Enhancing institutional policies and frameworks for E-learning: A case study of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Authors: Ewusi-Mensah Nana , Logah Courage Julius , Forkuor John Boulard , Mensah-Gyening Rose-Mary Owusuaa , Arthur Abeaku Badu , Asante Eric Appau 
Published: February 2024

The onset of Covid-19 has made learning online an important component of tertiary-level education. However, for the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the challenge has been the lack of a clear policy guiding teaching and learning within online environments. Instructors seem to be unclear about which standards/policies are expected of them when delivering instructions in online settings, and learners are equally unsure of the ethics and responsibilities that come with online learning. This research thus sets out to address this problem by developing frameworks for the institutionalization of a codified E-learning policy for KNUST to guide/regulate online teaching and learning. The research adopted a convergent parallel design in which qualitative and quantitative approaches were used. Three key institutional E-Learning innovators and 73 lecturers from different Departments and Colleges of KNUST were conveniently and purposefully sampled to interview schedules and survey questionnaires for data collection. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and coded. Furthermore, a focused group discussion was conducted with seven level 400 students. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistical methods (including standard deviations, percentages, means, and graphs where appropriate). From our preliminary qualitative results, participants agreed that existing policies and infrastructure in KNUST are inadequate and do not fully address online teaching and learning needs. In terms of policy recommendations, while teaching staff are concerned about and advocate for policies that regulate learners’ ethical behavior within online learning spaces; learners are interested in policies that regulate the ethical behavior of learners and those that specify standards of teaching for facilitators. Some learners emphasized the need for policies to include adequate support staff for each online learning activity to ensure that both learners and facilitators uphold the standards. Seventy percent of the respondents indicated the need for designed institutional sanctions for student misconduct during online teaching and learning engagements. Again, more than 50% of respondents indicated the need for specific and clearer ethical and copyright guidelines for online teaching and learning as well as clearer instructions regarding student behavior within online teaching environments. The findings that emerge from this research seek to make specific recommendations to address the barriers that hinder effective teaching and learning in online environments. The authors hereby recommend that government institutions such as the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission should strongly encourage stakeholder discussions for a nationwide E-learning policy from which tertiary institutions could use as a springboard in drafting policies/guidelines, policy audit, and conducting a needs assessment.