An Appraisal of Networking Influences on Effective Teaching and Learning of Food and Nutrition

Abstract

Aim: The study aimed to investigate networking in Food and Nutrition Education at Colleges in Ghana, with the goal of ensuring effective teaching and learning. It was anchored on Behavioural Theory. Study Design: The study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey research design. Place and Duration of Study: The study population comprises public Colleges of Education in Ghana that offer Home Economics programs in the Ashanti, Western, Eastern, Central, Oti, Upper West, Volta, Greater Accra, Northern, and Bono Regions, training teachers to teach in first-cycle institutions in Ghana. Methodology: The study population comprises fourteen (14) public colleges of Education in Ghana that offer courses in Food and Nutrition. Stratified, simple random, and census sampling techniques were used to select the 14 colleges, 16 tutors, and 256 students as participants. The main instrument for data collection was a questionnaire. The data collected were processed and analysed using correlation analysis and regression analysis. Results: The study on the influence of networking on effective teaching and learning of Food and Nutrition revealed that both tutors and students agreed on the positive impact of networking on various educational outcomes. Key findings include that networking fosters self-paced learning, enhances student interest and motivation, promotes a deeper understanding of complex concepts, and aids in achieving learning outcomes, all with overall means above the predetermined cut-off of 3.0. Additionally, networking inspires enthusiasm, as tutors encourage questions and support critical thinking, contributing to effective student engagement. Proper teaching organisation, including timely lectures and clear explanations, further facilitated compelling learning experiences. Conclusion: Networking in Food and Nutrition education promotes learning, inspires enthusiasm, ensures proper organisation and group interaction, and helps achieve breadth of syllabus. It can be expediently concluded that sharing what is learnt, sharing what is created, encouraging positive contributions from one another, maintaining contacts with students in the team, and consistently utilising networking in the teaching-learning process can help sustain networking in Food and Nutrition Education at Colleges of Education in Ghana.