The Status and Challenges of Online Distance Education Programs in Post-Secondary Institutions in Ghana Page: I

                                
Adjabeng, Stanley. The Status and Challenges of Online Distance Education Programs
in Post-Secondary Institutions in Ghana. Doctor of Philosophy (Applied Technology and
Performance Improvement), May 2017, 95 pp., 5 tables, 24 figures, references, 111 titles.
The purpose of this study was to identify the status and challenges of online distance
education programs in post-secondary institutions in Ghana. This study was a replication of a
similar study conducted in Kenya in 2009, at the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University.
This present study was conducted with an online survey using Google survey assessment. The
survey requested responses from six post-secondary institutions in Ghana. Out of a total of 450
projected student responses, 309 responses were received with a 69% participation rate. A total
of 14 responses were received for instructors out of a projected 30 resulting in 47% participation
rate. And for administrators, 8 responses were received out of a projected 12 resulting in a 67%
participation rate. Overall the study revealed that Ghana post-secondary institutions have
established and incorporated online distance education into their programs, offering both online
and blended courses. Some of these institutions established regional centers across the country
and incorporated foreign instructors into their programs. The survey also revealed that students
were satisfied with the overall online distance education program in their institutions which
included the level of instruction, feedback and evaluation. However, there were still challenges
revealed from the study that included the high cost of education, frequent power outages, school
stoppages as a result of instructor strikes and the need to restructure courses to include projects.