College of Education
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/22012
Browse
949 results
Search Results
Item Analysis of study skills employed by Ghanaian high school science students(Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 2020) Aboagye, G.K.; Amponsah, K.D.; Johnson, E.A.This study was motivated by the desire to explore the study skills employed by science students in senior high schools (SHS) in the Cape Coast metropolis across the Central Region of Ghana. A total of 600 SHS second-year science students, 354 males, and 244 females, took part in the investigation. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. The “Study Skills Scale” the questionnaire was utilized for data collection to determine the kind of study skills employed by the science students, across gender, age range, and school type. The arithmetic mean was used to establish the degree to which students employ study skills strategies in their learning. Similarly, the consequence of gender, age range, and school type on the eight subscales of study skills strategies was determined using a one-way multivariate examination of variance. Findings from the investigation indicated that SHS science learners employ study skills strategies in their learning to a large extent for all the subscales of study skills strategies. However, female students employ the memory and concentration study skills strategies more effectively than their male counterparts; demographic variables, such as age range and school type, do not influence students’ study skills significantly. The implications of this study for policy and practice were discussed.Item Digital inclusivity: exploring e-government use among businesses in Ghana(Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 2024) Acquah, A.Purpose – Electronic government (e-government) initiatives are critical in bringing about transparency, accessibility and efficiency in public service delivery. Drawing upon e-government literature and the political system theory, this paper aims into the challenges faced by businesses in using e-government applications and how the implementation of e-government can be improved. Design/methodology/approach – Using a qualitative research method, data was gathered through in-depth interviews with top executives of businesses in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings – This study reveals that uneven access to digital technology, security concerns and resistance to change are the main challenges hampering the use of e-government applications by the business sector. Furthermore, this study identifies opportunities for facilitating the implementation of e-government including seeking for feedback from the business community, benchmarking and monitoring and collaboration among government agencies. Research limitations/implications – This study highlights the challenge of digital divide, which hinders the full realization of the benefits of e-government services for the business sector. Policymakers need to prioritize e-government programs that bridge the gap by way of improving internet connectivity, digital literacy and access to technology. Policymakers should embark on targeted infrastructure development, information, communication and technology training and programs to advance adoption of the e-government among underserved business communities. Practical implications – Government agencies must conduct training programs on digital skills and cyber security for businesses. In addition, businesses should introduce change management initiatives that promote culture of ingenuity and flexibility. Originality/value – This study contributes to the filling the dearth of knowledge on the discourse on e-government adoption in developing economies, particularly in the context of business to government e-government model.Item Impact of Information and Communication Technologies and Renewable Energy Consumption on Carbon Emissions in Africa(Carbon Research, 2024) Onyeneke, R.U.; Chidiebere‑Mark, N.M.; Ayerakwa, H.M.The pursuit of economic growth has implications for carbon emissions and climate change. Achieving low carbon development is important for attaining the targets of the sustainable development goals. Africa is often described as a largely import-dependent continent. The continent also requires signifcant investment in information and com‑ munication technologies (ICT) and renewable energy to achieve low-carbon economic growth. However, empirical evidence on the joint impacts of imports of goods and services, clean energy use, ICT, and economic growth on car‑ bon emissions in Africa is scanty and mixed. This paper investigated the impacts of information and communication technologies, renewable energy consumption, import and economic growth on carbon emissions by using rich data on total per capita carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, economic growth, import of goods and services, renewable energy consumption, fxed telephone subscriptions, mobile cellular subscriptions, and individuals using the internet in Africa (2001 ─ 2020) obtained from the World development indicators (WDI) database. Using the Panel autore‑ gressive distributed lag model (PARDL), we found that mobile cellular subscriptions, and level of economic growth signifcantly increased per capita CO2 emissions in Africa in the long run while renewable energy consumption and technologies and import of goods and services signifcantly decreased per capita CO2 emissions in the long run. We conclude that information and communication technologies, level of economic growth, import of goods and ser‑ vices, and renewable energy consumption exert impacts on carbon emissions in Africa.Item Understanding the drivers of student loan decision-making and its impact on graduation rates in Ghanaian public universities(Policy Reviews in Higher Education, 2024) Mahmoud,A.; Intsiful, A.; Tuffour, P.; Boateng, F.K.Higher education in countries like Ghana faces significant challenges, including financial barriers, which usually hinder students’ educational progress and graduation rates. While some students usually rely on family support and personal savings, these resources are generally insufficient for covering all educational expenses. Although student loans have emerged as a beacon of hope to address these challenges, research on this topic, particularly in developing countries, has remained underexplored. This study, grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour, investigates the psychological factors influencing Ghanaian students’ decisions to utilize student loans and the impact on graduation rates. Data is gathered from 114 Ghanaian students using a purposive sampling technique. The analysis reveals a positive correlation between favourable attitudes toward student loans and intentions to use them. Subjective norms significantly influence loan decisions, while perceived behavioural control has no significant impact. Also, loan decisions positively correlate with graduation rates, suggesting loans can enhance academic persistence. These findings highlight the need for responsible loan programs to improve graduation outcomes and socioeconomic development.Item Critical Reflection by Mature Students as Co-Developers of an Open Educational Resource in Foregrounding Their Learning(Journal of Learning for Development, 2023) Berg, G.V.D.; Amponsah, S.; Mudau, P.K.; et al.This study explored learning which occurred when mature distance education students developed an open educational resource (OER) with their lecturers, using Smith’s critical reflection as a method to guide reflection on their learning. This study is significant since student learning on the co-development of an open educational resource could not be found in the literature. Within an interpretative paradigm, we used questionnaires with mainly open-ended questions to determine a particular group of students’ learning. Findings indicate learning about themselves, their interactions, and their contexts. The study puts forward specific implications to improve future practices based on the findings. The specific contribution is that students who engage in critical self-reflection change their perspectives, allowing them to self-examine and reflect on future actions. This learning experience assists students, lecturers and institutions of higher education in their approach toward critical reflection and the co-development of OERItem Does Language Matter When Advertising to Africa’s Multilingual Audience? An ELM Study of Audience Language Preference and Responses(Journal of African Business, 2023) Yeboah-Banin, A.A.Choosing the most effective language is critical when advertising to multilingual audiences as the success of any advertising campaign depends on whether the audience “gets” the message. This paper argues that in Africa, “getting the message” is partly dependent on language given that indigenous languages, colonial legacy languages, and blends between them compete for audience attention. Using Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) arguments, the study examines this possibility among 1000 multilingual audience members in five cosmopolitan cities in Ghana. Findings show that advertisements are not consumed in a language vacuum and that language blends are the most appealing to the multilingual audience. The study also finds that attention to, and belief in advertisements are partly shaped by language preference. Besides these empirical contributions, the study positions the ELM as a viable theoretical lens for analyzing the implications of advertising language. Its use of an African sample to test the ELM’s assumptions also introduces novel evidence to the theory’s body of scholarship. Recommendations are made on how advertising practitioners and brand communicators may take advantage of language as an important segmentation criterion in advertising strategy.Item Role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a sustainable development goal(Library Management, 2022) Dei, D.J.; Asante, F.Y.Purpose: This study explored the role of academic libraries in the achievement of quality education as a Sustainable Development Goal. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a qualitative research approach and descriptive case study design. This study focuses on academic libraries from four universities in Ghana. From each university, the researchers purposely selected four respondents, comprising the heads of the libraries, deputies, and two assistant librarians or library assistants. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews. observations and document reviews. The results were analyzed and presented in descriptive and interpretive forms. Findings: The study established that the majority of the library staff were aware of the sustainable development goal, SDG 4. The libraries provided relevant materials to support students’ learning and organize training on information literacy and engaging library patrons in periodic information literacy programs to create awareness of SDG 4. Since the libraries do not have their own internally developed policies on SDG 4, they depend on the general United Nations (UN) document on the SDG and SDG 4 as a guide in information delivery; and the general policies on information delivery, teaching and quality assurance of the universities in general and the libraries in particular. The study concluded with a framework to guide the successful accomplishment of SDG 4 in libraries. Research limitations and implications The study focused on academic libraries in Ghana and adopted the purposive sampling technique, which makes it assume a weak power of generalization. Practical implications: The study has implications for academic libraries and librarians in Ghana. achieving SDG 4. It will guide librarians and academic libraries in formulating policies to guide them in their activities. The framework developed as a result of the findings will equally guide the librarians in their quest to provide information to achieve SDG 4. Originality/value: This study’s originality lies in its articulation of academic libraries’ initiatives in the actualization of SDG 4 in Ghana with a developed framework to guide librarians and academic libraries. Academic libraries and librarians who are eager to contribute their quota to the achievement of SDG 4 will find this study useful.Item Social Media for Information Dissemination among Students(International Journal of Information Science and Management, 2021) Dei, D.J.; Anane-Donkor, L.; Okyere, F.Social media usage trends have established a drastic jump from 5% in 2005 to 72% in 2021. This study, therefore, sought to investigate the extent to which social media is being used to facilitate information dissemination by students in Ghana Universities. The Uses and gratifications theory (UGT), which seeks to explain why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs was used as the theoretical framework for the study. A descriptive research design was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data from respondents across tertiary institutions in Ghana. The study established that social media serves as one of the vital tools for learning and information dissemination among the students. The students used social media for academic work more than for recreational activities. They access social media through the mobile devices they own and are connected to the internet. While the majority of them had only one social media account, a significant proportion had more than one social media account. Although they somewhat trust the information on social media; they only consider it to be genuine unless it is related or find it relevant in the field of academics.Item E-learning experiences of adults during COVID-19 outbreak The moderating effect of gender(Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 2021) Kwapong, O.A.T.F.COVID-19 has brought surprises in the educational landscape. Educational institutions had to hurriedly migrate all teaching, learning and assessment activities to online platforms. Such was the case of adult learners who had signed on to the access course for entrance into the University of Ghana. This study sought to find out how the e-learning experiences of adult learners differed across gender as they studied English language, Logic and Mathematics online. From a quantitative analysis of the data, the online experience of students with regard to Mathematics learning did not differ along gender lines. Therefore, the experiences of males and females were similar. Though there were differences across gender groups regarding Logic and English language experiences and those of Logic experience were much bigger, where males provided overall more positive ratings than females. Specifically, for Logic experience, instructors’ show of respect to students and understanding of the learning needs of students and effective communication were rated generally better among males than females. Going forward, Logic instructors should pay equal attention to both groups, irrespective of their gender, to identify their learning needs and support them accordingly. Furthermore, all the instructors, irrespective of their course, could continue to improve their delivery of the courses as well as their relationships with the students in order to enhance future experience of the students.Item Managing large classes in virtual teaching: experiences of university teachers in Ghana during COVID‑19(Education Tech Research Dev, 2022) Salifu, I.; Abonyi, U.K.This research used a qualitative multiple-case study and phenomenological designs to explore how, without training, university teachers in Ghana managed large student numbers in the virtual environment during COVID-19. The study examined further the challenges the teachers faced in their virtual instructional delivery. Twelve participants, drawn randomly from four large Ghanaian universities, participated in individual interviews and follow-up virtual class observations. The findings revealed that the participants employed two management techniques in their virtual teaching—regulating the behaviour of learners and controlling instructional content. The research further uncovered that, although the teachers’ complaints generally centred on environmental constraints and inadequate institutional support, those whose difficulties included using virtual tools did not have virtual teaching experience before the COVID period. The study supports the clarion call for university teachers involved in virtual teaching to personally seek a continual update of skills and competency in virtual delivery because it is an approach hinged on evolving technology.