Differences in principals’ experience on their instructional leadership behaviours in colleges of education in Ghana

The study assessed the differences in Principals’ instructional leadership behaviours based on experiences (number of years served as Principal) in Colleges of Education (CsOE) in Ghana using the descriptive survey design. The population of the study was all Principals from the forty-two (42) CsOE in Ghana. The study sampled thirty-six (36) Principals using the simple random sampling technique. The Principal Instructional Leadership Behaviours (PILB) scale was used to collect data. Means, standard deviations and the one-way ANOVA were used to analyse the research question and to test for the hypothesis respectively. The study revealed that Principals often promote collaboration among tutors, provide support for tutors’ work, provide an induction for new tutors and promote in-service training for tutors in CsOE in Ghana. However, the findings from the study gleaned that supervision of instruction was sometimes exhibited by Principals in CsOE in Ghana. The study further found that Principals’ instructional leadership behaviours differed when they were grouped according to their experience. It was concluded that though Principals provide instructional leadership for the benefit of tutors and the general teaching and learning climate of CsOE in Ghana, their instructional supervision should be improved. The study yielded a central recommendation that Principals of CsOE need to improve upon their supervision of instruction to promote the continuous professional development of tutors.

Students’ Satisfaction with the University of Cape Coast Residential and Academic Experiences

The purpose of the study is to explore students’ satisfaction with the University of Cape Coast experience. The study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed-method design and used current students as the population of the study. A sample size of 420 students was used for the study. The study used questionnaires and focus group interview guides to obtain data from participants. The study used descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis approach to analyse the data obtained. The study revealed that students are less satisfied with residential services and attributed this to irregular water supply, unsanitary toilet and urinal facilities, congestion in student rooms. Furthermore, the study showed that students were less satisfied with some academic services. The study recommended that the leadership of departments, faculties and colleges need to review their curriculum with the approval of the Academic Board to enhance students’ practical experiences in their academic programmes.

Challenges and coping strategies of student mothers of ‘ucc’ college of distance education: The case of the Cape Coast centre

Student mothers in distance education programmes in Ghana have to combine family roles with work and academic pursuits. Therefore, this study sought to find out the challenges and coping strategies of student mothers at the College of Distance Education (CoDE) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Cape Coast Centre. In this descriptive survey, a questionnaire was used to collect data from 175 conveniently sampled student mothers attending classes at Cape Coast Centre, CoDE, UCC. The data collected was analysed using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations. The findings from the data gleaned that majority of student mothers (a minimum of 71%) performed a lot of laborious non-academic activities daily in their homes and the combination of these roles with their academics pose a negative high effect on their family lives and academics. Unfortunately, the coping strategies they employed were, to a large extent, ineffective. Thus, student mothers have inevitable academic impediments that emanate from the non-academic activities they perform at home, posing challenges to their academic pursuit. Therefore, CoDE, in collaboration with the Counselling Unit of the University of Cape Coast should provide counselling services to these student mothers to be aware of the academic challenges and ways to effectively navigate these challenges to be successful.

Dynamics of leadership and teacher effectiveness in universities in north-central Nigeria

The study examined the dynamics of leadership and teacher effectiveness in Universities. The uninspired roles played by university leadership for societal development seem to implicate the qualities of teacher effectiveness in teaching, research and community service. Teachers’ performance appears lower than expected as personal observation has shown in most institutions in Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational survey design. The sample for the study consisted of one thousand six hundred and thirty-three (1, 633) academic staff members out of the population of eight thousand six hundred and thirty-four (8, 634) academic staff members working in the thirteen public Universities in North-central Nigeria as at April 2019. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire tagged: Dynamics of Leadership and Teachers’ Effectiveness Questionnaire (DLTEQ) confirmed to be of 0.86 reliability coefficient. The data collected were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, and the hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r) at a 0.05 significance level. The major findings of the study revealed that the dynamics of leadership are largely lacking; teachers’ effectiveness in teaching and research are lower, and there is a significant relationship between dynamics of leadership and teachers’ effectiveness in universities. It is recommended among others that University leaders should ensure the use of quality dynamic leadership skills to have a sense of mission with good interpersonal relationships, monitor frequently, et cetera considering the situation of the work environment, and the National University Commission should set urgent dynamic leadership training for University leaders through seminars and workshops for teacher effectiveness.

Prevalence, contributing factors and consequences of unethical practices among university students in Edo State, Nigeria

This study investigated the prevalence, contributing factors and consequences of unethical practices among university students in Edo State, Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. The descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. The population of the study comprised all full-time undergraduates and lecturers in public and privately-owned universities in Edo State. Using a multistage sampling procedure, a sample of 720 students and 200 lecturers was drawn for the study. Data were collected through two questionnaires entitled "Unethical Practices among University Students Questionnaire: (UPUSQ) and "Unethical Practices and University Education Questionnaire" (UPUEQ). The instruments were face-validated by two other experts in Measurement and Evaluation in the Faculty of Education, University of Benin. A reliability testing of the instruments was done using Cronbach’s Alpha. The results of the study revealed, among others, that all the identified unethical practices except vandalism and thethreat and actual kidnapping of lecturers by students were moderately prevalent among university students in Edo State. Findings further revealed that students’desperation to pass examinations at all cost, excess workload on students, poor policy implementation and negative peer influence were the main contributing factors to university students’involvement in unethical practices in Edo State. Based on the findings of this study, the authors recommended, inter alia, that reported cases of unethical practices should be promptly addressed and thoroughly investigated, and that defaulters should be sanctioned or punished by each university’s rules and regulations for such offences or by-laws stipulated for such offences

Relevant continuing professional development and quality resource situation make the Difference in student academic performance

This study seeks to look at the relationships among teachers’ academic qualification, availability of quality resources and the performance of students in Mathematics, English and Integrated science of Basic Schools at Kwahu-East in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The authors used a descriptive survey design which adopted the questionnaire, interview and observation in the collection of data. The authors used stratified random sampling in selecting 180 teachers whereas purposive sampling was used in selecting 27 headteachers and District Education Officers which used the Pearson correlation in the analysis. The study revealed that a teacher’s academic qualification obtained through education had no significant relationship with student’s academic performance in the respective subjects being measured by this study. The authors recommend that the Government of Ghana concentrate on providing continuing professional development (CPD) programmes that concentrate on practical situations in the schools and channel more resources to schools.

Determining polytechnic teachers' professional development and curricular quality through collaborative curriculum design

In this collaborative curriculum design i.1 addressed as an effective method for the continuing Professional development of teachers in a polytechnic in Ghana during curriculum reform. Three design teams have been working 10 update engineering syllabus to commensurate contemporary industrial skill demands as well as update their own knowledge in their subject areas for fourteen weeks. They embarked on industrial visits, incorporated relevant information in their courses and conducted teaching try-outs. Mixed methods were employed for data collection during design activities. Results indicated that teachers updated their domain knowledge and skills, design teams improved teacher collaboration while teacher ownership pf and commitment to quality curriculum increased. Furthermore, teaching try-outs of updated courses were a success from both teachers and students perspectives. It was concluded that the relational nature of the interdependencies between social and individual contributions to curriculum design illuminates the fabric of teachers’ continuing professional development.

Investors in people: a case study of the mathematics department of Merton College, Uk

The Investors in People study of the Mathematics Department of Merton College was undertaken in November 2008 to determine the extent to which the Mathematics Department met the indicators of the new Standard introduced by Investors in People UK in 2005 in the face of the changes that were being implemented in the whole college. The study involved 14 out of the 23 staff in the department. The main instruments used were structured interview schedules, albeit relevant documents were also examined. The key finding was that generally, managers were able to demonstrate an understanding of how to count the costs and benefits of learning and development, and the latter's impact on the performance of individuals in the mathematics Department. It was recommended that the Policy Team of the college should develop an Action Plan to address some of the key issues identified in the study.

Managing transitional challenges for quality performance in polytechnics in Ghana

This paper presents the findings of a study into transitional challenges facing polytechnic management'" in Ghana, effects of those challenges on the quality delivery of polytechnic education and how polytechnic management was managing such challenges. The research was a descriptive survey involving 340 respondents drawn from 6 polytechnics in Ghana. Respondents included both senior members and senior staff. Data were gathered through questionnaire and interviews. Informed by the study, the paper argues that the management of polytechnics encounter a number of challenges. some of which are easily manageable whilst others require strategic management skills to address. It further advocates a stronger collaboration between the polytechnics and industry as a way of promoting quality competency-based training in the country.

Crisis management in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis

The study examined crisis management in senior high schools in the Cape Coast metropolis. A basic interpretive study was conducted to gather data from heads of senior high schools in Cape Coast. The study revealed that the schools remain largely unprepared to handle crisis. Also, the study informants indicated that the schools do not have crisis management plans and do adopt reactive measures in addressing crisis. Policy recommendations included the development of crisis management plan as an integral part of the strategic plans of the schools. Research recommendations included replicating this study in other GES designated districts and metropolis to determine if findings reported here are typical for the entire country.