Browsing by Author "Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline"

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A Comparative Analysis of Students’ Technology Uses During Covid-19 Lockdown in Ghana
(Covenant Journal of Communication (CJOC), 2021-06) Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Opoku, Mensah Eric; Agyepong, Lawrencia
The study tests an author-derived quantitative version of the Student Technology Use Framework by assessing the effectiveness of distance learning technologies deployed by universities in Ghana during the Covid-19 lockdown period. It focuses on the knowledge acquisition needs of students who were initially admitted into the traditional learning mode but had to adapt to distance learning following the lockdown. The population comprises undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Christian Service University College (CSUC), a private university in Kumasi, and the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), a public university in Accra. The sample size was 351 - 187 from CSUC and 164 from GIJ. Copies of a questionnaire were distributed to CSUC students by personal contact, and a Google Forms link to GIJ students via e-mail. Results show that students in public universities had lower technological learning capabilities than their compatriots in private universities, resulting in a better learning experience throughout the lockdown.
Decolonization of Indigenous Language Media Practice in Ghana: Myth or Reality?
(African Journals Online (Arụmarụka: Journal of Conversational Thinking), 2022-10-03) Opoku, Mensah Eric; Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline
The marginalization of Ghanaian indigenous languages from the media space ceased in the 1990s when the airwaves were liberalized. This was not only a ground-breaking experience for diversification but also a way of getting the majority of the population informed, especially through radio, which is a comparatively accessible medium. However, indigenous language use for radio news broadcasts has come under intense criticism for the extensive use of embellishments like proverbs, which are believed to digress from foreign and acceptable news standards. Using content analysis of Ghanaian media policy documents, sampled news recordings from selected private FM radio stations, and semi-structured interviews with selected news professionals, this paper argues that Ghanaian indigenous language communication forms include embellishments and their accurate use presupposes an immense understanding of the language. Hence, indigenous languages cannot be adapted and appreciated wholesomely in the media space if aspects of it are downplayed.
Gatekeeping for Survival: Evidence from Online News Portals in Ghana
(New Media and Mass Communication, 2021-09-30) Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Opoku, Mensah Eric; Machator, Daniel
Public speaking is a relevant skill, especially for those who aspire to be leaders, including student leaders. Being able to communicate effectively, eloquently, making meaningful statements as well as persuading people to agree to your opinion cannot be taken for granted for anyone who aspires to take a public leadership position. Similar to any democratic political system, winning leadership position in institutions of higher learning requires persuasive skills to make colleagues buy into your vision to win. Though some people have the natural ability to speak eloquently and communicate their thoughts publicly, others learn to do that, fostering the incorporation of public speaking into the curricular for Public Relations students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ). Using the Theory of Communicative Action and a qualitative methodology, this study sought to understand how student leaders in GIJ came by their public speaking skills and how it impacted their career choices. Findings indicate that students who took up leadership positions had mastered the public speaking skills through social institutions before entering GIJ, partly because they had the leadership aspiration. The curriculum training was seen as a supplement to harness that skill, and the art of public speaking greatly influenced their career choices.
Implementation of the National Media Commission’s Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting, a Conduit for Local Language Media Accountability in Ghana
(Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2020-04-25) Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Ganaa, Fausta Kilian; Adade-Yeboah, Asuamah
Broadcasting in the local language in Ghana, especially on radio, has come under stakeholder criticisms over years. The National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana’s independent media regulator introduced the Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting (GLLB) in 2009 as a counterweight to guide the reputation of local language broadcasting. Ten years down the line, the criticisms continue against a backdrop of NMC’s failure to make its impact felt and not being effective in popularizing the GLLB among the local language media fraternity. Using interviews, observations and content analyses of the GLLB, the study enhances the GLLB’s implementation by local language radio stations in Ghana with all the perceived challenges. The study found out that for the GLLB to be effectively implemented, the NMC needs an elevation to the status of an Authority in order to command enormous power to exercise. The tenets of the GLLB also need to be re-visited and revised from a Guideline into a Standard, after consultations with the relevant stakeholders.
Language Practice and the Dilemma of a National Language Policy in Ghana: The Past, Present and Future
(International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2019-03) Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Adade-Yeboah, Asuamah
In addressing language issues within the public domain, linguistic hegemonies and power relations are maintained by the roles of law, education and media. In Ghana, the Official Language Policy, Schools’ Language Policy and the languages promoted in the media are treated independently. This study attributes the lack of concord to the non-existence of a law or a National Language Policy which gives a language direction. Though the effect of the non-existence of a law may seem unfelt, its negative impact is weaving its way in the other areas of media and education.By interviewing and observing media professionals in their work contexts as well as content analyses of the Broadcasting Act and the Guidelines for Local Language Broadcasting, the current language situation in Ghana is discussed, driving home the idea that without a National Language Policy with an indigenous Ghanaian pride, efforts at developing indigenous languages will continue to dwindle into extinction.
Public Speaking and Career Advancement: Experiences of Past Student Leaders from Ghana Institute of Journalism
(Cradle of Knowledge: African Journal of Educational and Social Science Research (The), 2024-01-31) Essandoh, Mavis; Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline
Public speaking is a relevant skill, especially for those who aspire to be leaders, including student leaders. Being able to communicate effectively, eloquently, making meaningful statements as well as persuading people to agree to your opinion cannot be taken for granted for anyone who aspires to take a public leadership position. Similar to any democratic political system, winning leadership position in institutions of higher learning requires persuasive skills to make colleagues buy into your vision to win. Though some people have the natural ability to speak eloquently and communicate their thoughts publicly, others learn to do that, fostering the incorporation of public speaking into the curricular for Public Relations students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ). Using the Theory of Communicative Action and a qualitative methodology, this study sought to understand how student leaders in GIJ came by their public speaking skills and how it impacted their career choices. Findings indicate that students who took up leadership positions had mastered the public speaking skills through social institutions before entering GIJ, partly because they had the leadership aspiration. The curriculum training was seen as a supplement to harness that skill, and the art of public speaking greatly influenced their career choices.
Radio and Sustainable Food Production in Ghana: Citi FM’s Local Rice Campaign in Perspective
(Environmental Technology and Science Journal, 2023-02-25) Mensah, E.O; Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Piyuori, I; Arkoh, M.E.A; Matey, O.A; Badu, E.N; Tijani, S
Knowledge on sustainability is essential for behavioural change and sustainable lifestyle aimed at eliminating local and consequently, global challenges. The media, a major social institution charged with the responsibility of protecting public interest and fostering development, has a role through its information service function, to put accurate and relevant information on national issues out there for the consumption of their audiences. It is against this backdrop that this study examined the media as a strategic partner in promoting and sustaining food production in Ghana, using a local rice campaign by Citi FM as a case. Situated within the social responsibility and the agenda setting theories, this study was approached qualitatively, using semi-structured interviews with the Programme Director of Citi FM’s local rice campaign and the Head of Communications at the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Office in Ghana. The study found among other things that, promoting agriculture was a core vision of Citi FM, and by this campaign, local rice production and consumption in Ghana was boosted per the strategies and information provided. However, this effort which aimed at improving the economic fortunes of farmers and reducing unemployment led to the FM station losing advertisement from rice importers. This paper recommends governmental support for sustainability focused media organisations, while urging others, especially local language FM stations to be sustainability oriented, and have as their vision, a commitment to promoting local initiative and fostering development to be able to contribute significantly to the global picture of promoting and attaining the SDGs by 2030.
Technological Determinism: New Media Applications and Adaptations within Traditional Media in Ghana
(Information Technologist (The), 2021-07-06) Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Ganaa, Fausta Kilian; Apeakoran, Ephraim Nana
Globally, the emergence of digital media was anticipated to pose enormous threat to traditional media‟s existence and survival. This was due to the ease of entry of gatekeepers. However, to ensure their continued relevance and survival, traditional media harnessed the potential of digital media by converging their services into a hybrid system. By using qualitative design, this study analyses the strategic brand positioning of selected traditional media in Ghana. Findings show that the hybrid system has increased their audience base, increased their news dissemination and improved their audience-credibility rating. It concludes by calling for a malleable approach to media management.
The Communicative Ecology of Social Media in the Organization of Social Movement for Collective Action in Ghana: The Case of #FixTheCountry
(Information Impact: Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, 2022-03) Adu-Bempah Brobbey, Collins; Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline; Apeakoran, Ephraim Nana
This study seeks to unravel the media-oriented practices and media technology applications of the #FixTheCountry protests which seek to demand accountability from successive governments of Ghana. While acts by various governmental agencies supposedly worked to prevent a physical convergence due to the Covid-19 pandemic, their efforts proved futile due to the communicative ecology driving the movement. Using the concept of communicative ecology and a multimodal ethnography through observation, semi-structured interviews and time series analysis of happenings after the emergence of the hashtag, #FixTheCountry, the study found out that the diverse backgrounds of the participants of the movement notwithstanding, the hybridity of the communication technologies, especially the use of social media fueled the success of their interaction, leading to enhanced information and communicative ecology, giving them a formidable front both within and outside Ghana. It recommends that political actors need to embrace protest movements for collective action based on purpose, especially because of the complex intertwining technology that characterizes their formation in the digital era.
The Measurement of Christian Workers’ Citizenship Behaviour in Contemporary Workplace in Kumasi, Ghana
(European Journal of Business and Management, 2017) Obour, Ruth; Banahene, Stephen; Aboagye Da-Costa, Caroline
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate an adaptation of organisational citizenship behaviour scale for measuring Christian workers’ behaviour. This study used self-reported questionnaire from 530 valid respondents for analysis. This technique is intended to improve organisational citizenship behaviour measurement and its extended practice among Christians whose faith requires them to do same. Two dimensions of organisational citizenship behaviour are important in the context of Christian workers in Kumasi. The Christian workers are found to exhibit citizenship behaviour in line with their faith. The research implication to this finding is that, other organisational citizenship behaviour scales should be applied on Christian workers to compare results. Also, same measurement method should be used on other faith workers and compare the results with this modified organisational citizenship behaviour measurement. Further research should be tested on other faith workers in abroad for in depth understanding of the construct. The practical implication of this study shows that, management of organisations can have better understanding of Christian workers’ behaviour at the work place, thereby improving the usefulness of the Christian faith at the work place. The current findings have provided valuable insights into organisational citizenship measurement in Ghana as given by Christian workers.