The study aimed to evaluated how students use of AI-based learning tools shapes their engagement and academic performance in higher education using the self-determination theory (SDT). The study investigated how the three psychological need dismissions of students which are autonomy, competence, and relatedness according the SDT are supported by their use of AI-based learning tools. A cross-sectional survey research design was used in the study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from 452 undergraduate computing students who were purposively sampled based on their use of AI-based learning platforms. From the finding of the study, the students indicated that, AI-based learning tools support their autonomy needs through self-paced, personalized and self-directed learning. The corrective immediate feedback feature of AI-based learning tools also supports their confident and mastery of complex concepts. However, their relatedness need was least satisfied which reflects a limitation of AI-based learning tools as they fail to replicate genuine peer connections. All the three dimensions were positively and significantly correlated with academic performance which was measured with their grade point average (GPA). Competence emerging as the having strongest correlation with academic performance (r = .387, p < .01), followed by autonomy (r = .241, p < .01), and relatedness (r = .198, p < .01). The findings suggest that AI tools support key psychological needs associated with student engagement, although their contribution to academic performance appears indirect and mediated through motivational processes.
This study examines the impact of CEO trust and organizational commitment on global partnerships and sustainable industrial development (SDG 9) among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies, specifically Ghana. It explores the mechanisms through which internal organizational dynamics facilitate external collaboration aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). A quantitative research approach was adopted, employing stratified random sampling to survey SME CEOs across various industrial sectors in Ghana. Data collection involved a self-administered questionnaire utilizing validated scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) tested the hypothesized relationships among CEO trust, organizational commitment, global partnerships, and sustainable industrial development. The results confirm that CEO trust significantly predicts global partnerships and organizational commitment. Organizational commitment positively influences global partnerships, driving sustainable industrial development sustainability. Organizational commitment mediates the CEO trust-global partnerships relationship, while global partnerships mediate the CEO trust-sustainable industrial development link. This study enriches social capital theory, highlighting CEO trust and organizational commitment’s role in facilitating effective global partnerships. It advances sustainable development literature, providing empirical evidence on SMEs in emerging economies harnessing internal leadership and collaborative capacity to achieve SDG 9. The findings offer insights for SME leaders, policymakers, and development agencies promoting industrial growth via strategic international partnerships, contributing to sustainable development goals.
In multilingual education systems, the cultural disconnect between students’ lived experiences and assessment content can significantly hinder both comprehension and performance, especially in mathematics. This study investigated the role of cultural familiarity in shaping students’ numerical cognition and affective engagement when solving mathematical word problems in Ghanaian public schools. A quasi-experimental, between-subjects design was employed, involving 160 upper primary and junior high school students from ethnolinguistically diverse classrooms in the Greater Accra and Central Region. Participants were assigned to either an experimental group receiving culturally familiar math word problems or a control group with culturally unfamiliar tasks. Independent samples t-tests revealed that students exposed to culturally familiar tasks scored significantly higher in mathematics performance (M = 7.21, SD = 1.64) than those in the control group (M = 5.83, SD = 1.59), with t(158) = 5.66, p < 0.001, d = 0.89. A two-way ANOVA showed a statistically significant interaction between cultural familiarity and language proficiency (F(1, 156) = 4.31, p = 0.039), indicating that the positive effects of cultural familiarity were amplified among students with higher language skills. Non-parametric tests further showed significant differences in confidence levels U = 1962.5, p < 0.001) and task motivation across demographic subgroups. Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that cultural familiarity predicted higher engagement (β = 0.53, p < 0.001), lower anxiety (β = − 0.41, p = 0.002), and increased perceived relevance (β = 0.46, p < 0.001) of the tasks. Students reported feeling more connected to and confident in the problems when these reflected their cultural settings, reinforcing the emotional and cognitive benefits of culturally grounded instruction. These findings accentuate the educational value of embedding culturally responsive content in assessments to promote not only accuracy and reasoning but also emotional engagement and fairness. In multilingual and multicultural settings like Ghana, such strategies contribute to more equitable and effective learning environments by affirming students’ identities and enhancing comprehension. The study advances the discourse on culturally responsive assessment and highlights the need for policy shifts, practice transformation, and further research into context-sensitive learning interventions.
Childhood behavioral difficulties are recognized as early indicators of future psychiatric disorders, yet their long-term predictive validity in non-Western settings remains underexplored. This study investigated the predictive value of childhood behavioral assessments in determining adult psychiatric outcomes among 300 individuals in Ghana followed longitudinally from childhood to early adulthood. Using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity) and internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, withdrawal) were assessed between 2005 and 2015, while adult mental health outcomes including mood, anxiety, substance use, and psychotic disorders were measured with standardized diagnostic instruments such as the MINI, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Logistic regression analyses revealed that both internalizing (B = 0.87, OR = 2.39, p < .001) and externalizing (B = 1.23, OR = 3.42, p < .001) behaviors significantly predicted adult psychiatric outcomes, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Exposure to trauma (OR = 4.67, p < .001) and low parental education (OR = 1.80, p < .01) increased risk, while early intervention (OR = 0.54, p < .01) served as a protective factor. The overall model demonstrated good fit and strong discriminative power (Nagelkerke R² = 0.29; AUC = 0.83). Cross-cultural validity analyses showed that childhood behavioral scores predicted adult psychiatric disorders effectively, with the strongest accuracy for mood disorders (AUC = 0.82) and overall psychiatric risk (AUC = 0.85). Moderate predictive power was found for psychotic (AUC = 0.73) and neurodevelopmental disorders (AUC = 0.75), and weaker for substance use (AUC = 0.68). Moderation analyses indicated that gender, socioeconomic status, family structure, exposure to trauma, parental involvement, and residence significantly influenced these relationships, with trauma being the strongest risk enhancer. The study highlights the predictive utility of culturally adapted behavioral assessments and underscores the need for early screening and family-centered interventions within Ghana’s education and health systems to mitigate long-term mental health risks.
This study analyzes climate change and variability in the Volta and Northern Regions of Ghana over a 39-year period (1984–2023) with a focus on temperature and rainfall trends and their implications for agricultural activities. The study used secondary data obtained from the Ghana Meteorological Agency to assess long-term changes in temperature and rainfall patterns. The findings reveal that the Volta Region, representing Southern Ghana, exhibited higher annual rainfall with greater variability compared to the Northern Region, which experienced lower but still significant variability in rainfall. The trend analysis indicates an increasing but statistically insignificant rainfall trend in the Volta Region, whereas the Northern Region demonstrated a statistically significant decreasing rainfall trend. Furthermore, both regions experienced a significant upward trend in maximum and minimum temperatures, indicating a warming climate that poses risks such as increased evaporation, prolonged droughts, and reduced agricultural productivity. The study highlights the need for proactive climate adaptation strategies, including the adoption of climate-smart agriculture innovations, improved water resource management, afforestation, and early warning systems. Policy implications stress the necessity of integrating climate resilience into national development plans, strengthening climate research, and fostering collaboration between government agencies and local communities.
