Religion of 2026-10-13
What COVID-19 revealed about online learning at the University of Ghana
Feature article by Benjamin Sackey
When universities across the world shut their lecture halls during the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to adjust to a new way of learning. Lectures moved online, assignments were submitted through digital platforms, and communication between lecturers and students increasingly depended on internet access.
At the University of Ghana, platforms such as Zoom and Sakai became important tools for continuing academic activities while students were away from campus.
But moving a lecture from a classroom to a computer or mobile phone was only one part of the transition. Students also had to navigate the practical demands of online education, raising questions about access to technology, the cost of internet data, and the support available to those struggling to adjust.
The experience raises an important question for higher education in Ghana: when universities move teaching online, are all students equally prepared to participate?
This question informed my undergraduate research at the University of Ghana, supervised by Dr Cecilia Tutu-Danquah, which examined the challenges of online teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved Level 400 students in the Department of Teacher Education who resided in halls and hostels, including James Topp Nelson Yankah Hall, Mensah Sarbah Hall, Jean Nelson Hall, Legon Hall, Bani Hall, and Pentagon Hostel. It sought to explore the difficulties students encountered with online learning, how these challenges affected the learning process, and possible measures to address them.
Although the research focused on a specific group of students, the issue it explored remains relevant to discussions about technology, access, and student success in Ghanaian universities.
Moving lectures online was only the beginning
Online learning gave universities a way to continue teaching during a period when face-to-face instruction was disrupted. It also demonstrated how digital platforms could support teaching beyond the traditional lecture hall.
However, the availability of an online platform did not necessarily mean that every student could use it without difficulty.
Participating in a virtual lecture requires more than knowing how to join a meeting. Students may need a suitable device, a reliable internet connection and enough data to attend lectures, download learning materials and complete assignments.
These requirements can create difficulties for students whose resources are limited. A student using a mobile phone to access course materials, for example, may have a different learning experience from one with a laptop and a stable internet connection.
The cost of connectivity can also affect how frequently students access learning materials and participate in online activities.
These are some of the broader concerns raised in discussions about online education during the pandemic. They show why universities must consider students' circumstances when introducing technology-dependent approaches to teaching.
A platform may be available to an entire class, but the opportunity to benefit from it may not be the same for everyone.
The digital divide and student success
The shift to online learning brought renewed attention to the digital divide in education. The term refers not only to differences in access to internet services and digital devices but also to differences in people's ability to use technology effectively.
For universities, this distinction matters because access to a learning platform does not automatically translate into meaningful participation.
Students must be able to follow lectures, obtain course materials, communicate with lecturers and complete assessments. When technological or financial difficulties interfere with these activities, the learning process can become more demanding.
The circumstances in which students study also matter. While some may have access to a quiet study area and reliable connectivity, others may have to contend with interruptions or limited resources.
These differences should not be interpreted as a lack of commitment on the part of students. Rather, they highlight the need for institutions to recognise that students do not all approach online learning with the same resources and support.
For Ghanaian universities, this presents an important consideration when developing digital learning policies. Expanding online education can create opportunities, but those opportunities must be accompanied by practical measures that help students participate.
Why communication and academic support matter
The relationship between lecturers and students remains important, regardless of whether teaching takes place in a classroom or online.
In a physical classroom, students can ask questions directly, seek clarification after lectures and receive immediate explanations when they encounter difficulties. Online platforms can support these interactions, but the quality of communication depends on how teaching is organised and how accessible lecturers are to their students.
Clear instructions, timely feedback and accessible course materials can help students understand what is expected of them. Where possible, recorded lectures and flexible access to learning resources may also help students who experience temporary connectivity problems.
Universities should also provide clear channels through which students can report technical difficulties and seek academic assistance.
These measures are particularly important when online learning is introduced during an emergency. Students may be adjusting not only to a different teaching method but also to changes in their daily routines and learning environments.
Supporting students through such transitions requires more than providing access to a digital platform. It requires institutions to pay attention to how students are actually experiencing the learning process.
What universities can learn from the pandemic
The pandemic demonstrated that universities need to be prepared for situations in which conventional classroom teaching becomes difficult to maintain. It also provided an opportunity to reconsider how digital tools can complement university education.
One lesson is the importance of planning for students' needs before introducing or expanding online learning.
Universities can assess whether students have access to appropriate devices, identify barriers to internet connectivity and provide guidance on using digital learning systems. Partnerships that improve affordable internet access may also help reduce some of the difficulties associated with online participation.
Lecturers, meanwhile, can benefit from training that helps them design online lessons, communicate clearly with students and use digital tools effectively.
A blended approach, combining online and face-to-face instruction where appropriate, may offer flexibility. However, it should be planned carefully to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by the technology or resources required to participate.
Universities should also gather feedback from students when evaluating digital learning arrangements. Such feedback can help identify practical difficulties that may not be immediately apparent from institutional records alone.
The goal should not simply be to deliver lectures online. It should be to create a learning environment in which students can understand course content, engage with lecturers and make academic progress.
Listening to students' experiences
Discussions about digital education often focus on the technology institutions use and the systems they put in place. Yet students' experiences are equally important when assessing whether those systems are working.
My undergraduate research approached the issue by examining online teaching and learning among Level 400 students in the University of Ghana's Department of Teacher Education. Using a qualitative research approach and convenience sampling, the study was designed to explore the challenges students experienced and possible ways of addressing them.
Because the research focused on a particular group and used convenience sampling, its scope does not support generalising its findings to every student at the University of Ghana. Nevertheless, research of this nature can contribute to broader conversations about student experiences and institutional responses to changes in teaching and learning.
Further studies involving students across different academic levels and programmes could help establish a more comprehensive picture of online learning in Ghanaian higher education.
Listening to students should not be limited to periods of crisis. Their experiences can help universities assess existing systems, identify gaps in support and make better-informed decisions about future teaching arrangements.
Building a more inclusive digital learning environment
COVID-19 forced universities to adapt quickly. The move to online learning helped sustain academic activities during a difficult period, but it also raised questions about whether students had the resources and support needed to benefit from the transition.
Those questions remain relevant as universities continue to explore digital and blended approaches to teaching.
Technology can make education more flexible and create new ways for lecturers and students to interact. However, its benefits depend partly on whether students can access and use it effectively.
For higher education institutions in Ghana, the task is therefore not simply to adopt digital platforms. It is to ensure that decisions about technology take account of students' circumstances, the quality of teaching and the support available to learners.
The pandemic offered universities an opportunity to rethink how education is delivered. The next step is to apply those lessons carefully, with student participation and educational access at the centre of the conversation.
Ultimately, the success of online learning should be judged not only by whether lectures can take place through a screen, but also by whether students have a fair opportunity to participate and progress in their education.
