Ernest Ofori Sasu

2 Publications in AERD

Author Publications

Emergency remote teaching amid global distress: how did teacher educators respond, cope, and plan for recovery?

By Ernest Ofori Sasu

This study explored the emergency remote teaching experiences of Ghanaian teacher educators during COVID-19. The study employed a basic qualitative interpretive approach and purposively interviewed 25 teacher educators from 15 teacher training institutions. Teacher educators in this study reported that emergency remote teaching (ERT) was a learning opportunity and professional capacity-building experience for them to engage in contemporary pedagogical practices. Teachers also indicated that synchronous and asynchronous remote teaching was helpful for their students, as it provided students with the opportunity to engage in self-paced learning due to their access to learning resources at any time. ERT promoted peer teaching, team teaching, and effective collaboration among teacher educators. However, with little preparation and training for remote teaching and learning, both teachers and students struggled with the remote teaching and learning process. A myriad of challenges were identified including the unsuitability and unfamiliarity of online teaching and learning platforms, a high rate of absenteeism and low student engagement, a lack of parental and school support, and inadequate technological resources. The study revealed that mathematics and science teachers needed advanced technological resources to support student learning. Implications for educational policy and practice are discussed. © Crown 2024.

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Emergency remote assessment practices in higher education in sub-Saharan Africa during COVID-19

By Ernest Ofori Sasu

Following the disruptions to in-person schooling during COVID-19 and the need for emergency remote teaching, this study explored the assessment experiences of teacher educators in Ghana. Through a qualitative transcendental phenomenological approach, purposive criterion sampling was used to select 25 teacher educators from 15 teacher training institutions in Ghana who participated in online teaching during COVID-19 school closure. The findings show that teacher-centered approaches to assessment dominate emergency remote assessment practices of teacher educators. Hodgepodge grading and general feedback were more prevalent during remote assessment. Teachers were also found to randomly select a few students to provide individualized feedback due to the large class size. Challenges including limited knowledge of the use of the online teaching platform for assessment, inadequate professional training and access to technological resources, and concerns about academic dishonesty were reported. However, teachers reported that their involvement in abrupt remote teaching and assessment has been a learning opportunity for them to develop new skills, which is imperative for their professional development. Copyright © 2023 Baidoo-Anu, Asamoah, Quainoo, Gyamerah, Amoateng and Sasu.

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