A framework for capacity building amongst academic staff in Ghanaian polytechnics.
Korantwi-Barimah, Justice Solomon
Korantwi-Barimah, Justice Solomon
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Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to develop a framework that could be used to build the capacity of academic staff to enhance teaching and learning in Ghanaian
polytechnics. In order to achieve this objective, a central argument in the study is that building the capacity of academics is not only critical to successful teaching and
learning, it should also be the starting point for the on-going transformation in the polytechnic system in Ghana. The approaches to capacity building of employees in organisations were analysed critically and justified. To provide a strategic context to the study, four capacity building factors, namely institutional training and development, performance and
professional development, academic competence, and a learning and developmental environment, were identified and clarified and their strategic contributions toward developing a capacity building strategy were outlined. To determine the attitudes, challenges and expectations of academics regarding capacity building, a survey was conducted during 2014 in all the polytechnics. Justified for the study, the population comprised the entire 2575 academic staff. Convenience sampling was used to distribute questionnaires to 1026 staff from the
population. A total of 447 completed questionnaires were received; therefore, a response rate of 43.57 percent was achieved, which was found to be significant. The analysis of data was executed mostly in the form of frequencies, diagrams and cross-tabulations with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 11.0). A one-way ANOVA test was used to determine the significant differences between the demographic groups in relation to the identified capacity building factors. The study concludes that building academics’ capacity in Ghanaian polytechnics would engender development, growth and excellence within Ghana’s educational system. However, it was revealed that the polytechnics do not have adequate
capacity building programmes for academic staff and that there is not a comprehensive mentoring programme in place for staff development, resulting in many gaps. Further, the polytechnics face institutional inadequacies and lack the necessary academic infrastructure that promotes effective teaching and learning. As a blueprint for moving forward, the study proposes four context-responsive areas of strategic intervention vis à vis academics’ capacity building. A staff development policy is also recommended, since capacity building alone may not yield positive results under the current situation. At the same time, the polytechnics need to design and implement appropriate institutional strategies that can be maintained, while encouraging institution of mentorship and capacity building programmes as developmental tools for academics. A key outcome of the study is a conceptual framework for capacity building. While the framework has been developed in a Ghanaian polytechnic context, it can be applied to any other tertiary institution, which has a need to build capacity of academics. The value of this study is that it provides a fresh perspective on capacity building, a much needed research area in the higher educational context in Africa.
Description
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor Technologiae in the Department of People Management and Development,
Faculty of Management Sciences at the Tshwane University of Technology
Date
2015-05-01
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Capacity building, Ghanaian polytechnics, Academic competence, Research and development, Developmental environment, Professional enhancement, Procedures improvement, Framework