Akrokerri College of Education

Problems associated with the transition from conventional learning (face to face) to online learning (e-learning) in the educational system are well documented. The present study explores the challenges students in tertiary institutions have reported facing in online learning in the era of coronavirus pandemic. Using a sample (n = 141), an initial principal component factor analysis was conducted to group the constructs. Eight groups that emerged were social issues, lecturer issues, accessibility issues, learner motivation, academic issues, generic issues, learner intentions, and demographics. Cronbach's alpha was used to determine the reliability of the scales resulting in the deletion of learner motivation. Comparing the means of the factors revealed that the most important challenge for students to study online was accessibility issues. This was followed by social issues, lecturer issues, academic issues, and generic issues. The mean for the individual items in learners' intention to study online showed that students were not ready to study online. A Multiple Regression Analysis was further conducted to determine which factors pose the most important challenges to the student's decision to study online. Social issues and lecturer issues were significant. In the final model, only lecturer issues were significant. A blended approach-where conventional teaching is combined with online teaching should have ushered the learners to complete online learning.

Problems associated with the transition from conventional learning (face to face) to online learning (e-learning) in the educational system are well documented. The present study explores the challenges students in tertiary institutions have reported facing in online learning in the era of coronavirus pandemic. Using a sample (n = 141), an initial principal component factor analysis was conducted to group the constructs. Eight groups that emerged were social issues, lecturer issues, accessibility issues, learner motivation, academic issues, generic issues, learner intentions, and demographics. Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the reliability of the scales resulting in the deletion of learner motivation. Comparing the means of the factors revealed that the most important challenge for students to study online was accessibility issues. This was followed by social issues, lecturer issues, academic issues, and generic issues. The mean for the individual items in learners’ intention to study online showed that students were not ready to study online. A Multiple Regression Analysis was further conducted to determine which factors pose the most important challenges to the student’s decision to study online. Social issues and lecturer issues were significant. In the final model, only lecturer issues were significant. A blended approach-where conventional teaching is combined with online teaching should have ushered the learners to complete online learning.

Online learning (e-learning) is well established as one of the best pedagogical approaches in recent years. Despite numerous pieces of literature addressing the significance and limitations of this type of approach, little has been done on the challenges involved in the transition from the face-to-face method of teaching without a blended approach to a complete online in an emergency situation. The present study examined the challenges faced by tutors at colleges of education in Ghana to transition from face-to-face (conventional) to a complete online in the COVID-19 era. A mixed methods design was employed to gather data using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed separately, and the results showed how network, pedagogies, Learning Management Systems and students' factors hinder tutors to successfully deliver online. The study further reported the blended approach as an effective method to assist the tutors for a more effective and less painful transition. Based on the findings, it is relevant for all educational institutions that use a conventional method to adopt a blended approach to help transition to a complete online in case of emergencies. However, it was revealed that online teaching and learning development is expensive, therefore, it requires assistance from stakeholders for a successful implementation.

Science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education, the current engine for this technological generation, has made its way into Ghana's education system and is progressively becoming autonomous, particularly at the senior high level. It depends extensively on student mathematics performance to progress into their various dream STEM career programs. It is worthwhile to study the relationships between STEM students' mathematics (perception, self-efficacy, and connection) and mathematics achievement with their study interest mediating between them. The researchers purposively and conveniently sampled 385 general science respondents from eight selected senior high schools in the Kumasi metropolis for this study. The study produces results by quantifying and analyzing the collected data by investigating the six distinct hypotheses with structural equation model (SEM) using SPSS (26) and AMOS (24) software to confirm or refute fundamental assumptions. The study suggests that general science students' mathematics self-efficacy and connection directly impact their mathematics performance and, at the same time, somewhat mediate their ability to perform well in mathematics through their study interest. Moreover, there was no relationship between mathematical perception and student interest or achievement. Students must continue to evaluate the efficacy of their learning tactics to achieve academic excellence, and they must make reliable and self-efficacious evaluations of their mathematical learning as well as their mathematics connections to other STEM subjects to improve their study interest and mathematics achievement. The study recommends that stakeholders, curriculum developers, and implementers of the new STEM curriculum try to connect mathematics to all aspects of STEM as much as possible to either directly improve their performance or increase their interest in improving their mathematics education.

Sports betting has recently become prevalent among students in institution of higher learning. Most students spend substantial amount of their time engaging in sports betting. The purpose of the study was to examine sports betting among students at colleges of education in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The target population was students in colleges of education in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The simple random sampling procedure was employed to select 361 students for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach’s coefficient alpha for the questionnaire was 0.73. Frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used to analyse data to answer three research questions that guided the study. The results showed that students patronised IXBet, EaziBet, EuroBet, SoccerCash [NLA] and Safari. It was found that, to a great extent, students agreed that their involvement in sports betting was low. Students reported that they engaged in sports betting to win cash and for entertainment. It was concluded that sports betting appeared more attractive to students since they offered free bonuses for placing bets. It was recommended that Guidance and Counselling Units on Colleges of Education campuses organise programmes to educate students on the types of sports betting available in the market and what they truly seek to offer clients. The Government and Conference of Principals of Colleges of Education (PRINCOF) should develop socially responsible regulations and statutes on sports betting that have the potential of discouraging students’ involvement in the practice.

A pandemic causes several disruptions and difficulties in work processes and the lives of workers. Given that the agricultural -sector remains an integral sector to human existence and livelihood, it was important to examine ways of ensuring that employees in the agricultural sector remain satisfied and committed during the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Underpinned by the Social Exchange Theory, this study sought to empirically examine the extent to which instrumental and emotional co-worker support affect employee affective commitment via job satisfaction. Primary data was obtained from 250 employees of 8 agro-processing companies in Ghana. Structured self-administered questionnaires were utilised and SPSS v26 and AMOS v26 were used for the data analysis. The results showed that instrumental and emotional co-worker support were positively and significantly related to employee affective commitment. Job Satisfaction also mediated the relationships between instrumental and emotional co-worker support and affective commitment Drifting from previous studies which largely focused on employees' affective commitment in service-based organizations, this study provides insights from the manufacturing sector. Additionally, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted on-site job structures and interpersonal interactions, this study addresses how co-worker support in such circumstances affect employee job satisfaction and affective commitment.

The study sought to investigate technology use among Ghanaian Senior High School mathematics teachers and to also uncover the factors influencing their technology use. A cross-sectional survey design with mixed quantitative and qualitative data was gathered for the study. The population of the study comprised of all mathematics teachers in Ashanti region. A stratified sampling technique was used to select 80 mathematics teachers from both rural and urban districts in Ashanti region. The findings revealed that the extent to which SHS mathematics teachers use technology in teaching was very low.  The Independent samples t-test revealed that the male mathematics teachers use more technology (Mean = 2.65, SD = 1.12) than the female teachers (Mean = 1.51, SD =0.47) and teachers with high perceived efficacy use more technology (Mean = 2.94, SD = 1.10) than those with low perceived efficacy (Mean = 1.63, SD = 0.51). The analysis revealed that the differences in the mean technology use between male and female teachers and self-perceived efficacy in technology use were statistically significance (t = -2.44, p = 0.02) and (t = -4.23, p = 0.00) respectively.

Support Teaching in Schools (STS) is a vital element in any teacher education programme. It is considered the most fundamental way in helping teacher trainees to become effective implementers of the school curriculum. This study sought to ascertain the perception of teacher trainees on the benefits and challenges of the STS program in Akrokerri College of Education. This study used a hybrid research technique to find out about the perception of teacher trainees towards STS. The study data were collected through online questionnaires, and then descriptive statistics and content analysis approach were used to analyze research questions. The main objective of the paper was to examine teacher trainees perception concerning STS; to find out whether the opinion of teacher trainees on STS differ with regards to gender; to ascertain the benefits and of STS to the teacher trainees; and to identify specific challenges of STS during COVID 19 pandemic. In all 235 teacher trainees responded, findings from the study proved that teacher trainees perceived support teaching in school (STS) as beneficial, as it has helped them connect college base training to practical skills and knowledge of the teaching profession. Time wasting due to single bus for conveying students to practice schools; lack of proper orientation; the inability of some link tutors to visit schools; insufficient teaching and learning resources were some of the challenges encountered by teacher trainees. Other challenges emanating from STS as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic were lack of orientation on online STS, poor internet connectivity, inadequate time and the artificial nature of STS.

This research study investigates the perceptions and practices of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) integration in teaching and learning within Ghanaian Colleges of Education. With the increasing recognition of ICT as a valuable tool in education, it is crucial to understand how these technologies are being utilized in the context of teacher training institutions, specifically in Ghana. The research employs a qualitative data collection method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather comprehensive insights into the perceptions and practices of ICT integration among college faculty and students. The participants include teacher educators, and pre-service teachers in Ghanaian College of Education. Through thematic analysis, the qualitative data provide a deeper understanding of various stakeholders' attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions toward ICT integration. The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of knowledge on ICT integration in teaching and learning in Ghanaian College of Education. It will shed light on the current practices, challenges faced, and potential opportunities for improvement. The research outcome can inform policy decisions, curriculum development, and professional development initiatives to enhance ICT integration within teacher training programs in Ghana. By addressing the perceptions and practices surrounding ICT integration, this study aspires to support the transformation of teacher education, leading to more proficient and technologically equipped educators prepared for the 21st-century classroom challenges.

Despite the fact that adolescents’ waking hours are flexible, little is known about the links of adolescents’ choices of leisure time activities for academic, psychological and behavioural functioning. Participation in activities can provide opportunities to develop specific skills and to interact with nurturing and caring adults as well as a sense of belonging with particular peer groups and recognition from others. Time use and monitor studies have provided rich descriptive pictures of adolescents’ daily lives including what teens do, who they are with and their affective states across their out-of-school experiences. The study therefore examined the influence of structured and unstructured activities on academic performance of Junior High School students in Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana. A descriptive survey design was adopted using a sample of 364 students selected from six public junior high schools in Cape Coast. A questionnaire was used to gather the data. The Cronbach’s alpha co-efficient for the reliability of the instrument was 0.76. Simple linear regression was used as statistical tools to analyse the data collected. The findings of the study were that both structured and unstructured activities respectively do influence students’ academic performance. It was recommended that stakeholders such as parents, guardians, and teachers must be aware of the kind of after-school activity their wards/students engage in so as to help them make better choices due to the influence that their choices make on their academic performance.

Knowledge of the content alone is no guarantee for effective teaching and learning, there is the need for teachers to demonstrate high level of technological and pedagogical power. The study examined the technological pedagogical content knowledge of Social Studies teachers’ in Junior High Schools in Aowin municipality in the Western North Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The population for the study included all Social Studies teachers in the public Junior High Schools in the Aowin Municipality. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the Seventy-four (74) Junior High Schools and Seventy-four (74) the Social Studies teachers for the study. The main instrument for data collection was questionnaire. The study revealed that, teachers have adequate content knowledge to teach Social Studies but there are doubts as to whether their knowledge is current. The study also concluded that, teachers were not confident about their technological, pedagogical and content knowledge in Social Studies and this resulted in their negative attitude towards the integration of technology in classroom activities. It is recommended that, the Ghana Education Service should organize In-Service Training and refresher courses for teachers to keep them current and up-to-date their content knowledge in Social Studies. It is also recommended that, teachers should adopt positive attitudes towards learning and using technology in their day-to-day activities.

Science education has received a lot of attention around the world. Given this, several works of literature have been produced to address the issue from various perspectives. Regardless of the investigator's background, there are some universal challenges that science educators are currently facing. This paper identified and highlighted teaching methods as a prevailing crucial problem in science education in Ghana, emphasizing its enormity and long term consequences. Furthermore, the article proposes a model that can help to address the situation. The study suggests that learner-centered teaching approaches are the best pedagogy for stimulating learners' interests and understanding in science education. The study did reveal the enormity of how science in the nation's education is not seeing the light of day, as well as how science is not becoming more influential in attaining national development goals. The theories adopted for this research are social constructivism and constructive controversy as they see learning as exchanges and interrogation between learners and learners, and teachers and learners. The study again made recommendations of models for implementation to help rebrand the teaching of science education in Ghana.

The aim of the study was meant to investigate the moderative role of pre-service teachers’ interest on mathematics achievement, attitude and anxiety during teaching and learning process. The study was conducted at Akrokerri College of Education Adansi, Ghana on pre-service teachers with a population of 300. A sample of 206 pre-service teachers were involved in the study. Questionnaires were designed with regards to the four main constructs identified in the study. The questionnaires were analyzed using the structural equation model. The findings revealed that pre-service mathematics teachers’ attitude has a direct positive effect on pre-service teachers ‘mathematics achievement. Mathematics anxiety has a positive effect and is statistically insignificant on mathematics achievement. Finally, the moderating effect of mathematics interest on the relationship between mathematics attitude and mathematics achievement result was negative and it is statistically insignificant.

The study assessed age as a factor in sports betting among students of colleges of education in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The target population was students in colleges of education in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The simple random sampling method was employed to select 361 students for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The Cronbach’s coefficient alpha for the questionnaire was 0.75. Means, standard deviations and Kruskal Wallis H test were used to analyse data. The results showed that students benefited from engaging in sport betting by getting quick income and also becoming happy in life. Findings showed no statistically significant difference in students’ involvement in sports betting on the basis age. Kruskal-Wallis H test results showed no statistically significant difference in effects of sports betting of colleges of education students due to age. It was recommended that since the effects of sports betting can be devastating, Colleges of Education should do screening of addictive bettors and refer them for guidance and counselling. Colleges of Education should put clear policy decisions on betting on their campuses. This policy should include laws that prohibit college students from betting, since most students who bet are aged 18 years and above. Keywords: Sport betting, activities, gambling, age, bettors. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-17-07 Publication date: June 30 th 2022

BACKGROUND: While COVID-19 has had a wide-ranging impact on individuals and societies, persons with disabilities are uniquely affected largely due to secondary health conditions and challenges in adhering to protective measures. However, research on COVID-19 and vaccine acceptance has primarily focused on the general population and healthcare workers but has specifically not targeted PwDs, who are more vulnerable within societies. Hence, this study assessed PwDs knowledge of COVID-19 and factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among PwDs in the Atwima Mponua District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Respondents were sampled systematically and data was collected using a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed with STATA version 16.0. Descriptive analysis was done using means and proportions. The chi-square test and Logistic regression were used to assess Covid-19 vaccine acceptance among the respondents. RESULTS: 250 PwDs were recruited for the study. A higher proportion of the respondents were females, physically impaired, and between 30-50 years. The majority (74%) of the PwDs had average knowledge about Covid-19. Factors such as age, educational level and type of disability were significantly associated with PwDs' knowledge of COVID-19. The acceptance rate for COVID-19 among PwDs was 71.2%. Age, religion, knowledge of COVID-19, and educational level were significantly associated with Covid-19 vaccine acceptance. Persons with disabilities with low and average knowledge of COVID-19 were 95% and 65%, respectively, less likely to accept the vaccine compared to those with high knowledge of COVID-19 (AOR = 0.05, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.21; AOR = 0.35, 95%CI: 0.12, 1.03). Older people and those with higher education were more likely to accept the vaccine compared to younger people and those with no or less education. CONCLUSION: Persons with disabilities have average knowledge of COVID-19 and a greater percentage of them were willing to accept the vaccine. The study identified age, religion, knowledge of COVID-19, and educational level as contributing factors to their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. This suggest that PwDs will lean positive toward COVID-19 vaccine programs and as such, vaccination programs should target them.

The most important outcome of a guidance and counselling programme is desirable change in students, such as improved school attendance, better study habits, and better scholastic achievement, fewer scholastic failures, lower dropout rate, better educational planning, and better home-school relations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of guidance services in senior high schools in Ho the Municipality. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 376 students and 21 counsellors from 7 senior high schools in the Ho Municipality was selected using the multistage sampling procedure comprising proportional stratified sampling, purposive sampling and systematic sampling procedures were used. Data was collected using researcher-made questionnaire with reliability coefficient of was 0.83 and 0.80 for students and counsellors questionnaires respectively. Frequency counts and percentages were used to analyze the five research questions stated for the study. The findings revealed that guidance and counselling units were available even though the facilities were inadequate and the rooms were not well furbished. Again, orientation and counselling services were the most common guidance and counselling services while referral and evaluation services were the least common guidance and counselling services provided in the senior high schools in the Ho Municipality. The headmaster/mistress, housemaster/mistress, class teachers and chaplain were all involved in the provision of guidance and counselling services. Furthermore, it was found that the professional counsellors were comparatively better than the non-professionals in terms of adherence to the right practices. It was recommended that a clear national policy for Guidance and Counselling services in Senior High Schools with adequate funding, allocation of time and role definition of counsellors. Article visualizations:

Implementation of problem-based learning has been a challenge in most African institutions of higher learning including Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) due to deficiencies in the secondary education system. This article seeks to investigate the effect of blended problem-based learning (BPBL) practices on students’ satisfaction at KNUST during the Enhancing Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainability in Higher Education in Africa (EEISHEA) 2019–2022 project. In line with this objective, a survey instrument was prepared and validated and a multistage sampling technique with an effective sample size of 1,304 students (621 female and 883 males), 71 lecturers, and 16 technicians across the six colleges of KNUST were obtained. The generalized linear models, simple and multiple logistic regression, were estimated from the data to compare effect of teacher-centered and BPBL paradigms on students’ satisfaction. To prevent overfitting, a cross-validation was performed on the fitted models. Receiver operating curve and area under curve were employed to ascertain the predictive power of the models. Results indicate about 67.35% of students posited that lecturers have incorporated some problem-based learning (PBL) elements into their course delivery. About 72.13% of respondents submitted that the integration of the PBL ignited their self-directed and collaborative learning and improved learner’s problem-solving skills. Furthermore, the fitted models suggest that BPBL, gender, level of program, and college influence students’ satisfaction. The odds of satisfaction of an individual in the BPBL group is 7.4 times higher than respondents in the traditional group with a confidence interval for the odds ratio (OR), (OR 7.4, 95% CI: 4.31–13.16).

This study examined challenges experienced in the teaching and learning of English in a multilingual classrooms atmosphere, using the descriptive design. It took place at the Akrokeri College of Education in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. The study used a sample of 297 teachers and 67 teachers, using some sampling procedures. Data analysis took place through descriptive statistics in terms of frequencies and percentages. The study affirmed the existence of various challenges in the multilingual classroom, including weak linguistic background and learner anxiety. Others were communication-related issues and writing issues. While a good number of teachers demonstrated high proficiency in English, most of the students struggled. Based on these conclusions, the study recommended that teachers and students’ use of English language, both in and outside the classrooms, be maximized since frequent use of the language increases its mastery, which is beneficial in the process of teaching and learning in the multilingual classrooms.

E-waste processing sites abound with potentially toxic elements (PTE) that negatively affect the environment and human health. The study determined the presence of selected PTE (Cu, Zn, Pb, Hg, and Al) and their spatial distribution in an e-waste processing site in a developing country setting. pH, moisture, organic matter/carbon, and particle size were determined in 30 soil samples. The spatial position of each sampling point was picked with a GPS device, and the area was mapped in a GIS environment. The concentrations of PTE were determined with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Findings from the study indicate that the soil is polluted with PTE, rich in organic carbon/matter but has low pH. The Geoaccumulation Indices ranged from unpolluted (Al) to strongly/extremely polluted (Cu). Pollution Load Index showed about 77 % of the samples as extremely/heavily polluted, 10 % as heavily polluted, and 13 % as moderately polluted. Contamination Factors of Zn, Pb, and Cu were very high but considerably low for Hg and Al. Regular monitoring and remediation are required for the soil to be restored and put into productive use.

The role of improvisation is crucial in the formation of new ideas, and it is paramount where real objects are difficult to come across. However, there is little literature on the role of improvisation in the classroom teaching and teacher education context and how its practices in teaching could enhance education, as well as students learning in different contexts and domains. Therefore, this study examined the perceptions of student-teachers at colleges of education in Ghana on the role of improvisation in enhancing quality Physical Education lessons. The study adopted a qualitative approach as the research design to collect data from 10 student-teachers. The instrument used to gather the data was semistructured interviews while purposive and random sampling techniques were employed to select the participants. Thematic analysis was the main tool for the data analysis. The study revealed five themes namely: (1) promote understanding and maximise learners’ participation, (2) Reduce cost and expenditure, (3) Assist to achieve learning objectives (4) Promote creativity and innovation and (5) Make the learning experience real. These themes provide evidence of the role of improvisation in enhancing quality physical education lessons among college of education students in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study recommends that teachers should be creative and have in-depth knowledge of improvisation to assist in effective teaching and learning to improve learners’ experiences.