Impact of Goodwill Organizations and Community Collaboration on AIDS-Orphans\u27 Needs in Nyanza Province, Kenya

A number of researchers have explored the toll of AIDS on the children who have become orphans as a result of the disease; others have investigated the roles of aid-giving agencies on the alleviation of the orphans\u27 situation. However, despite researchers\u27 pointing to the germaneness of community and goodwill agency liaison, no study had examined the impact of such collaboration on the resources available to the orphans. To this end, the heads-of-household of 532 AIDS orphans under 18 years old in Kenya\u27s Nyanza province were surveyed to investigate the impact of community-referral on the state of AIDS orphans with regard to homelessness, birth registration, food security, school attendance, and sibling separation. The theoretical framework for the study was rooted on the interplay of resource-availability and stressors on AIDS orphans. Results of regression analysis showed that double orphans ate fewer meals than maternal or paternal orphans. There was an inverse relationship between the number of AIDS orphans in a home and the likelihood of homelessness; older orphans tended to not be separated from their siblings; double orphans were more likely than single orphans to be separated from their siblings; school absenteeism was higher among older orphans and when the head-of-household was female; community-referred, male children, offsprings of the respondents tended to have birth registration. The results of the assessment will be pertinent to stakeholders as a framework to guide program planning and implementation as they address the needs of AIDS orphans in Nyanza province and other similar communities

ENTREPRENEUR PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAITS AND PERFORMANCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR NIGERIAN NON-OILSMES EXPORTING COMPANIES

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of psychological traits on performance of small and medium sized (SMEs) exporting firms in a developing country. The study made of survey method to reach one hundred and twenty three firms. Descriptive and inference statistics were used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the psychological traits tested (need achievement, locus of control and self-efficacy) are related among themselves and positively related to performance of the studied firms. Subjective measures were used to test performance. The findings are in line with some other studies using similar variables. The major contribution of this paper is it’s the relationship between entrepreneurial psychological traits and performance in a developing African country like Nigeria.Psychological traits; need achievement; locus of control; self-efficacy; performance

Women Involvement in Rural Community Development in Enugu North Senatorial Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria

The study ascertained the involvement of women in rural community development (RCD). The study was carried out in Enugu north senatorial zone, Enugu State, Nigeria, with a total of 4 communities randomly selected from 2 randomly selected LGAs. The total sample size of 60 women was used. Data were collected using an interview schedule and analysed using percentages and mean scores. The findings reveal that agricultural related projects (96.7 %), social projects (91.7 %), educational projects (81.7 %) and health projects (81.7%) were areas of RCD women were involved in. The agricultural related projects of interest included: animal rearing and sales (96.7 %), corn processing outfits (91.7%), seasonal crop processing and production (90%) among others. Traders association (x=2.45) and market women association   (x=2.45) were RCD groups women were mostly part of, while women empowerment programs (M=2.45), education (M=2.42), urbanization (M=2.42) among others were the factors that enabled women involvement in RCD. Women were involved and played a crucial role in RCD.  A more conducive environment such as the provision of soft loans and jobs should be created by government authorities to sustain women’s motivation and encourage them to delve into other areas of RCD like Information and Communication Technologies that their presence is not so pronounced

Factors influencing cyberbullying among young adults: Instagram case study

Cyberbullying is one of the major problems of social networking sites, which has been known to have prolonged adverse psychological effects on social network users. Cyberbullying has been discussed a lot in the literature, but little research has been done on cyberbullying and its related factors. This study seeks to examine the factors influencing cyberbullying on Instagram among young adults. Instagram was chosen as a case study for the thesis because research shows that Instagram is the most preferred social networking site among the age cohort (18–30), who are popularly referred to as young adults. An extensive review of the literature was carried out, and six constructs (Instagram Usage, Vulnerability, Peer Pressure, Anonymity, and Instagram Features) were used to examine the influence of cyberbullying among young adults on Instagram. This study draws from the theory of routine activity theory (RAT), which is grounded on the postulation that criminal acts can be easily committed by any individual who has the opportunity. The researcher reviewed the process and deployed a methodological and concept-centric approach to create a comprehensive conceptual model that included key factors. This dissertation is different from most cyberbullying research in the sense that it reviews cyberbullying behaviours from the context in which they occur rather than the intent or motivation of the perpetrator. The model allowed a holistic examination of factors that influenced cyberbullying behaviours on Instagram. Using a survey methodology, over 201 Instagram users who are also students at the University of Cape Town completed an instrument measuring factor influencing cyberbullying. The researcher deployed Smart PLS, a statistical package for the social sciences, to test for reliability, validity and to analyse the entire dataset. The study critically examined the factors that influence cyberbullying among young adults. The results of this dissertation indicated that peer pressure and online vulnerability have a strong significance in cyberbullying behaviours. Surprisingly, Instagram usage had a weak correlation with cyberbullying behaviours. This study contributes significantly to the exciting research on cyberbullying as it helps identify the factors that contribute to cyberbullying behaviours. From this research, cyberbullying interventions or solutions can be accurately developed

Standards-Based Instruction: A Case Study of a College Algebra Teacher

ABSTRACT STANDARDS-BASED INSTRUCTION: A CASE STUDY OF A COLLEGE ALGEBRA TEACHER by Anthonia Ekwuocha The lecture method has dominated undergraduate mathematics education (Bergsten, 2007). The lecture method promotes passive learning instead of active learning among students, thus contributing to attrition in undergraduate mathematics. Standards-based instruction has been found to be effective in reducing students’ attrition in undergraduate mathematics (Ellington, 2005). College algebra is gatekeeper for higher undergraduate mathematics courses (Thiel, Peterman & Brown, 2008). Research indicates that if college algebra is taught with standards-based teaching strategies, it will help reduce students’ attrition and encourage more students to take higher level mathematics courses (Burmeister, Kenney, & Nice, 1996). Standards-based instructional strategies include but are not limited to real life applications, cooperative learning, proper use of technology, implementation of writing, multiple approaches, connection with other experiences, and experiential teaching (American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), 2006). Despite all effort to improve undergraduate mathematics instruction, there are still limited empirical studies on standards-based instruction in college algebra. Research in undergraduate mathematics education is a new field of study (Brown & Murphy, 2000). Research reported that overall students’ attrition in college algebra could be as high as 41% in a community college (Owens, 2003). This high attrition rate in college algebra may impact students’ continuation in higher mathematics courses and their interest in the field of mathematics. As a result more research efforts must be focused on ways to improve college algebra instruction. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the teaching practices of a college algebra teacher who adopts standards-based techniques in his classroom. The research questions that guided the study were: What teaching practices are used in the mathematics classroom of a college algebra teacher? How are the teaching practices of the teacher aligned with the characteristics of standards-based instruction? The participant of the study was a college algebra teacher who was identified as a standards-based teacher. The teaching practices of the teacher were analyzed and presented using a qualitative single case study method. Data were collected from interviews with the teacher, classroom observations, and artifacts. The research project was drawn from the frameworks of culturally relevant pedagogy theory, symbolic interaction theory, experiential teaching theory, and standards-based instruction. Analysis of the data showed that the teaching practices of the participant were mathematical communication, proper use of technology in instruction and assessment, building mathematical connections, multiple representations, motivating students to learn mathematics, and repetition of key terms. The teaching practices aligned with the characteristics of standards-based instruction. Findings from the study suggest that standards-based instruction strategies should be used in undergraduate mathematics education, especially in teaching college algebra to alleviate some of the problems. Moreover, university administrators at college level should organize workshops and professional development about standards-based instruction strategies for their teachers

The Struggle Of International Students Seeking Employment

This quantitative study delves into the challenges encountered by international students in their pursuit of employment and proposes strategies to support them in navigating the workforce. Focusing on 18 international students, both undergraduates and graduates, from Sheridan College and beyond, the research highlights prevalent barriers hindering their employment prospects. Findings reveal that 50% of participants identify significant hurdles impeding their job search, while 73% acknowledge various factors influencing international students\u27 employment opportunities. The study underscores the necessity of shedding light on these challenges to devise effective support mechanisms. By understanding the complexities of international students\u27 job-seeking experiences, interventions can be tailored to address specific barriers they encounter. Ultimately, supporting international students in navigating the workforce is paramount for facilitating their integration into the job market and achieving their employment aspirations. This research contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of international students\u27 employment challenges and underscores the importance of targeted support initiatives

Evaluation of Breastfeeding Interventions to Improve Duration in Women at Risk of Breastfeeding Attrition

Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits for infants, children, and mothers. These benefits are dependent on the duration of breastfeeding. To attain these benefits, the World Health Organization and the CDC recommends mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of the infant’s life and to continue breastfeeding while introducing complementary food until the infant is at least one year old. Research studies have reported a strong positive correlation between breastfeeding and reduced infant morbidity and mortality. Optimal breastfeeding practice could help prevent 823,000 child deaths. Globally, not breastfeeding or premature cessation of breastfeeding is estimated to result in economic losses of about $302 billion annually. There are advances in breastfeeding initiation in the world including the United States, but the cessation of breastfeeding less than the recommended duration is prevalent worldwide. The purpose of this project was to identify women at risk for early breastfeeding cessation, provide this at-risk group with breastfeeding support then evaluate the effect on breastfeeding duration. The goal is to increase breastfeeding duration so that its health benefits may be fully attained

Language Aesthetics of Prayers in Modern Pentecostal Christian Religion

Prayer is petition, devotion and intercession and man has been created to desire communion with God through it. There is a void that cannot be filled by anything but genuine communion with God. No matter what man acquires, it cannot replace the fellowship that fulfils the very essence of man’s being which is giving purpose to life, nourishing the core of his soul. Every area of the world has its own language, culture and practices. When a person has conceived what to say in prayer, he must do that through the use of one language or the other. Language is used by man to communicate, and for effective communication, one needs to be proficient in the use of one’s language of choice. Christians use different languages to pray. This study surveyed the philosophy of art and beauty of one of such languages used in prayer in Igbo Nigerian context especially among the Pentecostal Christians