Identity Construction Among Distance Learners at the University of Education, Winneba

Abstract

University education is not only a pathway to academic achievement but also a vital space for constructing identity. The study examines how students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts English Language program at the University of Education, Winneba, experience a sense of belonging and construct their identities within a distance learning context. While existing literature extensively addresses identity and belonging within conventional university settings, there is a paucity of research in the context of distance education in African higher education. Utilising Wenger’s (1998) theory of identity within a Community of Practice, the study adopts a qualitative approach with an ethnographic design. Twenty undergraduate distance learners, five from each year group, were purposively selected. Data were collected over a month, employing semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation, which were subsequently analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that students’ experiences of belonging are complex and uneven, influenced by interpersonal relationships and limited institutional inclusion. A significant finding was that a strong sense of belonging among Bachelor of Arts English language distance students was often linked to receiving the same certificate as their on-campus counterparts. Additionally, students constructed multiple identities, including the Articulate and Language-Conscious Identity, the Intelligent Identity, and the Pressured Performer Identity. Another significant identity emerged, the Delegitimised Identity, reflecting students’ reactions to societal perceptions and the structural realities of Distance Education. The study concludes by highlighting the necessity for more inclusive and context-sensitive practices in higher education that acknowledge and support identity construction among distance learners.