Fourteenth International Conference on e-Learning & Innovative Pedagogies

Abstract

It is well known that before the looming of the global pandemic the closeness between the physical and virtual realities departed long since. While adjusting to the new-old phenomenon, Covid-19 exacerbated the widening gap and compelled the world to move towards a more enhanced virtual space than it was operating. This became an inescapable burden in Ghana, considering the weaker infrastructure and its punier digital culture and communities. The academic environment characterizes teaching and learning in universities and other higher educational institutions (HEI) globally, which has always been face-to-face interactions and participation. To cope with the pandemic’s insurgence whilst managing academic cycles and calendars, the use of virtual modes (e-learning) for teaching and learning became a no option for teaching and learning for HEIs. Using key informant interviews and online surveys, the paper finds that most faculty members were not comfortable with the online/virtual teaching approach as it requires complex navigations for them. Also, 80% of the students were not interested in the virtual learning mode, as most of their social learning capitals were not considered. Students revealed (65%) fall in their academic performance (scores). There was a distinctive difference in teaching and learning using digital platforms by both digital migrants and natives. The study recommends that more of the digital migrants should be trained to help in their transition process.