Search

This study investigated the challenges that learners of English and French encountered during their participation in online language learning in a university in Ghana. The study adopted a quantitative survey approach by administering online questionnaire to undergraduate students at the university and analysing the data using descriptive statistics.150 students participated in the study. The results indicate that majority of the students generally feel that online language learning is bedeviled with a lot of challenges, notably technology availability, accessibility, and affordability, as well as the lack of capacity on the part of language instructors to effectively deliver in their online teaching activities. The study further discusses students' opinions and experiences with the objective of determining the prospects of online language learning within the Ghanaian tertiary education context. Based on the findings, some pragmatic pedagogical measures like migrating teaching and learning activities from basic to tertiary levels to full online teaching and learning of all subjects and courses and creating a technological fund with the intention of mobilising funds to empower every home technologically, were proposed to stakeholders to enable them to minimise the challenges of online learning in Ghana.

The study explored the English-speaking anxiety of trainee teachers in the colleges of education in Ghana. It aimed at unravelling the causes of the speaking anxiety in the learners and proffering strategies to mitigate the causes of the speaking anxiety. For that purpose, qualitative data were collected from 30 English-major students who attend a college of education in the Western North region of Ghana using semi-structured interviews as the data collection instrument. The data were analyzed using inductive coding data analysis procedures and techniques, where the dominant patterns and themes emerging from the data were grouped and examined. The results showed that the major causes of speaking anxiety are inferiority complex, fear of committing mistakes, spontaneity and the lack of preparation, fear of negative evaluation from tutors and peers, limited knowledge and vocabulary in the language and self-criticism. The participants also indicated the strategies that can curb the problem, including creating a learner-friendly and less formal classroom environment, peer assessment, encouraging the use of more speaking activities in the classroom, positive evaluative feedback and resignation and avoidance. In line with these findings, the study recommended that future research could employ a quantitative approach to produce a more generalizable outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In emerging nations like Ghana, unemployment has grown to be a serious worry for graduates. According to this perspective, the majority of graduates are recommended to start their own businesses rather than wait for positions from the government. This paper aims to examine the entrepreneurial intentions among University students, using variables such as Motivation, Family Background, Entrepreneurship Education and External Factors. This is a cross-sectional study where the results were based on the outcomes of a survey among the University of Cape Coast, school of Business students (n=130). Inferential statistical procedures such as the Pearson Product-Moment correlation test, Multiple Regression and Stepwise Regression Analysis were used to assess the study's specific aims and tested the four main hypotheses. The results indicated that all variables but Family Background positively influence students' entrepreneurial intentions and that Motivation is statistically significant in analyzing the factors that significantly affect the students' entrepreneurial intentions. Hence, more emphasis should be based on motivating the students both within and outside to enable them develop entrepreneurial mindsets. The study suggests that policymakers should focus on encouraging student entrepreneurship as it will be a proper management to deal with the severe unemployment issue in emerging countries, especially Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship that exists in the linguistic gyration of the annual speeches delivered by Otumfo Osei Tutu and Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin, who are both paramount Ghanaian royal chiefs of the Ashanti Kingdom and the Akyem Abuakwa Kingdom respectively. Although these prominent chiefs have delivered several speeches on several times and occasions and at different places and settings, this study paid particular attention to and selected only speeches that they delivered in academic environments, specifically, in universities in Ghana. These annual speeches used for the study were therefore those that were delivered at the University of Professional Studies and University of Education, Winneba campuses respectively. The analysis of the data was done based on the Hallidayan’s Systemic Functional Linguistic approach. The analysis reveals the incorporation of the ideology and power in the language of the royal speeches of the two paramount chiefs in Ghana and its influence on the university administrations and communities. Subsequently, the modality metafunction showed that the chiefs selected modal verbs to affirm and fulfill the tasks given them. From the data, it is evident that the traditional rulers can use language to communicate their strength, capabilities on the political administration and education spheres on the university communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using daily data spanning from January 2, 1998 to December 20, 2011, the study investigated the cointegration and the Granger causality relationships between exchange rates and stock prices in Ghana. Augmented Dickey-Fuller test was used to test for unit root process in the data series and the results show that both variables are integrated at order one, I (1). The Engle-Granger (1987) two-step cointegration test was used to test for cointegration between the two variables. The results show that there is no cointegration relationship between the two. Also, a structural break in the relationship between the two variables after the redenomination of the Ghana's currency (Cedi) on July 3, 2007 was noticed. In effect, VAR between the stock price and exchange rate returns for pre-redenomination and post-redenomination sub-sample periods and consequently test for Granger causality. Unidirectional causality from exchange rates to stock prices before the redenomination but no causality between the two after the redenomination of the cedi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the willingness of consumers to pay a premium for organic watermelon and lettuce using contingent valuation data from urban Kumasi in Ghana. The effects of the determinants of consumer willingness to pay a premium are estimated with a bivariate Tobit model. The empirical findings indicate that in addition to socioeconomic characteristics, product freshness and cleanness tend to have positive effects on consumer willingness to pay a premium for organic watermelon compared to conventional watermelon. Whereas product size has a negative influence on consumer willingness to pay premium for organic lettuce, less insect damage to vegetables tends to have a positive effect. The study estimates the willingness to pay a premium for organic watermelon/lettuce compared to conventional watermelon/lettuce. The estimated mean consumer willingness to pay premium for 1 kilogram of organic watermelon is GH¢0.5554 (US$ 0.4575) and that of organic lettuce is GH¢1.2579 (US$1.0361). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal controls are critical to guarding an institution against fraud, error, and devastation. They are effective tools for preventing losses and achieving organizational goals. However, internal control mechanisms need to be relevant, because the organization cannot comprehend the effectiveness of the system if they are out-of-touch with the operation. Health care control practices are not exceptionally different from what pertains in other industries. The health care organizations require effective corporate governance mechanisms to uphold their operations and performances. These practices assist health care organizations to exhume cynical practices that generate unproductive results and also factors militating against the hospital's goals or objectives. This study revealed that practices such as enhanced Board diligence, Health Professionals on board, financial prudence, and effective communication have the tendency of reducing mortality, if well executed., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)