Date of Award
1-1-2013
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Organizational Unit
Morgridge College of Education, Higher Education
First Advisor
Franklin A. Tuitt, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Arthur Jones
Third Advisor
Linda Bowman
Fourth Advisor
Shemelis Assefa
Fifth Advisor
Dores Cruz
Keywords
Critical pedagogy, Ghanaian higher education crisis, Postcolonial theory, United States, Community college
Abstract
The higher education systems throughout the continent of Africa are undergoing unprecedented challenges and are considered in crisis. African countries, including Ghana, all have in common ties to their colonial legacy whereby they are confronted with weak policies put in place by their colonizers. Having gained their independence, Africans should now take responsibility for the task of reforming their higher education system. To date, nothing substantial has been accomplished, with serious implications for weakening and damaging the structures of the foundation of their educational systems. This qualitative, single case study utilized a postcolonial theory-critical pedagogy framework, providing guidance for coming to grips with the mindset posed by Ghana's colonial heritage in the postcolonial era, especially in terms of its damaging effects on Ghana's higher education system. The study explores alternative pathways for secondary school students to transition to tertiary education--a problematic transition that currently hinders open access to all and equality in educational opportunity, resulting in a tremendous pool of discontinued students. This transitional problem is directly related to Ghana's crisis in higher education with far reaching consequences. The alternative pathway considered in this study is an adaptation of the U.S. community college model or an integration of its applicable aspects into the current structures of the higher education system already in place. In-depth interviews were conducted with 5 Ghanaian professors teaching at community colleges in the United States, 5 Ghanaian professors teaching at universities in Ghana, and 2 educational consultants from the Ghanaian Ministry of Education. Based on their perspectives of the current state of Ghanaian higher education, analyzed in terms of pedagogy, structure/infrastructure, and curriculum, the participants provided their perceptions of salient aspects of the U.S. community college model that would be applicable to Ghana's situation, along with other recommendations. Access to all, including equality of educational opportunity, was considered essential, followed by adaptability, affordability, practicality, and quality of curriculum content and delivery. Canada's successful adaptation of the U.S. model was also discussed. Findings can help guide consideration of alternative pathways to higher education in Ghana and Africa as a whole.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Rights Holder
John Kwame Asubonteng Rivers
Provenance
Received from ProQuest
File Format
application/pdf
Language
en
File Size
202 p.
Recommended Citation
Rivers, John Kwame Asubonteng, "Towards the Consideration of the U.S. Community College Model to Address the Need for Higher Education Reforms in Ghana" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 999.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/999
Copyright date
2013
Discipline
Higher Education