Dr. Inusah Salifu is a senior lecturer and former acting Head of Department at the Department of Adult Education and Human Resource Studies, University of Ghana. Inusah has a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree in Special Education and English from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. He also holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Educational Administration from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and an earned Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in the same area of specialisation from Monash University, Australia.
Before his appointment at the University of Ghana, Inusah was an adjunct lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, where he taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels and supervised thesis and project works. Until 2011, he worked in different capacities in the Ghana Education Service, including as the District Education Officer in charge of planning, English Language and Literature in English teacher, and an external examiner in English for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
Inusah has in-depth experience conducting pure qualitative studies and exploratory mixed methods research. He is a proud recipient of many awards and grants, including the BANGA-Africa Project, Erasmus and GETFUND scholarships, and the University of Ghana College of Education Seed Grant. He has participated in several international conferences and has published extensively in his areas of research interests. Inusah supervises project works, dissertations and theses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
RESEARCH/CONSULTANCY INTERESTS
§ Educational Administration, Management, and Leadership at both pre-tertiary and tertiary levels, focusing on:
o teachers and teaching
o learners and learning
o educational policy
o leadership in adult education
o leadership in higher education
o leadership in special needs education
o leadership in teacher education
PUBLICATIONS
PUBLISHED RESEARCH WORKS IN REFEREED JOURNALS
Salifu, I. & Biney, I.K. (Accepted -in press). The role of motivational teaching techniques in adult distance learning programmes. International Review of Education - Journal of Lifelong Learning.
Biney, I.K. & Salifu, I. (2023). Opportunities for adult learners in Ghana's higher education institutions: Limiting factors and strategies, 1-15. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/07377363.2023.2178664
Salifu, I. (2023). Leading, but are there followers? Exploring the influence of heads of departments on staff and students in Ghanaian higher education institutions. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 1-18. DOI: 10.1007/s10671-023-09345-4
Salifu, I. & Odame, E.D. (2023). Examining demographic variables as predictors of self-efficacy among university teachers in Ghana. Issues in Educational Research, 33(1), 352-368. http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/salifu.pdf
Salifu, I. (2023). After retirement what next? A survey of post-retirement resolutions of retiring university teachers in Ghana. Educational Gerontology, 49(4), 287-299. DOI: 10.1080/03601277.2022.2109356
Salifu, I. & Abonyi, U.K. (2022). Managing large classes in virtual teaching: Experiences of university teachers in Ghana during COVID-19. Educational Technology Research and Development, 1-16. 10.1007/s11423-022-10151-7
Salifu, I. & Odame, E.D. (2022). Destructive leadership behaviors among heads of departments in higher education: Perceptions of subordinates in Ghana. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1-16. DOI: 10.1080/13603124.2022.2087005
Salifu, I. (2022). State-funded secondary education: Implications for private school management in Ghana. Leadership and Policy in Schools, 21(4), 719-732. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2020.1823997
Salifu, I. & Agbenyega, J.S. (2021) Doctoral students’ learning experiences in Ghana: Exploring a new curriculum using Bourdieu’s concepts. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 16, 777-794. https://doi.org/10.28945/4879
Salifu, I., Odame, E.D. & Abubakar, J.U. (2021). University teachers’ decisions on post-retirement employment: Do demographic variables count? Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 7, 1-10. DOI: 10.1177/23337214211041419
Salifu, I. (2021). Exploring coteaching as a trend in higher education. College Teaching, 69(3), 150-160. DOI: 10.1080/87567555.2020.1838426
Salifu, I., Mantey, P.K. & Worlanyo, E.K. (2021). Optimising employee efforts: The implications of job design for administrative staff performance in higher education. Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education. 10(S1), 146-167. https://www.ojed.org/index.php/jise/article/view/2747
Salifu, I., Boateng, J.K., & Kunduzore, S.S. (2018). Achieving free compulsory universal basic education through school feeding programme: Evidence from a deprived rural community in northern Ghana. Cogent Education, 5(1), 1-15. DOI: \10.1080/2331186X.2018.1509429
Salifu, I., Alagbela, A.A., & Ofori, C.G. (2018). Factors influencing teaching as a career choice (FIT-Choice) in Ghana. Teaching Education, 29(2), 111-134. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2017.1365360
Salifu, I., Worlanyo, E.K. & Kuyini, A.B. (2017). Classroom engagement dynamics: Examining the potency of reflective teaching approach among selected universities in Ghana. Reflective Practice,18(6), 725-736. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2017.1304373
Salifu, I. (2015). Exploring the drivers of teacher professionalism in Ghana. Educational Studies, 41(5), 534-550. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2015.1062081
Salifu, I. (2014). Barriers to teacher motivation for professional practice in the Ghana Education Service. Policy Futures in Education, 12(5), 718-729. https://doi.org/10.2304%2Fpfie.2014.12.5.718
Salifu, I., & Agbenyega, J.S. (2013b). Viewing teacher motivation in the Ghana Education Service through a postcolonial lens. Current Issues in Education, 16(3), 1-14. http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh/handle/123456789/24349
Salifu, I., & Agbenyega, J.S. (2013a). Teacher motivation and identity formation: Issues affecting professional practice. MIER Journal of Educational Studies, Trends and Practices, 3(1), 58-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.52634/mier/2013/v3/i1/1555
Salifu, I., & Agbenyega, J.S. (2012). Impact of discipline issues on school effectiveness:The views of some Ghanaian principals. MIER Journal of Educational Studies, Trends and Practices 2(1), 50-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.52634/mier/2012/v2/i1/1584
CHAPTERS IN EDITED BOOKS
Salifu, I. & Owusu-Acheampong, E. (2021). Improving higher education instructional delivery in the developing world: The role of university teachers as digital leaders. In M. Mohiuddin (Ed.). Leadership in a Changing World: A Multidimensional Perspective. (Chapter 11, pp. 1-14). London: IntechOpen. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.100546 http://www.intechopen.com/books/leadership-in-a-changing-world-a-multidi...
Salifu, I. (2020). Improving the Management of Distance Education in Ghana through Effective Leadership: A theoretical review of the literature. In Y. Oheneba-Sakyi, M.A. Tagoe & I. Salifu (Eds.). Contemporary Issues in Human Resource Studies. (Chapter 13, pp. 200-209). Ghana: Woeli Publishing Services.
Tagoe, M.A. & Salifu, I. (2019). Managing University of Ghana Learning Centres As Service–Delivery Organisations: How Can Kouzes and Posner’s (2012) Management Model Explain Their Transformation? In A. Arko-Achemfuor, K.P Quan-Baffour & D. Addae (Eds.). Adult, Continuing and Lifelong Education and Development in Africa. (Chapter 7, pp. 83-95). New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Salifu, I. (2013). Improving teacher identity and professional practice: Does motivation matter? In J. Madden & R. Smith (Eds.), Teacher Education Dialogue: Innovations (Chapter 9, pp. 94-101). Sydney: Primrose Hall Publishing Group.
PUBLISHED CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Salifu, I., & Ankomah, Y.A. (2015). Thinking beyond working conditions: A review of factors influencing teacher job satisfaction in Ghana. Paper presented at 1st Interdisciplinary Conference of University of Cape Coast, Ghana and Tai Solarin University of Education, Nigeria, held at University of Cape Coast from April 26, 2015 to May1, 2015 on the theme Education for global development.
RECENTLY COMPLETED RESEARCH
Salifu, I., Chirani, F., Amoah, K. & Odame, E.D. Training teachers by the distance mode: Implications for quality teacher performance in pre-tertiary schools.
Salifu, I. & Chirani, F. Supporting Students with Special Needs for successful inclusion in higher education: The role of university management bodies in Ghana.
Salifu, I. & Abubakar, J.U. Ghana’s Free Senior High School Policy and the achievement of accessible, equitable, and quality secondary education: The views of education stakeholders.
Salifu, I. & Kala, M. Improving pupil performance in disadvantaged schools of the developing world: Principals' leadership role in deprived rural Ghana.
Salifu, I. Quality issues in the implementation of free secondary education policy in the developing world: A case study of a rural community in northern Ghana.
ON-GOING RESEARCH
Salifu, I. Making teaching a career choice: A study of the ‘pull factors’ among pre-service teachers in Ghana.
Salifu, I. Nketia, D. & Odame, E.D. Does professional development lead to quality teaching? A survey of teacher perspectives in Eastern Ghana.
Salifu, I. & Nketia, D. Teacher professional development (TPD) in Ghana: Challenges and remedies.