https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0496-9081
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Abstract
In the field of modern education, the meteoric rise in distance learning in higher education has brought unprecedented convenience and accessibility. Yet, beneath the surface of this educational revolution lies the issues of academic stress and burnout among students, particularly distance education students. Therefore, this study examined academic stress and burnout among distance education students at the University of Education, Winneba, Cape Coast Study Center. A quantitative approach was adopted in this study, employing a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. In total, 231 students were selected for this study. The Academic Stress Inventory and Academic Burnout Inventory were adapted as the data collection instruments for this study. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (Two-way MANOVA) were used to analyse the data. This study revealed that distance education students had moderate levels of academic stress and burnout. Additionally, there were no significant gender differences in academic stress and burnout. Conversely, the study discovered significant differences in academic stress, personal burnout, and studies-related burnout based on programme of study. In addition, it was revealed that the interaction effect of gender and programme of study had no significant influence on distance education students’ academic stress and burnout. Consequently, it was recommended that educational institutions should consider creating support programmes tailored specifically for distance education students. These programmes can offer guidance on stress management techniques, time management skills, and resources to help students cope with the demands of their programme.
Reviewing Editor:
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to express their profound gratitude to the research assistants recruited for this study.
Data availability
The data that supported the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Dominic Owusu
Dr. Dominic Owusu is a Doctor of Philosophy holder with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling. He is currently the Head of the Department of Education, OLA College of Education, Cape Coast, who is passionate about research on issues such as stress, burnout, job satisfaction, coping strategies, and Distance Education issues with much interest in emerging issues such as emotional intelligence, educational leadership, and turnover intentions among teachers.
Francis Arthur
Francis Arthur holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Economics Education. He is currently a Ph.D candidate in Economics Education in the Department of Business and Social Sciences Education (DoBSSE) at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) who is passionate about research on issues concerning teaching and learning of Economics with much interest in emerging issues such as pre-service and in-service teachers’ self-efficacy, higher education, academic engagement, application of multiple intelligences approach and artificial intelligence in teaching and learning.
Regina Okyere-Dankwa
Dr. Mrs. Regina Okyere-Dankwa is an academician who holds a PhD in Social Studies. She has over 30 years of teaching experience at all levels in the educational sector. She is currently the Principal of Our Lady of Apostles College of Education, Cape Coast. Her research interests include quality assurance in higher institutions, gender issues, women, education for development in developing countries, and distance education among pre-service and in-service teachers.
Ophelia Affreh
Dr. Ophelia Affreh holds a PhD degree in Education (Qualitative Research Based) from the University of Cape Coast. Presently, she is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), a UNESCO Category II Centre of Excellence at the University of Cape Coast. Her teaching expertise is in the areas of Educational (planning, research, administration in higher education, leadership and human resource development in education). As an educational enthusiast, Dr. Affreh is conscientious, meticulous and adept in logical reasoning in her works and mostly conduct researches in the areas of educational leadership and higher education.
Felix Kwame Kumedzro
Dr. Felix Kwame Kumedzro is a Lecturer and Special Needs Educator at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Special Needs Education from Kenyatta University, Kenya. He also possesses a certificate in Leadership Empowerment from the School of Management, University at Buffalo, USA. His research areas include support services for students with disabilities in higher institutions of learning, Inclusion of learners with special needs in regular classrooms, job satisfaction and teacher retention. Currently he is the Head of postgraduate programmes at the College of Distance Education, University of Cape Coast.
Regina Sally Maison
Dr. Regina Sally Maison holds a Ph.D in Educational Psychology with interest in child and adolescent development. She has taught at all the three levels of education sector in Ghana: basic, secondary, and tertiary. She is currently the Vice Principal of Foso College of Education, Assin Foso. Her research interest includes gender issues, social intelligence, job satisfaction, and coping strategies.