Doctoral

Development of conceptual website design model for University of Education, Winneba, Ghana

2026-05-12T13:06:14Z

Development of conceptual website design model for University of Education, Winneba, Ghana Opoku, N. University’s website functions as a virtual front door that serves as a critical point of interaction for students, prospective students, alumni, faculty, and the global academic community. Beyond providing information to its community, a university website reflects the institution’s identity and a strategic asset for communication. As the first point of contact for many prospective students and stakeholders, the design, development and functionality of a university website plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions about the institution and influencing decision-making. Despite the increasing reliance on platform for communication, preliminary investigation suggests that many Ghanaian university websites failed usability test and lack modern design standards. Again, there is no conceptual model that guide the design and development of university website. Hence, the study focused on developing a conceptual model that outlines the essential components of effective university website design and test it in the development of prototype website for the University of Education, Winneba. The study employed qualitative descriptive design to describe the experiences of users when interacting with university website and provide a snapshot of the existing selected universities websites. Again, a studio-based research designs was used to produce a prototype UEW website through creative design processes. The research employed the purposive and convenience sampling techniques with a total sample of six websites, two experts and fourteen (14) participants from selected Ghanaian universities. Observations, focus group discussions and interviews were used for data collection. Thematic, visual, and content analysis were employed to analyse data from the field. Findings from the study revealed that many selected Ghanaian universities’ websites fall short in structure, content, accessibility, and modern digital standards. It emerged from the study that many users experience “click fatigue” when locating basic information on university website. Users reported search functionality failures, by returning zero results for programme specific information such as courses description on the university web. The study concluded that the conceptual model developed has proven to be a robust and effective framework for guiding the creation of functional and user-centred university websites. The application of the model was used in developing UniSite WordPress theme and further used to develop a prototype UEW website demonstrated its practical relevance and adaptability. The study recommends the adoption of the proposed conceptual model as a standard guideline for designing Ghanaian university website. Again, web designers and developers should adopt the UniSite WordPress theme for designing university website to reduce time and resources required to design, develop, deploy and maintain the university website due to its functionality and user-friendliness. A thesis in the Centre for Research in Culture and Creative Arts, The School of Creative Arts, submitted to School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Arts and Culture) in the University of Education, Winneba. JUNE, 2025

Comparative effect of collaborative peer and video-based microteaching models on selected female preservice teachers’ science teaching efficacy

2026-05-12T10:57:45Z

Comparative effect of collaborative peer and video-based microteaching models on selected female preservice teachers’ science teaching efficacy Awortwe, L. microteaching models in enhancing the science teaching efficacy of selected Ghanaian female preservice teachers. A comparative research design with purposive (criterion-based) sampling was used to select two intact classes comprising fifty-six (56) second-year Early Grade preservice teachers from the Presbyterian Women’s College of Education, Aburi. Participants were assigned to two treatment groups: collaborative peer microteaching and video-based microteaching, with twenty-eight (28) participants in each group. Over a period of six weeks, participants engaged in their respective microteaching sessions. Data was collected using the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (STEBI-B), the Perception of the Collaborative Peer Microteaching Model (PCPM) questionnaire, and a focus group interview. The STEBI-B was administered as a pre-intervention and post-intervention assessment to measure science teaching efficacy before and after the interventions. Paired-sample ttests showed significant improvements in STEBI-B scores for both the collaborative peer group (t(27) = −3.167, p = 0.004 < .05) and the video-based group (t(27) = −7.906, p = 0.000 < .05), with the larger t-value indicating that the video-based microteaching model was comparatively more effective. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) further confirmed that when the collaborative peer and video-based microteaching groups’ pre-intervention STEBI-B assessments are controlled, the video-based microteaching was comparatively more effective in enhancing female preservice teachers’ levels of science teaching efficacy. A two-way ANCOVA also revealed that age, prior teaching experiences, and their interaction had no statistically significant effect on participants’ STEBI-B scores. Additionally, responses from the PCPM questionnaire and focus group interviews indicated that participants generally perceived both microteaching models as effective in enhancing their science teaching efficacy. A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Science Education) Department of Science Education Faculty of Science Education AUGUST, 2025

Challenges of female student leaders in selected universities in Ghana

2026-05-11T12:07:10Z

Challenges of female student leaders in selected universities in Ghana Ampomah, D. The study explored the challenges of student leaders who are female in selected universities in Ghana. It emphasised how these leaders navigate gender dynamics within academic headship roles. Theories that underpinned this investigation encompass Role Congruity Theory-exploring biases against womanhood in leadership roles; Social Identity Theory-elucidating group-based leadership perceptions; and Resilience Theory exploring how female leaders can successfully adapt to challenging situations. These were complimented by the interpretivist paradigm. The study employed a qualitative approach, utilising a phenomenological design. It included four (4) public universities, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba and University of Development Studies using purposive sampling technique to select eighteen (18) participants. Instruments, such as focus group discussion and interview guides were used. The data were analysed using a thematic approach which involved classifying and interpreting recurring patterns and important ideas. It was discovered that some participants felt social expectations are in congruence with specific “feminine” roles, whereas others saw their gender as motivating factor to break stereotypes. It was also revealed that female student leaders are often marginalised when presenting their opinions in male dominated environment. There is a beneficial outcome of female student‟s leadership in terms of advancement in presentation skills, problem-solving skills, and self-confidence. It was concluded that, though the pathway to female leadership development were not smooth, their experiences conveyed a deep reflection. The study highlighted the need for mentors and teachers to assist female learners to identify their capabilities regarding leadership in their explorative stage, particularly in early stage of their education. This will motivate them to explore their potentials and enhance their leadership skills. In bringing gender stereotype to a minimum, universities should incorporate gender sensitisation programmes through engagement with the Student‟s Representative Council to promote inclusive leadership environments. Series of programmes should be organized by the Dean of Student‟s Affairs through seminars in order to equip female students pursuing their leadership dreams with skills mandated for leadership in universities. A thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Social Studies Education) Department of Social Studies Education Faculty of Liberal and Social Studies Education JUNE, 2025

A study of the picture making course at UEW and its alignment with Global contemporary Art trends

2026-04-08T11:44:03Z

A study of the picture making course at UEW and its alignment with Global contemporary Art trends Kumangtum, R.T. The University of Education, Winneba is currently a public university in Ghana with the core mandate to train teachers. It holds both the opportunity and responsibility to provide excellent teacher preparation for aspiring visual arts educators. Art is continually evolving, embracing innovative techniques, materials, and concepts that challenge traditional artistic norms. Art practices at UEW do not adequately reflect current world practices, because for over a long period, the school has maintained teaching almost the same techniques and methods of art, giving students a limited view of the art industry. The study adopts a case study design, allowing for a detailed examination of the depth of contemporary art practices among Picture Making students at the Department of Art Education, UEW. Participants of the study included Picture Making Lecturers, alumni and students who had at least completed 300 level of their degree programmes. It was realised that the content of the curriculum largely adopts the mimetic approach. Some lecturers had however made some efforts at chipping in a few contemporary art practices in their teaching instruction. Lecturers cited the operational Picture Making component of the accredited Art Education document and the Senior High School Visual Art curriculum as the factors that had for a very long time limited the Department from adopting contemporary art as an area of study for Picture Making. Through a document review of the Picture Making component of the Art Education accredited programme, it was observed that the curriculum leaned towards mimetic and formalistic theories in art practice. Consequently, the contemporary art genre has no place in the curriculum, creating a gap between the Picture Making classroom and the contemporary world of art. Student participants had very limited knowledge of the contemporary art genre. The findings of this research led to the proposal of a four-phased model for Picture Making instruction, and other strategies for incorporating contemporary art into the Picture Making course. The model combines both traditional and contemporary art methods, bridging the gap between the current Picture Making pedagogy and contemporary art practices. It is recommended that conceptual thinking, critical analysis, and interdisciplinary approaches to art-making should be introduced into Picture Making at UEW to provide students with a broader understanding and engagement in contemporary art. A Thesis in the Department of Music Education, School of Creative Arts, submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Arts and Culture) In the University of Education, Winneba