visual arts students and to discern the potential influence of specific sociodemographic indicators on their self-efficacy beliefs related to information literacy. The geographical focus of this inquiry was a curated selection of schools in Kumasi, Ghana. A cross-sectional survey study encompassed a sample size of n = 136 pre-tertiary visual arts students. The assessment utilised an information literacy self-efficacy scale complemented by several sociodemographic variables. Subsequent data analysis encompassed descriptive and inferential statistics facilitated via the Jamovi statistical software. The study’s outcomes revealed that these students exhibited moderate aptitude in basic information literacy and its associated competencies. However, a discernible dip was noted in their proficiency concerning advanced information literacy skills. This underscores the imperative for a more comprehensive integration of information literacy modules, especially within the affective learning spectrum, to cultivate innovative and adept information-seeking tendencies in these students. While the study’s scope precludes sweeping generalisations, the instruments employed have showcased potential as efficacious metrics to collate student-centric data, thereby enhancing individual and group educational outcomes. This research augments the academic understanding of information literacy and its bearing on the information-seeking patterns of pre-tertiary visual art students. By embedding these insights into pedagogical strategies, educators can champion a generation of artists well-versed in navigating the intricate tapestry of the information milieu.

This study investigated the readability levels of some integrated science textbooks approved for use in junior high schools (JHS) in Ghana. To assess the readability levels of the approved integrated science textbooks in order to ascertain their difficulty or ease, the researchers used the Flesch Readability Ease and Flesch-Kincaid Readability Formulas Cloze Test to determine the comprehension levels for a sample of students. A sample of 135 pupils, drawn from rural, peri-urban and urban JHS years 1 through 3 in the Ashanti region participated in the study. The outcome of the assessments revealed that the selected textbooks had a problematic level of comprehension for many of their intended readership except those who had additional resources for assistance. The study also revealed that these approved books employed long sentences and multi-syllabic words to deliver lessons and instructions, making them difficult for JHS pupils to understand.