An Evaluation of the African Studies Curriculum: Student’s Motivation for Selection of Courses at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Ghana (Published)

The African Studies Curriculum at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has been implemented for over two decades. Its challenges include students’ motivations, cultural content, teaching methods, techniques and strategies. With a pragmatic worldview rooted in the Constructivist Learning Theory, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and the Expectancy-Value Theory, empirical literature within the domain of curriculum implementation in African Studies was critically reviewed. An explanatory sequential design within the mixed method approach was adopted, while the Krejcie and Morgan Table for sample size determination was employed to sample three hundred and seventy-five (375) students from a total of 12,009 first-year students offering African Studies courses in the 2022/23 academic year at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). Nine (9) students were purposively selected from the sample size of 375 for the qualitative data. Again, five (5) lecturers from the African Studies Centre of UEW were purposively selected for the study. Instruments for data collection included questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. Quantitative data analysis was done by using SPSS statistics analytical software. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed for the quantitative analysis, whilst thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. In the context of explanatory sequential mixed method design (QUAN → qual), a Directed Content Analysis (DCA) was employed. This approach aids in interpreting and explaining the quantitative results. Findings showed that even though students are motivated by a series of factors when selecting courses in the African Studies curriculum, they are influenced by external factors such as department, colleagues, and the popularity of the courses. It was concluded that some Departments choose specific courses based on relativity to their areas of specialism and future academic pursuits. It was recommended that, there is the need for course recommendation systems in physically-based university environments like the University of Education, Winneba in Ghana. This has become necessary since African Studies courses are mandatory to re-orient students’ misconceptions concerning the continent and carve a positive African image. Fresh students should be oriented to alleviate the misconceptions associated with course selection.

 

Keywords: African studies, Curriculum, Evaluation, Motivation, Students, course selection, university of education

Computer Mediated Communication and Academic Performance of University Students’ in Nigeria (Published)

This study on Computer Mediated Communication and Academic Performance of University Students’ in Nigeria has as its objectives to ascertain the level of exposure, determine the level of dependence, ascertain the level of application and gratification derived from the use of computer mediated communication by University students’ in Nigeria. The research design used for data collection was opinion survey, with questionnaire and personal interviews as research instruments. The population of the study comprised students of Akwa Ibom State University, which is 8,999 (wwwaksu.edu.ng). The sample size of 400 was determined using Taro Yamani’s sample size determination formula. The research adopted two sampling procedures for selecting samples for the study. The data collected from the questionnaire were analysed in simple percentages and the personal interview were analysed qualitatively using explanation building based on the research questions. The study which was anchored on Computer Mediated Communication theory and Technology Determinism theory found out that majority of respondents (61%) agreed that the level of application/dependence on CMC was very little. The study further revealed that respondents perceived the level of application/dependence on CMC to be unsatisfactory. The study further revealed factors affecting CMC implementation in Akwa Ibom State University to include poor quality of internet signals, learners perception of social presence in CMC, lack of data, inadequate computer/laptops in the university and insufficient electricity on campus.

 

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Akwa Ibom State University, Students, computer-mediated communication, imperatives

Influence of Social Media on Students’ Discipline in Secondary Schools in Kenya (Published)

Social media are technologies that facilitate social interaction, make possible collaboration and enable deliberation across stakeholders. The study sought to develop strategies for managing the influence of social media on students’ discipline in secondary schools. The objective of this paper is to determine the extent to which social media has influenced students’ discipline in schools based on the research. The study utilized the pragmatic philosophical paradigm and the mixed methods research design where both positivists and constructivists approaches and techniques were combined. The study was undertaken in Bungoma County in Kenya. It was carried out in 306 secondary schools in the County targeting a population of 19,000 Form 3 students. Scott Smith`s formula was used to determine the sample size of 600 students from 40 secondary schools as respondents. Purposive sampling was applied to select the 40 deputy principals and 40 heads of guidance and counselling departments from the selected secondary schools as respondents in the study. Three categories of boys’, girls’ and mixed schools were chosen from each sub-county. The questionnaires used had both closed- and open-ended items. Interviews were also used to get more information for the study. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyse data. Social media was found to have influenced students’ discipline negatively in schools.  The study recommended that parents, educational and political leaders should implement policies on limiting social media influence on students’ discipline. It is expected that the Kenya Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders will utilize the results of the study to manage the influence of the social media on students’ discipline in secondary schools.

Keywords: Discipline, Influence, Kenya, Secondary Schools, Social media, Students

Influence of Street Hawking on Study Habit and Academic Performance of Secondary School Students in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria (Published)

Unemployment and poor economic condition of many families in Nigeria has forced some parents to engage their children in street hawking to support family income. This can have hazardous effects on the children and put their future at risk. This paper examined the impact of street hawking on study habits and academic performance of secondary school students in Ado Ekiti. The population consisted of all students involved in hawking in secondary schools. The sample was 180 secondary school students selected through purposive sampling technique. One research question was raised and three research hypotheses were tested. Two instruments titled “Questionnaire on Street Hawking and Study Habit (QSHSH)” and “Social Studies Achievement Test (SSAT)” validated and tested for reliability were used for the study. The reliability test yielded 0.74 and 0.71 coefficients for QSHSH and SSAT respectively. Data collected were analysed using frequency count, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 level of significance. Finding of the study revealed that student hawkers exhibited poor study habits which led to their poor academic performance. It was recommended among others that student hawkers should learn to form good study habits of reading and preparing early for examination so as to improve their academic performance while government should improve the standard of living of the people in order to reduce poverty which is the main cause of street hawking.

Keywords: : Academic Performance, Street hawking, Students, Study Habit, achievement test, student hawkers.

Attitude of Botho University Sports Management Students towards the Sports Management Programme: A Critical Analysis and Reflection (Published)

The narrative on attitudes of students and how these attitudes shape and define how students behave in a learning situation has been a subject of heightened discussion in many academic fora. Studies show that how people react or respond to something is more often than not motivated by their attitude towards it. Literature is also abound with information related to attitudes of students towards sport and physical activity but very little if any of such literature captures issues of attitudes of university students towards Sports Management. This study therefore examined the attitudes of Botho University (BU) Sports Management students towards their sport management programme and causative factors to such attitudes. All students (N = 33) in the department of Sports Management were selected to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire that employed a 5-point Likert scale was used for data collection. Data collected was analysed using SPSS version 22. Results of the study showed that Sports Management students had very positive attitudes towards their programme and this was due to among others, state of the art resources they used for learning, a conducive learning environment at the university with technology that supports learning.

Keywords: Botho University, Programme, Sports Management, Students, attitude

A Qualitative Analysis of Needs and Facilities of Special Students Available at Graduation/Post Graduation Level (Published)

All over the world we can see different type of individuals in the educational journey. Some are mentally sharp, average or below average. At the same time we have seen people with physical impairment who are pursuing at their path of education with a lot of courage and motivation. Yet in developing countries like Pakistan special students are facing many problems in their Academic process because of lack of primary resources as well as lack of implementation of policies which especially made to facilitate them. Present research was aim to identify the lack of special resources in academic process of visually impair students, which can facilitate them towards a better education at graduate and post graduate level. Twenty five (N=25) visually impaired students were purposefully selected. Nineteen were from Karachi University and rests of the six were from IDA RIEU welfare association deaf and blind school and college. A semi-structured interview was conducted, where participants were asked about 1- their current issues regarding available academic resources or problems they face in their academic process 2- provided resources by the institution 3- possible solutions of their problems. Along with prevalence of the different problems and available facilities (checked by their frequencies and percentages) the qualitative analysis of the interviews showed that available resources are not satisfactory for the facilitation of academic process of visually impair students in both private and Govt. graduate and post graduate institutions

Keywords: Academic Resources, Special Needs, Students, Visually Impair