ONLINE NEWS PATRONAGE AMONG STUDENTS OF UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, AND ITS PEDAGOGICAL PERSPECTIVES FOR LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Authors

  • Jonas Kwabla Fiadzawoo Department of Language and Information Studies, FCCS, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Edward Salifu Mahama Department of Language and Information Studies, FCCS, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana
  • Frank Attati Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v9i5.4296

Keywords:

online news, patronage, teachers, pedagogical implications, university campus

Abstract

There are studies on Students’ Internet use within the framework of online news reading, however, none seems to have effectively explored the practice for teaching. Recognising this gap, this study assessed the online news patronage among students of UDS-Ghana with the aim of galvanizing the practice for pedagogical gains. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 180 students selected randomly from six faculties, followed by an interview of 10 language teachers chosen from the Department of Languages. The quantitative data was interpreted descriptively using percentages, while content analysis was adopted for processing the qualitative data. The findings showed that online news reading was high among students. Out of 180 participants, 127(71%) read online news daily or weekly and Operanews.com, Ghanaweb.com, and Myjoyonline.com were the most preferred sites. Most participants, 49(27%), read news online for entertainment and fashion, while a few read it for language acquisition and other purposes. The teachers interviewed concerning possible exploits of the practice, indicated that they knew of it, however, they could not effectively explore it in classroom teaching. They did, however, acknowledge that the practice could be useful as basics for teaching vocabulary, reading comprehension, and others. In view of the findings, it is recommended that stable Internet is ensured on campuses to enhance students' good use of the practice. Teachers are also urged to explore the practice in language teaching activities and educate students on the benefits of reading online news.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Jonas Kwabla Fiadzawoo, Department of Language and Information Studies, FCCS, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

    Jonas Kwabla Fiadzawoo is a Senior Lecturer in French at the Department of Languages, Faculty of Communication and Cultural Studies, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana. He pursued his M.Phil. and Ph.D. at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He also received professional trainings at the University of Lomé, Togo and the University of Franche-Comté, Besançon, France. He is currently the head of the languages department. His research interests include sociolinguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, didactics of French as a foreign language and Language for Specific Purposes.

  • Edward Salifu Mahama, Department of Language and Information Studies, FCCS, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana

    Edward Salifu Mahama is a sociolinguist. He completed his undergraduate program at the University of Ghana, Legon Ghana, and obtained his MA and PhD from the University of Reading in the UK. He has worked as a lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies, Tamale, Ghana. Currently, he is a Senior Research Fellow and Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Cultural Studies at the University of Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana. His research areas include language use and culture, conflict, language and development.

  • Frank Attati, Ho Technical University, Ho, Ghana

    Frank Attati holds a Master of Philosophy in Linguistics and Applied French Didactics from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He also earned a Master of Education in Teacher Education from the same university. His research interests include the teaching and assessment of oral French and discourse analysis. He is currently a lecturer at the Department of Applied Modern Languages and Communication at Ho Technical University, Ghana.

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Published

2022-05-19

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 5 (2022)

Section

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