Date of Graduation

2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

EdD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

Ugur Kale

Committee Co-Chair

Terence Ahern

Committee Member

Reagan Curtis

Committee Member

Patricia Haught

Committee Member

Neal Shambaugh

Abstract

Online learning has become an integral component of higher education in the 21st century. Harnessing this potential has resulted in an increase in enrollment without the corresponding wear and tear on main campus infrastructure. Many institutions of higher education have incorporated online learning into their programs while recognizing that online learners are more likely to be adult students. As such, adult learners must have basic online skills that make them ready for online learning. Also, online programs should be guided by andragogy -- a unique approach to educating the adult learner. And the adult learner must want to stay in an online program. For this reason, this study evaluated the perceptions of adult learners' readiness, the extent to which instruction in Ghanaian universities employ andragogical principles online and, whether learners preferred online to traditional instruction. Findings from the study showed that only two variables (gender and educational background) were perceived to have had any significant influence on adult learners 'readiness' for online instruction.

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