College of Education
Permanent URI for this community
Browse
Browsing College of Education by Title
Now showing 1 - 20 of 936
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item Abuse of Library Materials in Academic Libraries: A Study of the University of Cape Coast Library(African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science 2(20): 103-112, 2010) Akussah, H.; Bentil, W.The study examines the extent to which materials in the University of Cape Coast (UCC) Main Library are abused. Using questionnaire, interviews and a collection survey, the various forms of document abuse, causes of abuse, and categories of documents mostly abused, categories of users that mostly abuse documents and the extent of physical damage to the documents were investigated. The findings of the study indicate that UCC main library materials are under serious threat of abuse through acts of vandalism, mutilation and theft, particularly by student users. The study recommends orientation and awareness programmes for new and old users, periodic stocktaking, better security and supervision, provision of multiple copies and investment in electronic resources.Item The academic and research librarian in the 21st century(CULD, 2012) Alemna, A.A.; Entsua-Mensah, C.; Antwi, I.K.This paper is of the view that with the accelerated development in information and communication technology, the 21st century is an exciting time for academic librarians. However, this can only be achieved under certain conditions such as: the need to embrace change; the ability to keep up with ICT; marketing of library services; project management, among others. Library and information schools must also play new roles. Otherwise, academic libraries may become marginalized and redundantItem The Academic and Research Librarian of the 21st Century(CULD Proceedings, 2012) Alemna, A.A.This paper is of the view that with the accelerated development in information and communication technology, the 21st century is an exciting time for academic librarians. However, this can only be achieved under certain conditions such as: the need to embrace change; the ability to keep up with ICT; marketing of library services; project management, among others. Library and information schools must also play new roles. Otherwise, academic libraries may become marginalized and redundantItem Academic Assessment of Students Work and Quality Assurance in Tertiary Institutions: A Conceptual Framework(International Journal of Educational Foundation and Management, 2013-03) Azameti, M.S.K.; Adjei, E.This paper discusses the social and cognitive variables that influence the roles of most practitioners during the marking of examination scripts and other student assessment procedures in educational institutions. Most approaches to the assessment of student work and are rooted in the specific historical, legal, national and pedagogical context of the institution. Studies have thus shown that practices differ widely between countries, regions, institutions and subject areas within institutions. It is the position of this paper that academic assessment procedures in educational environments should be designed to suit particular needs of the specific programme of study. What is important here is ensuring that the principles guiding the design of a specific assessment practice are transparent, fair and open to scrutiny by all stakeholders during and after their administration. It has been noted by some external assessors that when the final results of a student’s work do not fit within a normal distribution curve incompetency on the part of the practitioner is to blame. This is a broad accusation and it remains to be shown how to go about substantiating professional incompetencies in academic assessment exercises. It is against this background that this paper presents a conceptual diagram and theories that support the influence of cognitive and social variables on the work of practitioners in higher education.Item Academic Experiences of “Zoom-Fatigue” as a Virtual Streaming Phenomenon During the COVID-19 Pandemic(International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 2021) Amponsah, S.; van Wyk, M.M.; Kolugu, M.K.This phenomenological exploratory multiple-case study design was conducted at an open distance e-learning university and a traditional contact residential university, and it was found that the participants viewed video conferencing under the COVID-19 lockdown period as an exhausting experience. A second major finding revealed that the participants were empowered with digital literacy skills to use video conferencing effectively. The current findings add to a growing body of literature on video conferencing with a focus on Zoom fatigue. Further research might explore the lived Zoom experiences of administrators, students, and a larger group of faculties over a longer period. The study findings must be considered when planning and implementing video conferencing for academics and students in open distance e-learning contexts. This study showed that video conferencing is one tool in the emergence of a digital zoom revolution that has radically changed the workspace. The evidence from this study suggests that Zoom fatigue is a reality check for work-related health management.Item Academic Experiences of “Zoom-Fatigue” as a Virtual Streaming Phenomenon During the COVID-19 Pandemic(International Journal of Web-Based Learning and Teaching Technologies, 2021) Amponsah, S.; van Wyk, M.M.; Kolugu, M.K.This phenomenological exploratory multiple-case study design was conducted at an open distance e-learning university and a traditional contact residential university, and it was found that the participants viewed video conferencing under the COVID-19 lockdown period as an exhausting experience. A second major finding revealed that the participants were empowered with digital literacy skills to use video conferencing effectively. The current findings add to a growing body of literature on video conferencing with a focus on Zoom fatigue. Further research might explore the lived Zoom experiences of administrators, students, and a larger group of faculties over a longer period. The study findings must be considered when planning and implementing video conferencing for academics and students in open distance e-learning contexts. This study showed that video conferencing is one tool in the emergence of a digital zoom revolution that has radically changed the workspace. The evidence from this study suggests that Zoom fatigue is a reality check for work-related health management.Item Academic freedom in Africa: A systematic review of content analysis studies(International Journal of Educational Development, 2023) Adu, K.K.; Odame, J.The intellectual discourse on academic freedom has gained prominence across the globe in recent past. While such discussions portend a positive signal for academics, little is known about academic freedom in Africa. This article examines the existing research and scholarship on academic freedom in Africa with the sole intention of questioning the conceptual underpinnings of the frequently studied topics related to academic freedom and the methodological distribution of studies related to academic freedom in Africa. An electronic database search was performed in Scopus and google scholar for papers published between 2004 and 2022, followed by a systematic review of content analysis articles which described academic freedom in Africa. After eliminating all the du plicates, 29 unique research studies were identified as peer-reviewed articles in English. Out of the 29 full texts which were assessed for eligibility criteria, 4 were excluded with 25 Full-text records left to be used for the systematic review of content analysis. The systematic review revealed five main areas of study namely, legal and constitutional laws for the protection of academic freedom, effects of colonialism on academic freedom, chal lenges and safety of academic freedom, academic freedom and intellectual engagement, and academic freedom and sexuality. Our findings further revealed that there is a dearth of literature on academic freedom in Africa presumably because of the chequered development of Africa’s democracy. One thing is however clear that as the democratic architecture of Africa dips, as a result of the upsurge of coup d’detat in recent past, the future of academic freedom remains bleak. It called for academics to seek support from other civil society groups to promote academic freedom and to keep the discussion on academic freedom alive, relevant and current, within the academic communityItem Academic Libraries and Copyright issues in Ghana: The University of Ghana in Focus(2008) Darkey, E.M.; Akussah, H.The paper outlines briefly what copyright is, the main actors in the copyright phenomenon and the need to maintain a balance among them. The paper further discusses the difficulty in upholding copyright in relation to access to information in the University of Ghana problems associated with the use of digital materials, the inadequacy of the permitted use principle, and the future of copyright legislation to address the needs of the library and other vulnerable groups.Item The Academic Libraries of Developing Countries: Towards Effective Book Provision in the Face of Austerity(New Library World, 1994) Boakye, G.Despite its fundamental importance, resource provision has not been accorded the necessary emphasis in academic libraries in developing countries. Attempts to draw attention to this important function of the academic library. Due to the perennial lack of sufficient financial resources in most academic libraries, the need to make judicious use of available financial resources cannot be overemphasized. Suggests ways whereby maximum use of limited resources could be achieved. Emphasis has been placed on the need for academic libraries to have written acquisition policies to help in the development of a more balanced collection than presently exists in most libraries in developing countries. Also, suggests ways whereby materials could be acquired at minimum cost. Indicates the various means through which books and other library materials could be purchased and shows the advantages and disadvantages of each. Finally, provides suggestions whereby materials acquired could be organized for maximum use by the clientele of academic libraries.Item The Academic library of the Future(Ghana Library Journal,, 2012) Boakye, G.An academic library is a library in an institution of higher learning usually a University, college or polytechnic with the aim of providing needed information to enable the institution achieve its mission. An academic library by nature serves as a means to achieve an end is not an end to itself. This presupposes that the academic library must be dynamic enough to respond to the changing needs of the institution that it serves. Changes in the education and information landscape in recent times and the emergence and adoption of Information Technology (IT) sometimes referred to as Information Communication Technology (ICT) has revolutionized the face of education as well as the production, presentation and dissemination of information. Technology has made it possible for institution of higher learning to offer distance education programmes, where students are scattered all over the country and sometimes over the world. Changes in technology have also modified the information-seeking behaviours of most students and faculty of universities and polytechnics.it is expedient therefore for the academic libraries to also adopt the use of ICT to enable them respond positively to the needs of the constituency they serve and to remain relevant in the modern technological landscape. The paper defines ICT, looks at its benefits and challenges to the academic library and suggests ways of overcoming the challenges.Item Academic Managers’ Evaluation of Adult Learning In A Summer School(International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 2015-02) Boateng, J. K.; Eghan, A.; Adu, M.O.Adult Learning (andragogy) is a theory that describes a set of assumptions about how adults learn. Andragogy emphasizes the value of the process of learning. It uses approaches to learning that are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic, and also emphasizes more equality between the teacher and learner. This study evaluated adult learning in a summer school organized by the Wisconsin International University College in Accra, Ghana. In all, two hundred and fifty students participated in the summer school. To investigate adult learning in a summer school, a paper based survey consisting of one hundred and fifty (150), five-point Likert type scale was administered to 150 adult student participants in the summer school in November 2011. Ninety-four (94) out of the 150 questionnaires (evaluation sheets), were received back, thus making the sample size of 94. The survey instrument asked each participant’s opinion on the content, teaching and organization of the summer school. Results showed that the organization of the summer school was perceived positively, in terms of content, teaching and organization.Item Academic status and research publication: The dilemma of librarians at the University of Ghana(2012) Opoku, D.A little over a decade ago librarians at the University of Ghana, Legon agitated for, and were accorded academic status equivalent to those in the faculty. What used to be purely a technical and professional job has gradually shifted to academic. Pressure is now being put on all librarians at the University of Ghana to upgrade themselves to academic status. This paper examines the position of librarians in the university before and after the granting of academic status. The paper also looks at the implications of this academic status on research publication and job satisfaction of these librarians.Item Accelerating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Ghana: Literacy, the missing link(Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2011) Tagoe, M.The Millennium Development Goals launched in 2001 provide a worldwide agenda to reduce poverty by 2015. Though the eight goals provide synergies for the rapid reduction of poverty, the MDGs have come under criticism for being too narrow and sometimes leaving out critical aspects of human development and well-being. Although the MDGs address some of the most critical areas of human development, one relevant aspect of human development given low recognition is literacy. A critical examination of the MDGs reveals the centrality of literacy in the achievement of all the MDGs. The study which reviewed the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy document (GPRS I & II) shows that the little space given to literacy and the disparities in illiteracy rates between rural and urban areas, gender and socio-economic groups, may be factors responsible for the slow pace of achieving the MDGs. The study concludes that Ghana can only accelerate the pace of achieving the MDGs when greater attention is paid to the link between literacy and economic growth, education, health, gender equality and empowerment of women, and sanitation.Item Access and Equity in Free Maternal Delivery Policy in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana: Voices of Women(Donnish Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 2015-07) Benneh, C.O.; Esena, R.K.In 2005, Ghana instituted a free maternal delivery policy as a pro - poor strategy to enable all women have access to quality maternal health services . The aim was to meet t he Millennium Development Goal 5 which seeks to reduce maternal mortality ratio by 75 percent between 1990 and 2015. It also aimed at increasing the percentage of births attended by skilled professionals from 40 per cent in 2005 to 60 per cent by 2015 . The purpose of the study was to analyze access and equity issues in free maternal delivery policy and to assess the level of awareness, concerns and perceptions of women on the policy. This study focused on the voices and concerns of women who are the direct beneficiaries of the policy. The study used a qualitative case study approach drawing on focus group interviews with women from three districts in the Brong Ahafo Region in Ghana. Results from the study were analyzed using the Constant Comparative approach of grounded theory. The findings showed that many women are still excluded by reason of poverty. Irrespective of the policy, access to professional skilled birth attendant is still restrained by various indirect costs associated with hospital deli very. This made the policy inequitable to women and denied them their right to reproductive health. Women’s concerns bordered very much on their right to dignity often denied them by health personnel in hospitals . Inclusion of women’s voices is relevant to informing policy on free delivery policy that need to be addressed.Item Access and Equity to Tertiary Education in Ghana: The Case of the University of Ghana, Legon(Accra, National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), 2014) Osei-Tutu, E.M.Item Access and Use of Digital Resources: A Survey of Their Value for Faculty in Three Ghanaian Universities(De Gruyter Saur, 2015) Dadzie, P.S.; T. van der WaltThis paper is culled from a doctoral study that investigated the development and management of digital libraries in selected academic libraries in Ghana. In this article, the authors report on the value that faculty members place on access to and use of digital resources and their implications for library services in three Ghanaian universities. The survey method was used to administer a structured questionnaire to 230 faculty members. Using convenience sampling, 10% of faculty were selected from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast. Univariate and bivariate analyses were done to construct frequencies and establish relationships among respondents. Findings showed that less than half of the faculty members were aware of and used digital resources such as the online databases, institutional repositories, the library’s website and the online public access catalogue (OPAC). Nevertheless, the impact of the resources on them was very positive. The study recommended the need for university librarians to interact with faculty during orientation sessions for new faculty as well as new heads of departments. Additionally, subject librarians should work closely with departmental heads to be allocated periods for presentation on available digital resources, their usefulness for their own career enhancement and for their teaching role. The underlying implications of this study show that more advocacies are required from university libraries to enhance the use of digital resources.Item Access and use of digital resources: a survey of their value for faulty in three Ghanaian universities(Libri,, 2015) Dadzie, P.S.; Van der Walt, T.This paper is culled from a doctoral study that investigated the development and management of digital libraries in selected academic libraries in Ghana. In this article, the authors report on the value that faculty members place on access to and use of digital resources and their implications for library services in three Ghanaian universities. The survey method was used to administer a structured questionnaire to 230 faculty members. Using convenience sampling, 10% of faculty were selected from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast. Univariate and bivariate analyses were done to construct frequencies and establish relationships among respondents. Findings showed that less than half of the faculty members were aware of and used digital resources such as the online databases, institutional repositories, the library’s website and the online public access catalogue (OPAC). Nevertheless, the impact of the resources on them was very positive. The study recommended the need for university librarians to interact with faculty during orientation sessions for new faculty as well as new heads of departments. Additionally, subject librarians should work closely with departmental heads to be allocated periods for presentation on available digital resources, their usefulness for their own career enhancement and for their teaching role. The underlying implications of this study show that more advocacies are required from university libraries to enhance the use of digital resources.Item Access to and use of export market information by non-traditional commodity exporters in Ghana(African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science, 2009-01) Afenyo, V.K.; Alemna, A.A.Ghana has traditionally depended on a number of export commodities such as cocoa, timber, gold and diamonds for its economic and social development. Recent economic policies of government have aimed to expand the country's exports to include non-traditional exports such as horticultural products, textiles, fishery products, wood products and handicrafts. Growth in exports depends on both domestic factors, such as the quality, quantity and cost of production of the commodities, as well as conditions in the export markets. It was in that context that this paper analysed the nature of access to and use of export market information b y non-traditional commodity exporters in Ghana. A mail questionnaire was used to collect organisational-level perception and activity information concerning export market information from forty non-traditional commodity exporting firms in Ghana. The study found that 32 (87%) of the firms sought information from diverse sources concerning foreign markets, although the information was mostly obtained from institutions and organisations. The types of market information sought included prices of product; consumer tastes and preferences; export logistics and facilities; political issues; and customs procedures. The study recommended specific roles in the dissemination and provision of access to export information for the Ghana Export Promotion Council, and for public, community and academic libraries and trade associations in Ghana.Item Access to and Use of Information Centres among Scientists at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Crops Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana(2012) Acheampong, L.D.; Dzandu, M.D.The study investigated the access to and use of information centres among scientists at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Kumasi, Ghana. The study aimed at ascertaining the level of access to and use of information centres among scientists. The research design for the study was a study case. Questionnaire and interview schedule were used to collect data from 73 scientists and 3 library staff respectively. The study revealed that scientists used information centres but at a minimal rate, accessibility was unlimited. They would however use it more if the centre is well resourced with competent personnel, equipment and current and relevant materials. In addition, scientists use the centre for research purposes and prefer to use journals to other type of materials. The study recommended that scientific information centres should subscribe to current electronic journals, procure modern equipment and also train the staff of the information centres to encourage high patronages of the centres by the scientists. In addition, networking of information centres should be encouraged since no library or information centre can solely cater for the information needs of scientists.Item Access to Library Resources By Sandwich Diploma Students In the University of Ghana(Academic Research Journals, 2014-05) Kwadzo, G.A survey was conducted in July 2011 to determine the library use and needs of sandwich diploma students of the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon. Three hundred and twelve of the 362 students who enrolled for the programme, completed the questionnaires used in the analysis. The data was analysed using the SPSS version 16. The findings showed that about 74% of the students used campus library facilities when on campus. Majority (70.7%) used the college library more than any other library on campus. The main reason for using the library was to find a quiet place to study. This was followed by the use of the internet. The results also revealed that the students did not receive any library orientation or user education. As a result majority (59%) found it difficult using the library. With regard to improving services they received, they stated provision of more computers, provision of user education, acquisition of more current books, and extension of opening hours in the evening of the libraries during the inter-semester breaks when the sandwich programme is in session.