An Outbreak of Online Learning in the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects and Challenges

The COVID-19 outbreak stimulated an outbreak of online learning in many institutions in Sub- Saharan Africa. Educational institutions went beyond fighting the COVID-19 through social distancing norms to tackling Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4) with the adoption of online learning as the new modality for instruction. Online learning has the propensity to ensure learners from all geographical regions have access to education, thereby addressing the inequalities in education. However, the disparities in the access to digital infrastructure had a negative impact on the online instruction in Sub- Saharan Africa. The online learning experience is best described as a challenge-ridden online learning with many teachers suffering from burnout and students lamenting on limited ICT resources, inadequate access to affordable and reliable internet, power outages, and anxiety over academic outcomes. Despite the challenges, the COVID-19 has presented a silver lining to online learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. Aside the attempt to massify online learning, many institutions have come up with novel technological innovations and inventions to bridge the digital divide in the region. The review gives an overview of the challenges, prospects, and practical implications of online learning in Sub-Saharan Africa

An Outbreak of Online Learning in the COVID-19 Outbreak in Sub-Saharan Africa: Prospects and Challenges

The COVID-19 outbreak stimulated an outbreak of online learning in many institutions in Sub- Saharan Africa. Educational institutions went beyond fighting the COVID-19 through social distancing norms to tackling Sustainable Development Goal Four (SDG 4) with the adoption of online learning as the new modality for instruction. Online learning has the propensity to ensure learners from all geographical regions have access to education, thereby addressing the inequalities in education. However, the disparities in the access to digital infrastructure had a negative impact on the online instruction in Sub- Saharan Africa. The online learning experience is best described as a “challenge-ridden online learning” with many teachers suffering from burnout and students lamenting on limited ICT resources, inadequate access to affordable and reliable internet, power outages, and anxiety over academic outcomes. Despite the challenges, the COVID-19 has presented a silver lining to online learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. Aside the attempt to massify online learning, many institutions have come up with novel technological innovations and inventions to bridge the digital divide in the region. The review gives an overview of the challenges, prospects, and practical implications of online learning in Sub-Saharan Africa

Biologische Bekämpfung des Maiskäfers Sitophilus zeamais (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Mais mit der Lagererzwespe Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) sowie der Reismotte Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Reis mit der Mehlmottenschlupfwespe Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Maize and rice constitute some of the most important cereals cultivated in the world, being used as staple food for people especially in Africa. The rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica, and the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais, are major pests of stored grains in the tropics. The use of parasitoids in biological pest control is already common in different agricultural and horticultural fields. At present, grain managers tend to look at alternatives to chemicals to control insects in stored grain. Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster) is a synovigenic, solitary larval and pupal ectoparasitoid of several beetle species that infest stored goods. The ability for long-range host finding of this parasitoid mediated by volatiles has been shown (Steidle & Schöller 1997). Habrobracon hebetor (Say) is a gregarious ectoparasitoid of many lepidopterous pests. This wasp occurs naturally in the stored grain ecosystem (Keever & al. 1985) where it attacks several pyralid moths, including the rice moth, Corcyra cephalonica. The present study was conducted to assess the host finding of the two parasitoids H. hebetor and L. distinguendus.Wenn Vorratsschädlinge gefüllte Säcke befallen ist eine Bekämpfung mit Hilfe durchgreifender Methoden wie z.B. Begasung oder der Einsatz von Kälte möglich. Die Anwendung dieser Verfahren ist aber technisch nicht immer realisierbar. Verschiedene parasitoide Hymenopteren werden zur biologischen Bekämpfung von Vorratsschädlingen eingesetzt. Diese Wespen dringen in der Regel nicht in Verpackungen ein. Säcke aus Jute besitzen jedoch eine Maschenweite, die das Eindringen von Nützlingen erlauben könnte. Um die Möglichkeit des Nützlingseinsatzes in Sacklägern zu prüfen, wurden folgende Untersuchungen durchgeführt: (1) Wirtsfindung von Habrobracon hebetor in gesacktem Langkornreis (5 kg-Säcke, Raupen von Corcyra cephalonica 4 cm tief im Reis) (2) Wirtsfindung von Lariophagus distinguendus in gesacktem Mais (5 kg-Säcke, Befall durch Sitophilus zeamais). Es wurde täglich auf eindringende L. distinguendus bzw. H. hebetor hin kontrolliert. Der tägliche Schlupf der Nachkommen der Wespen wurde dokumentiert. H. hebetor war nur zu einem sehr geringen Anteil in der Lage, in die Säcke einzudringen. 50% der eingesetzten L. distinguendus drangen in die Jutesäcke ein und verringerten den Populationsaufbau der Maiskäfer. Begleitende Untersuchungen in unverpacktem, geschüttetem Reis ergaben, dass H. hebetor mindestens 14 cm tief eindringt und Reismottenraupen parasitiert

EFFECTS OF TEXT MESSAGING ON THE ACADEMIC WRITING OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS OF A GHANAIAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of text messaging on the academic writing of first-year pre-service teachers of Offinso College of Education. Empirical studies on the use of text messages in specific cultures were reviewed in order to demonstrate how the present study is both similar to and different from previous research. Descriptive survey research design was employed by the researchers to conduct this study. The student population for the study was 350. Quota sampling and simple random sampling techniques aided the researchers to select 50 pre-service teachers for the study. The instruments used were questionnaires, interviews and essay-type tests. The study revealed that the vocabulary items students used in their SMS texting contained numbers, reduction, clipping and shortening, and that the use of these vocabulary items had a negative effect because these items found their way into the academic writing of students. The researchers recommend that college tutors should sensitize the pre-service teachers on the need to avoid SMS language in their academic writings to help them overcome the menace. To curtail everything, they should text using Standard English to avoid being addicted to texting language.  Article visualizations

Effect of Power Supply on the performance of Small and Medium Size Enterprises: A comparative analysis between SMEs in Tema and the Northern part of Ghana

Electricity provision in Ghana has been marred by low generation, poor supply and frequent power outages. The situation compel firms to adopt strategies to cope with this poor public supply of power for their business. To this end, this study analysed the effect of power supply on the performance of SMEs: a comparative analysis between two regions in Ghana where Small and Medium firms are located. The study uses the current World Bank 2013 Enterprise Survey on Ghana which consist of 710 firms. The study employs both chi-square and t-test to do pattern analysis. In addition, ordinary regression analysis (OLS) was employed to regress firm performance variable on electricity supply variable and other covariates. The results show that, the presence of power outages, thus, the number of times power outages experienced and hours of power outages negatively affected firms performance (profitability). In addition, it was further realized that power outages (power interruptions) severely affects SMEs located in the Northern part of Ghana than SMEs located elsewhere. The study therefore recommends that government should implement policies and programs such as power mix approach and renewable energy and bring in private sector participation to install competition and efficiency. This is in the interest to mitigate the unreliable electricity supply. Also, SMEs should consider alternative sources of power such as solar power, inverter, biogas, generators, which would help curb the cost power outage brings to their production and to boost output

The Role of Financial Institutions in Export Financing in Ghana

The study on the role of financial institutions in export financing in Ghana, aims to determine the economic policy finance as well as their effectiveness on the export business. It also hopes to ascertain the problems encountered by the financial institutions in export production finance. Further, to examine the prospects of export financing in Ghana, and to ascertain the extent to which oriented industries benefit from export financing. Various literatures and theories were reviewed so as to have a good knowledge background on the research topic. The study adopted the method of primary data (questionnaires) to elicit information from the respondents. The study considered a total of 200 questionnaires and a sample size of 150 respondents were selected for the purpose of the research work. The study made useful findings and recommendations

Teacher Professional Development as a Catalyst for Faculty Development: The Case of a University in China

Teacher professional development (TPD) is integral for faculty development through quality teacher performances and student outcomes. Prior research on TPD indicates that school leaders at the helm of educational affairs are responsible for implementing and sustaining TPD activities for better school improvement. In the higher education (HE) context, fewer research studies have been conducted on TPD. Most HE institutions still struggle to implement, sustain, and improve TPD in China and significant parts of the world. The qualitative research utilized a case study approach to solicit information from two deans of a selected university faculty in China reputable for its TPD programs. The three key leadership practices explored in this study were; how leadership support TPD, the role of TPD in faculty development, and the challenges of TPD in the HE context. Findings from the study indicate that China's hierarchical structure has positively affected TPD programs in this university due to the Chinese culture and tradition. Clear and concrete policies emerged as an essential step towards TPD implementation. Motivational strategies such as incentives and academic conferences have been identified as integral factors for TPD sustainability. Also, mentorship and collaboration among teachers and other stakeholders were integral to enhancing teachers' research capacity. Educators should ensure the evaluation and supervision of TPD for it to achieve its intended goals

Empirical Analysis of the Effectiveness of Teacher Distance Education (TDE) in Ghana: The Perception of Student Teachers, Tutors and Coordinators of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW)

Education has proven to be an effective means of developing the human resource base of most nations and could advance the development of nations. In other to upgrade and train more professionals and non-professionals in the sphere of education, the concept of teacher distance education has gained more attention globally. Therefore, more and new knowledge is required to advance the course of teacher distance education in developing countries through empirical research; it becomes critically important to understand the perceived quality and, therefore, effectiveness of teachers distance education from stakeholders’ perspective in the Ghanaian teacher distance education context. Overall, student teachers, tutors and coordinators rated the University of Education Teacher Distance Education successful. It was recommended among other things that the programme design, content quality, instruction design, instructional delivery, student support and student assessment quality must be given further attention. Keywords: effectiveness, perception, teacher distance education, university of educatio

Finance Challenges of Manufacturing Companies in Ghana and Their Contributions to the Economic Growth of Ghana

This study sought to outline some of the financial challenges of manufacturing companies in Ghana as well as their contributions as companies to the economic growth of Ghana. Moreover, it also aimed to analyze some of the effect of adequate financing on the growth of the manufacturing companies in Ghana and the diverse effects of financial challenges on the performance of manufacturing companies in Ghana. Again, the study intended to determine the relationship between the activities of the manufacturing companies in relation to economic growth and development in Ghana as well as to investigate some the factors affecting the availability of finance for the manufacturing sector in Ghana. Various literature and theories were reviewed so as to have ample knowledge background on the research topic. The study adopted the method of primary data (questionnaires) to elicit information from the respondents. The study considered a total of 400 population and a sample size of 200 respondents were selected for the purpose of the research work. The study made useful findings and recommendations. Keywords: Finance, Manufacturing, Economic growt