Abonyi, Usman Kojo

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Promoting gender equity in school leadership appointments: A comparison of male and female headteachers' instructional leadership practices in Ghana

By Abonyi, Usman Kojo

Ghana's efforts to end all forms of discrimination against women and ensure gender equity in school leadership appointments require a change in peoples' mindsets, habits and cultural beliefs. It is envisaged that evidence on the performance of the few women who have been appointed into leadership positions against their male counterparts would be quite instrumental in the change process. This study, therefore, assessed whether statistically significant differences exist in the extent to which male and female headteachers in two selected educational districts in Ghana enact instructional leadership practices in their schools. Utilizing a descriptive survey design and employing the teacher version of the principal instructional management rating scale, 263 teachers participated in the study. Findings from the study showed that there were no significant differences between male and female headteachers in none of the ten instructional leadership functions explored in the study. This meant that male headteachers in the selected educational districts did not significantly demonstrate any superior instructional leadership practices compared to their female counterparts. The study recommends that educational policymakers in Ghana initiate pragmatic policies to increase women's representation and participation in school leadership roles.

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Managing large classes in virtual teaching: experiences of university teachers in Ghana during COVID-19

By Salifu, Inusah

This research used the qualitative multiple case study and phenomenological designs to explore how, without training, university teachers in Ghana managed large student numbers in the virtual environment during COVID-19. The study examined further the challenges the teachers faced in their virtual instructional delivery. Twelve participants drawn purposively from four large Ghanaian universities participated in individual interviews and follow-up virtual class observations. The findings revealed that the participants employed two management techniques in their virtual teaching-regulating the behaviour of learners and controlling instructional content. The research further uncovered that, although the teachers' complaints generally centred on environmental constraints and inadequate institutional support, those whose difficulties included using virtual tools did not have virtual teaching experience before the COVID period. The study supports the clarion call on university teachers involved in virtual teaching to personally seek a continual update of skills and competency in virtual delivery because it is an approach hinged on evolving technology.

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