EFFECTS OF TEXT MESSAGING ON THE ACADEMIC WRITING OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS OF A GHANAIAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Authors

  • Sarah Takyiwa Mensah Offinso College of Education, Department of English Language, Ghana
  • Emmanuel Atuahene Offinso College of Education, Department of Mathematics and ICT, Ghana
  • Samuel Nti-Adarkwah Offinso College of Education, Department of Education, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i4.4778

Keywords:

text message, effects, academic writings, pre-service teachers, Ghanaian

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of text messaging on the academic writing of first-year pre-service teachers of Offinso College of Education. Empirical studies on the use of text messages in specific cultures were reviewed in order to demonstrate how the present study is both similar to and different from previous research. Descriptive survey research design was employed by the researchers to conduct this study. The student population for the study was 350. Quota sampling and simple random sampling techniques aided the researchers to select 50 pre-service teachers for the study. The instruments used were questionnaires, interviews and essay-type tests. The study revealed that the vocabulary items students used in their SMS texting contained numbers, reduction, clipping and shortening, and that the use of these vocabulary items had a negative effect because these items found their way into the academic writing of students. The researchers recommend that college tutors should sensitize the pre-service teachers on the need to avoid SMS language in their academic writings to help them overcome the menace. To curtail everything, they should text using Standard English to avoid being addicted to texting language.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Sarah Takyiwa Mensah, Offinso College of Education, Department of English Language, Ghana

    Sarah Takyiwa Mensah is currently the Head of Department and English language tutor in the Languages Department in the Offinso College of Education, Ghana. She holds MPhil in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. She is a professional teacher with research interest in Gender studies, children’s rights and learner’s errors.

  • Emmanuel Atuahene, Offinso College of Education, Department of Mathematics and ICT, Ghana

    Emmanuel Atuahene is now an Information Technology Education tutor at the Mathematics and ICT Department in the Offinso College pf Education, Ghana. He holds MPhil Educational Leadership (University of Education, Winneba), MSc Information Technology (Sikkim Manipal University, Gangtok – India), Bed Information Technology (University of Education, Winneba), and Teachers Certificate ‘A’ (University of Cape Coast). He is a professional teacher with over fifteen years of teaching experience in both Basic and Tertiary levels of education in Ghana. His areas of interest are technology integration in Education, multimedia in Education, mobile learning. He is currently a member of the Colleges of Education Teachers of Ghana (CETAG).

  • Samuel Nti-Adarkwah, Offinso College of Education, Department of Education, Ghana

    Samuel Nti-Adarkwah is a Special Educator at Offinso College of Education, Ghana. He is currently a PhD candidate at Philippine Christian University majoring in Special Education. Sammy holds M’phil in Educational Leadership, M.Ed in Special Education, and Bachelor’s Degree in Special Education from the University of Education -Winneba, Ghana.  He is a professional teacher who has interest in Early Childhood Special Education, Inclusive Education for Street Children, Organization of Remedial teaching for basic school students who are lagging behind their class as well as students who do not have the motivation to learn. Sammy is an experience teacher who has been teaching for fourteen years after his bachelor’s degree. Links to academic networks:

    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Samuel-Nti-Adarkwah; https://scholar.google.com/citation?hl=en&authuser=2&user=nkCRGHAAAAJ;

    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4632

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Published

2023-04-18

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 4 (2023)

Section

Articles

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