Perceived economic benefits and costs of online learning: the role of gender and employment status among students at the University of Ghana

Although online learning has become an essential component of higher education, especially in the wake of global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic, limited research has examined how students perceive its economic benefits and costs, particularly through the lens of demographic variables such as gender and employment status. Grounded in Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT), this study investigates students’ perceptions of the economic implications of online learning at the University of Ghana, specifically focusing on differences across gender and employment groups. EVT suggests that students’ engagement and evaluation of academic experiences are shaped by the perceived value and associated costs of those experiences. Using a quantitative research design, survey data were collected from 338 students via Google Forms distributed through student WhatsApp groups with the consent of group administrators. The data were analyzed using SPSS, employing descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and analysis of variance. Findings indicate that while online learning is broadly perceived as economically beneficial, especially among employed students, it also entails significant financial burdens related to internet access, digital devices, and electricity. These burdens disproportionately affect unemployed students, limiting equitable access to online learning opportunities. Gender-based differences were also observed, with male students reporting marginally greater economic benefits than females. The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on the economic dimensions of online learning in developing contexts, offering insights for policymakers to design more inclusive and equitable digital education frameworks. Recommendations are made for future research, including longitudinal studies, cross-cultural analyses, and examining emerging technologies in shaping students’ economic experiences with online education.