Stakeholder Perspectives on the Assessment of Teaching and Teacher Training in Ghana's Transnational Higher Education Landscape

Abstract

This article reports on an aspect of a British Council-Ghana sponsored research project that investigated transnational education (TNE) partnerships and the environment of distance learning in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Ghana. Using insights from self-administered questionnaires and semi-structured case study interviews conducted, the article explores how teaching and teacher training assessments are undertaken in Ghanaian HEIs. The findings reveal that (1) Ghanaian HEIs involved TNE partnerships use student satisfaction and engagement surveys as two key mechanisms to assess teaching and teacher training in their institutions, and (2) the focus of teaching and teacher training assessments in these institutions appears to centre on improving the quality of teaching delivery and curriculum improvement than concerns for the quality of students’ learning. We conclude, therefore, that Ghanaian HEIs involved in TNE partnerships may have genuine intentions to improve quality of teaching and learning; however, these good intentions appear to be constrained by their lack of knowledge and expertise about innovative and resourceful ways of undertaking teaching and teacher training assessments generally in HEIs. This results in teaching and teacher training assessments in these institutions not being undertaken in tandem with learning to help teachers improve and refine their teaching practices to enhance students’ learning.