Research Article
Frank Kyei-Arthur, Dorcas Adwoa Aidoo
EUR J INTERACT MULTIMED ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: e02214
ABSTRACT
In Ghana, the education sector has been one of the most affected sectors since the emergence of COVID-19. The plights of low-fee private schools (LFPSs) in the country could be exacerbated by the closure of schools due to COVID-19. This study investigated the online learning resources, challenges, and coping strategies of LFPSs during the closure of schools in Ghana due to COVID-19 pandemic. Google Form was used to gather data from 67 heads of LFPSs in Ghana between April and June 2020. We found that about one-fifth of LFPSs used online learning before the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most LFPSs acquired an online learning resource due to COVID-19. However, heads of LFPSs had mixed perceptions of online learning. Also, the closure of schools affected school finances; teaching, learning and assessment of students; and the ability to pay teachers’ salaries. To cope with their challenges, heads of LFPSs used strategies such as staff lay off; online learning and giving assignments; and the distribution of food items and personal protective equipment. The study recommends the following: there is a need for in-service training for teachers on online learning, improvement in the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure across the country, and subsidization of ICT resources. Also, the Government of Ghana should provide tax relief to telecommunication companies that improve their infrastructure and expand their coverage across the country to enhance internet accessibility and connectivity.
Keywords: COVID-19, low-fee private schools, online learning, Ghana
Research Article
Olubanke M. Bankole
EUR J INTERACT MULTIMED ED, Volume 3, Issue 2, Article No: e02210
ABSTRACT
The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic forced many academic institutions to shift from face-to-face classroom to online classes. This study investigates the adoption and perception of online learning under the COVID-19 outbreak among undergraduates of library and information science (LIS). Using descriptive survey approach, total enumeration technique was used to enlist all undergraduates (457 students) of LIS as participants. A structured questionnaire tagged “perception of adoption of online learning among LIS students” was administered to participants using online Telegram polls within a period of two weeks in February 2021. The findings revealed that 98.5% of respondents used their mobile phones for online classes, the most used learning platforms being telegram (79.05%) and zoom (33.0%). Those that rated their learning achievement ‘good’ comprised 75.5%, and 72.9% were satisfied to varying degrees with online classes, but just 19.0% of respondents expressed preference for only online lectures, while majority (44.4%) preferred hybrid mix of traditional classroom and online learning. The students considered learning from any location any time and time management as the major advantages of online learning, while inadequate infrastructure/lack of suitable devices, unstable internet connection and extra financial burden for internet data were the major identified disadvantages. The paper concludes by recommending key steps to be taken by university authorities, governments and other relevant stakeholders to make online teaching more familiar and acceptable to the students.
Keywords: online learning, COVID-19 pandemic, students’ perception, library and information science students, Tai Solarin University of Education
Research Article
Jabbar Al Muzzamil Fareen
EUR J INTERACT MULTIMED ED, Volume 3, Issue 1, Article No: e02206
ABSTRACT
Digital learning has been the need of the hour as it has been providing access to online resources and to get engaged in their higher education courses amid COVID-19 lockdown. This paper is focused on highlighting how the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools, media and E-pedagogy as an instructional practice have been robustly used to gain disciplinary knowledge and information and to continuously avail the benefits of virtual learning. Higher education has been specifically digitalized and trialled without any preparation on the part of academies as well as teachers and students. This paper is more concerned on understanding how lockdown accelerated the digitalization of higher education and universities positively responded switching on to technology enabled online platforms for both instruction and evaluation. Further, it is also suggested that in the process of shifting to E-Pedagogy, both teachers and students need to be continuously provided with adequate technical tools and media to stay connected in online classes through virtual mode.
Keywords: COVID-19, digital learning, e-pedagogy, higher education, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), online learning resources, Knowledge and Resource Management (KRM)