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Item Attitudes of Moslems on HIV and AIDS Related Stigma and Discrimination in Upper West Region, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Sakara, A.HIV and AIDS is one of the most widespread and devastating epidemic with global public health implications in the 21st century and Ghana as a nation, is not an exception. Several studies in Ghana suggest that HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination has been the bane of fighting the reduction and elimination of HIV and AIDS. Such issues like nondisclosure, public outcry, and social exclusion constitute a basic problem so far as the disease is concerned. This study therefore tends to look into stigma and discrimination and for that matter, the influence of the beliefs and practices and socio-demographic characteristics of the Moslems on their attitudes towards PLWHAs within this catchment area. To achieve its objective, the study employed the cross sectional survey research design. With the aid of structured interview schedules as well as the multi stage, incidental and purposive sampling techniques, the primary data was gathered from 300 (178 males and 122 females) Moslem respondents from three sampled districts namely Wa Municipality, Wa West and Sissala East. Pearson correlation co efficient and the chi square test statistics as well as descriptive statistics (mean scores, standard deviation, frequency counts, percentages and cross tables) were also employed to check and analyse significance, the extent of relationship and or influence. The major findings of the study were that Moslems’ attitude towards PLWHAs was positive and to a large extent influenced by their beliefs and practices as enshrined in the Quran and Hadith. Among the four constructs of religious, social, economic and political, the most discriminatory was that of social engagement (x̅= 3.60; sd= 1.13). There was also a significant relationship between the socio-demographic or personal characteristics (sex, age and educational background) of the Moslems and their attitudes towards PLWHAs in relation to religious, social, economic and political engagement. The Moslems in the Upper West region will not disclose their HIV and AIDS status ( x̅= 2.79; sd= 1.33) despite their religious beliefs and practices for fear of discrimination and stigma. To help minimise the negative impact of HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination, the study recommended that Moslem leaders’ teachings should be centered on what Islam espouses on attitudes towards the sick and vulnerable, especially PLWHAs. Another recommendation of the study was that adult education institutions (National Commission on Civic Education, Institute of Local Government Studies, Department of Adult Education of the University of Ghana and the District Assemblies) should organise training programmes to educate and sensitise religious leaders, tutors and students of Islamic educational institutions to enable them accept the sick, especially PLWHAs. It is also recommended by the study that Moslem leaders, National Commission on Civic Education and District assemblies should organise education and training programmes for Moslem communities to help reduce HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination.Item Dealing with Acculturative Stress Among International Students in Ghana: Influences Of Assertiveness, Self-Efficacy and Social Support(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Gyasi-Gyamerah, K.Acculturation is both a cultural and a psychological process and contributes greatly to the stress of adapting to a new environment. Universities in Ghana continue to attract international students who enter every year and/or semester to study. As result, it is envisaged that the Ghanaian socio-cultural and academic environments may pose acculturative stress for international students. The study therefore sought to investigate the acculturative stress for international students living and studying in universities in Ghana by examining how assertiveness, self-efficacy, and social support help international students in dealing with the effects of acculturative stress. To achieve these, the study employed the explanatory sequential mixed methods approach (QUAN-qual technique). Participants for the study were drawn from University of Ghana (UG) representing a public university and Wisconsin International University College (WIUC), representing a private university all in Accra. For the survey, 256 participants completed the International Students Acculturative Experiences Questionnaire (ISAEQ) comprising socio-demographics, Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS), Student Stress Inventory, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Rathus Assertiveness Schedule and the modified Index of Social Support. Fifteen (15) indepth interviews were also conducted. Data analysis was done by descriptive and inferential statistics as well the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith et al. 2009). Overall, the study established that international students in Ghana do experience acculturative stress (M=2.59; SD=0.58), socio-culturally and academically, though not a debilitating one. Health, homesickness and perceived discrimination were found to be the top three sources of acculturative stress for the students, whereas fear and guilt were the least sources of acculturative stress. Analysis of Variance conducted revealed a complexity of acculturative stress experience continentally University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh vi (F=12.842, p<.05), with African international students experiencing the most acculturative stress (M = 2.73, SD = 0.58). In dealing with acculturative stress, the study established that being assertive (r = -.13, p<.05) and also receiving social support (r = - .19, p<.05), mainly from friendship networks established with Ghanaians and other international students, were significant in helping international students deal successfully with the experience of acculturative and academic stress. International students did not feel supported by administrators and teaching faculty of the universities they attended, and that having a sense of self-efficacy was not significant in dealing with acculturative stress. In conclusion, international students studying and living in Ghana are generally a vulnerable group as they find adapting to Ghana’s new socio-cultural environment as well as the academic culture of the universities a challenging experience. Recommendations for curriculum development where specialized intercultural course(s) to make international students gain some cultural awareness as well as cultural literacy will help reduce acculturative stress levels. Adult education programmes where university staff and faculty and governmental bodies are trained to provide support for international students is recommended. An institutionalization of a monthly Town Hall meeting where international students have the opportunity share their experiences, challenges and successes will help make the international student’s experience a worthy one. Also, two (2) sessions per semester on how to successfully navigate the academic culture of the universities as well as how to effectively manage examination-related anxiety will help deal with acculturative stress for international students. Directions for future research are discussed.Item Deprofessionalization in Nursing?(University of Ghana, 1969-07-29) Stinson, S. M.; Montag, M. L.; Warkov, S.; University of Ghana, College of Education, School of Education and Leadership, Department of Adult Education and Human Resource StudiesThe thesis of this study is that the occupation of nursing is undergoing a process of deprofessionalization, not a process of professionalization as most of the major works in the nursing literature would seem to assume. The central purposes underlying this study were to reexamine and expand the concepts "profession" and "professionalization," develop the concept "deprofessionalization," and test the thesis in question. The approach used was that of a comparative social analysis, using current and historical data; the technique employed was that of a scholarly analysis of the literature. Because the concept "deprofessionalization" is a poorly developed one and because the thesis required that the concepts "profession" and “professionalization" be -developed, including an assessment of the impact of bureaucratization upon professionalization,four ..chapters _w£tre devoted to these areas. Two major definitions of deprofessionalization were evolved: functional deprofessionalization was described as a process of "diseased professionalization," and dysfunctional deprofessionalization as a process of moving from a state of excessive professionalization to a state of functional professionalization. On the basis of the literature on professionalization, a documented case of deprofessionalization in law occurring in the nineteenth century, and upon examination of what would seem to constitute a case of deprofessionalization in diplomacy in the current century, a beginning typology was developed, the chief categories being: (1) direction (dysfunctional, functional), (2) duration (temporary, irreversible), (3! socio-political boundaries (international, continental, national, regional, state, local), (4) intraoccupational boundaries (intended to permit classification of deprofessionalization in "segments" of an occupation, e.g., criminal as opposed to corporate law, the bench as opposed to the bar), and (5) work-setting (underbureaucratized, bureaucratized, over-bureaucratized). Comparisons were made between professionalization in nursing c. 1920 and c. 1960, the former period being chosen because it both coincided with the heyday of solo practice in nursing, a characteristic frequently associated with the process of professionalization, and preceded the bulk of the immigration of nurses into bureaucratized work.-settings, a factor which the literature would suggest might contribute toward deprofessionalization. It was concluded that within the social context of the times, the occupation of nursing c. 1920 exemplified to a greater degree the characteristics of professionalization than is true of nursing today, some of the primary reasons being; (1) the relative integrity of the substantive knowledge-skill component, (2) the existence of a wellintegrated professional culture, (3) the substantial articulation of nursing roles with roles of related health personnel, (4) the relatively high degree of functional autonomy of the nursing practitioner, and (5) advancement in nursing was largely co-terminal with advanced technical expertise in nursing. Relevant categories of deprofessionalization were then applied to nursing c. 1960 and it was concluded that nursing is undergoing a process of dysfunctional deprofessionalization of the national and over-bureaucratization types. Whether it is of a temporary or irreversible nature, only history will reveal.Item Determinants of Open Educational Resources Adoption among Faculty of Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Torto, B.A.Open Educational Resources are (OERs) are teaching and learning materials which are in the public domain or made freely available by means of open licenses for learners, teachers and researchers. In today’s technological age, OERs have come to play a major role in higher educational institutions. There are a number of OER initiatives in higher educational institutions in Ghana. However, there is no study to determine the status of OER adoption and use by faculty in Ghana. The problem being investigated by this study is: What factors influence faculty to adopt and use OERs in higher educational institutions in Ghana? The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) theory and two constructs from the Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) model were adopted for the study. The study used the mixed methods approach, specifically, the sequential explanatory design. Two hundred and thirty-nine faculty participated in the study. Two forms of data collection were used: questionnaire distribution and interviews. The stratified random method was adopted for the quantitative study and the purposive sampling techniques for the qualitative aspect. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, factor analysis and multiple regression to test the proposed model while themes and sub themes were used to analyse the qualitative data. Faculty had a high level of technological competencies (M=3.75, SD = 1.185) on how to browse the internet, use word, download and upload materials. Faculty also had a high level of OER awareness (M= 3.86 SD=0.904) and found OERs useful in their teaching and research activities. The relationship between Performance Expectancy and Behavioural Intention was moderately positive and significant (r = 0.53 p = < 0.05). Faculty members indicated that OERs were compatible with their belief in sharing educational materials to profit everyone. However, faculty will experiment with OERs before deciding to use them (M=3.59 SD = 1.135). There was no correlation between Trialability and Actual Use. The relationship between Behavioural Intention and Actual Use was moderately positive and statistically significant (r = 0.44; p = < 0.05). The key barriers were technical issues, particularly low internet speed and bandwidth, and frequent power outages. There were no major significant differences in terms of age, sex and rank regarding adoption factors. The study concluded that faculty had a good knowledge of computer applications and OER searches. Despite the technical barriers, faculty members were prepared to use OERs in their teaching because of their usefulness and ease of use. Effort Expectancy was highly positive and significant in relation to faculty’s intention to use OERs. Performance Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions were moderately positive and significant. Trialability did predict Behavioural Intention but not Actual use. It is recommended that training programmes be completed to arm faculty with the necessary tools for OER deployment. Also, training must incorporate adult teaching and learning methodologies. Management should take the necessary steps to formulate policies that would promote the creation and use of OERs in their institutions. There is the need for a policy framework to provide OER services.Item Determinants of Open Educational Resources Adoption among Faculty of Higher Educational Institutions in Ghana.(University Of Ghana, 2019-07) Torto, B.AOpen Educational Resources are (OERs) are teaching and learning materials which are in the public domain or made freely available by means of open licenses for learners, teachers and researchers. In today’s technological age, OERs have come to play a major role in higher educational institutions. There are a number of OER initiatives in higher educational institutions in Ghana. However, there is no study to determine the status of OER adoption and use by faculty in Ghana. The problem being investigated by this study is: What factors influence faculty to adopt and use OERs in higher educational institutions in Ghana? The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) theory and two constructs from the Diffusion of Innovation (DoI) model were adopted for the study. The study used the mixed methods approach, specifically, the sequential explanatory design. Two hundred and thirty-nine faculty participated in the study. Two forms of data collection were used: questionnaire distribution and interviews. The stratified random method was adopted for the quantitative study and the purposive sampling techniques for the qualitative aspect. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, factor analysis and multiple regression to test the proposed model while themes and sub themes were used to analyse the qualitative data. Faculty had a high level of technological competencies (M=3.75, SD = 1.185) on how to browse the internet, use word, download and upload materials. Faculty also had a high level of OER awareness (M= 3.86 SD=0.904) and found OERs useful in their teaching and research activities. The relationship between Performance Expectancy and Behavioural Intention was moderately positive and significant (r = 0.53 p = < 0.05). Faculty members indicated that OERs were compatible with their belief in sharing educational materials to profit everyone. However, faculty will experiment with OERs before deciding to use them (M=3.59 SD = 1.135). There was no correlation between Trialability and Actual Use. The relationship between Behavioural Intention and Actual Use was moderately positive and statistically significant (r = 0.44; p = < 0.05). The key barriers were technical issues, particularly low internet speed and bandwidth, and frequent power outages. There were no major significant differences in terms of age, sex and rank regarding adoption factors. The study concluded that faculty had a good knowledge of computer applications and OER searches. Despite the technical barriers, faculty members were prepared to use OERs in their teaching because of their usefulness and ease of use. Effort Expectancy was highly positive and significant in relation to faculty’s intention to use OERs. Performance Expectancy, Social Influence and Facilitating Conditions were moderately positive and significant. Trialability did predict Behavioural Intention but not Actual use. It is recommended that training programmes be completed to arm faculty with the necessary tools for OER deployment. Also, training must incorporate adult teaching and learning methodologies. Management should take the necessary steps to formulate policies that would promote the creation and use of OERs in their institutions. There is the need for a policy framework to provide OER services.Item Experiences of Ghanaian Student Nurses in the Clinical Learning Environment: Implications for Nursing Education and Practice(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Kwashie, A.A.Learning environments are relevant in adult education as they serve to facilitate acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes for one to be well educated. The Clinical Learning Environment (CLE) has been identified as a complex network of forces that work together in the learning of clinical skills for student nurses in addition to classroom learning (Flott & Linden, 2016). Student nurses are placed in the Clinical Learning Environment to acquire the requisite skills needed for future professional practice on graduation. The experiences of student nurses during this placement are varied and have implications for nursing education and practice. This study aimed at exploring the experiences of student nurses in their Clinical Learning Environments and described how these influence and impact on their acquisition of the requisite skills for professional practice which is foundational to nursing science. Using Heideggerian phenomenology qualitative approach, the study explored the lived experiences of student nurses in the Clinical Learning Environment guided by the Learning Environment and Learning Processes and Learning Outcomes Framework (LEPO Framework) (Phillips, McNaught & Kennedy, 2010) and Quality of the Clinical Learning Environment Conceptual Framework (D’Souza, Karkada, Parahoo & Venkatesaperumal, 2015). A total of six (6) focus group interviews were conducted with seventy-five (75) student nurses from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana. Only student nurses from Levels 200 to 400 were recruited for the study. Data was analysed using Colaizzi’s 7-Step strategy of descriptive phenomenological data analysis method to elicit an exhaustive description and interpretation of the phenomenon of experiences in the Clinical Learning Environment. Seven themes and sixteen sub-themes emerged from the data. The themes were description of the Clinical Learning Environment, nature of the ward atmosphere, supervisory relationships on the ward, leadership style of the ward manager, pedagogical atmosphere on the ward, supervision by clinical teachers, and challenges with clinical learning. Explanations were provided for each theme and sub-theme with relevant supporting quotes presented to offer an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon under study. The findings showed that the Clinical Learning Environment is a complex one in which stakeholders interact as community of practice. The student nurses indicated that the leadership style of the ward mangers impacts on their learning outcomes either positively or negatively. They indicated that the pedagogical atmosphere on the ward contributes to their acquisition of the requisite nursing skills for practice as professional nurses. Clinical supervisors need to be present on the wards engaging the student nurses in nursing procedures to translate theory into practice. Student nurses experiences in the Clinical Learning Environment showed that the efforts of all stakeholders are necessary to ensure that effective teaching and learning takes place for student nurses. It was recommended that there must be collaboration among student nurses, ward managers and staff nurses, and clinical instructors to assist with acquisition of requisite clinical skills in nursing.Item Factors Influencing Lecturers’ Adoption and Use of an Open Source Learning Management System In Universities In Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2017-07) Asamoah, M.K.The deployment of ICT as a teaching and learning tool has long been acclaimed as a catalyst for educational transformation. As a result, universities have invested and continue to invest in e-learning infrastructure including Learning Management Systems (LMS). This thesis identifies the factors influencing lecturers’ adoption and use of an Open Source Learning Management System (LMS) in four universities in Ghana. The overall objective is to analyze factors that influence lecturers’ adoption and use of an Open Source Learning Management System (LMS) in Universities in Ghana in order to enhance e-learning education in the country. The study first, quantitatively examined Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Image, Subjective Norm and Facilitating Conditions variables, and their direct and indirect influence on Actual Use of an Open Source LMS; and second, used a qualitative approach to identify factors that determine lecturers’ adoption and use, and non-use of Open Source LMS. Hypotheses were formulated and tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to determine whether the predictive generalizations of the theoretical model are valid or not. The study has relevance for e-learning policy formulation and blended learning practice, and adds new knowledge to the existing literature. Theories such as TAM and IDT, related literature on the deployment of ICT in teaching and learning, issues about e-learning education and the use of an Open Source LMS in Ghana were reviewed. Ethical clearance was acquired from the Ethics Committee under the College of Humanities, University of Ghana, Legon. The instrument was piloted with 25 lecturers from University of Ghana and the reliability test results of the pilot study were favourable. For this study, the target population was lecturers of the University of Ghana (Legon); University of Education (Winneba) University of Professional Studies, Accra and Ghana Technology University College, who were aware of, and had been trained for the use of an Open Source LMS such as MOODLE or Sakai. Out of the target population, an accessible population of 435 (consisting of lecturers within the purposefully sampled departments of schools/faculties deemed accessible (by the researcher) in the four Universities) was used for the study. Copies of the modified questionnaire from the pilot study were administered to the accessible population of 435 of which 283 participants fully returned their questionnaire. Homogenous sampling and census were used. Additionally, 20 lecturers were judgmentally sampled and interviewed for the qualitative study and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Reliability Test and Structural Equation Modelling were used for the analysis of numeric data. Almost all the constructs recorded favourable reliability scores, and convergent, and discriminant validity were also achieved. The study variables were subjected to descriptive analysis for a normality test and an inter-correlation matrix. The mean values, skewness and kurtosis were within the standard. Hypothesized structural relationships among the study variables were tested by conducting SEM with maximum likelihood estimation in IBM AMOS 21.0. The estimated indirect effects were cross-validated using bootstrapping to compute the confidence intervals associated with each indirect effect. Paths that were not significant and those that were significant were discussed in line with other studies. Some key findings were as follows: The fit indices suggested that the 8-factor model showed a good fit to the data: (χ2 = 383.23, df = 271, p < .05; SRMR = .046;TLI = .965; CFI = .971; RMSEA = .038. The SEM results also showed that the hypothesized structural model fitted the data well: (χ2 = 360.39, df = 253, p < .05; SRMR = .048; CFI = .971; TLI = .964; RMSEA = .040. The test of hypotheses showed that Perceived Ease of Use had a positive and significant relationship with Actual Use (β = .45, p < .05). Compatibility had a significantly positive relationship with Perceived Usefulness (β = .62, p < .05) as well as Perceived Ease of Use (β = .43, p < .05).Trialability was found to be positively and significantly related to Perceived Ease of Use (β = .12, p < .05). Subjective Norm was found to be positively related to Perceived Usefulness (β = .17, p < .05). Also, the path from Facilitating Condition to Perceived Ease of Use was positive and significant (β = .36, p = .05). Compatibility and Facilitating Conditions were indirectly and significantly related to Actual Use. Under the qualitative study, Utility of Use, Simplicity of Use, Self-Efficacy, Enablers, Institutional Policy were found to exert influence on Actual Use of Open Source LMS. Factors that determined Non-use of the Open source LMS also included nature of course, restrictive nature of the LMS, difficulty in blending face–to-face teaching with online and slow Internet connectivity. The qualitative study augmented the quantitative results. Implications of the study for future research, e-learning policy, higher education practice, management of lecturers, and methodological additions were highlighted. The limitations of the study included the small sample size (n=20) for the qualitative study and the cross-sectional nature of the quantitative survey. Future studies must include a larger sample size and a longitudinal study for better results. The conclusion was that: the qualitative study corroborated the quantitative study which found out that factors that influence the use of the Open Source Learning Management Systems (LMS) included Simplicity of Use, Utility, Institutional Policy and Enablers. Compatibility and Facilitating Conditions indirectly, positively and significantly influenced Actual Use of Open Source LMS. Perceived Ease of Use had a significant positive relationship with Actual Use. Recommendations made from the study included: regular training and education be organised for faculty (especially laggards and non-users) to appreciate the usefulness of the LMS for possible adoption and use. Universities must make sure that the LMS is made simple to use by ensuring that power, Internet connectivity, appropriate software and technical staff are always available.Item Influence of Student Engagement on Academic Performance in Higher Education in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Essiam, J.O.Student engagement has been conceptualized to connote the things that students do and are made to do at school. Engaged students are willing to participate in routine activities that are sanctioned by the university such as going for lectures, adhering to university regulations, participating in group work and submitting assignments on time. Predominantly, student engagement has been denoted as students involving themselves in educational purposeful activities to enhance their academic success and personal development. Generally, the study investigated the factors that influenced student engagement and explained how those factors in turn affected academic performance of students within the Ghanaian higher education context. The research objectives were to determine the sets of constructs that measured student engagement and analyze the relationships between the demographic characteristics (levels of students, age and sex) and the student engagement sub-variables. The research was also to investigate the relationship between student engagement and academic performance through the flow-efficacystudent engagement linkages model in higher education; and finally determine the relationship between student entrepreneurial activities and academic performance. The research was conducted from the positivist perspective. The quantitative cross-sectional survey strategy was used involving 449 students from level 200, 300 and 400 at the University of Professional Studies, Accra. The selection was done using the stratified simple random sampling and proportional techniques. The descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Findings showed that student learning experience (β= .185, p< .05), student experience with faculty (β= -.133, p< .05), academic challenge (β= .107, p< .05), lecturer feedback (β= .129, p< .05) and learning with peers significantly predicted student engagement. Conversely, campus environment (β= -.057, p=ns) did not predict student engagement. Student engagement significantly influenced students GPA (β= .298, t (448) = 6.573, p< .05). Students participated in activities that challenged them to learn to meet their lecturer expectations (Academic challenge, Mean= 3.861, SD=.665). Students rated their experiences with faculty (Mean= 3.293, SD= .670) as the least dimension of the student engagement variable. Student engagement positively and significantly influenced academic performance. Although, majority of the students did not engage in entrepreneurial activities (Mean=2.605, SD=.884), results indicated that students who engaged in entrepreneurial activities were likely not to do well academically (r= -.182, p< .05). The study concluded that student engagement has significant influence on academic performance of students in higher education in Ghana. The study recommended the need to encourage students to form peer-counseling groups that could be used as vehicle to orient students toward good practices that could help them to succeed academically while reducing the tendencies of negative peer influences. The study also recommended continuous training for lecturers, faculty officers, and staff of the university to intentionally provide care and attention to the students to build a culture of trust necessary for engagement. Similarly, students should be encouraged to discuss their academic progress with their course advisors at least once in every semester.Item Integrating Social Media Platforms into Higher Education Pedagogy in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Appiah-Boateng, P.Social media is an invaluable technological tool that facilitates the delivery of instruction in the 21st century higher education landscape. It caters for learners’ individual differences, enriches learning environments, encourages knowledge construction and permits learners to individualise their own learning making them independent learners. This thesis investigated the integration of Social Media (SM) platforms into higher education pedagogy in Ghana. It drew on two main theories: Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge, to understand how technology is integrated into pedagogical activities in Ghanaian higher education. The study employed a concurrent mixed methods approach using both quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative aspect used survey and the sample size was three hundred and eighty students and two hundred and fifty instructors from the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) and Ghana Technology University College (GTUC). Inferential and descriptive statistics – such as means, standard deviation (SD), t-tests, Chi-square, inter-correlation matrix, ANOVA, hierarchical multiple regression, and MANOVA – were used to analyse the data. For the qualitative data, a total of eighty students and twelve instructors from both institutions were purposively selected. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions were conducted for the instructors and students, respectively. Observation of various social media platforms that were used by instructors for teaching were also carried out. Qualitative data were analysed manually using content analysis. This study revealed that students and instructors used SM for teaching and learning. It was found that students used social media mostly to communicate academic issues with their colleagues and instructors, search for information that were related to their academic work and undertake group discussions that were related to their studies. Instructors also used SM platforms to teach various courses and send announcements. The findings revealed that gender of both students and instructors, age of both students and instructors, programme taught by instructors, years of teaching by instructors, years of using digital media (smart phone) by both students and instructors, had no significant influence on their usage of SM. However, the type of students’ programme of study and instructors’ professional rank had an influence on their usage of SM for teaching and learning. Other factors included, functionality of the SM platforms, ease of communication and access to information and opportunities and challenges that existed as students and instructors used SM for teaching and learning. The study also showed how students and instructors integrated SM into group discussions when assignments were given, how they performed assessment activities, conducted research and embarked on further reading for various teaching and learning purposes. It also showed how instructors interacted with students and attended to individual student needs. The findings revealed that for students and instructors, SM provided opportunities for them. For instance, SM helped them to satisfy their quest for new knowledge, search for relevant information from varied sources for their studies, both formally and informally, offered them in-depth understanding of content, bridged the geographical distance. Some of the challenges that were found in the use of SM for pedagogy included, SM focused more on social interaction than academic work, reduced personal contact, caused distraction; discouraged creativity and created false alarm. The study revealed that students and instructors integrated various Social Media platforms into higher education pedagogy in Ghana with opportunities and challenges. For the integration to be effective therefore, it is necessary to organise capacity building workshops for students and instructors in the appropriate use of Social Media for teaching and learning in higher education. There is the need for institutional involvement in the integration of Social Media. There should also be the provision of robust Internet connectivity, provision of computer laboratories as well as the development of policies that would guide the integration of SM into higher education pedagogy in Ghana. Since there is no clear-cut formalisation of Social Media use in higher education in Ghana, which is due to lack of policies, there is the need for future studies on: • • Policy implications of Social Media integration into Ghanaian higher education pedagogy. • • Perspectives of higher education management in Ghana on the integration of Social Media in Ghana. This will ensure a clearer picture of how effective integration is to be implemented so that they can endorse it. • • Usage of Social Media in pre-tertiary institutions, where the students are more tech savvy than tertiary institution students. This is because the impact will last longerItem Non-Formal Education and District Assembly Women’s Participation in Local Governance in Northern Sector of Ghana(University of Ghana, 2018-02) Namoog, M.Y.Since the United Nations Declaration of the Decade for Women in 1975 following the global outcry of poor and low participation of women in decision making and in politics in the 1980s, the Government of Ghana with its institutions and international donor agencies and organisations started increasing their focus on empowering women by providing Non-Formal Education (NFE) programmes. This was to raise the women’s consciousness and to build their capacities and skills. The value assumption was that, if women understood their conditions, knew their rights and learnt new skills, they would be empowered to actively participate in decision making and public governance in Ghana. It was against this background that the study was designed to find out the extent to which these NFE programmes have contributed to the participation of the 2010 cohort of Assembly women in local governance in Northern sector of Ghana. To achieve this, the study employed the cross-sectional survey design and with the aid of questionnaire the primary data was gathered from all the 276 assembly women respondents of the Upper East, Upper West and BrongAhafo regions) selected out of the four regions of the Northern sector of Ghana using the simple random sampling technique. The reliability of the data collection instrument using Cronbach Alpha Coefficient was 0.79. With the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), the data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The major findings of the study were that, the NFE programmes irrespective of the form by which the women acquired the skills and knowledge was positively and significantly related and associated with the women’s participation in local governance as Assembly members. The influence of the abilities they acquired from the NFE programmes on the their participation was also significantly enhanced by the women’s self-interest to participate in the Assembly, Social recognition of the humanitarian, meritorious and professional services of the women and their families and their social, economic and political standing in the respective communities as well as the women’s geo-social setting’s positive perception of their social image - being married, elderly and or well educated formally. The study outcome also showed a significant positive relationship between the influence of the NFE programmes and the women’s abilities to campaign effectively and mobilise funds for their assembly elections activities. This notwithstanding, the influence of the abilities acquired from the NFE programmes by the women on their participation in the Assembly’s business was hampered by negative influence of partisan politics, male dominance in the assembly, poor and irregular attendance and lack of individual competences in English and in some technical issues of the Assembly. The recommendations offered for adult education institutions and the Assemblies include the need to organise programmes alongside the women empowerment ones to conscientise the custodians of the oppressing socio-cultural and religious beliefs and practices to enhance the influence of NFE interventions on women’s participation in local level governance as well as the Assemblies instituting NFE departments tasked to regularly educate, train and update the women on the changing dynamics and technical issues of the Assembly business to enhance their conpetences and active participation.Item Recruitment and Retention of Academic Staff in Private University Colleges in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana(University of Ghana, 2015-07) Asante, G.Y.; Badu-Nyarko, S.K.; Tagoe, M.A.; University of Ghana, College of Education, School of Education and Leadership, Department of Adult Education and Human Resource StudiesThis is a report of an investigation into the recruitment and retention of academic staff in the private university colleges in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Basically the study aimed at:(1) determining the sources from where academic staffs are recruited into the Private University Colleges, and (2) their background characteristics.(3), find out the reasons individuals have for deciding to enter academic employment in the PUCs;(4) determine the effectiveness of the process by which the academic staff is employed into the PUCs;(5) determine the effectiveness of the motivational factors used by the PUCs to encourage the staff to top performance;(6) identify factors that lead to the satisfaction and retention of the academic staff in the PUCs. The research was conducted using a survey method of the descriptive type. It also utilized some elements of cross-sectional survey design based on the critical analytical method. A multi-stage sampling design was used to select the sample study drawn from two clusters of private university colleges formed from the thirty four (34) private university colleges in the Greater Accra Region. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used for data collection. These were personal interviews (unstructured), and questionnaire, which was the principal instrument used with a reliability value of R= 0.95. The six (6) objectives and six (6) research questions used and all hypotheses were tested using the χ2 (chi-square), and the Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient (R) at 0.05 two-tailed significant level. The findings of the study revealed that(1) The private university colleges recruit their academics from two main sources: (i) Graduate students who wish to pursue a career in academia, and (ii) employees in other organizations (public services, civil service, industry and public universities) who move from senior positions to look for academic employment in the PUCs as career changers.(2)The majority of the academic staff in the PUCs are the career changers, mostly middle-aged, majority being male, Ghanaian mostly, with majority of them holding the Master’s degree rather than the doctorate degree.(3)While the graduate students enter the PUCs with intention to pursue an academic career and have opportunity to lecture at the highest educational level, the career changers usually have motive to improve their personal circumstances.(4)The process used by the PUCs to recruit their academics is largely effective, being the HR process of attracting candidates through adverts, conducting selection interviews to obtain candidates who ‘fit’ the positions they require, organize induction courses for the recruits and deploying them to appropriate sections and departments. (5) the motivation satisfiers or factors used by the PUCs to motivate the academics are able to motivate the academics but to different degrees only, and that (6)The retention of the academic staff depends on their overall satisfaction with the academic job itself, and with other aspects of the academic job ( mostly the academics’ satisfaction with the longer-term prospects of their job (promotion prospects and job security) and also with non-pecuniary aspects of their job (e.g. their relationship with authorities, their total earnings, their involvement in decision making and their ability to use own initiative).As an outcome of this research project, recommendations were made to administrators of the private university colleges in Ghana for improvement in their efforts at recruiting and retaining highly qualified and competent academic staff in order to encourage high academic performance, and to guarantee the colleges’ capability of turning out quality products that will be able to play a key role in the economic, scientific, social and human development of the country.