A comparison of face-to-face and online teaching and learning has been undertaken to ascertain the focal point that would justify the best-preferred option as far as teaching and learning in DE is concerned. This study is particularly important because as higher education institutions are faced with the challenge of huge number of prospective students seeking higher education in the midst of inadequate infrastructures, it becomes very necessary to look at DE as an option with a combination of different modes of delivering instruction. At the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), some faculties and departments, especially the distance education department, have adopted the face-to-face and online modes of delivering instruction. The pursuit of which would require a critical overview of the two modes to ascertain the strengths, weaknesses and how the two can complement each other for effective delivery of instruction to cater to a large number of students. The review suggested that academics or lecturers should endeavour to adopt the blended or hybrid mode in their teaching and learning. Policy decision makers can also use this study as it provides information on better practices as far as the blended mode of teaching and learning in higher education institutions is concerned.

This paper explores entrepreneurial opportunities among youth engaged in vending and hawking on the streets of Accra, Ghana. It ascertains challenges faced and strategies adopted to address them. Street vending and hawking is assuming increasing dimension due to paucity of formal job opportunities in Ghana. Hawking and vending of newspapers, textbooks, toffees and fruits are informal entrepreneurship opportunities on our streets. The study sought for short to medium and long-term plans the youth have to innovate the entrepreneurial opportunities in trades engaged in. It used youth hawkers operating at Okponglo and Dzorwulu junctions. Fifteen (15) youth participated in the study. It is a qualitative study which adopted purposive and convenience sampling procedures in selecting the sample. Thematic, analytical, descriptive-narrative interpretivist approaches were adopted in presenting the results. Crossing roads, chasing moving vehicles, operating in the scorching sun and torrential rain impacted negatively their health. It also emerged that the youth have plans to innovate and grow businesses, but the high cost of credit is a barrier. Lack of collateral for credits came up. Government quasi-financial institutions and non-bank financial institutions should be proactive in providing financial, advisory and technical support to the youth to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities in Ghana.

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The advancement in information and communication technology and its application in teaching and learning tools have taken learning to a higher level. Innovations in information and communication technology and its deployment in teaching and learning aid adult learning through the distance education mode. Accra Learning Centre hosts the biggest student population pursuing degree programmes through the distance education mode in Ghana. Simple descriptive statistics were adopted to help build a case for using the qualitative data. A descriptive narrative design was employed for conducting the study which tilts towards the qualitative case study approach to investigate the meanings and experiences adult learners have had when using the Sakai Learning Management System platform. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data from 50 adult learners who participated in the study. Most (80%) of the learners indicated that they faced difficulties, including accessing computers, course materials online, weak link, poor network interface and connectivity, as well as power fluctuations when they started learning with the Sakai Learning Management System, which changed with time. The information and communication technology platform created greater access to self-learning. The study concludes that the information and communication technology laboratories should be refurbished – and equipped with new computer accessories – for an increased access to the Sakai Learning Management System.

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