Abstract:
This study investigated the communication relationships that existed between lactating
student-mothers pursuing graduate programmes and their cohorts, and lecturers and the
influence such relationships had on their academic development and success. It focused
on the sandwich session of students, lactating sandwich mothers on Graduate
programmes. It delved deep into their experiences of combining childcare and studies by
using the phenomenological approach. In-depth interviews were conducted on four
student-mothers. The interviews were transcribed and colour-coded into themes and
descriptively analysed. The findings were that, graduate lactating student-mothers found
it taxing combining these two roles which led to conflict. However, positive
communication relationships between these mothers and their cohorts, as well as their
lecturers including other support services from significant others, motivates them to learn
leading to academic development and success. The study also revealed that, negative
comments and awkward relationships demoralizes such students putting more stress on
them which results in incongruence in their lives, thereby resulting in poor performance.
The study recommended cordial relationships and positive interactions between lactating
student-mothers and their associates and lecturers, university orientation, accommodating
them at one hall of residence and providing support from other significant others, to
promote every lactating student-mother’s welfare and academic success. It is also
recommended that evening lectures could be shifted to the weekends. Such arrangement
would afford these mothers the opportunity to be with their babies during the night
thereby relieving their nannies of the childcare duties in the night as wel
Description:
A DISSERTATION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
STUDIES, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND
COMMUNICATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES,
UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE MASTER OF ARTS
(COMMUNICATION SKILLS) DEGREE