Distance Education at the Grassroots and Assessment Procedures. The Case of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Abstract

Distance education is an innovative learning experience which focuses on learning technology with the aim of creating human capital by using delivery of lessons from highly accredited source to the learner. At the University of Cape Coast in Ghana, individuals from diverse backgrounds and organizations embark on distance learning who under normal circumstances would not have had access to attend classes in the mainstream. The compelling need to determine their success in various centres is determined by effective assessment procedures and programme evaluation. This depends on types, structures, tools, mode of delivery and assessment records. This paper therefore examines the academic underpinnings of what precisely occurs at the University of Cape Coast. The paper instigates an inquiry to draw attention to learning outcomes of the “new” academic environment which stakeholders are benefitting from. The investigation was a case study from selected centres of the Eastern region. It adopted the mixed approach with sample selection which involved 50 students, 30 course tutors and 5 course coordinators. Semi-structured interview and group discussion were used as validation tools. Analytical processes were through sequencing and concurrent procedures using descriptive statistics and discursive method as basis for generating data. Respondents claimed that assessment procedures were superb. However, both students and course tutors complained about continuous assessment component of Teacher Made Test which is entirely ignored. The recommendation was to adopt well defined assessment and evaluation strategies.