Joseph Yaw Dwamena Quansah’s research while affiliated with University for Development Studies and other places

Purpose This study explores how educational leadership practices leverage diverse expertise and perspectives of stakeholders when designing curricula to better prepare students for success in the 21st century. The purpose of this study is to explore how educational leadership practices mediate the interactions between stakeholders, facilitating the collaborative process of curriculum design (CCD) and to identify factors influencing collaborative curriculum design teams. Design/methodology/approach The study used an explanatory sequential mixed method, and data were collected from 192 participants, including deans, lecturers, industry partners and students, using questionnaires, interview schedules and focused group discussions. Transcripts from interviews and focused group discussions were subjected to thematic analysis to identify themes that were recurring in the collaborative team dynamics. Partial least squares (PLS) path modelling and coefficients were used to determine the relationship between leadership practices and effective CCD. The factors influencing effective collaboration curriculum design were measured using linear regression, ANOVA and model parameters. Findings Educational leadership practices such as clear and open communication and fostering a culture of trust and mutual respect were found to be key predictors in mediating stakeholder interactions and driving effective collaborative curriculum design. The study concluded that leadership practices can help overcome mistrust or role ambiguity by fostering clearer communication or establishing more defined roles for effective collaborative curriculum design. It was recommended that educational leaders should create an inclusive and supportive environment in which all participants feel valued and that all voices are considered in the curriculum design process, thus producing a responsive curriculum to meet the needs of the 21st-century society. Originality/value By focusing on a developing-country context, the study contributes to the global discourse on educational leadership practices and curriculum design in tertiary institutions; thus, the study fills a notable gap in the literature.

Student-mothers in distance education programmes must balance traditional domestic roles with their academic pursuits. This study sought to determine the experiences of student mothers in balancing motherhood and higher education at the Institute of Distance and Continuous Learning (ICDL) of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Sawla Study Centre, Ghana. The fundamental theoretical support for this study is grounded in Role Conflict Theory. This study employed a quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design and guided by the positivist or post-positivist paradigm. A questionnaire was used to collect data from all the 51 student mothers at the IDCL. Descriptive statistics of means and standard deviations were used to analyse the data collected. The study found that student mothers are overwhelmed with various non-academic responsibilities such as cooking, childcare, fetching water, and household chores. The study further indicated that student-mothers who juggle various non-academic activities in their daily lives, while balancing these roles with their academic pursuits, experience negative effects on both their academic performance and family life. The study concludes that student mothers face unavoidable academic obstacles from their non-academic responsibilities. Therefore, the study recommends that IDCL, in collaboration with the Counselling Unit of the university should provide intensive counselling services during freshers’ orientation programmes to make them aware of the academic challenges facing female students who conceive or give birth while pursuing their various programmes at the study centres. This study contributes to scholarship by shedding light on the unique challenges faced by student-mothers in distance education, particularly within the context of the IDCL. Keywords: Student-mothers, Academic Roles, Non-Academic Roles, Family Life, Distance Education

Distributed leadership practices in schools have gained prominence as a critical approach to meeting global educational goals. This study explored the perceptions of headteachers and teachers regarding distributed leadership practices in schools in Ghana. Anchored in the Distributed Leadership Theoretical Framework, the study adopted a qualitative descriptive phenomenological design underpinned by the constructivist philosophical paradigm. The research focused on headteachers and teachers in public basic schools within the Old-Tafo Municipal area of the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Using multiple sampling techniques, 15 participants were selected through census, purposive, and simple random sampling methods. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide and analysed through thematic analysis. The study found that distributed leadership fosters collaboration, inclusivity, shared responsibility, mutual trust among school stakeholders, and serves as an effective strategy to alleviate headteacher burnout and reduce leadership overload. The study concluded that distributed leadership is essential for enhancing teacher morale, building leadership capacity, and reducing headteacher workload. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education, teacher training institutions, and headteachers prioritize continuous professional development programmes to equip teachers with leadership skills. Also, headteachers should establish formal structures to support collaborative decision-making in schools.

This study assessed students’ perceptions of the qualities of a good lecturer, focusing on attitudes, values, professional knowledge, and professional practice in the National Teacher Standards (NTS) in Ghana. This study adopted a quantitative research design rooted in the positivist paradigm. The study's population constituted 1345 undergraduate students from the Faculty of Education with a sample size of 340 using Krejcie and Morgan's formula. A multi-stage sampling method was used to select participants. A questionnaire based on the NTS was designed to collect data on the qualities of a good lecturer. The data were quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics and sample t-tests. The findings revealed that the participants strongly agreed with most of the statements but disagreed with the statement asserting that "a sense of humor is not necessary for a lecturer." This study recommends that refresher courses should be organized based on the NTS for lecturers in Ghana to ensure effective teaching in the universities.

Over the past two decades, Ghana has been revising its curricula to address the country's existing needs, aspirations, and challenges. However, there is limited understanding of the factors that may contribute to the successful implementation of these curricula. This study aimed to assess the determinants of implementing the Common Core Curriculum in Junior High Schools in Ghana. A quantitative research approach employing a descriptive research design was utilized, and data were collected using a questionnaire from 436 respondents made up of teachers and head teachers. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to validate the questionnaire. Multiple regression and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were employed to analyze the data. The major findings reveal that school-based, learners-based and teachers-based factors are predictors of effective implementation of the Common Core Curriculum in public junior high schools in Ghana. It was recommended that adequate instructional materials, monitoring, and supervision be provided to facilitate the effective implementation of the Common Core Curriculum in Junior High Schools. These results have implications for both policy and practice concerning teacher recruitment and curriculum implementation in educational institutions. Received: 31 July 2024 | Revised: 16 October 2024 | Accepted: 14 January 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support this work are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author. Author Contribution Statement Ibrahim Abubakari: Conceptualization, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Amadu Musah Abudu: Methodology, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project administration. Joseph Dwamena Quansah: Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Resources, Data curation, Writing - original draft, Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Project administration.

Ghana’s Common Core Programme (CCP), introduced as part of recent educational reforms, aims to equip students with 21st-century competencies, including critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and intercultural collaboration. While the CCP provides a promising framework for incorporating Global Citizenship Education (GCE), the extent to which global citizenship principles are fully integrated within the curriculum remains a critical issue. Grounded in Transformative Learning Theory, this study examines the integration of GCE within the CCP and its potential to prepare students for active roles in an increasingly interconnected world. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach, targeting a population that included teachers, head teachers, and curriculum leads in basic schools across Ghana's Central, Ashanti, Western, and Savanna regions. Using a multistage sampling method, a total sample size of 427 participants was selected. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, and the analysis combined path-coefficient calculations with inductive thematic analysis. The findings reveal that skills (path coefficient = 0.335) exert the most significant influence on the CCP curriculum, reflecting the programme’s strong emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical competencies essential for global citizenship. Knowledge (path coefficient = 0.305) and attitudes and values (path coefficient = 0.303) also play critical roles, highlighting the CCP’s commitment to fostering global awareness, empathy, respect for diversity, and inclusivity. Furthermore, the high path coefficient between the CCP and GCE (0.930) demonstrates a strong positive alignment with GCE objectives. The study also reports high R² values for CCP (0.739) and GCE (0.865), suggesting a well-structured curriculum designed to promote global citizenship competencies. These results conclude that the CCP is successfully aligning with the broader goals of GCE by equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and values needed to thrive in a globalized world. To further enhance the integration of GCE within the CCP, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education strengthen ongoing professional development for educators and provide additional resources to support effective teaching practices.

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in primary education admission, enrolment, completion rates, and transition rates to junior high school in the Bongo District from 2012 to 2021. A descriptive exploratory design was used. This study used secondary data from the Ghana Education Office of the Bongo District in the Upper East region of Ghana to analyse trends in access to and participation in primary education within the district during the period studied. Findings revealed that a significant number of children enrolled in primary education were not in the appropriate grade for their age; the majority were either below or above the age range of 6 to 11 years for primary education in Ghana. Additionally, the percentage of the out-of-school population within the appropriate age range for primary education (NER) increased by 1.1 percentage points, from 15.4% in 2012 to 16.5% in 2021. This study recommends community outreach programmes by the district education office to address sociocultural factors affecting pupils’ participation in primary education. Received: 28 August 2024 / Accepted: 11 November 2024 / Published: 20 November 2024

The study aims to examine the perceptions of agriculture students in a Ghanaian University regarding farming as a sustainable livelihood after graduation. This study is grounded in the structuration theory. The target respondents for the study consisted of 105 final-year agriculture students from the Faculty of Agriculture. A total of 83 students were considered for the sample size which was determined using the Yamane (1967) sample size determination formula. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, anchored in the positivist paradigm. The study used a structured questionnaire for data collection. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis. The results revealed that a significant proportion of the students (46.1%) resided in rural areas where agriculture is the primary livelihood activity. Also, the study revealed that about 38.2% of the participants expressed willingness to grow food crops for their livelihood. The findings of the study further revealed that working in an educational institution (Mean= 3.0) was the most preferred livelihood option among participants. The study revealed that the major challenge deterring participants from pursuing farming as a sustainable livelihood is a lack of initial capital to start farming, with 67.1% of participants indicating this as a demotivating factor. The study recommended that government and other stakeholders should provide the necessary incentives in agriculture to arouse students' interest in taking up agriculture-related careers after graduation as a means of livelihood in Ghana.

Overcrowding in classrooms is a common issue in tertiary institutions in Ghana. Proper management of teaching space and time is critical for maximising the use of available resources and stressful-free learning environment for students in tertiary institutions. This article aims to provide empirical evidence and practical recommendations for improving the management of teaching space and time in Ghana's tertiary institutions. The study is grounded in utilization theory, and adopted a descriptive survey design. The population for this study consists of 26 general-purpose lecture rooms available at a university in Ghana. Census Sampling was applied to select all the 26 general-purpose lecture rooms. The instruments used for data collection was an observation checklist. Quantitative results from the observation checklist were analysed using teaching space utilization formulas. The study revealed that general-purpose lecture rooms were underutilized in terms of time but were efficiently utilized in terms of space. The study also found that the lecture rooms have high utilization rates on Mondays and low utilization on Fridays. Additionally, morning sessions revealed efficient utilization, while afternoon and evening sessions were underutilized. The study recommends implementation of centralized timetabling and computerization of space allocation. Additionally, the study recommends for provision of a few more large general purpose lecture rooms to accommodate very large class sizes, which can also be partitioned effectively to accommodate small class sizes for efficient utilization of the lecture rooms.