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ERIC Number: EJ1460823
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-1013
EISSN: EISSN-1467-8535
Available Date: 2024-12-03
Addressing the Role of Technology in Internationalization at a Distance: Voices of Students' in International Distance Learning from Ghana--Sub-Saharan Africa
British Journal of Educational Technology, v56 n2 p890-908 2025
The past two decades have witnessed a surge of distance learning in higher education across the world. Scholars have argued that this is due to the increasing use and recognition of technologies to act as a means, channel and source for internationalization of knowledge. Further, internationalization at a distance (IaD) has seen a rapid increase in universities in Ghana, sub-Saharan Africa, due to increased use of digital technologies and high demand for foreign education. Yet, there remains limited research about the role of technologies in facilitating and mediating IaD in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, few studies have explored students' experiences in IaD regarding prospects and challenges in Ghana, sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore students' experiences and voices regarding the role of technologies in facilitating and mediating distance learning including students' critical reflections on the technological shift of IaD in higher education (including the COVID-19 pandemic period) in Ghana. Data were collected following a qualitative research design via an in-depth semistructured interview of 28 students (16 females and 12 males) enrolled in IaD learning program in three foreign universities (two in the United Kingdom and one in the United States). Data analyses were done via a constant comparative approach. Findings showed that students experienced enhanced quality of learning through the varied use of technologies such as Zoom, Team and Google Hangouts. However, students faced challenges such as unequal access to technologies, intermittent Internet connections/outages, high cost of tuition and lack of social and teaching engagement. These findings in many ways contribute to a new understanding and knowledge building of students' experiences and challenges of IaD in sub-Saharan Africa.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Ghana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Educational Theory and Practice (ETAP), School of Education, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; 2Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology, School of Education, University at Albany-SUNY, Albany, New York, USA; 3Department of Distance Education, School of Continuing and Distance Education, College of Education, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana