Learning Online during Crisis - Experiences of Students of a Women's Community College in Ghana

This qualitative study explored how female college students in a community in Ghana undertook their online learning activities during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. To achieve the objectives of the study, criterion sampling, and an open-ended online questionnaire were used to collect data from 24 female students from the Presbyterian Women's' College of Education (PWC) in the Aburi community of Ghana. From conventional content analysis, it was found that the female community college students appreciate online learning. They are able to position themselves to adapt, change their mind-set, and build their confidence to effectively study online. They have also shown the ability to leverage on basic interactive tools such a WhatsApp, chatrooms, and conference telephone calls to undertake virtual group study activities. They, however, have concerns with poor Internet connectivity, limited financial resources for accessing Internet services, limited time for grasping their content and lack of electronic devices. If they are supported with free internet services, electronic devices such as smart phones and laptops and equipped with online study skills, they will be able to consolidate and utilize the gains of online learning that has emerged from the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.