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“They are my people, add them!” The politicisation of poverty reduction programmes in the Global South: Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty cash transfer programme in focus
By Mohammed, Abdul-Rahim
Numerous impact assessments have shown that Ghana’s cash transfer programme, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), has contributed to poverty alleviation and improved schooling. Although the LEAP programme has been extensively evaluated, its political dimensions have been under-researched. Within this context, the present article aimed at understanding the pathways of politicising the LEAP programme. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 25 LEAP beneficiaries and 5 programme officers, the data demonstrates how the political actors abuse the targeting system by prioritising “their people” at the expense of other beneficiaries in five districts of northern Ghana. © 2023 Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID).
Community-led approaches to the academic development of pracademics in universities: evidence from Ghana
By Owusu-Agyeman, Yaw
This paper examines how pracademics who teach at different universities in Ghana contribute to shaping their academic development. In this study, a pracademic refers to an industry practitioner who is employed by a university as a part-time academic to teach academic courses and support the knowledge and skills development of learners. Using a dialogical narrative approach, data were gathered from 14 pracademics who teach academic courses at different universities in Ghana. The findings revealed that the academic development of pracademics is linked to their unique professional identity, the social networks that support their personal and professional growth, and the complex professional community in which they operate. The narratives of the participants revealed that the network of pracademics serves to promote their common interests, which include needs (social, job-related, and resources), expectations, access to opportunities, and their ability to promote academic disciplines. Additionally, pracademics are likely to be highly motivated to join informal networks within a broad context–pracademia, when they know that issues concerning their job security and professional development in the areas of teaching, research, and engaged scholarship will be prioritised by the management of universities. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Determinants of learning strategies among undergraduate accounting students: a study in an emerging economy
By Betakan, Maclean Bajimpong
This study examines the determinants of learning strategies employed by undergraduate accounting students in an emerging economy. Specifically, it investigates the impact of institution, teacher, and personal determinants on accounting students’ utilisation of a particular learning strategy. In line with Information Process Theory (IPM), a descriptive research design was adopted to conduct a questionnaire-based survey among 246 accounting students from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, Africa. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. The study reveals that institutional determinants, including performance assessment and a conducive teaching and learning environment, teacher determinants such as learner-centred teaching methods, and personal determinants like intrinsic motivation and time spent studying, significantly influence accounting students’ adoption of deep learning strategies. Conversely, higher workload and engagement in extracurricular activities reduced the use of deep learning strategies, while adherence to the accounting curriculum guide encouraged surface learning. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Recrafting the accounting curriculum to enhance employability of graduates: A Ghanaian case
By Zotorvie, Justice Stephen Tetteh
This paper examined the need to update the accounting curricula in Ghanaian universities to address the issue of unemployment among accounting graduates, particularly in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). A qualitative approach involving document analysis and in-depth interviews was employed. Both purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to select a diverse group of participants, comprising government officials, accounting academics, employers, and graduates for the interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic review procedures. The study established the need for substantive changes in the accounting curricula in Ghanaian universities to teach 21st-century multi-disciplinary skills, balance practical and theoretical skills, provide a comprehensive range of financial and management accounting expertise, combine academic and professional credentials, and uphold strong ethical standards and integrity. Substantial modifications must be undertaken to the accounting curriculum to effectively address the issue of unemployment among accounting graduates. The findings require a stronger collaboration among government, academics, employers, graduates, and other interested parties in accounting to create an accounting curriculum that will focus on 21st-century skills and adequately blend theory and practice to reduce unemployment among accounting graduates. © 2024 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved.
Social support, computer self-efficacy, online learning engagement and satisfaction among undergraduate hospitality students
By Mensah, Christopher
Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the adoption of online teaching and learning in universities has witnessed phenomenal growth. Importantly, online learning engagement and satisfaction have consequences on student learning outcomes and behavioural intentions. However, a model that integrates social support, computer/internet self-efficacy and students’ behavioral and cognitive outcomes in a virtual learning context has received limited scholarly attention. Consequently, this article examined the effect of social support and computer self-efficacy beliefs on students’ online learning engagement and satisfaction. Data were solicited from a convenient sample of 260 hospitality students at a Ghanaian technical university. The research model was verified with partial least square structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that family support had a strong positive effect on students’ computer/internet self-efficacy and their online communication self-efficacy. Friend support also had a positive effect on students’ computer/internet self-efficacy but not on their online communication self-efficacy. Additionally, student-teacher interaction is positively related to students’ online learning engagement and satisfaction. This finding emphasises the importance of quality interaction between students and their teachers in the latter’s online learning engagement. The implications of these results are that management of universities needs to enhance the online interactive competencies and skills of lecturers. In addition, managers of universities need to enhance the online teaching and learning pedagogy of faculty. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Resilience and sustainability of entrepreneurial mindsets in Ghanaian youth: a five-year impact study of sports training programs
By Nyanyofio, Oscar Cornelius Nyanyo
Introduction: Youth sports programs are recognized as effective tools for fostering entrepreneurial mindsets, resilience, and sustainable personal development. This study evaluates the long-term impact of the Africa Alliance for Partnerships (AAP) program on the academic and professional trajectories of its alumni, with a focus on sustained entrepreneurial skills and personal growth. Methods: A structured survey was conducted among alumni who participated in the AAP program at least five years prior. Data on academic performance, career development, entrepreneurial activities, and personal experiences were collected and analyzed. Quantitative data were subjected to statistical tests, including regression and correlation analyses, while qualitative feedback underwent sentiment analysis. Results: Findings indicate significant academic performance improvements and enhanced entrepreneurial skills among participants. The average skill application scores increased consistently from 2018 to 2023, with a strong positive correlation (r = 0.75) between skill application and academic improvement. Sentiment analysis revealed predominantly positive feedback, underscoring participant satisfaction with the program. Gender analysis showed no significant differences in outcomes, highlighting the program’s inclusivity. Discussion: The AAP program successfully instilled entrepreneurial mindsets and resilience, sustained over five years. Key factors contributing to its success include mentorship, leadership training, and exposure to real-world challenges. These findings demonstrate the potential of sports-based youth development programs as sustainable models for fostering entrepreneurship and personal growth. Future research should explore additional external factors influencing outcomes and assess the scalability of such programs in diverse contexts. Copyright © 2024 Nyanyofio, Musah, Nyawornota, Tay, Adamba, Malete, McCole and Ocansey.
Exploring the interconnectedness between social work education and social work practice: perceptions of BA social work graduates from one of Ghana’s public universities
By Forkuor, John Boulard
To make social work education relevant, educators, students, and practitioners must assess the extent to which taught concepts, theories and techniques are relevant for practice within the local context. Currently, there is little empirical research in Ghana that reviews the social work curriculum in relation to practice. This paper relies on data collected from BA Social Work graduates working with various social service agencies in Ghana. These graduates earned their undergraduate degrees from one of Ghana’s top public universities, offering social work education. Respondents were asked to reflect on their education and their work contexts and to comment on the extent to which they find taught concepts relevant and practical for their work. While we do not draw broad conclusions from our study, we believe that our methodological approach can help other Ghanaian educators evaluate and enhance social work education for effective practice. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Inculcating Community Service-Oriented Values in Higher Education in Ghana
By Amuzu, Delali
Universities in Ghana have been accused of being ideologically Eurocentric institutions located on African soil. They were embodied in European realities and constructs and continue to perpetuate them, usurping Indigenous worldviews and dislodging their inherent values. The prevailing dictates thwart beneficiaries of higher education from nurturing community service-oriented values (CSOVs) to apply to society. Through an anticolonial framework and an exploratory qualitative approach, this paper examines how Ghana’s universities can inculcate CSOVs into higher education. Data was collected through interviews with different stakeholders in Ghana’s higher education system. The study finds that the faulty foundations of higher education, disconnection between universities and society, greed and ignorance by the ‘educated’ are factors constraining the attainment of the CSOVs public cause. However, inculcating CSOVs is achievable through localising universities to subscribe to local realities, embracing the African self, rethinking the functions of universities and initiating curriculum changes. The findings suggest an abandonment of the ivory tower mentality to search into Indigenous knowledge systems to discover community-based values for meaningful higher education. © 2024, Addleton Academic Publishers. All rights reserved.
Understanding teachers’ usage of YouTube as a pedagogical tool: A qualitative case study of basic school teachers in Ghana
By Adu-Marfo, Ama Otwiwah
YouTube has been widely considered as a pedagogical tool over the last few decades. Recent findings from research portray YouTube videos as an instructional part of learning that contributes to best practices in teaching. Much of the studies have focused on usage by teachers and students at the tertiary level without much attention given to basic school teachers. Using an exploratory qualitative case study design and the ICT Pedagogical Beliefs Classification framework, we explored teachers’ usage of YouTube as a pedagogical tool. We drew on the experiences of 18 teachers in 3 private schools in Ghana to find out how Youtube was used in instruction. Four dominant ways of usage were identified. YouTube was used as a teaching tool, a means of enhancing specific topics, a means of learning new and varied ways of teaching, and as a means of developing teachers’ professional competence. Findings showed that whilst some of the ways of usage align with constructivist methods of teaching others still fall within traditional and teacher centred approaches to teaching. We argue that for teachers to enact meaningful pedagogies with technology through a more student-centred model, their knowledge and skills need to be developed alongside the reshaping of their motives and reasons and subsequently the ways in which they use technology for teaching. We recommend the planning and reinforcement of innovative instructional design of technological integration for teachers through informed policy and the use of training interventions to build new skills geared towards constructive and creative teaching suited to developing a net generation of students. © The Author(s) 2024.
Influence of Teaching Approaches on Senior High School Students’ Mathematical Mindset
By Asante Britwum, Bright
Reviewing bodies have shown that a high percentage of SHS students tend to underperform in mathematics examinations. In that respect, we examined the influence of two teaching approaches on Ghanaian public Senior High School students’ mathematical mindsets. A quantitative research design was used, that is, an ex post facto research design was used for this study. A total sample of 366 respondents was involved in this study. Two sets of questionnaires were employed for the study which are the students’ perceptions of teaching approaches and mathematical mindset questionnaires. Descriptive analysis such as means and frequencies were used to analyze the data. The results revealed a possible influence of the teaching approaches students experienced and their mathematical mindset. That is, students taught with a student-centered approach were found to generally possess a growth mindset while those identified as possessing a more fixed mindset were mostly students taught using a more teacher-centered approach. The study recommended that teachers should adopt a student-centered approach to teaching since it has the potential to shape students’ mindset toward a strong growth mindset, as students who have a growth mindset are more likely to succeed in school and beyond. © The Author(s) 2024.
Neighbourhood mothers’ education and its differential impact on stunting: Evidence from 30 Sub-Saharan African countries
By Agyen, Vida Afarebea
The study used data from Demographic and Health Surveys for 30 Sub-Saharan African countries to investigate differences in the residential effects of mothers' education on stunting. Multilevel logistic regressions were employed to examine the neighbourhood effects of mothers' education on stunting. The study found that although a higher proportion of mothers with secondary education in a neighbourhood, irrespective of the residence type (rural or urban), reduces a child's probability of being stunted, this effect is stronger for children residing in rural areas than those in the urban. Achieving a target of at least 75 per cent of mothers obtaining secondary education and higher will bridge the rural-urban gap in stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
Teaching Sustainability in Science Education: Pre-Service Science Teachers’ Perceptions of the Role of Indigenous Knowledge
By Anor, Charity Esenam
Encouraging sustainability in science education demands a collaborative approach, involving the integration of diverse knowledge systems, including indigenous and formal scientific knowledge. Nevertheless, educators’ perceptions of these knowledge systems are crucial factors to consider. This study investigated the perceptions of pre-service science teachers about the role of indigenous knowledge in promoting sustainability science education. The study was conducted at the Department of Integrated Science Education University of Education Winneba, Ghana and predominantly adopted a qualitative approach. A sample size of 54 Level 300 undergraduate pre-service science teachers were purposively chosen. These pre-service teachers have engaged with the science curriculum and syllabus through on-campus peer teaching and are prepared to take their internships in the country’s various second-cycle institutions. Emphasis is laid on the teaching of science to promote education for sustainable development in these institutions. Data were collected through an online questionnaire comprising open- and closed-ended items. The closed-ended items were quantified and analysed for clearer inference whereas thematic analysis was employed for qualitative data. The findings of the study established pre-service teachers’ affirmation of the potential of indigenous knowledge in providing education for sustainability if integrated into the teaching of science. The study recommended targeted interventions including the integration of indigenous knowledge into pre-service science teachers’ curriculum, training programmes, workshops, courses and campaigns aimed at increasing awareness, fostering positive attitudes, and promoting understanding and appreciation of indigenous knowledge and its role in sustainability. © 2024 Southern African Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (SAARMSTE).
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