The Impact of Educational Facilities on Teaching and Learning Drawing: What it Means to Visual Arts Education in Ghana

Abstract

This study examined learning environment as a major educational facility for teaching and learning drawing. The case study method was employed to make empirical inquiries into the issue from the context of the School of Applied Arts, Takoradi Polytechnic, with focus on Lecturers. Existing literature have suggested that educational facilities are more than simply buildings; they include everything within a learning environment that support a teacher's efforts to tap student potential, by providing learning environment that encourages teaching and provides learning opportunities in safe, healthy, comfortable, and cost-effective environment. Having identified and discussed how educational facilities impact on teaching and learning drawing at Takoradi Polytechnic, the study in a whole revealed that even though Takoradi Polytechnic has a beautiful imposing edifice which has numerous classrooms, the availability of educational facilities is a major challenge. The absence of some essential facilities and materials is the reason for poor drawing background and weak foundation of students at the School of Applied Arts and the contributing factor in Lecturers' inability to effectively teach the usage of all the drawing media specified in the school's curriculum. The study maintains that, lack of educational facilities to a greater extent, hinders the establishment of smooth relationship between teaching and learning since it extends to affect the class sizes and seating arrangement in classrooms. Since the provision of educational facilities appears to be an important precondition for student learning, the provision of learning environment that encourages teaching and provides learning opportunities is recommended to be factored in the design of a high performing school to help students and teachers perform at their highest level.