Implementation Strategies of the University of Ghana Distance Education Programme

Abstract

In the last few years, educational systems worldwide have experienced a paradigm shift from the traditional synchronous mode to incorporate the asynchronous mode. The main reason for this addition is because a lot of students are either working or having family responsibilities that will not permit them to be full-time students. This study, therefore, explores the implementation strategies that were used to establish the University of Ghana Distance Education Programme. The study is an explorative qualitative design that employs the use of two sets of open-ended interview guides to seek information from respondents who participated in the study. The participants of the study included all past coordinators of the programme as well as the centre organisers. All participants were purposively selected. However, their participation was voluntary. Findings from the study indicated that there was a time span of twelve years from the planning to the implementation of the programme. In spite of the delays, it was revealed that good communication with stakeholders and good structures were employed, making the implementation of the programme a success and also making the future of the programme brighter,as it is now moving into the use of web tools to meet the expectations of the current cohort of prospective university students.