Strategies for overcoming the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education institutions in Ghana

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of higher educational institutions (HEIs) and affected the teaching learning processes in educational institutions of all levels. The pandemic increased the digital gap of the existing minimal Internet connectivity and access to digital technology. As a result of the impact of the pandemic on education, HEIs in Ghana moved from traditional face-to-face classes to remote education or hybrid learning. Therefore, it is important to understand how digital technologies and digital divide influenced teaching and learning in sub-Saharan Africa. Thus, the purpose of this research was to investigate the strategies universities in Ghana used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also aimed to explore the challenges and experiences of dealing with the digital divide during the pandemic. Data were collected following a qualitative research design. Thirty-five in-depth and semi-structured interviews (25 teaching faculty and 10 administrators) from two private and three public universities were obtained and analysed via thematic analysis approach. Findings were thematized by challenges of dealing with digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic, provision of affordable Internet connectivity for students, faculty and staff, use of digital technologies and resources for hybrid and remote courses, creation of information communication and technology platforms for students, faculty and administrators, and provision of professional development workshops/trainings on digital skills and knowledge. These results were discussed with the three-level model of the digital divide framework (school, classroom and student) and the development history of digital infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa. By analysing the Ghana HEIs' experiences, this study contributes to a balanced understanding of the digital divide issue during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the closure of higher educational institutions (HEIs) worldwide, including those in sub-Saharan Africa, and changed learning and teaching process to remote learning in higher education.
• There is dearth of studies regarding how digital technologies and digital divide influenced teaching and learning progress during the COVID-19 pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Lack of understanding about the strategies universities in Africa (Ghana) used to overcome the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What this paper adds

• This study, unlike earlier ones with a similar focus, investigated the strategies higher education institutions in Ghana in sub-Saharan Africa used to overcome digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The results show the following: evidence of students lack of access to affordable Internet bandwidth, adoption of remote education, using digital technologies for hybrid and remote courses, creation of ICT platforms for instructors and students, trainings on digital skills for instructors and students, and challenges of dealing with digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• The paper identifies the instructional strategies HEIs in Ghana used to address and reduce the challenges of digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The findings were theoretically analysed under a three-level model of the digital divide in education, proving the utility of this comprehensive approach. Then, they were interpreted concerning the development history of sub-Saharan Africa to reduce the discursive unbalance in the digital divide studies.
• The paper makes detailed recommendations on how HEIs can address the effects of digital divide on teaching and learning experience during future disruptions and increase the use of digital technologies and ICT tools in remote/hybrid and or distance learning environment in sub-Saharan Africa.