Strategies for Overcoming the Digital Divide during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Education Institutions in Ghana

Autor/inn/en	Kumi-Yeboah, Alex; Kim, YangHyun; Armah, Yaa Essah
Titel	Strategies for Overcoming the Digital Divide during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Higher Education Institutions in Ghana
Quelle	In: British Journal of Educational Technology, 54 (2023) 6, S.1441-1462 (22 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Kumi-Yeboah, Alex)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0007-1013
DOI	10.1111/bjet.13356
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Higher Education; COVID-19; Pandemics; Access to Computers; School Closing; Disadvantaged; Educational Practices; Barriers; Experience; Blended Learning; Distance Education; Electronic Learning; Ghana + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; School closings; Schule; Schließung; Schließung (von Schulen); Bildungspraxis; Erfahrung; Distance study; Distance learning; Fernunterricht
Abstract	The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of higher educational institutions (HEIs) and affected the teaching learning processes in educational institutions of all levels. The pandemic increased the digital gap of the existing minimal Internet connectivity and access to digital technology. As a result of the impact of the pandemic on education, HEIs in Ghana moved from traditional face-to-face classes to remote education or hybrid learning. Therefore, it is important to understand how digital technologies and digital divide influenced teaching and learning in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, the purpose of this research was to investigate the strategies universities in Ghana used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aimed to explore the challenges and experiences of dealing with the digital divide during the pandemic. Data were collected following a qualitative research design. Thirty-five in-depth and semi-structured interviews (25 teaching faculty and 10 administrators) from two private and three public universities were obtained and analysed via thematic analysis approach. Findings were thematized by challenges of dealing with digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic, provision of affordable Internet connectivity for students, faculty and staff, use of digital technologies and resources for hybrid and remote courses, creation of information communication and technology platforms for students, faculty and administrators, and provision of professional development workshops/trainings on digital skills and knowledge. These results were discussed with the three-level model of the digital divide framework (school, classroom and student) and the development history of digital infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. By analysing the Ghana HEIs' experiences, this study contributes to a balanced understanding of the digital divide issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01