The study sought to assess the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana. Quantitative research design was adopted for the study. Using probability sampling techniques specifically stratified sampling, simple random sampling technique and the questionnaires were administered to 150 students which formed the sample size for the study. The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize response from respondents of the different universities. Data collected was analyzed using cross tabulation. Statistical differences were compared using chi-square and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered as significant. The study concludes that, most of the students in Ghanaian tertiary institutions were young adults and the usage of online learning was embraced by the tertiary students as they saw it to be more effective. The electronic device used by most students for assessing online teaching and learning was mobile phones with high cost of purchasing data bundles as one of the major challenges students faced in the three universities for assessing the online learning platforms. The study therefore recommends that the tertiary institutions should provide free internet access to the students to assist them in their online teaching and learning. Also, it is recommended that the government and other NGOs should provide free android phone to student to assist them in their online learning and finally, appropriate training should be given to the students on how to use the online learning platform.
TABLE OF CONTENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
DEDICATION
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
1.2 Problem Statement
1.3 Objective of the study
1.3.1 Main objective
1.3.2 Specific objectives
1.4 Research questions
1.5 Significance of the Study
1.6 Organization of the Study
1.7 Limitation of the Study
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Overview of Online Learning
2.2 Learning
2.3 Online Learning and its Growing Importance
2.4 The Use of Technology in Education
2.5 COVID-19 Pandemic and Higher Education
2.6 Higher Education Institutions in Ghana and Online Learning
2.6.1 University of Education, Winneba
2.6.2 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
2.7 Higher Education Transition to Online Learning
2.8 Learning Management System
2.9 Challenges of Online Learning
2.10 Students' Attitude towards Online Learning
2.11 Students' Perceptions toward Online Learning
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study Area
3.2 Method
3.2.1 Research Design
3.2.2 Instrument for Data Collection
3.3 Target Population
3.3.1 Sampling Technique
3.3.2 Sample size
3.4 Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 RESULT
4.1 Socio Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
4.2 Student's Perception about Online Learning
4.3 The Online Teaching and Online Materials Platform Used
4.4 Students' Perception about Online Learning
4.5 Challenges Students Faced in Adopting the Online Teaching and Learning
4.6 Challenges students faced during the online teaching and learning
4.7 Discussions from the Three Universities
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 CONCLUSIONS
5.1 Introductions
5.2 Summary of Research Findings
5.3 Conclusions
5.4 Recommendation
REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to God Almighty for the vision, strength, and enablement to accomplish this task. My next sincere thanks go to my supervisor Dr. Daniel Tetteh a lecturer at the College of Agriculture Education, University of Education, Winneba supervised this work and offered valuable criticisms, corrections, and, suggestions to make this project a reality.
My profound appreciation also goes to my parents, friends, and siblings for their immense corrections, support, and guidance and for being my backbone throughout my education. I say God richly bless you.
My sincerest gratitude goes to My Family for their support and guidance throughout my four years of stay on campus. I pray that may the good Lord replenishes whatever you have lost and bless you according to his riches.
DEDICATION
This piece of work is dedicated to my family and friends for their support, prayers and immense contributions in diverse ways towards my education.
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Summary of demographic characteristics of respondents
Table 2: Perception of Students towards online learning
Table 3: Students' Perception about Online Learning
Table 4: Challenges students faced during online teaching and learning
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: map of the study area
Figure 2: map of the study area
Figure 3: Response on the form of online teaching and materials platform used
Figure 4: Challenges in adopting the online teaching and learning
ABSTRACT
The study sought to assess the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana. Quantitative research design was adopted for the study. Using probability sampling techniques specifically stratified sampling, simple random sampling technique and the questionnaires were administered to 150 students which formed the sample size for the study. The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 20. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize response from respondents of the different universities. Data collected was analyzed using cross tabulation. Statistical differences were compared using chi-square and a P-value of < 0.05 was considered as significant. The study concludes that, most of the students in Ghanaian tertiary institutions were young adults and the usage of online learning was embraced by the tertiary students as they saw it to be more effective. The electronic device used by most students for assessing online teaching and learning was mobile phones with high cost of purchasing data bundles as one of the major challenges students faced in the three universities for assessing the online learning platforms. The study therefore recommends that the tertiary institutions should provide free internet access to the students to assist them in their online teaching and learning. Also, it is recommended that the government and other NGOs should provide free android phone to student to assist them in their online learning and finally, appropriate training should be given to the students on how to use the online learning platform.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Online Learning has become the protagonist for change in the education sector with the rising numbers in student enrolments and the masses of potential students that are turned away each year for lack of classrooms, accommodation and lecturers (Singh & Thurman, 2019). According to (Alexander & Boud, 2018) online learning can be simply described as a learning process in which learners can communicate with their instructors and their peers, and access learning materials, over the internet or other computer networks. To them, online learning provides a means through which the powerful and pervasive computing and communications technologies can be applied to tertiary education and to some of the key challenges now facing universities. In the past few decades, advances in academia have increased demands on academic faculty, resulting in less time for teaching than has previously been the case (Dumford & Miller, 2018). Traditional instructor centered teaching is yielding to a learner centered model that puts learners in control of their own learning.
Online learning can be used by lecturers to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational interventions in the face of the social, scientific, and pedagogical challenges (Mallillin, Mendoza, Mallillin, Felix, & Lipayon, 2020). It has gained popularity in the past decade; however, it use was highly variable among universities. Online Learning has the potential to transform Ghanaian universities and so it is increasingly gaining universal acceptance as a viable means of enabling large numbers of students to access education (Jacob & Gokbel, 2018). Most of the tertiary institutions in Ghana upon realizing the enormous potential of online learning as against these universities ever increasing student population, has chosen to adopt online learning as platform to transform the universities into a modern citadel of academic knowledge in all spheres of sciences, humanities, business and more (Jacob & Gokbel, 2018). While in general, online-based learning is considered an option to traditional learning, during the Coronavirus pandemic it became an essential element for maintaining the activity of schools and universities (Mallillin et al., 2020). The mode of spread of the Corona virus from humans to humans created the need for social distancing and avoidance of crowded places. Considering this, Government of Ghana shut down schools and institutions where crowds meet until further notice. The unexpected closure of educational institutions prompted the authorities to suggest emergency online teaching to ensure that students are not left idle in this pandemic era (Aboagye, Yawson, & Appiah, 2021).
Educational institutions have had to adapt to the restrictions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. A series of applications, platforms and educational resources have been launched to support university students, teachers and professors, parents, educational institutions and school managers, with the aim of facilitating the study process of university students, providing social support and facilitating interaction during the closure of educational institutions (Ali, 2020). Therefore, the conventional methods (traditional face to face teaching) was replaced by online learning for the time being. The essence of online learning was to ensure continuity of education during the Covid- 19 Pandemic era. The mode of online learning was through Learning Management systems (LMS), Zoom, WhatsApp, Facebook live and others.
1.2 Problem Statement
During the Covid-19 pandemic, most countries including Ghana applied lockdown to prevent society from the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Online learning was the best solution for continuing education during the pandemic, especially in tertiary education (Mishra, Gupta, & Shree, 2020). The transition to online learning was the only option for continuity of education during the Covid-19 pandemic era in Ghana (Ali, 2020). Most public universities were able to launch online learning. A lot of Ghanaian universities including Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and University of Education, Winneba (UEW) had previous experience with online learning before COVID-19 pandemic (Ali, 2020). This facilitated the rapid transition to online-learning during the pandemic era. Again, educational institutions preferred to close traditional teaching activities, including laboratories, and transferred teaching activities to the online environment in order to prevent the spread of the virus. Forcibly moving educational activity to the online environment allows for flexibility in teaching and learning because courses are easily accessed (Adedoyin & Soykan, 2020). Despite the crisis, courses were transferred online at an astonishing and unprecedented speed.
Again, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the temporary interruption of educational activities in the classroom. University students in their final years are in an unprecedented situation, which does not allow for a clear perspective of the future. The length of the pandemic and its effects on daily life, costs and other financial issues can directly affect the continuation of the education of university students (Ghazali, 2020). The vulnerability caused by the disturbances in the academic space is worrying. The situation of both undergraduate and postgraduate students has generated unfavorable conditions, such as the necessity to drop out of education. A feeling of exclusion was created by the pandemic situation, outlining an image of inequity in the academic education system. Online education has the potential to transform the education system by expanding educational opportunities, transforming student populations and encouraging the development of new pedagogical methods, making the learning process more reliable, more efficient, and less stressful for both instructors and students (Mukhtar, Javed, Arooj, & Sethi, 2020). Despite the enormous benefits of online learning systems, these universities have problems and challenges with the implementation of online learning system after having piloted the system for a sometime (Demuyakor, 2020). Comparing the developed world to the developing countries, many developing countries are facing challenges such as poor internet connectivity, inadequate knowledge on the use of ICT and weakness of content development (Leo, Alsharari, Abbas, & Alshurideh, 2021). This paper seeks to identify the student's perspective on the online learning experience during the Coronavirus pandemic in order to improve and strengthen the online learning system. Moreover, to examine how the process of learning was affected during this time of crisis and investigates the student's view on the use of online learning platforms and how these technologies influenced their understanding and assimilation of information. Furthermore, we were also interested in identifying the main difficulties or challenges that students encountered while learning online, and in which context they would like these platforms to be further used by universities.
1.3 Objective of the study
1.3.1 Main objective
The main objective of the study was to assess the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana.
1.3.2 Specific objectives
Specifically, the study seeks to ;
- Identify forms of online teaching and learning methods adopted
- Find out the perception of student about the online teaching and learning
- Find out the challenge's students faced in adopting the online teaching and learning
- Find out ways of improving the online teaching and learning.
1.4 Research questions
1. What form of online teaching and learning did you use?
2. What are your views and perception about the online teaching and learning?
3. What constraints did you face in adopting the online teaching and learning?
4. What are some of the ways in which online teaching and learning can be improved?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This research is worth undertaking since, the research findings could provide insight into different online learning facilities that students and university authorities could use to adopt in the university. Again, the outcome of this research will help the university authorities to identify critical factors that could affect the successful adoption and implementation of online learning. Moreover, the research results could guide students and university authorities on the barriers to successful online learning experiences. Lastly, the research findings will help the university authorities to clearly identify strategies on how online learning will address emerging issues.
1.6 Organization of the Study
The thesis is organized into five chapters. It starts with the introduction, which includes background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives, and significance of the study. The second chapter reviews literature that deals with concepts and past studies and information pertinent to the study. The third chapter explains research methodology including description of the study area, sampling techniques, methods of data collection and tools for data analysis. In the fourth chapter the main findings of the study are discussed. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are provided in chapter five.
1.7 Limitation of the Study
The researcher faced quite a number of challenges related to the study and most particularly during the process of data collection. Some respondents were biased while giving information since it was time consuming also due to reasons such as privacy or busy schedules. In spite of the above limitations, the results of the study give credible information with respect to the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
Though this study has provided valuable insight into the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana, it has equally led to some unanswered questions relative to its capacity to produce the desired outcomes in Ghana. In view of this, the following recommendations are made for future research:
- This study was limited to only tertiary institutions in Ghana, and it is therefore recommended that future works should have a larger scope that would strengthen the findings of this study in order to ascertain whether generalizing these findings is possible beyond where this research was undertaken.
- Another acknowledged limitation of this study was its over reliance on data obtained within the period of study. A repetition of this study in the future could add the benefit of a longitudinal scope and could allow researchers to understand by assessing the perception and challenges of online learning by students in some selected tertiary institutions in Ghana.
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Overview of Online Learning
Online learning is defined as the use of computer network technology, primarily over or through the internet to deliver information and instructions to individuals (Holland, 2019). Another similar definition is one that sees online learning as any form of education that is facilitated by the internet and its technologies, and encompasses the use of the World Wide Web (www) to support instruction and to deliver course content (Lorenz, Freddolino, Comas-Herrera, Knapp, & Damant, 2019). The advancement of Information Technology (IT) has impacted on how things are done, its influence on teaching and learning, thus becomes increasingly complex and widespread. The use of latest technology means that one no longer needs to be located in a conventional classroom in order to be educated (Lorenz et al., 2019). Teaching and learning can be done with the help of technology.
Online learning, as a more advanced teaching mode, encompasses instructional content or learning experiences specifically delivered or enabled by electronic technology, and incorporating a wide variety of learning strategies and technologies (Kaizer, Silva, de Pavia, & Zerbini, 2020). Online learning may include delivery of course materials, tuition or assessment by means of asynchronous (one-way) learning where interaction occurs intermittently with a time delay and at the learner's own pace, and synchronous (two-ways) learning, or real-time online learning where learning takes place at the same time pace (Kaizer et al., 2020). Others also see online learning as internet based learning which utilizes web-based communication, collaboration, knowledge transfer, and training to add value to individuals and to organizations they work within (Dailey-Hebert, 2018). According to (Sumuer, 2018), the convergence of developments in technology instruction and pedagogy has stimulated a new paradigm for teaching and learning. Research related to online learning has dated back to the beginning of the eighties and continues today. (Aliyyah et al., 2020), also found that course design, learner motivation, time management, and familiarity with technology, led to success while technology problems, lack of community, and time constraints served as barriers. The research of (Aliyyah et al., 2020) also identified both flexibility and convenience as strengths of online learning. Weaknesses were identified as the delay of responses, lack of community, difficulty understanding instructional goals, and technical problems. (Khoa, Ha, Nguyen, & Bich, 2020) assert that the most significant developments in the use of information technology (IT) at universities in the last decade has been the adoption of learning management system (LMS) to support the teaching and learning process. LMS is an information system that facilitates online learning. LMS is usually implemented on a large-scale across an entire university, faculty or school and then adopted by teachers, who use them in a variety of ways to support course management and student teaching (Khoa et al., 2020).
2.2 Learning
According to (Olson & Ramírez, 2020), learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that results from practice. It can also be said that learning is an individual process of changing behavioral patterns, increasing or altering mental models and processes (Becker, 2018). It is a complex process of acquiring knowledge or skills involving a learner's biological characteristics or senses (physiological dimension); personality characteristics such as attention, emotion, motivation, and curiosity (affective dimension); information processing styles such as logical analysis or gut feelings (cognitive dimension); and psychological or individual differences (psychological dimension) (Praisri & Faikhamta, 2020). To become adept at learning, one must be able not only to transform its institution, in response to changing situations and requirements; but invent and develop institutions which are ‘learning systems', that is, systems capable of bringing about their own continuing transformation. (Chen & Liu, 2018) suggests that learning is more than the accumulation of new knowledge, added on to existing knowledge; it is a process where many basic values and assumptions by which we operate are changed through our learning process.
2.3 Online Learning and its Growing Importance
Online learning or internet-based learning have been proved to exhibit numerous potential advantages over many traditional methods of learning (Pei & Wu, 2019). It is less expensive and faster to deliver, promotes self-efficacy, provides good accessibility from anywhere and anytime, and gives students more control over their learning processes (Dhawan, 2020). According to the 2004 “Teacher Talk Tech” survey conducted by CDW Government, Collaboration with a leading provider of technology to governments and educators in the USA, 81% of teachers reported that information technology in education increases students' academic performance (Marchalot et al., 2018). Majority of teachers said that information technology is a valuable teaching tool for all core academic skills. Only 15% of them however, indicated that the quality of available software for students' learning is “excellent”, and 52 % of them said, is “poor” or just “okay” (Marchalot et al., 2018). Saint (2008) noted the growing use of ICT in learning in Africa, where Ghana, has formally declared a dual-mode to be the national policy.
2.4 The Use of Technology in Education
Technology, is broadly defined as the application of scientific knowledge including tools, techniques, products, processes, and methods to practical tasks (Lai & Bower, 2019) . The use of technology has become an integral component of education, work, communication, and entertainment. The internet is now ubiquitous and with internet penetration rates ranging between as low as 5.6% in Africa and up to 74.4% in North America and any institution that does not embrace this technology will be seriously disadvantaged (Wirtz, 2021). Technology is making a society increasingly interconnected in what many have come to call the “connected Age” (Bridle, 2018). A decade ago, access to technology was limited and wiring schools was one of the country's highest education priorities along with expanded access has become a growing pervasiveness of technology in society (El-Kogali & Krafft, 2019).
For a generation of young people, technology, particularly the internet, has assumed a substantial stake in their social and educational lives (El-Kogali & Krafft, 2019). ICT literacy reflects the need for the students to develop learning skills and enable them to think critically, analyze information, communicate, collaborate, and solve problems, and the essential role that technology plays in realizing these learning skills in today's knowledge-based society (Caena & Redecker, 2019). Universities have adopted technology in their learning environment through which a range of pedagogical and administrative tools that are offered for university teaching and learning (Ali, 2020). Technology has made the world a truly global community, where students' are being prepared for this global community and technology has an integral part of its core. A technologyrich education enables students to bridge cultural and geographical distances around specific tasks, projects, information gathering and relationship building (Huda, 2019). It makes all subjects more meaningful to students and more adequately prepares them for the world in which they will live and work.
2.5 COVID-19 Pandemic and Higher Education
The current pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a profound impact on our daily activities and has presented us with unprecedented challenges. As the dreadfulness of COVID-19 became crystal clear, globally, governments closed schools in an attempts to curb the spread of the virus impacting over 90% of the world's enrolled learners (Agormedah, Henaku, Ayite, & Ansah, 2020). The intermissions to education can have long-term repercussions, exclusively, for the most vulnerable. This may not only cause loss of short-term learning but also further loss in human capital and diminished economic opportunities in the long-term as well as prejudice towards particular groups (Agormedah et al., 2020).
The COVID19 outbreak is affecting education in terms of reduction in utilisation of schools, lack of quality appropriate education, reduction in access to education services, reduction in availability of education services, lack of maintenance of schools, lack of teacher training, fear of school return and emotional stress caused by outbreak, reduced financial resources, diversion of resources and teachers, confusion and stress for teachers, lack of at-home educational materials, challenges measuring and validating learning, parents unprepared for online and home schooling, loss of quality teaching and learning, social isolation, emotional disequilibrium and school drop outs (long-term as well as prejudice towards particular groups (Agormedah et al., 2020).
The COVID19 outbreak is affecting education in terms of reduction in utilisation of schools, lack of quality appropriate education (Bond, Bedenlier, Marín, & Händel, 2021). Due to these effects, governments are taking measures to ensure that education continues via emergency remote learning/teaching approaches with many deploying online learning solutions (Hallgarten, 2020). This may seem experimental to some higher education institutions, typically, those in developing countries like Ghana, and however, there might be others who have managed online teaching/learning before. Regarding this, several organisations are providing assistance to ensure that learners continue their education worldwide. For example, the World Bank is vigorously working with Ministries of Education in numerous countries to support their efforts to employ instructional technologies of all sorts to provide remote learning opportunities for students while schools are closed as a result of the COVID-19 crisis (World Bank, 2020). Similarly, UNESCO is helping countries in their labours to alleviate the instantaneous effect of school closures, particularly for more vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, and to facilitate the continuity of education for all through remote learning (Chaddha, 2020). However, it seems that higher educational institutions understand the pedagogical, logistical, and also technological challenges to these timely measures.
Most of the higher educational institutions in low- and middle-income countries, including students and teachers, lacked access to high-speed broadband or digital devices needed to fully deploy online learning options. Thus, transition from in-person to person instruction to emergency remote learning/online learning has wide-open cavernous digital divides between and within schools and countries (Agormedah et al., 2020), particularly, among low-medium income countries like Ghana. The condition is far poorer for lower resource environments in middle- and- low-income countries with internet dissemination rates typically less than 50% and a large fraction of students without devices to enable emergency remote learning at home (García & Weiss, 2020).
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- Citar trabajo
- Michael Owusu Frimpong (Autor), 2021, Assessing the Perception and Challenges of Online Learning by Students in Some Selected Tertiary Institutions in Ghana, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1368405
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