Mixed methods study highlights the difficulties students and tutors faced with online teaching during COVID-19, suggesting crucial needs for reliable internet and devices.
BackgroundThe sudden temporal transition to online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown affected the educational system worldwide. This study aims to present the experiences of students and tutors on online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Ghana. MethodsA mixed-method cross-sectional survey explored students’ and tutors’ experiences with online teaching and learning. A sample size of 468 students and 6 tutors were involved in this study using a purposive sampling technique. Bivariate, multivariate, and narrative analyses were used to determine the perspectives of students and tutors regarding online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. ResultsOur study revealed that 75% of the students perceived online teaching as less effective than face-to-face. Students studying public health nursing (OR 0.35; CI 0.14, 0.89, p=0.027) and midwifery (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.31, 1.00; p = 0.05) were less likely to perceive online teaching as ineffective than those studying general nursing. Students who supported the integration of online teaching into traditional face-to-face teaching were less likely to perceive the online lectures as being ineffective than those who did not support blended teaching (OR 0.47; C I0.28, 0.81; p = 0.006). Both tutors and students had challenges with the cost of internet data, reliable internet connectivity, power outages and interruptions from family and friends. Conclusions Institutions must guarantee the availability of computers, tablets, and smartphones as well as reliable and affordable internet for all students to support online teaching and learning.
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Abdulai et al. (2024) studied this question.
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