Psychological and educational effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on online students and faculty of a ghanaian university
Date
2023
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications Inc.
Abstract
Abstract
This is a qualitative study that employed exploratory design to inquire from 15 participants of Central University (Ghana) about their experience with the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. An in-depth interview was conducted, and data were analyzed using
thematic analysis. The findings indicate that participants experienced fear expressed in
four key domains reported under four key themes thus: Experiencing psychological
distress; Burden of economic hardships; Fear of inefficient health system; and Educational
disruptions and worries involved in online teaching and learning. The study concludes that
the upsurge of COVID-19 has triggered psychological, economic, and educational conundrums that have to be addressed. This paper contributes to the growing body of
studies on COVID-19 and effects on lecturers and students. The burgeoning evidence of the mental health distress following COVID-19 should be a wake-up call for universities
and Ghana as a whole to invest both in infrastructure and manpower in this area of health
care delivery. Vaccine hesitancy research must be conducted to improve upon health
educational campaigns. The significant disruption from the pandemic is a fair warning to all
stakeholders to make educational e-learning infrastructure resilient against similar future
shocks. The implications of the findings for health and educational policies in Ghana are
addressed.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
COVID-19 panic, COVID-19 pandemic, Fear, Anxiety, Depression, Online students & faculty