From emergency remote teaching to innovative online pedagogy: Post-COVID insights from a Ghanaian University

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a swift transition to online learning,
reshaping tertiary education in Ghana. This study explores how
students at a Ghanaian technical university perceive online teaching
effectiveness in the post-COVID era. Using a qualitative design
and semi-structured interviews, it investigates students’ experiences,
attitudes, and challenges before, during, and after the pandemic.
Findings reveal that while online learning enhanced
flexibility, digital literacy, and resource access, unstable internet,
limited interaction, and unsuitability for practical courses impeded
effectiveness. Guided by Social Learning and Expectation
Confirmation Theories, results show that students value online
education but hesitate to fully embrace it due to technological
and pedagogical gaps. The study advocates for blended learning
models, stronger digital infrastructure, and faculty training, emphasising
equitable access, engagement strategies, and institutional
support to sustain online education in Ghana’s tertiary sector.