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ROCARE / ERNWACA • Tel: (223) 221 16 12, Fax: (223) 221 21 15 • BP E 1854, Bamako, MALI Bénin • Burkina Faso • Cameroun • Côte d’Ivoire • Gambia • Ghana • Guinée •

Mali • Mauritanie • Nigeria • Niger • Sénégal • Sierra Leone • Togo www.rocare.org

ERNWACA RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAMME 2007

RESEARCH REPORT

THE BENEFITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION OFFERED THROUGH DISTANCE MODE FROM UNIVERSITY

OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA

Research Financed by Education Research Network for West and Central African (ERNWACA)

With project support from UEMOA regional Centre of Excellence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands

Projet Mentor :

Pr. Mawutor Avorke

Researchers • Wisdom Harrison K. Hordiz (lead Researcher) • Anthony Mensah • Isaac Tete-Mensah • Josephine Osei-Agyekum

COUNTRY : GHANA

February 2008

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Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY...............................................................................................3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................3 SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS.......................................................................................3 CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................5

1.0: INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................5 1.1: Background.....................................................................................................................5 1.2: The problem....................................................................................................................6

1. 3: Context……………………………………………………………………………… 1.4: Justification.....................................................................................................................7 1.5: Research questions:.........................................................................................................8 1.6: Objectives .......................................................................................................................8

CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................9 2.0: LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................9

CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................12 3.0: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................12 3.1: Population .....................................................................................................................12 3.2: Sample ..........................................................................................................................12 3.3: Sampling .......................................................................................................................12 3.4: Instrument .....................................................................................................................12

CHAPTER FOUR....................................................................................................................14 4.0: RESULTS .....................................................................................................................14 4.1: BIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF RESPONDENTS (CONVENTIONAL AND DISTANCE EDUCATION GRADUATES).......................................................................14 4.2: PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY....................................................18 4.3: PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE ............................................................................25 4.4: FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION..............................................................26 4.5: SOCIO-CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION..................................................28 4.6: HOW HEADS RATED THEIR OWN TEACHERS ...................................................33

CHAPTER FIVE .....................................................................................................................38 5.0: DISCUSSION...............................................................................................................38 5.1: BIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS ...................................38 5.2: PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY OF RESPONDENTS .................40 5.3: PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE .............................................................................42

CHAPTER SIX........................................................................................................................48 6.0: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................48

REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................50

APPENDICES……………………………………………………...61

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main aim of this study was to find out how the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme is impacting the lives of the beneficiaries, their families, their communities, the country and society as a whole. Hence, the specific objectives were to:

• find out the Bio-demographic data distribution of respondents • assess how the distance education programme is promoting the professional and

academic mobility of beneficiaries • find out how the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme is

enhancing the professional competencies of its beneficiaries • find out what financial impact the UEW distance education programme is having on

the beneficiaries, their families and their communities • investigate what socio-cultural benefits the beneficiaries and society are deriving

from the distance education programme. • find out how the distance education and conventional system graduates of the

University of Education, Winneba compare on the basis of the above benefits. • find out if there are any differences between the rating of professional competencies

and socio-cultural benefits of education by head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses/heads of department of respondents and the rating of respondents themselves?

METHODOLOGY The study covered diploma and graduate teachers trained at University of Education,

Winneba by conventional system and through distance education who are working with the Ghana Education Service as well as their head teachers / headmasters/headmistresses/heads of department. All the teachers sampled were at the rank of Principal Superintendent and above. In all a total number of 566 respondents were sampled. The main instruments used were questionnaires. The questionnaires contained both open-ended and closed-ended items. Data was analyzed descriptively and by using Chi-square and t-test where appropriate.

SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS • From the results, more DE graduates than conventional graduates of the University of

Education, Winneba are in the senior ranks and occupying the administrative posts in the schools and the offices in the Ghana Education Service (GES).

• The University’s diploma / degree certificate is helping both DE and conventional graduates to get promoted to higher ranks in the GES.

• In all, both DE and conventional graduates are very zealous to move higher in their academic pursuits.

• Both DE and conventional graduates feel that the training they received from the university has equipped them enough to be professionally competent. There was no significant differences between the means for the two categories of graduates (t = 0.34; df = 27; P = 0.05) and between the means for the head teachers of the two categories of graduates (t = 0.40; df = 27; P = 0.05).

• The results further showed that the DE graduates are enjoying higher salaries than the conventional graduates. The differences between the observed and the expected frequencies on salaries for the two categories of graduates were very highly significant (X2 = 28.96; df = 4; P = 0.001).

• Very few of both DE and conventional graduates do part time jobs and serve as

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consultants mainly to GES. However, DE graduates make more money from these than conventional graduates.

• Socio-culturally, there were no significant differences between the means for the two categories of graduates. Also, respondents from the two divides generally disagreed to all the negative statements and agreed to the positive statements. The trend is the same from their head teachers/headmistresses/headmasters/heads of departments also.

• However, it seems the DE graduates prefer larger family sizes than the conventional graduates. The differences between the observed and expected frequencies were very highly significant (X2 =24.30; df = 3; P = 0.001).

• Both DE and conventional graduates appreciate the importance of going to the hospital in times of sickness.

• The DE graduates stated that because of their education they are able to pay their children’s school fees, their professional competencies have been enhanced, they have gained more respect in the society, and it has also helped them to acquire personal belongings, etc

• About how the education they acquired is helping other people, some DE graduates stated that it has made them the life wire of their families, they now serve as role models in their communities, they counsel other people to go further in their education, they serve as resources persons for churches, groups etc . Some of the women also said that because of their education, their husbands and children are very proud of them.

• In all it can be said that both DE and conventional graduates are deriving tremendous benefits from their education. It can further be said that the DE programme of the university is democratizing education for professional teachers who hitherto would not have access to higher professional training. Hence, it is recommended that the University’s distance education programme should be continued and even expanded to take care of other courses so that more teachers can benefit from it.

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CHAPTER ONE 1.0: INTRODUCTION

1.1: Background Transformation is a change in the way people see their world and themselves in their

world (Keegan, 2000). Transformation involves changes in and reconstruction of form, appearance, nature, or character (Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of English Language, 1989). Transformation increases the form’s capacity (Keegan, 2000). Education is needed to bring transformation in the lives of the citizen of a country. Worldwide education is considered to be the bedrock of development. Datta (1984) observed that education is expected to conserve the cultural norms of a society. This is the conservative function of education. At the same time education is expected to be a major source of new ideas and knowledge. This is called the innovative function of education (Datta, 1984). The colonial administration in the Gold coast, now Ghana saw the need to establish schools so as to train people to fill the manpower needs of the society that was gradually evolving (Offori-Attah, 2006).

According to Afeti (2006) there is universal recognition of education as the driver of national economic growth and a vehicle for empowerment and upward social mobility of the individual. In the light of that interest in education has been one of the major policy thrusts of successive governments in Ghana since colonial times. This evidence is attested to by numerous attempts to review education in the country. The latest is the Anamuah-Mensah Educational Reform Review committee of 2002 (Afeti, 2006). Essuman (2007 asserted that Ghana needs Educational reform that would enable the nation to keep pace with drastic economic change in the world. Education should lead to acquisition of knowledge, which will be able to transform us to offer service to mankind, education that results in the development of responsible, disciplined and national oriented citizenry. Due to the premium placed on education many countries spend colossal amounts of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the educational sector. According to Ho (2005) there can only be one purpose for getting a good education, which is to further happiness. Ho further stated that if education cannot make one happier, it has no value. Education is expected to free the mind so that one can free oneself from the strictures and inhibitions that arise from laziness, jealousy, prejudice, and arrogance (Ho, 2005). Nabie (1999) observed that one major concern of the Ghanaian current educational system is to produce an educational programme for children that will make them self-reliant after graduation.

In a white paper on the Anamuah-Mensah Education Reform Review Committee Report, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (2004), now Ministry of Education, Science and Sport stated that there has been a continuing aim to make education more relevant to the world of work after school, to rural development and modernization of the predominantly agriculture-based economy, to the need to promote national and cultural identity and citizenship. It went on to say that education should result in the formation of well-balanced individual and productive citizens. As the workers of a country aspiring to great economic ambitions they should be trained to become enterprising, and adaptable to the demands of a fast-changing world driven by modern science and technology. Ghana’s new system of education, especially for the youth between age 12 and 19, should be reformed to support a nation aspiring to build knowledge based economy within the next generation. Essentially, the education process should lead to improvement in the quality of life of all Ghanaians by empowering the people themselves to overcome poverty, to raise their living standards to the levels that they can observe through the global interchange of images,

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information and ideas. They should be equipped to create through their own endeavours, the wealth that is needed for a radical socioeconomic and political transformation of this country (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2004).

1.2: The problem Though university or higher education is very useful to the individuals who benefit from it, their family, their community, the country and humanity as a whole, many people in Ghana do not have the opportunity of higher education. This is due to factors such as limited space, financial problems, lack of the necessary entry requirements, family problems, etc (Hordzi, 2006). Formal Education is generally pivoted around a well-trained teacher. However, the cancer of exclusion is making it difficult for many Certificate ‘A’ teachers in Ghana to benefit from higher or university education. As an antidote to this problem the University of Education, Winneba launched a Distance Education programme in 1993 to give the same training that conventional students receive in the university to those teachers who could not get the chance to enter the conventional system. The programme started with Post-diploma B.ED degree. It produced two batches of graduates and by 2001 it was realized that the number of diploma holders in the country who could access this type of education was seriously dwindling. As a result Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) programme was launched in 2002. As of now three batches of the DBE programme have completed the course and those of them who want higher qualification are pursuing Post-Diploma degree in Basic Education. However, almost no known attempt has been made to find out how the distance education programme is impacting on the lives of its direct beneficiaries and society. Hence, this project aims at finding out how the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme is impacting the lives of the beneficiaries, their families, their communities, the country and society as a whole.

1.3: Context The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It shares border with Cote d’Ivoire to the West, Burkina Faso to the North, Togo to the East and the Gulf of Guinea to the South. Presently, Ghana has18,530 primary schools, 8,850 Junior High schools, 900 Senior High Schools, 28 Teacher Training Colleges, 20 Technical Institutions, 4 Diploma awarding institutions, 6 public universities and over 10 private universities. Most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to basic education. The new educational reform programme introduced in 2007 has a 6-year primary education system which begins at the age of six, a three year Junior High School, 4-year Senior High School education that can make the student enter a university or any tertiary institution. Access to post-secondary education in Ghana is very limited. For example one out of nine Senior High School graduates finds a place in a four-year university programme (Wikipedia free encyclopedia online). Out of the six public universities only two train teachers. University of Education, Winneba is the younger of the two that train teachers. The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) was established in 1992 with the purpose of preparing and upgrading teachers and other educational professionals for Ghana. The problem of limited access to higher education affects the training of teachers also. Hence, in September 1993, the University of Education, Winneba established the Institute for Educational Development and Extension (IEDE) to develop a B.Ed (In-Service) degree peogramme to enable teachers with diploma certificates to study part time for a degree without undue disruption in their work schedule. IEDE enrolled two batches of post-diploma B.Ed students to study in four specialized areas namely, English Education, Life Skills Education, Science Education and Mathematics

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Education. After enrolling the two batches of students for the B.Ed degree programme, the enrolment figures reduced drastically, hence IEDE shifted focus to a three year diploma programme in Basic Education for Certificate ‘A’ teachers to help them to teach in the Basic schools. This programme has since then been extended to a five year B.Ed degree programme in Basic Education. The Basic Education programme is such that a student may decide to end at the diploma level while others continue to get the B.Ed Basic Education degree. At the diploma level, students are taken through courses pertaining to teaching all the subjects that are taught at the Primary School level in Ghana. However, at the Post-Diploma level students are allowed a form of quasi specialization where they do courses in two content areas in addition to education and general courses to qualify for the degree. The University of Education, Winneba Distance Education programme was the first of its kind in Ghana. Currently a number of Universities and Teacher training Colleges in Ghana have started using distance education to deliver some of their conventional programmes to students. In most cases the administrators of the distance education programmes of other institutions were trained by the staff of IEDE. Also, a number of the graduates of the distance education programme of IEDE are currently in very responsible positions in the educational sector and other sectors in the country and in the international community. Year- by –year the enrolment figures continue to increase. However, apart from awarding certificates to graduates of the UEW distance education programme, there is not any known deliberate attempt to evaluate how the training that graduates of the programme receive influence their lives. Hence, the idea was conceived to undertake this study to assess the professional, financial, socio-economic and socio-cultural impact of the UEW distance education programme on its beneficiaries.

1.4: Justification This research is focused more on distance education because it is considered as a credible alternative to conventional education. Distance education can reach a wider student audience even in the remotest areas of the country. It can meet the needs of students who are unable to attend on-campus classes, provide continuing professional development for the teachers, and meet the demand for lifelong learning among the experienced segment of the teacher population. Also, the same experts on campus can help to develop standard courses to the specific needs of the teachers, and it can improve access to education for female teachers (Shabani and Okebukola, 2001). However, since full-scale distance education is relatively new in Ghana and people may have some doubts about the quality of its products there is the need to assess its impact on the beneficiaries and how these beneficiaries are impacting society. The University also trains teachers through the conventional system. Hence, though the main crust of this research is not a comparative study, a form of comparison between the conventional and the distance education graduates may also help to prove to would be distance learners and the general public the worth of the distance education programme. When this is done the results of the research will inform the university on how the distance education programme has brought change in the lives of its products and how the products are faring in the job market. This will enable the university to take remedial measures to enrich the programme if necessary. Also, positive results of this study may help to convince those who are sceptical about the potency of distance education in training professionals to change their minds. It is also likely that some of the sceptics of distance education may become advocates for the programme and those prospective students who might not have anything to do with it may decide to pursue academic and professional education through distance mode. Since the teachers will still be at post whilst taking the course if many

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teachers come to appreciate the distance education programme and enroll on it, it may save government huge sums of money that would have been used in re-training these teachers through conventional system of education. The results of this study may also trigger further research by the team and other researchers into the subject matter. The results will add to the existing data and thus contribute to intellectual work on higher and distance education in Ghana and Africa.

1.5: Research questions: • What are the Bio-demographic data distribution of distance education and

conventional graduates / diplomats of the University of Education, Winneba? • Is the distance education programme promoting the professional and academic

mobility of beneficiaries? • How is the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme

enhancing the professional competencies of its beneficiaries? • What financial impact is the UEW distance education programme having on the

beneficiaries, their families and their communities? • What socio-cultural benefits are the beneficiaries and society deriving from the

distance education programme of the University of Education, Winneba? • How do graduates / diplomats of the distance education programme and those of the

conventional system of the University of Education, Winneba compare on the basis of demographic data, professional competence, financial benefits and socio-cultural benefits?

• Are there any differences between the rating of professional competencies and socio-cultural benefits of education by head teachers of respondents and the rating of respondents themselves?

1.6: Objectives The specific objectives of the study are to:

• find out the Bio-demographic data distribution of respondents • assess how the distance education programme is promoting the professional and

academic mobility of beneficiaries • find out how the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme is

enhancing the professional competencies of its beneficiaries • find out what financial impact the UEW distance education programme is having on

the beneficiaries, their families and their communities • investigate what socio-cultural benefits the beneficiaries and society are deriving

from the distance education programme. • find out how the distance education and conventional system graduates of the

University of Education, Winneba compare on the basis of the above benefits. • find out if there are any differences between the rating of professional competencies

and socio-cultural benefits of education by head teachers of respondents and the rating of respondents themselves?

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CHAPTER TWO 2.0: LITERATURE REVIEW

The notion of development has come to be bound up with education and planning as no sound development can occur in the absence of proper planning system and equally sound educational system (Forojalla, 1993). Forojalla (1993) further observed that the relationship between education and production is that education generates knowledge, transmits it and enables its application to the task of national development. Therefore education provides not only knowledge, skills and the incentive needed by a modern productive economy, but also the necessary technology. A second role of education is in human resources/manpower development (Forojalla, 1993).

Education therefore brings about a lot of benefits to the individual and society as a whole.

For example summary of research findings from many countries across the world on the returns of education revealed the following:

• The higher the educational attainment of a person, the higher the starting salary • All earnings, irrespective of the amount of education attained, increase with age up to

a maximum of forty, • The higher the educational attainment, the steeper the curve of earnings in the early

phases of working life Datta (1984) observed that the favourable differential of better educated people over less

educated ones persists throughout. Public benefits of university education include increased tax revenue, greater workplace productivity, increased consumption, increased workforce flexibility, and decreased reliance on government financial support (IHEP, 1998). Under liberal education, throughout the time spent during one’s university experience, students are expected to ‘grow up’. The new experiences of living on their own and being responsible for themselves gives them a whole new sense of maturity. In addition, they have the freedom to explore their own spirituality (Newman, 2000). Another aspect of the benefits of a university education is the opportunity to mature and grow spiritually (Newman, 2000).

A good educational system cannot do without employing the services of competent

teachers. According to Olsm and Wyett (2000) the National Board for Professional Standards and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium defined teacher competence as what teachers need to know and be able to do. Oslm and Wyett (2000) also proposed the following characteristics of competent teachers:

• The teacher should be an authentic person who is genuine, self aware and able to behave in accordance with his or her true feelings

• The teacher should see all people as worthy of unconditional positive regard and treats them with dignity and respect.

• The teacher should be empathetic person who understands the feelings of students and responds appropriately to these feelings.

Abromitis (2008) also considered some teacher characteristics as professional teacher competencies. These are knowledge of content and skills, learners and the learning process, instructional planning, use of instructional strategies, learning environment and classroom management, use of communication strategies, assessing and evaluating strategies, the use of motivating strategies, the use of problem solving/decision making strategies, home/school-

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community relations, the use of technology, the use of multicultural, gender fair strategies, human relation skills, and professional characteristics/ personal qualities.

Despite the indispensable roles teachers play in educating people, teacher education has

faced a number of difficulties, which are particularly more marked in the developing world (Perraton, 1995). The most startling are the numerical imperatives. The speed at which education has been growing in the past years means that the education profession itself had to expand at an unprecedented rate. The demand for teachers to staff the schools means that the education profession in developing countries has had to recruit a higher proportion of the output from secondary or tertiary education than is the case in the industrialized countries. These numerical imperatives have, in turn led to a search for ways of rapidly expanding the teaching force. Teacher education faces challenges of costs and of effectiveness along with these challenges (Perraton, 1995).

The numerical imperatives, doubts about costs, concern about effects, and a growing

commitment to continuing education have together led to an interest in alternative methods of teacher education. One of these is distance education, which has been used both for the initial training of teachers, especially in the developing countries, and for their continuing education in both industrialized and developing countries (Perraton, 1995). Perraton (1995) went on to state that because of its technology, distance education enables teachers to be trained without their being taken off the job. Because of the scale at which it can operate, large numbers of teachers can be trained at the same time. In Zimbabwe for instance, teachers were trained in this way so as to expand the teaching force at great speed after independence (Perraton, 1995).

Distance Education (DE) can be defined as an educational process in which a significant

proportion of the teaching is conducted by someone removed in space and /or time from the learner (Perraton, 1982).Cowan (1995) considers distance education as those situations in which teacher and learners are located in different places, for much if not all of the time. Peters (1993) considers DE as an independent study. This is a kind of liberation of the student from the fetters of school or college routine. Thus, it is the student who determines the when, where and how of his/her learning. Therefore the student assumes more responsibility for his/her own learning than is possible in face-to-face situation. Hence, the student is no longer forced to follow the lead of a teacher and he/she is no longer subjected to the conformity pressure of learning or peer group (Peters, 1993). Cowan (1995) observed that usually, separation by distance gives learners freedom to work at their own pace and in their own separate ways.

According to Peters (1993), DE is an industrial form of instruction. This implies that

distance study must be carefully pre-planned, prepared and organized and that there is a division of labour, a growing use of technical equipment to work with, and the necessity of formalized evaluation. Peters (1993) considers DE as a special form of education and went on to give the following characteristics:

• teachers and students work apart from each other, i.e at distance, • teachers and students do not communicate eyeball to eyeball with each other, • letters (and other printed materials) are exchanged with the help of the mailing

system, • the learning usually takes place in the homes of students,

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• the teaching-learning process assumes the form of self-study, however, guided by the teacher,

• the teaching-learning process allows a degree of openness with regard to access, goals and methods,

• the student does not cease to work for a living as it is a study alongside work (Peters, 1993). Cowan (1995) also elaborated the following advantages of DE:

• the learner can study at his/her own pace • the learner can pace the learning to suit his/her work and family commitments • in DE, it is easy to cajole individual learners to think deeply • it is easy to arrange for learners to draw on resources available in the world outside

the classroom. According to Cowan (1995) the following disadvantages are also associated with distance education:

• Since teacher and learners are in different locations, there is the problem of communication

• Once learners are free to study at their own pace, then the prospect of bringing a group together becomes slimmer. However, nowadays technology can help to some extent

• Learning becomes isolated experience. The distance learner does not have the opportunity to be aware that the difficulties which he/she is encountering are shared by others and are not merely an indication of personal incompetence

• Since everything happens at a distance, it follows that sharing; borrowing, returning, issuing and other such functions involving books, paper work and assignments take time. The interruptions to learning which that delay introduces can be frustrating and de-motivating.

• Distance is a severe constraint on the development of a relationship, perceived or otherwise, between the teacher and the learner. Distance is also a disincentive to corporate activity and the learning together which often happens naturally and informally in class.

Peters (1993) also observed that one characteristic of DE is that because of the apartness

of teacher and learner certain emotional dimensions and overtones of instruction are cut off. Hence, it is depersonalized to a certain degree. This is clearly a disadvantage. However, the advantage is that the student can study alongside work. This allows adults who otherwise would have been denied the opportunity to have access to education to have the chance to learn. However, some people consider DE as merely a substitute for real or face-to-face education, a surrogate, an emergency measure in situations in which no traditional way of learning is possible (Peters, 1993)..

The problems that distance learners face as a result of distance call for remedial measures.

Snell (1987) suggested that the main managerial strategies in the area of the affective domain are to attempt to prevent, mask or soothe the painful and unpleasant emotions on the part of students. Other familiar responses are to routinise counselling, provision by restricting it to procedures such as advising on choice of course units or to re-route students’ problems to specialist agents such as the medical department. What is important is a student support system that is complementary to the design and delivery system (Kaye and Rumble, 1981; Keegan, 1981; Grugeon, 1987; and Holmberg, 1989).

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CHAPTER THREE 3.0: METHODOLOGY

3.1: Population The study covered diploma and graduate teachers trained at University of Education, Winneba by conventional system and through distance education who are working with the Ghana Education Service as well as their head teachers / headmasters/headmistresses/heads of department.

3.2: Sample All the teachers sampled were at the rank of Principal Superintendent and above.

In all 215 diploma and graduate teachers trained by conventional system, and 224 diploma and graduate teachers trained through distance education who are still working with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and at a rank not lower than Principal Superintendent (PS) were sampled. In addition 61 head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses of Distance Education (DE) graduates from University of Education, Winneba and 66 head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses of teachers who trained through the conventional system of education from University of Education, Winneba were sampled. Therefore, the total number of respondents sampled was 566 people.

3.3: Sampling In all, data was collected from respondents in the 10 administrative regions of Ghana. Stratified random sampling was used to select the number of respondents from each region. Snowball sampling was used where necessary.

3.4: Instrument The main instrument used was questionnaire. There were two sets of questionnaires, one for the teachers and one for the head teachers. The questionnaire for the teachers contained 48 items in all. The questionnaire for the heads contained five main items. The items in the questionnaires administered to the DE and Conventional graduates covered how the training that they acquired from the university has helped them knowledge wise, financially and socio-culturally. Some other items were on how the knowledge acquired is helping the beneficiaries in terms of their competence on the job, job mobility, and benefit to family members and the community. The questionnaire meant for the head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses contained items pertaining to the competence, social relationships and duty consciousness of respondents under them who also responded to their questionnaires. Some of the items were close-ended types while others were open-ended. Some of the close-ended items were Likert type with six or four levels of rating while others had options for which the respondents were expected to select only one which they thought to be correct as applied to them.

3.5: Data collection Procedure Records of teachers who passed through the distance education programme at the

University of Education, Winneba were consulted to find out the schools in which the teachers are/were teaching. Stratified random sampling was used to select the number of respondents from each region. The schools identified were visited to administer the questionnaires. In some cases the expected respondents transferred, so snowball sampling was used in which a respondent in one school gave an indication where another respondent could be contacted. In some cases questionnaires were posted to would be respondents. In all 300 questionnaires were given out or dispatched to DE graduates. In some cases

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questionnaires were filled by respondents and immediately collected by trained research assistants / researchers. In other cases the research assistants / researchers left the questionnaires with respondents and went later to collect them. Where questionnaires were posted, respondents filled them and posted them back to the lead researcher. In the case of graduates from the conventional system, research assistants / researchers visited various schools to give out the questionnaires to them. Those instantly filled by the conventional graduates were immediately collected. Those that were taken home by them were later collected by the research assistants / researchers. In some cases questionnaires were posted to conventional graduates also to respond to. The posted ones were filled and posted back in pre-addressed envelopes to the lead researcher. In all 310 questionnaires were given out to the conventional graduates. As the researchers issued questionnaires to the teachers they also gave that of their head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses/heads of department (Heads) to them. Seventy questionnaires were given out to heads of DE graduates and another 70 to heads of conventional graduates. The completed questionnaires were then collected from the heads. After collecting the questionnaires from the respondents the results were then collated.

3.6: Data analysis The responses from the questionnaires were collated by tallying. Frequency and percentage frequencies were calculated. The results of some of the close-ended items were compared by using Chi-square in some cases and t-test in other cases. In some cases too, graphs were drawn and interpreted. The common verbatim responses to the open-ended items were taken down and analyzed descriptively.

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CHAPTER FOUR

4.0: RESULTS

4.1: BIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF RESPONDENTS (CONVENTIO NAL AND DISTANCE EDUCATION GRADUATES)

In all 224 (74.67%) of the questionnaires from the DE graduates were collected. In the case of conventional graduates 215 (69.35%) of the questionnaires were retrieved. For the heads of DE graduates 61 (87.14%) of the questionnaire were retrieved whilst 66 (94.29) were retrieved from the heads of the conventional graduates

Research Question: What are the Bio-demographic data distribution of distance education and conventional graduates / diplomats of the University of Education, Winneba?

0

54.02

41.02

0.8

11.16

48.84

04.02

31.16

8.84

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 61+

Age (Years)Fig 1: Age of Distance Education and

Conventional Graduates

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts

D.E Graduates

ConventionalGraduates

From Fig. 1 it is found out that majority of the Distance Education (D. E.) graduates

were between 41 and 60 years of age. On the other hand the conventional graduates were mainly between 31 and 50 years of age.

53.5757.67

42.3346.43

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Male Female

SexFig. 2: Sex of Respondents

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts

D.E. Graduates


For D.E. graduates 46.43% were males while 53.57% were female. Also, 57.67% of

the conventional graduates were males while 42.33% were females (Fig.2). Table 1: Qualification of Respondents D..E. Graduates Conventional Graduates

15

Type of Certificate Frequency % Freq Frequency % Freq. Diploma 213 95.09 48 22.33 B.E D / B.Sc / B.A Degree 11 4.91 162 75.35 MA / M.Phil / M.Sc / MED Degree 0 0 5 2.33 X2 = 241; df =2

Majority of the D.E. graduates (95.09%) had diploma while majority of the conventional graduates (75.35%) had first degree (Table 1). The differences between the observed and the expected values were very highly significant (X2 = 241; df =2; P< 0.01).

Table 2: Courses Offered by Respondents D. E. Graduates Conventional

Graduates Course

Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq. Science/Mathematics/ P.E. 6 2.68 85 39.53 Art subjects 5 2.23 35 16.28 Education and Psychology 0 0 40 18.60 Social Studies / Social Sciences 0 0 15 6.98 Technical and Vocational Education/Home Economics Education

0 0 25 11.63

Business 0 0 5 2.38 Agricultural Science 0 0 10 4.65 Basic Education 213 95.09 0 0

The D.E. graduates mainly offered Basic education (95.09%). On the other hand majority of the conventional graduates offered science/mathematics/physical education (39.53%), followed by Education and Psychology (18.60%), Arts subjects (16.28%) and Technical and Vocational Education/Home Economics (11.63%) (Table 2).

40.18

59.82

26.51

73.49

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Rural Urban

LocationFig. 3: Location of Stations of the Respondents

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts

D.E Graduates


In the case of D.E. graduates 40.18% and 59.82% were teaching in rural and urban

areas respectively. Also, 28.51% and 73.49% of the conventional graduates teach in rural and urban areas respectively (Fig. 3).

Table 3: Job Schedules of Respondents D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates Job Schedule Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq.

16

Classroom Teaching 127 56.70 184 85.58 Supervision / Administration 87 38.84 15 6.98 Unit Coordination 10 4.46 16 7.44 X2 = 62.49; df = 2 Mean =74.67; SD=59.47 Mean=71.67; SD=97.28

Whilst 56.70% of the D.E.graduates are classroom teachers 38.84% are in administration or are supervisors. In the case of conventional graduates 85.58% are classroom teachers and 6.98% are into administration (Table 3) The differences between the observed and expected values were very highly significant (X2 = 62.49; df = 2; P<0.01)

Table 4: Work Experience of Classroom Teachers D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates

Experience (Years)

Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq.

1 – 5 0 0 58 31.52 6 – 10 0 0 68 36.96 11 – 15 14 11.02 21 11.41 16 – 20 33 25.98 16 8.70 21 – 25 42 33.07 11 6.0 26 – 30 25 19.69 10 5.43 31+ 13 10.23 0 0 X2 = 162.57; df=6 Mean = 18.14; SD = 16.01 Mean = 5.0; SD = 4.97

The D.E. graduates have been teaching for 11 up to over 31 years while the conventional graduates have been teaching from one up to 30 years (Table 4). The differences between the

Table 5: Work Experience of Administrators and Unit Coordinators D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates

Experience (Years)

Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq.

1 – 5 61 62.89 19 61.29 6 – 10 24 24.74 12 38.71 11 – 15 12 12.37 0 0 X2 = 6.83; df=2 Mean = 32.33; SD = 25.54 Mean = 7.75; SD = 9.39

For administrators and unit coordinators, the experience of D.E.graduates spans one to 15 years while that of the conventional graduates is between one and 10 years (Table 5). The differences between the observed and expected values were significant (X2 = 6.83; df=2; P<0.05).

Table 6: The level at which respondents teach D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates

Level Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq. Pre-School 9 5.49 0 0 Primary school 70 42.68 5 2.72 Junior Secondary School 73 44.51 16 8.70

17

Senior Secondary School 12 7.32 163 88.59 X2 = 231.77; df =3

The majority of D.E.graduates teaches at Primary and Junior High school levels whereas majority of the conventional graduates (88.59%) are teaches at the Senior High School (Table 6). The differences between the observed and expected values were highly significant (X2 = 231.77; df =3; P<0.01).

18

4.2: PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY Research Question: Is the distance education programme promoting the professional

and academic mobility of beneficiaries?

40.63

5.8 2.23

77.67

1.4 0

51.34

20.93

0

20

40

60

80

100

PrincipalSupt

AssistantDirector

DeputyDirector

Director

RankFig. 4: Rank of Respondents in Ghana

Education Service

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts

D.E.Graduates


From Fig. 4, it can be found out that 51.34% of the D.E.graduates was having Principal Superintendent (P.SP) rank while 40.00% was in the Assistant Director (A.D) rank. For conventional graduates also 77.67% and 20.90% were in the ranks of P.S and A.D respectively.

Table 7a: Responses to some Yes or No questions on professional and academic mobility RESPONSE D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates Yes No Yes No

QUESTION

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

Did you obtain the diploma / degree before promotion to the present rank?

59.82 (134) 40.18 (90) 90.23 (194) 9.77 (21)

Did the diploma/degree influence your promotion to the rank?

50 (67) 50 (67) 77.84 (151) 22.16 (43)

Since obtaining your diploma/ degree have you ever changed job?

4.02 (9) 95.98 (215 4.65 (10) 95.35 (205)

Does your diploma/degree make it easier for you to be changing jobs?

22.22 (2) 77.78 (7) 40.0 (4) 60.0 (6)

Have you acquired any higher qualification after obtaining your diploma/degree?

0 100 (224) 10.70 (23) 89.30 (192)

Would you like to go higher in your academic pursuits?

91.07 (204) 8.93 (20) 97.67 (210) 2.33 (5)

If you have been made head/assistant head after obtaining the diploma / degree, then did the diploma/degree influence your appointment in any way?

72.73 (16) 27.27 (6) 69.57 (16) 30.43 (7)

If you have been given a position in the district education office after obtaining the

89.29 (25) 10.71 (3) 100 (5) 0

19

diploma / degree then did the diploma/degree influence your appointment into that position in any way?

While 59.82% of the D.E. graduates obtained the diploma/degree before being

promoted to the current rank in the G.E.S, in the case of the conventional graduates 90.23% obtained the qualification before their promotion to the rank (Table 7a). Out of the respondents who agreed to have obtained their diploma/degree before promotion to the current rank 50% and 77.84% for D.E. graduates and conventional graduates respectively claimed that their new qualifications influenced their promotion. Since obtaining the diploma/degree 4.02% and 4.65% of D. E. graduates and conventional graduates respectively agreed to have changed job. Here also out of the respondents who claimed to have ever changed job after obtaining the diploma/degree, 22.22% and 40% for D. E. graduates and conventional graduates respectively agreed to it that the diploma/degree makes it easier for them to be changing jobs. Whereas all the D.E. graduates sampled agreed not to have done any other course after the diploma/degree, 10.70% of the conventional graduates claimed to have acquired some other qualification after their diploma/degree. In all 91.07% of the D.E.graduates and 97.67% of the conventional graduates will like to go higher in their academic pursuits (Table 7a). The diploma /degree influenced appointment of 72.73% D.E. and 69.57% conventional graduates into the post of head/assistant head. For those respondents who had been given positions in the offices, after obtaining the diploma/degree, 89.29% of D.E. and 100% of conventional graduates agreed that the qualification influence their promotion to the post (Table 7a).

Table 7b: Response to the number of times respondents have changed job after obtaining the diploma / degree

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates Two times Nil Though, 22.22% and 40% of D. E. and conventional graduates respectively agreed to it that the diploma/degree makes it easier for them to be changing job (Table 7a), only two D.E graduates said that they changed job once whereas non of the conventional graduates had been able to state the number of times they changed job (Table 7b).

20

Table 8: How respondents believed about the influence of the diploma / degree in their promotion to the present rank

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • Knowledge acquired enabled

me to answer the questions very well

• The diploma certificate was attached to the application form and I believe that it enhanced my smooth promotion

• The promotion panel might have believed that as I am upgrading myself and I have already obtained the diploma I am more than qualified

• Most of the answers to the interview questions were covered at the diploma/ degree level

• It helped me in answering the questions easily at the interview

• It opened different ways of learning to me towards the promotion interview

• It enhanced my professional skills • I quickly got promoted / I had

automatic promotion from Superintendent II to Principal Superintendent It reduced the number of years I would have spent before getting to the current rank

• As a fulfillment of Ghana Education Service regulation all fresh graduates should be put at Principal superintendent scale

How respondents believed about the influence of the diploma / degree in their promotion to the present rank have been presented in table 8. Of particular interest are two points advanced by some of the D.E.graduates that the knowledge acquired enabled them to answer the questions very well and that most of the answers to the interview questions were covered at the diploma/ degree level.

Table 9: How the diploma/degree makes it easier for some respondents to change job

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • The knew knowledge acquired enabled

me to move from classroom teacher to circuit supervisor

• With the new knowledge I can move to any related job any time I want

• The qualification opened new avenues to me / it makes me more marketable

• Since I have upgraded myself, it is easier for me working in other sectors

• The knowledge acquired makes it easier for me to switch to new jobs.

Also, how the diploma/degree helped the respondents to change job have been presented in table 9. Table 10: Qualifications obtained by some conventional graduates after the

diploma/degree Qualification Frequency % Frequency MED/MA/M.Sc/MBA/M.Phil 23 100 All the conventional graduates who claimed to have obtained other qualifications after the diploma/degree mainly stated master’s degree (Table 10). Table 11: The level of education respondents will like to attain in going higher in their

academic pursuits D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates Level Envisaged Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq.

21

BED/B>Sc/BA degree 60 26.79 0 0 MA/M.Sc/M.Phil/MED/MBA 123 54.91 87 40.46 PhD 31 13.84 117 54.42 None 10 4.46 5 2.33 X2 = 117.42; df = 3 From Table 11 it is clear that 54.91% of the D.E.graduates and 40.46% of conventional graduates will like to obtain master’s degree. Similarly, 13.84% of D.E. graduates and 54.42% of conventional graduates will like to pursue education up to the PhD level (Table 11). The differences between the observed and expected values were highly significant ( X2 = 117.42; df = 3; P<0.01).

Table 12: Why some respondents will not like to go higher in their academic pursuits Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • Because I shall very soon go on retirement • My dependants also need education / I cannot combine paying

fees for myself and my children • Because government has refused to sponsor the distance

education programme

Because I am satisfied with the first degree

Some of the DE graduates will not like to go higher in their academic pursuits because the will soon go on retirement (Table 12). For other it is because they want to give the priority to their wards in school. Meanwhile, the few conventional graduates who will not like to go higher in education claimed they do not want to do so because they are satisfied with the first degree (Table 12).

72.73

2.27

2520.69

0

79.31

0

20

40

60

80

100

Before During AfterPeriod

Fig. 5: Head and Assistant Headteachers who obtained the post before, during and after the diploma/degree

% N

umber

of r

espo

nden

ts

D.E Graduates


While 26% of the D.E. graduates got promoted to heads and assistant heads after obtaining the diploma/degree in the case of conventional graduates 79.31% got promoted to the posts after graduation (Fig. 5). Table 13: How the qualification influenced the appointment of some of the respondents

as heads and assistant heads after obtaining the diploma/degree

22

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • The District Director informed me that with my diploma I am

well equipped to be a head • Though there are Assistant Directors on staff with me, I have

been given the headship because of the diploma • Because I am the only staff member trying to upgrade myself

through the distance education programme • We were two qualified persons but I was given the headship

because of the diploma

The diploma/degree elevated me above other members of staff / the qualification gave me advantage over other staff members

How the qualification influenced the appointment of some of the respondents as head teachers/headmasters/ headmistresses/assistant head teachers/assistant headmasters/assistant headmistresses/ after obtaining the diploma/degree have been presented on table 13. One important point made by the DE graduates is that despite the fact that there were other equally qualified people they were given the headship because of the diploma.

23

Table 14: Positions being held by some respondents in the District Education Office D. E. Graduates Conventional

Graduates Position in the office

Frequency % Freq. Frequency

% Freq.

District Director /Unit Manager 1 2.0 0 0 Schedule Officer 9 18.0 10 40.0 Circuit Supervisor 26 52.0 5 20.0 Unit Coordinator 14 28.0 10 40.0 X2 = 8.45; df = 3 Mean = 12.5; SD = 10.47 Mean = 6.25; SD = 4.79 Two per cent of the DE graduates were District/Unit directors, 18% as Schedule officers, 52% as Circuit supervisors and 28% Unit Coordinators. On the other hand, for the conventional graduates the sample did not capture any District/Unit Director. However, 40% were Schedule officers and Unit Coordinators respectively and 20% were Circuit supervisors (Table 14) The differences between the observed and expected values were significant (.X2 = 8.45; df = 3; P<0.05).

4456

0

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Before After

PeriodFig. 6: Respondents who were given positions in the District Education office before or after obtaining the

diploma/degree

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts D.E. Graduates


Out of the respondents who occupy positions in the offices 56% of the DE graduates and 100% of the conventional graduates were given the positions after obtaining the diploma/degree (Fig. 6).

24

Table 15: How the diploma / degree influenced the appointment of some respondents to the posts in the District Education Offices

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • I was given the position of Circuit supervisor because

the district director wanted to give it to a degree holder or a diplomat

• The new trend is that diplomats or graduates should work in the office

• Now head teachers with diploma or degree are qualified to attend interview for the post of Circuit Supervisor, so this helped me to get the post

• Knowledge acquired at the diploma level helped me to answer the questions very well, hence my appointment to the position.

• The Director wanted a

Graduate to be the Circuit Supervisor , so I was given

• Because the knowledge acquired made me very competent, so I could answer the questions very well, hence the post was given to me

How the diploma / degree influenced the appointment of some respondents to the posts in the District Education Offices can be found on table 15. The points made by the DE graduates are very interesting especially the fact that now head teachers with diploma or degree are qualified to attend interview for the post of Circuit Supervisor, so this helped some of them to get the post.

25

4.3: PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE Research Question: How is the University of Education, Winneba distance education

programme enhancing the professional competencies of its beneficiaries? Table 16 Descriptive statistics of how respondents rated themselves on their

professional competencies D.E. Graduates


Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD Knowledge of the subject I teach or my job 4.58 33.68 5.0 41.40 Ability to communicate effectively in English 4.81 34.53 4.93 40.44 Attendance and punctuality in school / at work 4.83 33.33 4.78 38.92 Ability to take initiative 4.88 40.74 5.29 41.85 Duty consciousness 5.15 43.01 5.29 49.89 Acceptance and abiding by policies and procedures 5.06 43.55 4.97 37.75 Relationship with colleagues 5.22 50.86 5.07 41.18 Relationship with pupils/students or clients 5.11 42.66 4.91 37.61 Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision 5.17 46.15 4.86 42.36 Ability to finish duty on time 4.75 45.57 5.0 40.44 Ability to take responsibility 5.18 44.82 5.0 45.98 Professional and ethical behaviour 5.32 39.76 5.19 44.55 Zeal for work / commitment to work 4.15 41.26 5.16 43.41 Interest in seminars/workshops 5.29 48.28 4.95 40.67 Attendance at staff meetings 5.29 49.54 5.32 46.22 Ability to keep confidential information secrete 5.12 41.34 5.37 48.11 Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis for self-improvement

4.78 36.91 4.94 40.18

Ability to improvise equipment for teaching / for work 5.00 45.27 4.64 32.38 Ability to attend to individual needs of pupils in class or clients

4.75 34.85 4.31 30.47

Use of variety of instructional materials or use of variety of approaches to solve problems

4.54 43.88 4.70 36.82

Ability to motivate students to catch their attention 3.96 41.37 4.36 28.08 Ability to use available technology or and manipulative materials

4.52 35.40 4.36 28.08

Effective management of classroom or office routines 4.75 39.20 4.69 38.14 Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all pupils/students or clients

4.86 37.64 4.74 30.73

Ability to bring lesson to the level of understanding of pupils/students (for teachers only)

5.07 24.73 5.10 34.43

Ability to use varied forms of assessment ( for teachers only)

5.12 24.51 4.92 37.88

Encouragement of student self-evaluation (for teachers only)

4.91 27.14 4.57 27.80

Demonstration of fairness in assessment (For teachers only)

5.04 22.43 5.26 36.74

t = 0.34; df = 27 KEY: Below 50%= 1; 50-60 %= 2; 61-70 % = 3; 71-80% = 4; 81-90% = 5; 91-100% = 6

26

Concerning how respondents rated themselves on their professional competencies, it is clear from table 16 that apart from ability to motivate students to catch their attention which scored a mean of 3.96 for the DE graduates all the other means are between 4 and 5. Even the 3.96 is approximately 4. This is an indication that respondents rated themselves between 71 and 90%. The story is the same for the conventional graduates (Table 16). The differences between the means for both DE and Conventional graduates are not significant (t = 0.34; df = 27; P>0.05) 4.4: FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION Research Question: What financial impact is the UEW distance education programme

having on the beneficiaries, their families and their community? Table 17: Monthly salary of respondents

D. E. Graduates


Monthly Salary

Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq. GH 300-400 cedis 104 46.43 151 70.23 GH 410-500 cedis 85 37.95 51 23.72 GH 510- 600 cedis 24 10.71 10 4.65 GH 610-700 cedis 8 3.57 3 1.40 GH 710-800 cedis 3 1.34 0 0 X2 = 28.96; df = 4 The salaries of respondents fell between three million cedis (GH ¢300.00) and eight million cedis (GH ¢800.00). However, in both cases the salary of majority of respondents fell between three million (GH ¢300.00) and six million cedis ( GH ¢600.00) (Table 17). The differences between the observed and the expected values were highly significant (X2 = 28.96; df = 4; P<0.01).

27

Table 18: Responses to some Yes or No questions on financial benefits of education RESPONSE D. E. Graduates Conventional

Graduates Yes No Yes No

QUESTION

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

% Freq (Freq)

Has your new qualification brought any financial change in your income level?

36.61 (82)

63.39 (142)

69.77 (150)

30.23 (65)

If the qualification has brought a financial change in your life, then is the change significant?

28.05 (23)

71.95 (59) 33.33 (50) 66.67 (100)

Are you able to save some money every month? 38.84 (87)

61.16 (137)

41.40 (89) 58.60 (126)

If you are able to save some money every month, then is the amount significant?

25.29 (22)

74.71 (65) 29.21 (26) 70.79 (63)

Do you do any part time work? 12.50 (28)

87.50 (196)

50.23 (108)

49.77 (107)

If you do part time work, then do you make a substantial amount of money out of it?

50 (14) 50 (14) 42.59 (46) 57.41 (62)

Do you serve as a resource person for any group of professionals?

28.13 (63)

71.87 (161)

17.67 (38) 82.33 (177)

From table 18, 36.61% of DE and 69.77% of the conventional graduates agreed that

their new qualifications have brought some financial change in their income. Out of the number of respondents from each group that said the qualification has brought some financial change into their income, 28.05% of DE and 33.33% of conventional graduates said that the financial change is substantial. Also, 38.84% of DE and 41.40% of conventional graduates save some money out of their income every month. Out of the number, 25.29% of DE and 29.21% of conventional graduates said that the amount of money they save every month is significant. Only 12.50% of the DE graduates do any part time work while the figure for conventional graduates is 50.23%. Out of the people who agreed to be doing part time work, 50% of the DE graduates and 42.59% of the conventional graduates agreed that the amount of money they make from such part time jobs is very substantial. About whether respondents serve as resource persons for any group of organizations, 28.13% of DE graduates and 17.67% of conventional graduates responded in the affirmative (Table 18).

28

Table 19: Amount of money that some respondents make from their consultancies per annum

Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates Not stated, free, GH ¢10, GH ¢20, GH ¢50 Free ,GH ¢10, GH ¢20, GH ¢30 The highest amount of money made by DE graduates per annum as consultancy fee is ffty Ghana cedis (GH¢50) whereas that of the conventional graduate is 30 Ghana cedis (GH¢30) (Table 19)

4.5: SOCIO-CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION Research Question: What socio-cultural benefits are the beneficiaries and society deriving from the distance education programme of University of Education, Winneba?

Table 20: Descriptive statistics of how respondents rated themselves on some socio-

cultural benefits of education D.E. Graduates


Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD I am able to live with people of different ethnic and racial /tribal background with ease

3.72 79.64 3.72 78.46

I discriminate against people who are not of my race or tribe

1.18 96.28 1.14 94.37

I frown on other people’s culture 1.21 90.92 1.47 83.29 I feel that people from my tribe are better than others. 1.22 92.36 1.32 81 I take interest in community activities and participate in them

3.31 61 3.34 48.84

I always want to help other people to be successful in life 3.80 84.70 3.67 71.92 I want all my children to attend school up to the university level

3.89 96.06 3.88 97.59

I help my relatives to look after their children 3.22 46.17 2.93 60.47 I help my family members financially 3.55 65.94 3.34 50.37 I am able to pay the school fees of my children 3.29 49.50 3.51 51.44 I prefer large family to small family size 1.83 57.37 1.50 72.18 I do not want to have children of my own 1.30 92.99 1.28 89.54 I often attend Parent Teacher Association meetings 3.48 71.10 3.29 44.59 I am always searching for a better job than the present job

2.10 52.06 2.88 32.67

I have ever been involved in a criminal activity 1.59 76.84 1.22 93.52 I have ever been to prison 1.32 91.70 1.09 100.86 I always vote in both national and local elections 3.88 95.46 3.38 58.61 I always want to associate with people of my equal academic qualification

2.82 21.59 2.63 37.04

My children are always in the first ten in class 3.17 45.42 3.04 46.41 I am not emotional when contributing to public debates 3.21 42.12 3.05 36.16 t = 1.12; df = 19

KEY: False = 1; Sometimes false = 2; Sometimes true = 3; true = 4

29

From table 20, it is clear that for both DE and conventional graduates, all statements having negative connotations scored means below 2 whereas statements with positive connotations scored high means (from 2.62 to 3.88). This implies that statements with negative image have been rejected and those with positive image accepted. The differences between the means for DE and conventional graduates were not significant (t = 1.12; df = 19; P>0.05)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

0-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100

Percentage ratingFig.7: Self-rating in the effectiveness in contribu ting to public debate by

respondents

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts

D.E.Graduates


From Fig. 7 it can be seen that majority of the respondents rated their effectiveness in contributing to public debate between 61 and 90% where the climax is between 71 and 90%. Table 21: The preferred family size of respondents

D. E. Graduates Conventional Graduates Family size Frequency % Freq. Frequency % Freq. Zero 0 0 5 2.33 1 - 3 130 58.04 166 77.21 4 – 6 87 38.84 44 20.47 7 – 9 7 3.13 0 0 X2 = 24.30; df=3 Mean =56; SD = 53.18 Mean = 53.75; SD = 77.38 About preferred family size, 58.04% of DE and 77.21% of conventional graduates prefer one to three children while 38.84% of DE and 20.47% of the conventional graduates prefer four to six children (Table 21). The differences between the observed and the expected values were highly significant (X2 = 24.30; df=3; P<0.01)

30

98.21

1.79

100

00

20

40

60

80

100

120

Yes No

ResponseFig. 8: Response on whether respondents attend

hospital when sick

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts D.E.Graduates


0 2.33 2.33

95.98

2.23 1.79

93.02

2.330

20

40

60

80

100

120

1 to 4 5 to 8 9 to 12 12 +

Number of time per yearFig. 9: How often each member of family of

respondents attend hospital when sick

% N

umbe

r of R

espo

nden

ts D. E. Graduates


On the issue of attendance of hospitals, 98.21% of DE and 100% of conventional graduates agreed that they and their families attend hospital when they are sick (Fig. 8) Out of these numbers 95.98% of DE and 93.02% conventional graduates claimed that each family member visits the hospital one to four times on the average per year (Fig.9).

Those distance education graduates who claimed they do not attend hospital when sick stated that they do not do so because of poverty / they do not have money.

31

Table 22: General comments about how education is benefiting respondents Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • I am able to pay my children’s school fees and take

care of my relatives who are not educated and have no jobs / I am somehow financially sound

• It enabled me to move to the district education office as personnel officer

• I now understand behaviour of children very well / my teaching has improved

• It enables me to advise my children not to give up in life / makes my children to strive hard to reach a higher level in education

• Enhanced my professional skills as a teacher / It has adequately equipped me to be a good head / administrator / helped me to administer my school very well as the head and contribute meaningfully at meetings

• As a result I am looked upon as the eye of the community /has made me a respected person of the society

• It has enlightened me / widen my horizon / it has helped to upgrade my academic knowledge

• I am now able to contribute positively to national issues /it has made me to be abreast with times

• Now I feel comfortable among intellectuals /it has increased my knowledge about social issues as a teacher / it has given me confidence / I am now able to socialize very well

• It has helped me to acquire personal belongings • I put what I learn to use immediately • The distance education programme is helpful,

especially to those of us who could not gain admission into the conventional system of education

• It has given me job and earns me some money to look after my family / it is my cocoa farm / led to increment in my salary

• Helped me to get promoted to higher ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES) / it has helped me to aspire for higher promotion

• It gives me more ideas to teach and also makes the pupils to use me as a role model

• It enables me to manage my family problems and practice good hygiene / it helps me to reason well and make good decisions in life

• It makes me more confident, knowledgeable, and employable / it has given me a lot of exposure / helped me to develop my knowledge

• It has opened the chance for me to have access to other educational opportunities

• It has given me good communication and public relation skills

• It has made me humble • It has enlightened me and made me

fit into the society / it makes me sociable and I can meaningfully contribute to discussions

From table 22 the comments by respondents indicate that both DE and conventional graduates are deriving positive benefits from their education. Among other points some of the DE graduates stated that they are able to pay their children’s school fees, take care of their relatives, have become more enlightened, have been able to acquire personal belongings, etc. Similarly, the conventional graduates also stated among others that the education has given them jobs, helped them to be promoted to higher ranks, given them good communication skills, enlightened them more, etc

Table 23: General comment about how respondents’ education is benefiting other people Distance Education Graduates Conventional Graduates • It has made me the life wire for the family / I

help people financially • Other people’s children benefit as I teach them /

the knowledge acquired is helping me to shape people’s outlook in life in general

• Helps me to support my parents and other family members financially /I help other people financially

• Helping me to train the future leaders of the nation / give assistance to

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• I serve as a role model to people and thus motivating them also to strive to go higher /I encourage my children and other people to pursue higher education / encouraging teachers to pursue the distance education programme

• Helps me to counsel and advise people / helps me to give assistance to people when they are confronted with problems

• I use the knowledge gained on the distance education programme to organize In-service Training (INSET) for my teachers / I am offering assistance to teachers in my district who want to offer the distance education programme

• Enables me to be invited by people and organizations to give talks / I am given the chance to give educational talks in my church and community

• My husband and children are very proud of me

WASSCE remedial students • I motivate other people including

fellow teachers to go on further education / other people have seen me and took cue from me to further their education

• I provide free counseling services to people/ it helps me to support other people in several ways

• Enables me to feel free to advise colleagues and past students / pupils to go for further education

• Helps me to mentor teachers pursuing the distance education programme

• It helps me to make my community members aware of government policies / I help in community services

From table 23, it can be said that society is also benefiting from the education of the respondents. For example, some DE graduates stated that they are able to help other people financially, they serve as role model in the society, they are able to counsel and advise people, etc. Similar responses were provided by the conventional graduates.

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4.6: HOW HEADS RATED THEIR OWN TEACHERS Research Question: Are there any differences between the rating of professional

competencies and socio-cultural benefits of education by heads of respondents and the rating of respondents themselves?

Table 24: Descriptive statistic of how heads rated respondents on some socio-cultural

benefits of education Heads of D.E. Graduates

Heads of Conventional Graduates

Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD He/she is able to live with people of different ethnic and racial/ tribal background with ease

3.79 22.68 3.83 26.19

He/she discriminates against people who are not of his/her race or tribe

1.36 21.91 1.39 22.71

He/she frowns on other people’s culture 1.57 21.42 1.47 22.39 He/she feels that people from his/her tribe or race are better than others.

1.61 17.84 1.48 19.07

He/she takes interest in community/ group activities and participates in them

3.43 14.82 3.33 14.20

He/she always wants to help other people to be successful in life

3.46 15.33 3.08 13.48

He/she is always searching for a better job than the present one

2.26 12.12 2.50 14.20

He/she has ever been involved in a criminal activity 1.30 26.65 1.23 29.76 He/she has ever been to prison 1.30 26.65 1.32 25.80 He/she always wants to associate with people of his/her equal academic qualification

3.07 9.0 2.83 11.0

He/she is most often emotional when contributing to public debates

2.59 13.52 1.91 12.04

t = 0.67; df = 10 KEY: False = 1; Sometimes false = 2; Sometimes true = 3; true = 4 A close look at table 24 shows that the means of the rating of the heads of both DE and conventional graduates on some socio-cultural benefits of education are very close. Interestingly, the heads of DE graduates in some cases rated the DE graduates slightly higher than the heads of the conventional graduates. The differences between the means for the rating by the heads of DE and conventional graduates were not significant (t = 0.67;df = 10; P>0.05).

34

4.92

18.03

31.15

36.07

0

16.67

7.584.924.92

25.76

33.33

16.67

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0-40 41-50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90

Percentage RatingFig. 10: Rating of teachers' effectiveness in contributing to public debate by their heads

% N

umbe

r of H

eads

Heads of D.E.Graduates

Heads ofConventionalGraduates

Whereas majority of the heads in both cases rated their teachers’ ability to contribute to public debate between 61 and 80% the heads of DE graduate here again scored higher percentages (Fig. 10).

47.5452.46

25.76

74.24

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Yes No

ResponseFig. 11: Response of heads as to whether their

teachers serve as resource persons to any group or organization

% N

umbe

r of H

eads

Heads ofD.E.Graduates

Heads ofConventionalGraduates

From Fig. 11 47.54% of the heads of DE and 25.76% of the heads of conventional graduates agreed that their teachers serve as resource persons to some organizations.

Table 25: Professional groups that some of the heads claimed to have been engaging their teachers as resource persons

Heads of Distance Education Graduates Heads of Conventional Graduates • Ghana Education Service • District Teacher Support Team (DTST) • Traders • Schools and own school

• The Circuit (as lead resource person) • District-Science, Technology and

Mathematics Education Division • Politicians

The organizations that the heads claimed to have been engaging the teachers are listed on table 25. Basically the main organization is GES and its smaller agencies such as District

35

Teacher Support Team (DTST), District Science, Technology and Mathematics Education division, Circuits and Schools.

Table 26: Descriptive statistics of how heads rated some of the respondents on their professional competencies

Heads of D.E. Graduates


Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD Knowledge of job 4.62 14.30 3.56 8.53 Ability to communicate effectively in English 4.36 10.96 3.58 9.21 Attendance and punctuality at work / school 4.33 10.11 4.64 11.01 Ability to take initiative 3.57 5.56 4.0 12.03 Duty consciousness 4.18 7.77 4.39 14.95 Ability to accept and abide by policies and procedures 3.87 4.36 3.71 12.46 Relationship with colleagues 4.34 9.37 3.82 9.86 Relationship with clients/students 4.28 10.48 3.86 7.64 Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision 3.89 3.92 3.80 6.51 Ability to finish duty on time 4.05 8.84 4.18 14.78 Ability to take responsibility 3.90 9.17 4.44 12.49 Professional and ethical behaviour 3.94 4.45 4.23 9.96 Zeal for work / commitment to work 4.03 6.02 4.73 14.51 Interest in seminars/workshops 4.03 4.90 3.91 10.33 Attendance at staff meetings 4.51 8.13 4.50 9.84 Ability to keep confidential information secrete 4.16 5.98 4.64 11.64 Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis for self-improvement

3.61 6.94 4.06 11.35

Innovativeness 3.75 8.50 3.62 13.65 Ability to attend to individual needs of clients/students 3.84 5.91 3.83 11.21 Use of variety of approaches to solve problems 3.93 9.11 3.85 10.55 Ability to motivate clients/students to catch their attention 3.87 7.03 3.56 11.35 Ability to use available technology effectively 3.61 7.68 3.48 11.35 Effective management of workplace routines 4.25 8.70 4.09 14.41 Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all clients/students

4.48 7.41 4.00 8.77

Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all colleagues

3.82 5.56 3.90 12.46

Expresses good feelings towards colleagues 4.26 6.55 4.18 12.63 Warmness towards people 4.07 7.08 4.06 13.16 Ability to judge issues fairly 4.03 5.56 4.23 7,64 t = 0.40; df = 0.3

KEY: Below 50%= 1; 50-60 %= 2; 61-70 % = 3; 71-80% = 4; 81-90% = 5; 91-100% = 6 The results of how heads rated some of the respondents on their professional competencies are presented on Table 26. Here also the means obtained showed that the rating by heads of both DE and conventional graduates are generally very close. As a result there was no significant difference between the means for the two groups (t = 0.40; df = 0.3; P>0.05).

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Table 27: Descriptive statistics of the rating of heads and distance education graduates themselves on some socio-cultural benefits of education


D. E. Graduates

Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD Ability to live with people of different ethnic and racial/ tribal background with ease

3.79 22.68 3.72 79.64

Discriminates against people who are not of same race or tribe 1.36 21.91 1.18 96.28 Frowning on other people’s culture 1.57 21.42 1.21 90.92 Feeling that people from one’s tribe or race are better than others.

1.61 17.84 1.22 92.36

Taking interest in community/ group activities and participating in them

3.43 14.82 3.31 61

Always wanting to help other people to be successful in life 3.46 15.33 3.80 84.70 Always searching for a better job than the present job 2.26 12.12 2.10 52.06 Having ever been involved in a criminal activity 1.30 26.65 1.59 76.84 Ever been to prison 1.30 26.65 1.32 91.70 Always wanting to associate with people of equal academic qualification

3.07 9.0 2.82 21.59

t = 0.39; df = 9 KEY: False = 1; Sometimes false = 2; Sometimes true = 3; true = 4

Comparison between the means of the rating of heads and distance education graduates themselves indicated that in some cases the heads rather rated the DE graduates higher than the DE graduates themselves did . However, there were no significant differences (t = 0.39; df = 9; P>0.05) between the rating of the heads and that of the DE graduates themselves Table 27).

Table 28: Descriptive statistics of the rating of heads and conventional graduates themselves on some socio-cultural benefits of education



Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD Ability to live with people of different ethnic and racial/ tribal background with ease

3.83 26.19 3.72 78.46

Discriminates against people who are not of same race or tribe 1.39 22.71 1.14 94.37 Frowning on other people’s culture 1.47 22.39 1.47 83.29 Feeling that people from one’s tribe or race are better than others.

1.48 19.07 1.32 81

Taking interest in community/ group activities and participating in them

3.33 14.20 3.34 48.84

Always wanting to help other people to be successful in life 3.08 13.48 3.67 71.92 Always searching for a better job than the present job 2.50 14.20 2.88 32.67 Having ever been involved in a criminal activity 1.23 29.76 1.22 93.52 Ever been to prison 1.32 25.80 1.09 100.8

6 Always wanting to associate with people of equal academic qualification

2.83 11.0 2.63 37.04

t = 0.01;f = 9

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KEY: False = 1; Sometimes false = 2; Sometimes true = 3; true = 4

From table 28, it can be seen that the means of the rating by the heads of the conventional graduates and that of the conventional graduates themselves are very close. Hence, there were no significant differences between the means for the heads and the graduates (t = 0.01;df = 9; P>0.05). (Table 28)

Table 29: Descriptive statistic of the rating of heads and distance education graduates themselves on their professional competencies


D.E. Graduates

Attributes

Mean SD Mean SD Knowledge of job 4.62 14.30 4.58 33.68 Ability to communicate effectively in English 4.36 10.96 4.81 34.53 Attendance and punctuality at work / school 4.33 10.11 4.83 33.33 Ability to take initiative 3.57 5.56 4.88 40.74 Duty consciousness 4.18 7.77 5.15 43.01 Ability to accept and abide by policies and procedures 3.87 4.36 5.06 43.55 Relationship with colleagues 4.34 9.37 5.22 50.86 Relationship with clients/students 4.28 10.48 5.11 42.66 Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision 3.89 3.92 5.17 46.15 Ability to finish duty on time 4.05 8.84 4.75 45.57 Ability to take responsibility 3.90 9.17 5.18 44.82 Professional and ethical behaviour 3.94 4.45 5.32 39.76 Zeal for work / commitment to work 4.03 6.02 4.15 41.26 Interest in seminars/workshops 4.03 4.90 5.29 48.28 Attendance at staff meetings 4.51 8.13 5.29 49.54 Ability to keep confidential information secrete 4.16 5.98 5.12 41.34 Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis for self-improvement

3.61 6.94 4.78 36.91

Ability to attend to individual needs of clients/students 3.84 5.91 4.75 34.85 Use of variety of approaches to solve problems 3.93 9.11 4.54 43.88 Ability to motivate clients/students to catch their attention 3.87 7.03 3.96 41.37 Ability to use available technology effectively 3.61 7.68 4.52 35.40 Effective management of workplace routines 4.25 8.70 4.75 39.20 Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all clients/students

4.48 7.41 4.86 37.64

t = 9.37; df 22 KEY: Below 50%= 1; 50-60 %= 2; 61-70 % = 3; 71-80% = 4; 81-90% = 5; 91-100% = 6 Results from table 29 indicate that the DE graduates rated themselves slightly higher on their professional competencies than their heads. The differences between the means were very highly significant (t = 9.37; df 22; P<0.001)

Table 30: Descriptive statistic of the rating of heads and conventional graduates themselves on their professional competencies

Attributes

Heads of Conventional


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Graduates Mean SD Mean SD

Knowledge of job 3.56 8.53 5.0 41.40 Ability to communicate effectively in English 3.58 9.21 4.93 40.44 Attendance and punctuality at work / school 4.64 11.01 4.78 38.92 Ability to take initiative 4.0 12.03 5.29 41.85 Duty consciousness 4.39 14.95 5.29 49.89 Ability to accept and abide by policies and procedures 3.71 12.46 4.97 37.75 Relationship with colleagues 3.82 9.86 5.07 41.18 Relationship with clients/students 3.86 7.64 4.91 37.61 Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision 3.80 6.51 4.86 42.36 Ability to finish duty on time 4.18 14.78 5.0 40.44 Ability to take responsibility 4.44 12.49 5.0 45.98 Professional and ethical behaviour 4.23 9.96 5.19 44.55 Zeal for work / commitment to work 4.73 14.51 5.16 43.41 Interest in seminars/workshops 3.91 10.33 4.95 40.67 Attendance at staff meetings 4.50 9.84 5.32 46.22 Ability to keep confidential information secrete 4.64 11.64 5.37 48.11 Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis for self-improvement

4.06 11.35 4.94 40.18

Ability to attend to individual needs of clients/students 3.62 13.65 4.31 30.47 Use of variety of approaches to solve problems 3.83 11.21 4.70 36.82 Ability to motivate clients/students to catch their attention 3.85 10.55 4.36 28.08 Ability to use available technology effectively 3.56 11.35 4.36 28.08 Effective management of workplace routines 3.48 11.35 4.69 38.14 Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all clients/students

4.09 14.41 4.74 30.73

t = 13.5; df = 22 KEY: Below 50%= 1; 50-60 %= 2; 61-70 % = 3; 71-80% = 4; 81-90% = 5; Results from table 30 also showed that conventional graduates rated themselves slightly higher on their professional competencies than their heads. The differences between the means were very highly significant (t = 13.5; df = 22; P<0.001)

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0: DISCUSSION

5.1: BIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

Research Question: What are the Bio-demographic data distribution of distance education and conventional graduates / diplomats of the University of Education, Winneba?

The results clearly indicate that majority of the Distance Education (DE) graduates sampled were between 41 and 60 years of age with even a few with the age 61 years and

39

above compared to the conventional graduates who were mainly between 31 and 50 years of age. A research at the U.K. Open University has indicated that students aged 60 –64 years were among the most successful in degree examinations (Glendenning, 1990). This together with the results of the current study suggest that age may not be any serious barrier to education, but rather what is important is the opportunity to have access to education. The current findings may also be suggestive of the fact that distance education programme may be a useful tool in taking care of very old and experienced teachers in the educational system who could not have access to conventional education to upgrade themselves academically and professionally.

In this study indications from the results are that there were more female DE graduates respondents than males whilst there were more male conventional graduate respondents than females. The implications are that both female and male teachers are benefiting from the DE programme, where it appears there are more women beneficiaries than males. In a survey, Abrams (1982) found out that in England and Wales 10% of both adult males and females wished to study a foreign language. Meanwhile, in this study it is not surprising that there were more female DE graduate respondents than males. This is because the women constitute about 61% of the total number of students on the University of Education, Winneba distance education programme. This development may also suggest that the distance education programme has come to democratize education for female teachers in the country.

Majority of the DE respondents have diploma in Basic Education because only a few teachers pursued the initial Post-Diploma degree programme before it was faced out. Even some of those initial students might have been on retirement by now and some might have moved from the Ghana Education Service. However, currently three year diploma in Basic Education and two year BEd post-diploma in Basic Education programmes are currently being run. Hence, majority of the diplomats are currently on the post-diploma programme leading to B.Ed Basic Education.

From the results those DE graduates teaching in the rural areas (40.18%) were about two times the number of the conventional graduates (26.51%) teaching in the rural areas (Fig.3). This suggests that distance education may help to retain more teachers in the rural areas of Ghana. This is because the teachers are at post and at the same time pursuing the course. The results also show that 43.30% of the DE graduates are in administrative positions while only 14.42% of the conventional graduates are in administrative positions leaving the remaining 85.58% as classroom teachers. From that table 5 it is clear that majority of the DE graduates have far more experience than the conventional graduates. This may be the reason why a lot more of them (DE graduates) are in administrative positions than the conventional graduates. After all, it is commonly known that GES promotion of teachers to senior ranks that impose administrative job on members is not necessarily restricted to high academic qualification but rather teaching experience.

Majority of DE respondents are teaching in Primary and Junior High Schools (Basic Schools). Generally, the Diploma in Basic Education and BEd Post Diploma in Basic Education programmes are targeted at teachers at the Basic school level more than at the secondary School level. As a result teachers who apply for these programmes are teaching at the Basic school levels. Hence, that may be the reason why majority of the DE respondents are teachers of the Basic school levels.

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5.2: PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY OF RESPONDE NTS Research Question: Is the distance education programme promoting the professional

and academic mobility of beneficiaries?

A profession is a body that provides a special service to the community based on accumulated knowledge, skills and wisdom (Farrant, 1980). Considering the professional progression of the respondents it is realized that almost half of the DE graduates are having the rank from assistant director to Director in the Ghana education Service (GES). These are mainly senior ranks for administrative positions. No doubt most of the DE graduates are occupying administrative positions (Table 3). Meanwhile majority of the conventional graduates (77.69%) are having Principal Superintendent Rank. Related to that is where 90.23% of conventional graduates obtained their diploma/degree before being promoted to their current ranks compared to 59.82% of DE graduates. Further, 77.84% of the conventional graduates confirmed that the diploma/degree influenced their promotion to the current rank compared to 50.0% of DE graduates. After all, the major role education plays in production and economic growth is in what is known as technical progress (Forojalla, 1993). Therefore the results are showing that though, both the conventional and DE graduates are benefiting from their university qualifications in terms of professional mobility, more conventional graduates are benefiting than the DE graduates.

The results also show that the qualifications of the teachers are not helping them significantly in changing jobs or they themselves do not want to move from their current job. According to Hill, Hoffman and Rex (2005), generally, some people will never move, whether due to family ties or other reasons. Yet if educational attainment is encouraged in their family or community, these residents may gain too much education for the limited available job opportunities in their community and accept underemployment rather than migrate to an area with job opportunities. Also, since obtaining their university qualifications all the DE respondents have not acquired any other higher qualification, though majority of the diploma holding respondents are pursuing the Post-Diploma B.Ed degree in Basic Education. On the other hand very few conventional graduates (10.70%) have since obtained some other higher qualification. This may be due to the fact that the conventional graduates had four years of direct and constant academic and professional training in the university. Therefore, they were already motivated to go higher. This implies that with time some of the current DE graduates pursuing the Post-Diploma B.Ed degree programme may also enroll for higher degrees. This is confirmed by the fact that 91.07% of the DE graduates said that they will like to go higher in their academic pursuits (Table 7)

Interestingly, 72.73% of the DE graduates who were made headmasters/ headmistresses/head of departments after obtaining their university qualification agreed that their qualifications influenced the appointment compared to 69.57%. Here it is clear that though the DE graduates have a slight edge over the conventional graduates they all seem to be equally enjoying the benefits of higher education in terms of academic and professional mobility. Also, about those who have positions in the Education Offices, though in terms of percentages conventional graduates are supposed to be benefiting more (100% and 5 respondents), in terms of numbers DE graduates are benefiting more (89.29% and 25 respondents). This also suggests that the university certificate obtained by the DE graduates is enhancing their promotion in the GES (Table 7).

41

Giving reasons for why in some developing countries the morale in the teaching profession is very low and teacher turn over is high, Farrant (1980) observed among others that it is because career prospects in terms of promotion and higher salaries are not encouraging, and because most teacher education programmes do not prepare teachers well for the actual job of teaching. Farrant (1980) went on to state that one of the most important things that teachers need is a reasonable assurance that there are career prospects available under the educational system obtaining in one’s country after training as a teacher. In Ghana, teachers are promoted depending on their experience or academic and professional qualification. In this study, the indications are that the diploma or degree acquired by the DE respondents influenced their promotion to the current ranks in several ways. The conventional graduates also benefited in several ways just as the DE graduates. Here, it is very encouraging to hear from DE graduates that the knowledge acquired on the DE programme enabled them to answer the questions very well at the promotion interview; and also that most of the answers to the interview questions were covered at the diploma / degree level. It is also very reassuring that the certificates of DE products are useful to them just as that of the conventional products.

It is only two DE graduates who claimed to have changed job two times. However, the conventional graduates could not state how many times they have changed job since the time they obtained their university qualification. As to how their university qualifications influenced their movement from one job to another some of the DE graduates said that the new knowledge acquired enabled them to move from classroom teacher to circuit supervisor. Here, it can be seen that the teachers were talking about a change of job schedule in the same organization. However, this is a kind of professional progression. The others claimed that with the new knowledge, they could move to any related job any time they wanted. After all, education makes one functionally integrated in society and with out education one would have found it difficult earning a living (Calhoun, Light and Keller, 1997). Fullan and Stiegelbauer (1991) asserted that there are at least two major purposes of schooling: to educate students in various academic or cognitive skills and knowledge and to educate students in the development of individual and social skills and knowledge necessary to function occupationally and socio-politically in society. These can be labeled as cognitive/academic and the personal/social development purpose of education. Williams (2001) observed that in today’s educational system, a person has the ability to grow as a member of his or her society and culture, gain knowledge for a career in the real world and mature both spiritually and physically. Therefore the recognition of the importance of the higher education acquired in facilitating movement from one job to another by the DE graduates is very important. The points made by the conventional graduates are very similar to that of the DE graduates.

It seems the conventional system of education has given a straight progression path and confidence to its graduates; hence all those who claimed to have had a higher qualification obtained a master’s degree. Further, large proportions of the DE and conventional graduates will like to obtain masters and PhD degrees (Table 11). This may be due to the fact that on noticing the benefits of diploma and first degree, respondents might have realized that a higher degree may make life even more enjoyable. However, those who are satisfied with the first degree, especially the conventional graduates may already have some other avenues of making life a little more enjoyable and may not like to take themselves through the strictures of higher degree.

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. In this study whilst 25% of the DE graduates were promoted to headship after graduation, 79.31% of the conventional graduates were promoted to the post after graduation (Fig. 5). This suggests that in terms of headship more conventional graduates are benefiting from their university qualification than the DE graduates. This may be due to the reason that majority of the DE graduates who were given headship positions might have got promoted to the senior and administrative ranks (40.18%) Table 7) and got promoted to head teachers/headmasters/headmistresses before obtaining their university qualification. However, looking at the reasons given by the DE graduates to show how their university qualification influenced their promotion to headship positions (Table 13), it is clear that the university qualification greatly influenced the promotion to headship of most of them that had the position after obtaining the university qualification. This confirms the assertion by the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) (1998) that University graduates also enjoy increased professional mobility.

At least three-quarters of Canadians say a university degree greatly improves one’s chances of getting a job and has a big impact on a person’s quality of life and personal growth. An even larger number, (82%) believes that a degree positively affects lifetime earnings and career advancement opportunities (Associations of Universities and Colleges of Canada, (AUCC) 2004). The results of this study show that one of the DE graduates is a District/Unit director but none of the conventional graduates has that post. Also majority of the DE graduates are circuit supervisors while 40% of the conventional graduates are schedule officers and Unit coordinators respectively. Circuit supervision job is mainly a job for inspectors of the Basic level teachers. Since majority of the DE graduates are working at the Basic School level they may understand issues of that sector, hence it is not surprising that majority of the DE graduates in the offices are circuit supervisors.

Out of the total number of DE graduates working in the Offices 56% had the appointment as officers in the office after obtaining their university qualifications while all the conventional graduates had it after graduation. Here it can be said that though the university qualification is enhancing the promotion of both DE and conventional graduates to positions in the Education offices, more conventional graduates are benefiting than DE graduates. Further, it is to be noted that respondents appreciate the importance of university qualification in getting to positions in the Education Offices and that they realized that the university qualifications they obtained enhanced their promotion into such positions. The interest is particularly on the DE graduates where they gave very good comments about how the university qualification they obtained influenced their appointment to the posts in the offices (Table 15). 5.3: PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE Research Question: How is the University of Education, Winneba distance education

programme enhancing the professional competencies of its beneficiaries?

To assess whether schools are doing their job it would be necessary to have certain internal and external information. The internal information relates to how students perform in terms of achievement while they are in and as they end their schooling. The external information refers to how students fare occupationally and socially once they leave school (Fullan and Stiegelbauer, 1991). Most of the qualities and characteristics presented on table 16 are required to be assessed by mentors and lecturers assessing student teachers of the University of Education, Winneba (Centre for Teacher Development and Action Research (CETDAR), 2005). Farrant (1980 and Castle, 1956) also stated some of the points as

43

characteristics of a good teacher. The responses by respondents to these characteristics show that both DE and Conventional graduates are very confident so far as their professional competencies are concerned. For DE graduates, apart from “ability to motivate students to catch their attention” which scored a mean of approximately 4 all the other points scored approximately 5 This means that generally the DE graduates rated themselves around 81-90%. The situation for conventional graduates is not different. Since there is no significant difference between the means for the two groups then it can be said that both DE and conventional graduates of the University of Education, Winneba may be performing creditably so far as professional competences are concerned. The evidence that teacher education at a distance is translated into improved classroom practice is unfortunately limited (Peraton, 1995). Two studies in Tanzania looked at the performance of teachers trained at distance and were able to compare them with those trained face-to-face. Both studies found that there were few differences in the effectiveness between products of distance education and products of face-to-face (Mahlck and Temu, 1989; and Chale, 1993). In Zimbabwe limited evidence suggests that teachers trained at a distance were at least as effective as those trained conventionally (Chivore, 1993). In this case trainee teachers were deployed in the classroom while they were training so that they inevitably had more classroom practice than their contemporaries who were attending conventional teachers’ colleges. It was concluded that the integration of such extensive classroom practice within a centrally organized programme of distance education appears to be effective (Chivore, 1993). In our case also, the DE graduates were still doing their teaching work while pursuing the distance education programme. The results therefore suggest that the DE programme is promoting the professional competence of its beneficiaries.

It is also clear from the results (Table 26) that there is no clear cut pattern in the results of the rating by head teachers b(heads) of DE and conventional graduates. In some cases the heads of DE graduates rated them (DE graduates) higher than conventional graduates and vice versa. Since the statistical results show no significant difference between the means then it can be said that heads of both DE and conventional graduates rated them almost the same. Meanwhile from tables 29 and 30 it is clear that the teachers rated their own professional competence higher than the rating of their heads. In both cases there were significant differences between the means. Here, since the trend is a general one and the pattern seems to be the same for both DE and conventional graduates one may be tempted to consider the ratings of the heads as more objective than that of their teachers. The reason is that after all no individual will mark himself/herself down in an examination. However, what is encouraging is that the ratings of the heads were not all that low for the least rating of heads of DE graduates is approximately 4 (71-80%) and that of conventional graduates is 3.48 (61-70%).

5.4: FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION Research Question: What financial impact is the UEW distance education programme having on the beneficiaries, their families and their community?

The findings show that majority of the respondents have their monthly salaries between 300 and 600 Ghana cedis. However, more DE graduates have monthly salaries ranging between 400 and 800 Ghana cedis. This is suggesting that in terms of salary the DE graduates are better off than the conventional graduates. Datta (1984) stated that in Kenya one of the factors that had widened the differences in the private returns to investment in various levels of education already existing by the mid-1960s was the relatively larger increases of salaries allowed to University graduates as compared to the rise granted to persons with lower

44

educational attainment. In this study the fact that more DE graduates generally have higher monthly salaries may probably be due to the fact that many of the DE graduates sampled are more experienced and higher in rank than the conventional graduates. Another reason is that some of the DE graduates having the same rank with the conventional graduates may be having higher salaries because they had salary incremental jumps after obtaining the diploma/degree.

In adult working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.5 million; associate’s degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor’s degree holders earn about $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002). People decide to go to the University for Many Reasons. One of the most compelling reasons is the expectations of future economic success based on educational attainment (Day and Newburger, 2002). The results of this study show that despite the higher salaries of the DE graduates over the conventional graduates the DE graduates claimed that the university qualification is bringing less financial benefit to them (36.61%) compared to the conventional graduates (69.77%) (Table18). Majority of both DE and conventional graduates agreed to be having financial benefits of their university qualification claimed that the change is insignificant (Table 18). Again majority of the two groups said that they are not able to save some money every month. Out the number saying they are able to save some money every month again claimed that the amount they are able to save is insignificant (Table 18) In all the cases discussed about financial change and monthly savings the DE graduates scored lower percentage response for the positive answers.

Ferguson (2006) postulated that an investment in education is associated with a higher probability of employment. If the economy of a country should enjoy significant gains in productivity and living standard then there is the need for an educated workforce (Ferguson, 2006). When asked whether respondents do any part time jobs more conventional graduates responded in the affirmative (50.23% or 108 respondents) than DE graduates (12.50% or 28 respondents). Thus, more conventional graduates do extra jobs to supplement their monthly income than DE graduates. This may be due to the reason that majority of the conventional graduates are teaching at the secondary school level where the demand for part time teaching is far higher than the Basic school level. Interestingly, out of the respondents who agreed to be doing part time jobs half of the DE graduates (50%) claimed the amount they earn from it is substantial compared to 42.59% for conventional graduates. This suggests that though fewer DE graduates do part time jobs than conventional graduates the DE graduates make more money from it than conventional graduates. Actually, it is very difficult to assign reasons to this. The only speculation is that it may be that the DE graduates are better bargainers as a result of why many of them do not get the part time job to do or they are into part time jobs that pay well.

The results reveal that majority of the respondents do not serve as resource persons for professional groups or organizations. In the case of the few respondents who claim to be resource persons for some organizations the DE graduates registered a slightly higher figure (28.13%) than the conventional graduates (17.67%). This was confirmed by the heads of the respondents (Fig. 11) where 47.54% of the heads of DE graduates and 25.76% of the heads of the conventional graduates agreed that their teachers serve as resource persons for organizations. This shows that more DE graduates are involved in consultancies than conventional graduates. This may probably be due to the fact that majority of the DE graduates are in the very senior ranks and are more experienced than the conventional graduates. Of the respondents who serve as resource persons (consultants), DE graduates said that they make between 10 and 50 Ghana cedis per annum while conventional graduates

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make between 10 and 30 Ghana cedis per annum. Though in both cases the number of respondents who stated these figures was very few the results suggest that DE graduates appear to be making more money from consultancies than conventional graduates. However, it is important to register the point that the amount respondents make from consultancies per annum is grossly inadequate. The heads of DE graduates gave Ghana Education Service (GES), District Teachers Support Team (DTST), traders and Schools as the organizations that engage their teachers in consultancies while the heads of conventional graduates mentioned the Circuit, District Science, Technology and Mathematics Education Division and politicians as those organizations that their teachers offer consultancy services (Table 25).

5.5: SOCIO-CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION

Research Question: What socio-cultural benefits are the beneficiaries and society deriving from the distance education programme of University of Education, Winneba?

Culture embraces all that contributes to the survival of man, such as art, craft, drama, education, literature, music, politics, religion and technology (Farrant, 1980). Education provides a variety of benefits to students including enhanced social skills, greater awareness of human achievements, and appreciation for cultural diversity (Hill et al, 2005). Hill et al (2005) went on to state that non-monetary social benefits in regions with high proportions of college graduates include lower crime rates, greater and more informed civic participation, and improved performance across a host of socio-economic issues. The results of the current study confirm the assertions of the above writers. In all, respondents did not agree to the statements that show that: they discriminate against people who are not of the same tribe or race as theirs, frown on other people’s culture, feeling that people from their tribe are better than others, that they have ever been to prison or have ever been involved in criminal activity. They also rejected the statements leading to the fact that they prefer large family to small family or they do not want to have children of their own. The responses also show that respondents consider most of the positive statements true because their ratings are very high and very close to 4 (true) (Table 20). However, the statement “I am always searching for a better job than the present job” received the answer “sometimes false” from DE graduates and “sometimes true” from conventional graduates. This may be due to the fact that many teachers in Ghana complain about the low levels of remunerations for teachers and it is possible that most of the respondents would have left teaching if offered a job that pays more. Similarly, the statement “I always want to associate with people of my equal academic qualification” received the mean of approximately 3 (Table 20) which stands for sometimes true. This implies that both DE and conventional graduates to some extent feel more comfortable associating and relating with people with similar academic background.

A comparison of the ratings of the heartaches (heads) of both DE and conventional graduates (Table 24) shows that in many cases the ratings by the teachers is almost the same as that of their head teachers. However, it appears head teachers of DE graduates agreed that their teachers are sometimes emotional when contributing to public debates while heads of conventional graduates said that it is sometimes false. Generally, it is expected that conventional graduates will show more tolerance and be more composed when contributing to public debates than DE graduates because majority of the conventional graduates benefited from campus life which involved more interpersonal relations than the DE graduate experienced. Also, a comparison of the ratings by the graduates with the ratings of their head teachers shows that there are not any serious differences between the means (Tables 27 and

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28). Nielsen and Tatto (1993) compared conventional and distance education programmes in Sri Lanka and Indonesia. In Sri Lanka they found that the distance education programme produced significant positive changes in attitudes among students although there was no significant difference between students at the beginning and the end of their courses at conventional colleges.

Higher education can make one more open-minded, more cultured, more rational, more consistent and less authoritarian; these benefits can also be passed on to succeeding generations (Rowley and Hurtado, 2002). Furthermore, higher education can help decrease prejudice, enhance knowledge of world affairs and enhance social status (Rowley and Hurtado, 2002). In this study the results show that more of the DE graduates rated themselves very high (51 -100%) in the ability to contribute effectively to public debate than the conventional graduates (51 – 80%) (Fig 7). This shows that the DE graduates are more confident when it comes to contributing to public debates than the conventional graduates. The trend is not too different when the ratings of the head teachers of the respondents are considered. However, it seems more head teachers of the conventional graduates rated their teachers within 81-100% range (Fig. 10). These results are showing that after all the DE graduates and conventional graduates can all effectively contribute to public debates.

University graduates also enjoy benefits beyond increased income. Some of these benefits include high levels of savings, improved quality of life for offspring, better consumer decision making, and more hobbies and leisure (Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), 1998). In both cases of DE and conventional graduates, majority prefer having between 1- 3 children followed by 4-6. However, more conventional graduates prefer having 1-3 children compared to DE graduates. Also, few conventional graduates will not like to have any children at all. On the other hand, few DE graduates also will like to have up to 9 children (Table 21). The results suggest that the DE graduates to some extent prefer larger family size to conventional graduates.

In this study, apart from 1.7%, all the other DE graduates and 100% of the conventional graduates claimed that they and their family members attend hospital when they are sick (Fig 8). Out of these respondents 95.98% DE and 93.03% conventional graduates asserted that each member attends the hospital for 1 to 4 times a year. This suggest that both DE and conventional graduates value good health for their families In any case research has consistently shown that there is a positive correlation between completion of higher education and good health for oneself and one’s children (Cohn and Geske, 1992). This kind of result is expected because it is assumed that with the level of education of respondents they should understand the importance of going to the hospital in times of ill-health. The few DE graduates who claimed they do not attend hospitals when sick explained that this is because they cannot afford the money involved. This is a very worrying situation and the immediate remedy for them is to avail themselves to the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

There is considerably high support for the notion that the rate of return on investment in higher education is high enough to warrant the financial burden associated with pursuing a university degree (Kathleen, 2002). Spayed (2000) concedes that there is no divide in American life that hurts more than one between those considered well educated and those who are poorly or inadequately schooled. Spayed proceeds by asserting that university education is a defining role in the well-being and success of people in today’s society. Newman (2000) also believes that education gives a man the clear conscious view of his/her own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them ,

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and force in urging them, thus making him/her a well rounded being. All these assertions have been confirmed by the findings of this study. Both DE and conventional graduates presented some very important benefits that they are personally deriving from their university education (Table 22). Of special interest are some statements by the DE graduate which show that they are able to pay their children’s school fees and take care of their relatives who are not working. This corroborates the statement of University of Colorado (2005) that higher education is the major predictor of an individual’s lifetime earnings and Ferguson (2006) that clearly, economic achievement and educational achievement are intertwined. For that reason, education is at the heart efforts to promote equal opportunity for all Americans. Some other useful comments pertaining to the personal benefits they are deriving from their education indicate that DE graduates now understand the behaviour of children very well where their professional skills are enhanced as teachers and they are looked upon as the eye of the community/ their communities etc. All these are in line with what Ho (2005) asserted that the difference between university education and other lower levels of education is that university education does not provide happiness to the learner only, but also aims at providing happiness to everyone in the community or humanity as a whole. This submission suggests that university education provides a lot of benefits to the educated in particular and society at large.

Dow (2006) also observes that higher education helps improve and stabilize the revenue structure of the state of Oregon. People with university degrees traditionally earned 78% more than those with only high school diplomas in Oregon. Increased earnings also mean increased taxes paid, which fund all state services. In the future, 80% of Oregon’s jobs require workers holding university degrees (Dow, 2006). These statements reveal how one’s education can be useful to other people and the state. On table 23 also, both DE and conventional graduates vividly stated how their education is benefiting other people. Concentrating on only that of DE graduates, it is clear that they have become the life wire of their families as a result of education. In this regard they are able to help their family members financially. In some cases they serve as role models for the society, and they also use the knowledge acquired to counsel people, give talks on very pertinent societal issues, etc. In some cases also the husbands and children of the women become very happy and feel proud about their wives and or their mothers. This particular point is very dear to the heart of the research team because more often than not stories are told by some women that their husbands were not happy when they enrolled on the distance education programme.

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CHAPTER SIX 6.0: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The University of Education, Winneba Distance Education (DE) programme is helping to give further academic and professional training to very old and experienced teachers at the Basic level of education in Ghana.

2. From the results more women are benefiting from the DE programme than the conventional system of the university. Hence, there is the need to put mechanisms in place to make the distance education programme more women friendly so that many more female teachers can enroll on it.

3. Since more DE graduates are teaching in the rural areas than the conventional graduates, and mainly in the Basic schools then it is suggested that the government of Ghana should pay the course book fees for the teachers so that more rural teachers can benefit.

4. It has been realized that the university’s certificate acquired by respondents is influencing the promotion of both DE and conventional graduates to higher ranks in the Ghana Education Service (GES). However, it seems the conventional graduates are benefiting more than the DE graduates.

5. From the results both DE and conventional graduates of UEW to very large extent are not shifting to different jobs from teaching. Since the graduates by and large are still sticking to their core job of teaching for which they were trained, it will be very helpful if government can give the teachers more incentives to motivate them to deliver.

6. The university’s certificates influenced the promotion of many DE graduates who were promoted to headmasters/headmistresses/head teachers/heads of departments or positions in the education offices after obtaining the diploma/degree. Also, more DE graduates had been promoted into the administrative position after graduation Therefore; the university needs to organize its DE programme such that these senior teachers in administrative positions can easily find it very convenient to them. Perhaps, more study centres need to be established so that even when they are tied down by administrative duties at the week ends, these senior teachers can just move a few kilometers to attend tutorials and return home on time to reorganize themselves.

7. The results there showed that the distance education programme is promoting the professional and academic mobility of its products

8. Responses show that both DE and conventional graduates are very confident of their professional competencies. This shows that respondents have found the training from the UEW to be very useful in building their competencies. Similarly, the heads of the respondents also rated the teachers very high on the competence attributes presented to them. In this regard, it is hereby suggested that another study should be undertaken by the university where both DE and conventional graduates of the university will be sampled and physically observed to find out if there is any difference in their competence levels.

9. The findings also show that more DE graduates are receiving higher salaries than conventional graduates because many DE graduates are in the very senior ranks compared to the conventional graduates. Comments from the DE graduates suggest that many of them had salary incremental jumps after obtaining the diploma/degree. Therefore, in a way the DE graduates are benefiting some form or the other in terms of salaries. However, majority of both DE and conventional graduates who claimed to be delivering some financial benefits from their university qualifications said that the

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benefit is insignificant. Similarly, the amount of money respondents save at the end of each month is insignificant

10. More conventional graduates do part time jobs compared to DE graduates. However, DE graduates make more money than the conventional graduates. Though more DE graduates serve as consultants for organizations, generally, majority of the respondents are not involved as resource persons. Even the few who are involved in consultancies do consult mostly for GES. However, the amount of money made from these consultancies is woefully inadequate. This notwithstanding, it can be said that DE graduates are deriving tremendous financial benefits from the distance education programme

11. In all, respondents disagree with all the negative statements pertaining to social life. This shows that respondents do not discriminate against people who are not of the same tribe as them; they do not frown on other people’s culture; they do not feel that people from their tribe are better than others; they have no criminal records and they have never been to prison, etc. On the other hand, respondents agreed to all the positive social attributes presented to them. However, it seems if the opportunity presents itself respondents will leave the teaching job for better paid jobs. The means for both DE and conventional graduates are very close and there was no significant difference. However, there were significant differences between the responses of the teachers and that of their heads; though by and large the responses of the heads confirm that of their teachers. A further look at the results also suggests that heads of DE graduates consider the DE graduates as emotional when contributing to debates. Therefore, it is very important for the organizers of the DE programme to factor into the programme courses and programmes that take care of social life of learners.

12. Almost all the respondents and their family members attend hospital when sick. This means that both DE and conventional graduates value health care for themselves and their family members.

13. Both DE and conventional graduates derive a number of personal benefits from their education. Also, society is benefiting positively from their education. These results therefore show that the university education is benefiting respondents as well as the general society.

14. Lastly, the findings of this study generally show that both DE and conventional graduates of the University of Education, Winneba are deriving positive benefits from their education professionally, financially and socially. Hence, it is suggested that the University of Education, Winneba should continue with its distance education programme for teachers. It is further recommended that new courses be introduced so that there can be diversity for the teachers to make their own choice instead of compelling all the learners to do the same course.

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APPENDICES APPENDIX ONE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR TEACHERS W HO OBTAINED THEIR DIPLOMA/DEGREE THROUGH DISTANCE EDUCATION OR/ AND CONVENTIONAL SYSTEM FROM UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, W INNEBA

Dear respondent, this questionnaire is a research instrument. Have the assurance that what ever information you provide will be treated with the confidentiality that it deserves. The information shall be used only by the researchers and will not be made available to any other third party. Be frank with whatever information you provide.

Tick only one OPTION where possible options are provided. Where options are not provided state the correct answers on the lines provided.

A) BIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DATA OF RESPONDENTS 1. Age a) 21 – 30 b) 31 – 40 c) 41 – 50 d) 51 – 60 e) 61 + 2. Sex: Male Female 3. What is your highest qualification?

a) Diploma b) B.Ed/B.Sc/B.A degree c) M.Ed/ MA/M.Phil/M.Sc degree d) PhD e) Others (State)………………………………………………………

4. Through what kind of educational system did you obtain your certificate? a) Distance Education system b) Through On-campus system (conventional education) 5. What Subject did you study? a) Science / Mathematics / Physical Education b) Arts subjects c) Education and Psychology d) Social Sciences / Social Studies e) Technical education and Vocational Education / Home Economics Education f) Business g) Agricultural Sciences h) Basic Education i) Others (State)…………………………………………………… 6. Location of school/ organization: a) Rural area b) Urban area

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7. What is your job schedule in the Ghana Education Service?........................................... 8. For how long have you been doing this work?.................................................... 9. At which level of education are you teaching / working? a) Pre-school level b) Primary level c) Junior secondary level d) Senior secondary level e) Training college f) Technical / vocational school g) Others (State)………………………………………………………………… B) PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC MOBILITY 10. What is your rank in the Ghana Education Service (GES) ? ………………………………………………………………………………………… 11. Did you obtain the diploma / degree before your promotion to the rank in 10? a) Yes b) No 12. If yes to question 11, then did the diploma/degree influence your promotion to the rank in question 10? a) Yes b) No 13. If yes to question 12, then how did your diploma / degree influence your promotion? …………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14. Since obtaining your diploma/degree have you ever changed job? a) Yes b) No 15 If yes to question 14 then how many times have you changed job? ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 16. Does your diploma/degree make it easier for you to be changing jobs? a) Yes b) No 17. If yes to question 16 then in what way?......................................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………………………………… 18. Have you acquired any higher qualification after obtaining your diploma/degree? a) Yes b) No 19 If yes to question 18 then state the qualification:………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… 20. Would you like to go higher in your academic pursuits? a) Yes b) No 21. If yes to question 20 then to what level?.......................................................................... …………………………………………………………………………………………… 22. If no to question 20 then why not?................................................................................. ……………………………………………………………………………………………. 23. If you are a head or assistant head then did you get the post before, during or after obtaining your diploma/degree? a) Before b) During c) After

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24. If it is after obtaining the diploma / degree, then did the diploma/degree influence your appointment in any way? a) Yes b) No 25. If yes, then in what way?................................................................................................ …………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26 What is your position in the office? (For those in the education offices)

a) District Director / Unit Manager b) Deputy District Director c) Schedule Officer (State)………………………………………………… d) Circuit Supervisor e) Unit Coordinator (State …………………………………………………

27. When did you get the position in question 26? a) Before obtaining the diploma/degree b) After obtaining the diploma/degree

28. If it is after obtaining the diploma / degree then did the diploma/degree influence your appointment into that position in any way? a) Yes b) No 29. If yes, then explain how……………………………………………………................. .............................................................................................................................................. C) PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE 30. For each statement on the table rate yourself by ticking the appropriate percentage

Percentage Performance Below 50 (1)

50 -60 (2)

61-70 (3)

71-80 (4)

81-90 (5)

91-100 (6)

Knowledge of the subject I teach or my job Ability to communicate effectively in English Attendance and punctuality in school / at work Ability to take initiative Duty consciousness Acceptance and abiding by policies and procedures Relationship with colleagues Relationship with pupils/students or clients Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision

Ability to finish duty on time Ability to take responsibility Professional and ethical behaviour Zeal for work / commitment to work Interest in seminars/workshops Attendance at staff meetings Ability to keep confidential information secrete Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis

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for self-improvement Ability to improvise equipment for teaching / for work

Ability to attend to individual needs of pupils in class or clients

Use of variety of instructional materials or use of variety of approaches to solve problems

Ability to motivate students to catch their attention Ability to use available technology or and manipulative materials

Effective management of classroom or office routines Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all pupils/students or clients

Ability to bring lesson to the level of understanding of pupils/students (for teachers only)

Ability to use varied forms of assessment ( for teachers only)

Encouragement of student self-evaluation (for teachers only)

Demonstration of fairness in assessment (For teachers only)

D) FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION 31. Currently what is your monthly income (In Ghana cedis)? a) GH 300-400 b) GH 410-500 c) GH 510- 600 d) GH 610-700 e) GH 710-800 32. Has your new qualification brought any financial change in your income level? a) Yes b) No 33. If yes, then is the change significant? a) Yes b) No 34. Are you able to save some money every month? a) Yes b) No 35. If yes to question 34 then is the amount significant? a) Yes b) No 36. Do you do any part time work? a) Yes b) No 37. If yes to question 36 then do you make a substantial amount of money out of it? a) Yes b) No 38. Do you serve as a resource person for any group of professionals?

a) Yes b) No

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39. If yes to question 38 then approximately how much money do you make from such consultancies per annum? GH¢…………………………………………………………… E) SOCIO-CULTURAL BENEFITS OF EDUCATION 40. For each statement on the table tick false, sometimes false, sometimes true or true depending on how it applies to you.

Statement False 1

Some times false 2

Sometimes True3

True 4

I am able to live with people of different ethnic and racial /tribal background with ease

I discriminate against people who are not of my race or tribe I frown on other people’s culture I feel that people from my tribe are better than others. I take interest in community activities and participate in them I always want to help other people to be successful in life I want all my children to attend school up to the university level I help my relatives to look after their children I help my family members financially I am able to pay the school fees of my children I prefer large family to small family size I do not want to have children of my own I often attend Parent Teacher Association meetings I am always searching for a better job than the present job I have ever been involved in a criminal activity I have ever been to prison I always vote in both national and local elections I always want to associate with people of my equal academic qualification

My children are always in the first ten in class I am not emotional when contributing to public debates 41. Rate your effectiveness in contributing to public debates a) 0 – 40% b) 41 – 50% c) 51 – 60% d) 61 – 70% e) 71 – 80% f) 81 – 90% g) 91 - 100 42. What is your preferred family size? a) Nil b) 1 – 3 c) 4 - 6 d) 7 – 9 e) 10 – 12

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f) More than 12 43. Do you, your spouse and children attend hospital for treatment when sick? (If yes go to question 44, if no go to question 45) a) Yes b) No 44. If yes to question 43 then on average how often does each of you attend hospital in a year? a) 1 – 4 times b) 5 – 8 times c) 9 – 12 times d) Above 12 (State)………………………………………………………… 45. If no to question 43 then state why................................................................................ …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 46. Any general comment about how your education is benefiting you ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 47. Any general comments about how your education is benefiting other people ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

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APPENDIX TWO QUESTIONNAIRE FOR HEAD TEACHERS / HEADMASTERS/HEADMISTRESSES/ HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS OF SAMPLED TEACHERS WHO OBTAINED DIPLOMA AND OR DEGREES THROUG H DISTANCE EDUCATION AND CONVENTIONAL SYTEM FROM UNIV ERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA This questionnaire is a research instrument seeking answers to some specific questions pertaining to people who acquired diploma or and degrees through distance education and conventional system from the University of Education, Winneba. As the direct head/supervisor select sampled staff (s) who fall (s) into any of these categories above and give the appropriate responses covering him/her/them. Whatever information you provide will be treated with the highest confidentiality. If you have more than one person who are qualified to be assessed then select the person to be assessed in such a way that all the qualified people will have equal chances of being selected. It is advisable to use balloting technique in the selection.

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Tick only one OPTION where possible options are provided. Where options are not provided state the correct answers on the lines provided.

1. For each statement on the table tick false, sometimes false, sometimes true or true depending on how it applies to the person you are assessing.

Statement

False 1

Some times false 2

Sometimes true 3

True 4

He/she is able to live with people of different ethnic and racial/ tribal background with ease

He/she discriminates against people who are not of his/her race or tribe

He/she frowns on other people’s culture He/she feels that people from his/her tribe or race are better than others.

He/she takes interest in community/ group activities and participates in them

He/she always wants to help other people to be successful in life He/she is always searching for a better job than the present job He/she has ever been involved in a criminal activity He/she has ever been to prison He/she always wants to associate with people of his/her equal academic qualification

He/she is most often emotional when contributing to public debates

2. Rate his/her effectiveness in contributing to public debates a) 0 – 40% b) 41 – 50% c) 51 – 60%

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d) 61 – 70% e) 71 – 80% f) 81 – 90% g) 91 - 100 3. Does he/she serve as a resource person for any group of professionals? a) Yes b) No 4. If yes to question 11 then which professional groups engage(s) him/her? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. For each statement on the table rate the person by ticking the appropriate percentage

Percentage Performance Below 50 (1)

50 – 60 (2)

61-70 (3)

71-80 (4)

81-90 (5)

)91-100 (6)

Knowledge of job Ability to communicate effectively in English Attendance and punctuality at work / school Ability to take initiative Duty consciousness Ability to accept and abide by policies and procedures

Relationship with colleagues Relationship with clients/students Ability to accept constructive criticism and supervision

Ability to finish duty on time Ability to take responsibility Professional and ethical behaviour Zeal for work / commitment to work Interest in seminars/workshops Attendance at staff meetings Ability to keep confidential information secrete Engagement in self- evaluation / reflection as a basis for self-improvement

Innovativeness Ability to attend to individual needs of clients/students

Use of variety of approaches to solve problems Ability to motivate clients/students to catch their attention

Ability to use available technology effectively Effective management of workplace routines Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all clients/students

Exhibition of a balance of fairness and firmness to all colleagues

Expresses good feelings towards colleagues

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Warmness towards people Ability to judge issues fairly

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