Assessing Academic Advising Among Students In Selected Colleges Of Education In Ghana

Abstract

The main thrust of the study was to assess academic advising among students in selected Colleges of Education in Ghana. To achieve this, the study was nested into the descriptive survey design involving the quantitative approach. The population for the study comprised all the second- and third-year students in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. Using a multistage selection process, 351 students (with a 96.9% return rate on the initial sample of 340) were chosen from the selected Colleges of Education in Ghana. The information was gathered with the use of questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data (frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviations). The study found that most students in Colleges of Education in Ghana do not like how academic advising is conducted for them regarding prescriptive and developmental modes. Again, students do as the characteristics of academic advising are offered to them. Furthermore, it was found that most resources, such as communication tools and internet connectivity, are not available for effective and efficient academic advising to be carried out in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. Also, due to some deficiencies in academic advising in the Colleges of Education in Ghana, most students in Colleges of Education are not satisfied with the academic advising services offered. Finally, it was found that academic advising in the Colleges of Education in Ghana is bridled with some challenges that affect its effectiveness. It was suggested that academic advisers at Ghanaian Colleges of Education get to know their students personally, learning about their employment experiences, hobbies, and families to help them achieve their academic goals.