Insights and experiences of students about the factors that enhance relational pedagogy in higher education

This study examines the insights and experiences of students about the factors that enhance relational pedagogy in a South African university. To provide empirical explanations as to how these insights could be prioritised to enhance effective teaching and learning, quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 1087 participants using a survey that also required them to complete an open-ended section. The quantitative data was analysed using Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, while the qualitative data was evaluated using thematic analysis. An analysis of the quantitative data revealed that the most significant factors that enhance relational pedagogy were, ethical care, interpersonal communication, natural care, respect, and mattering. Conversely, factors such as academic achievement support, trust, and teacher responsiveness showed comparatively weak effects on students’ perceptions of relational pedagogy. Similarly, the qualitative data analysed revealed that participants perceived teacher-student interaction and communication, mattering and teacher immediacy, and the ethics of care as the most significant themes that serve to enhance relational pedagogy in the learning environment. The study concludes by highlighting the implications of using relational pedagogy as a tool to address the social, cognitive, and cultural gaps in the teaching and learning processes

Placing Retailers as Agents of Change in the Transformation of Mobile Payment Transactions in Ghana

ABSTRACT The continuous rise in the number of mobile phone usage in Ghana has created the need for further study into the other uses of phones. Although some of the mobile money services are presently being used by some subscribers in Ghana, the market penetration has not been very encouraging especially among the rural and urban poor. This has precipitated further research in the area of mobile payment systems and financial services with emphasis on the role of the retailers as authorized agents for telecommunication operators in the business. Field survey was conducted in the urban and rural poor areas of Accra and Swedru respectively and it involved 350 retail agents in fourteen communities and towns. Semi-structured questionnaires served as the main instrument for collecting data from the field and the analysis were done using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Task-Technology Fit and Mobile Money proposition for retailers. The results show that although majority of retailers had heard of mobile money services, very few of them had used the services. Their response however revealed the need for further education on the benefits of mobile money usage and the relevance of transacting business without holding cash

Relationality and student engagement in higher education: Towards enhanced students’ learning experiences

This study examines how student engagement and social relationships between teachers and students may enhance the learning experiences of students in a South African university. Two separate sets of semi-structured interviews were held with 27 university teachers and 51 students respectively. The findings revealed that that the relationships between the behavioural and cognitive dimensions of student engagement and social relationships between teachers and students are motivated by good relational communication; relational pedagogy; good inter-relational culture; teacher relational competences (cognitive, behavioural and inter-cultural); and teacher demonstration of care. The current study adds to the literature on relational pedagogy and student engagement by highlighting the importance of inter-relational culture and teacher relational competences to the behavioural and cognitive development of university students. Moreover, when students and particularly, first generation students, students from low socio-economic backgrounds and students from rural communities develop good relationships with their teachers, they are set to have positive learning experiences

The relevance of telecommunications and electrical engineering programmes to the needs of adult learners in Ghana

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2016ENGLISH ABSTRACT : The growth in the Telecommunications and energy sectors in Ghana requires a highly trained workforce to meet the increasing knowledge and skills demands of the industry. The training of the workforce calls for adequate arrangements by higher education institutions (HEIs) to satisfy both the needs of industry and those employed in these sectors. A significant number of these employees are adult learners enrolled for Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering programmes at HEIs. These programmes are not necessarily designed to address the specific needs of adult learners, thereby leading to dissatisfaction among adult learners. This study, investigating the relevance of Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering programmes to the needs of adult learners, was framed along an interpretive paradigm, relative ontology, transactional epistemology and constructivist theory of learning. Building on the work of Buchanan and Smith (1998), the study uses an integrated framework to interrogate the key considerations necessary for developing adult learning programmes for students pursuing Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering in three diverse universities in Ghana. The study adopted an embedded multiple case study design that was adapted from Gable’s model. Probability and non-probability methods of sampling were used to gather relevant information from respondents and discussants. The sample included 200 student respondents, while focus groups discussions were conducted with 11 groups of adult learners from the three purposively selected institutions. The views of heads of the Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering departments, industry representatives, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Board and the Deputy Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress provided additional evidence for the empirical study. Statistical software, Statistica, was used in analysing the quantitative data, while the hermeneutic process of developing patterns, codes and themes were used to analyse the interviews conducted. The study revealed that in developing relevant curricula for adult learners in the field of Telecommunications and Electrical Engineering, the constructivist theory required amplification by other theories such as experiential and transformative learning. Secondly, the three cases investigated in this study did not provide separate curricula for adult learners who enrolled in the programmes with varied experience and skills expectations. The study also found that while adult learners were not involved in the planning of their programmes, relevant learning resources such as text books, e-books, course materials, laboratory guides, field work guides and industrial attachment manual for their programmes were either not provided or were not in good condition. The possible implications for the study are that different learning theories are required to design appropriate curricula for adult learners in the engineering field, HEIs and industry should collaborate to develop the knowledge and skills of adult learners and adult learners should be actively involved in the planning of their programmes together with their facilitators and programme developers.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die groei in die telekommunikasie- en energiesektore in Ghana benodig `n hoogs opgeleide werksmag om aan die groeiende vraag na kennis en vaardighede in die industrie te beantwoord. Die opleiding van die werksmag vereis geskikte reëlings deur hoër onderwysinstellings (HOIs) om die behoeftes van sowel die industrie as dié wat in hierdie sektore werksaam is, te bevredig. ‘n Aansienlike aantal van hierdie werknemers is volwasse leerders wat vir telekommunikasie en elektriese/elektroniese ingenieursprogramme by HOIs ingeskryf is. Hierdie programme is nie noodwendig ontwerp om die spesifieke behoeftes van volwasse leerders aan te spreek nie, wat dus lei tot ontevredenheid onder volwasse leerders. Hierdie studie wat die relevansie van telekommunikasie en elektriese/elektroniese ingenieursprogramme met betrekking tot die behoeftes van volwasse leerders ondersoek, het ‘n interpretiewe paradigma, relativistiese ontologie, transaksionele epistemologie en konstruktiwistiese leerteorie as raamwerk. Gegrond op die werk van Buchanan en Smith (1998), gebruik die studie ‘n geïntegreerde raamwerk om die kernoorwegings wat nodig is vir die ontwikkeling van volwasse leerprogramme vir studente in telekommunikasie en elektriese/elektroniese ingenieurswes aan drie diverse universiteit in Ghana te ondersoek. Die studie is ontwerp as‘n gevallestudie, en maak gebruik van Gable se ingebedde meervoudige gevallestudie-ontwerp. Metodes van waarskynlikheids- en nie-waarskynlikheids steekproeftrekking is gebruik om relevante inligting van respondente en deelnemers te versamel. ‘n Steekproef van 200 studente het vraelyste voltooi, terwyl fokusgroepbesprekings gevoer is met 11 groepe volwasse leerders van die drie instellings. Die menings van departementshoofde van die telekommunikasie en elektriese/elektroniese ingenieurswese departmente, verteenwoordigers van die industrie, die Adjunk Uitvoerende Sekretaris van die Nasionale Akkrediteringsraad en die Adjunk Sekretaris-generaal van die Vakbondkongres het bykomende gegewens tot die empiriese studie bygedra. Statistiese sagteware, Statistica, is gebruik om die kwantitatiewe data te analiseer, terwyl die hermeneutiese proses vir die ontwikkeling van kodes, patrone, en temas gebruik is om die onderhoude wat gevoer is, te analiseer. Die studie toon aan dat wanneer toepaslike kurrikula vir volwasse leerders in die veld van telekommunikasie en elektriese/elektroniese ingenieurswese ontwikkel word, die konstruktivistiese teorie aangevul moet word met ander teorieë soos eksperiënsiële en transformatiewe leer. Tweedens is bevind dat die drie gevalle wat in hierdie studie ondersoek is, nie afsonderlike kurrikula vir volwasse leerders wat met ‘n verskeidenheid van ervaring and vaardigheidsverwagtingsin die programme ingeskryf het, voorsien het nie. Die studie het ook bevind dat volwasse leerders nie betrokke was by die beplanning van hulle programme nie, toepaslike hulpbronne vir leer soos laboratoria, internet konnektiwiteit en biblioteekbronne vir hulle programme of ontbreek het of in ‘n swak toestand was. Die moontlike implikasies vir die studie is dat verskillende leerteorieë nodig is om toepaslike kurrikula vir volwasse leerders in die ingenieurswese te ontwerp, HOIs en die industrie moet saamwerk om die kennis en vaardighede van volwasse leerders te ontwikkel, en volwasse leerders saam met hulle leerfasiliteerders en programontwikkelaars, aktief betrokke moet wees in die beplanning van hulle programmeDoctora

Investigating the determinants of adults’ participation in higher education

This study investigates the determinants of adult learners’ participation in higher education in a lifelong learning environment. The author argues that the determinants of adult learners’ participation in higher education include individual demands, state and institutional policy objectives and industry-driven demands rather than demographic factors in the Ghanaian context. Framed along an interpretive paradigm, the study sought to examine the underlying principle for adult learners’ participation in higher education in Ghana and juxtaposing their views with those of policy-makers and managers of higher education institutions. Using an explanatory research design and a mixed method of gathering and analysing data from respondents in two structurally diverse universities, the study concludes that industry-driven factors play important role in the decisions of adult learners to enrol in Higher Education Institutions

Investigating the determinants of adults' participation in higher education

Abstract: This study investigates the determinants of adult learners' participation in higher education in a lifelong learning environment. The author argues that the determinants of adult learners' participation in higher education include individual demands, state and institutional policy objectives and industry-driven demands rather than demographic factors in the Ghanaian context. Framed along an interpretive paradigm, the study sought to examine the underlying principle for adult learners' participation in higher education in Ghana and juxtaposing their views with those of policy-makers and managers of higher education institutions. Using an explanatory research design and a mixed method of gathering and analysing data from respondents in two structurally diverse universities, the study concludes that industry-driven factors play important role in the decisions of adult learners to enrol in Higher Education Institutions

Exploring the factors that enhance student–content interaction in a technology-mediated learning environment

The authors discuss the results of a study that was conducted on the factors that enhance effective interaction between students and learning contents in a technology-mediated learning environment in a higher education setting. The results revealed that effective student–content interaction is strongly enhanced by expansive learning through its five key elements; epistemic relation, contradictions, digital learning content, conglomeration of views and cognitive transformation. The intervening effect of network relations and mediating technology was also highlighted therefore, revealing the positive impact of both factors in enhancing effective student-content interaction. The empirical methods employed by the authors were focus group interview (n = 12) and questionnaire (n = 500) among students in a university. While Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the quantitative data, the focus group interviews were analysed using categories, themes and concepts. The authors present the findings and implications of the study by way of theory, practice and further research in the study

Students as partners in the promotion of civic engagement in Higher Education

CITATION: Owusu-Agyeman, Y. & Fourie-Malherbe, M. 2021. Students as partners in the promotion of civic engagement in Higher Education. Studies in Higher Education, 46(6):1241-1255, doi:10.1080/03075079.2019.1666263.The original publication is available at https://www.tandfonline.comThe development of the knowledge and skills of students can only be complete when the tenets of civic engagement are inculcated in them to respond to the needs of society. However, due to the weakening role of higher education institutions to develop a university ethos that stimulate civic interest and participation among students, it has become necessary to examine the aspects that enhance civic engagement. Using social-cognitive and transformative learning theories, we examined six major aspects namely, civic knowledge, civic skills, civic culture, cultural diversity, social responsibility and, students as partners to reveal the sets of relationships and antecedents that enhance civic participation among students. We relied on a mixed method approach for gathering and analysing data from students in an HEI setting in Ghana (n=261). Results revealed that cultural diversity experience, social responsibility, and students as partners represent important aspects for stimulating civic participation among students in HEIs.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03075079.2019.1666263?journalCode=cshe20&journalCode=cshe20ElsevierPre-prin

Negotiating co-ownership of learning in higher education : an underexplored practice for adult learning

CITATION: Owusu-Agyeman, Y. & Fourie-Malherbe, Magda. 2019. Negotiating coownership of learning in higher education: an underexplored practice for adult learning, Studies in Continuing Education, 41(1):17-35. doi:10.1080/0158037X.2018.1497591The original publication is available at https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/csce20/currentAdults who enrol in higher education institutions (HEIs) often have contributions that could serve in enhancing the planning and implementation of their programmes. Importantly, while terms such as active learner engagement and knowledge co-creation dominate adult learning discussions, there are unanswered questions pertaining to how adult learners negotiate co-ownership of their learning. The current empirical study explores the relevant factors that could enhance adult learners’ involvement in negotiating co-ownership of learning in a higher education setting. A mixed method of gathering and analysing data from adult learners (n = 200) was followed. While structural equation modelling (SEM) served as the quantitative data analysis method, codes, categories and themes developed from the focus group discussions and interviews were used to analyse the qualitative data. The study revealed that negotiating co-ownership of learning among adult learners in HEIs is influenced by the level of engagement and adult learners’ acquisition of relevant core knowledge and skills. The authors discuss the implications of the results by reflecting on the pluses of negotiating co-ownership of learning at the institutional and classroom levels while also showing how the lack of these provisions could hinder effective learning among adult learners.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0158037X.2018.1497591Publisher’s versio