Teachers’ Pedagogical Intricacies in Handling Large Science Classes in Eastern Uganda

The introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda in 1997 increased the number of students who join secondary education. The beginning of Universal Secondary Education (USE) in 2007 salvaged many learners who could not afford secondary education. This resulted in congested classrooms especially in government-aided schools. The study was prompted by the continued decline in student performance in sciences ever since USE was introduced in Uganda (UNEB, 2008 – 2016) and so the need to establish what really the problem was. A quantitative cross-sectional survey administered questionnaires to head-teachers, science teachers and students in 32 secondary schools in Eastern Uganda was done. The study investigated science teachers’ pedagogical innovative strategies used in teaching science in large classes. It also assessed how students cope with learning science concepts in congested classes. The results show that a majority of science teachers (84.8%) handle large classes in the same way they would do in classes with fewer learners. The students also continued to learn as if they were in an environment of fewer individuals in small classes (62.8%). This lack of sensitivity, creativity and innovations for large classes by science teachers could be the reason why comprehension of science concepts is low in a majority of learners in large USE classes, especially in rural secondary schools. The study recommends incorporation of interactive learner-centered science pedagogical approaches in teacher education programmes and endorsement of the TESSA approaches, use of OER and explicit attention to be given on how to facilitate active learner engagement in large and overcrowded science classrooms. Keywords: pedagogical innovation, creativity, large classe

Wetting and Drying Unsaturated Soil Diffusivity Measurements in Laboratory

The purpose of this research study was to develop an improved and unified testing protocol for measuring both the drying (evaporation) and wetting (soaking) diffusion coefficients on the same soil specimen in the laboratory. The drying testing equipment and method are modified to accommodate the wetting test. The new testing equipment, built at Oklahoma State University, enabled drying and wetting tests to be performed in cycles on the same soil specimens. One drying-wetting or wetting-drying cycle was adopted in this study. This approach permitted the hysteresis effect on the evaporation and soaking parameters that are associated with seasonal moisture variations to be reliably evaluated. Undisturbed Shelby tube soil specimens from six different sites across Oklahoma were employed in this research study. Generally, the wetting diffusion coefficients were found to be higher than the drying diffusion coefficients by a factor of about one to two. The hysteresis between the diffusivity parameters was attributed to cracks formed in the soil during drying process and root-holes in the soil. Soils obtained from deeper depths from the ground surface tend to have smaller difference between the parameters than those obtained from shallower depths. The new testing equipment provided a strong tool for running multiple tests at the sample time under a temperature controlled environment. The determination of the diffusion coefficient by this method is simple and relatively rapid and can be carried out on a routine basis in a laboratory. The depth to which significant fluctuations in suction occur in a soil mass because of moisture fluctuations depends on the diffusion properties and amplitude of moisture fluctuations at the surface. The distribution of suction with depth within an unsaturated soil surface is greater for wetting diffusion coefficients than for drying diffusion coefficients.School of Civil & Environmental Engineerin

Effects of financial incentives for treatment supporters on tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Swaziland: a pragmatic interventional study

Background: Swaziland has the highest national incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the world, with treatment success rates well below the 85 % international target. Treatment support as part of comprehensive TB services is a core component of the Stop TB Strategy. This study investigated the effects of financial incentives for treatment supporters on TB treatment outcomes in Swaziland. Methods: This was a controlled study that compared treatment outcomes for patients with a treatment supporter who received or did not receive a financial incentive. Results: The intervention group had a higher chance of treatment success as compared with the control group: 73 % (95 % confidence intervals [CIs] 66–80 %) versus 60 % (95 % CIs 57–64 %), respectively, p = 0.003. This improvement remained significant when treatment success rates were adjusted for differences in baseline characteristics, with the effect of incentivised treatment supporters on treatment outcomes having an odds ratio (OR) of 1.8. There was also a significant improvement in the death rate in the intervention group, as compared with the control group (10.6 versus 23.5 %, p = <0.001). Conclusion: Incentives provided to TB treatment supporters appear to significantly improve TB treatment outcomes. Incentivising treatment support may be appropriate as an effective addition to support and supervision measures (199 words)

Evaluation of a school-based HIV prevention intervention among Yemeni adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This article describes an evaluation of a school-based peer education intervention for HIV prevention among students in twenty seven high schools in Aden, Yemen. The intervention was developed after a survey among the same population in 2005, which revealed a high level of stigma towards people living with HIV (PLWH) and a low level of HIV knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a quasi-experimental design students who received the peer education intervention (78.6%) were compared with students who did not receive the intervention (21.4%). No systematic procedure was applied in selecting students for the intervention condition. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 2510 students from all 27 high-schools in Aden governorate. To increase internal validity, students were also compared with a cohort control sample surveyed in 2005, which was a random sample of 2274 students from the same schools.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sixty eight percent of students targeted by peer education had good knowledge scores, compared with 43.3% of students not targeted by peer education (χ²= (df = 1) = 111.15, p < .01). Multi-level regression analysis revealed that, although there was a significant difference among schools, the intervention effect of peer education at the individual level was significant; students who received peer education had a statistically higher knowledge score(9.24 out of 12.0) compared with those not targeted (7.89 out of 12.0), OR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.04-4.27, p < .05). Compared with the 2005 cohort control sample, students targeted by peer education had better knowledge on the modes of transmission and prevention and fewer misconceptions; and knowledge on the use of condoms increased from 49.4% to 67.8%. In addition, students who received the peer education interventions suggested significantly more actions to provide care and support for PLWH. Also, the levels of stigma and discrimination were much higher among the 2005 cohort control group, compared with those who received the peer education intervention.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The school-based peer education intervention has succeeded in improving levels of knowledge on modes of transmission and prevention, and in decreasing levels of stigma and discrimination in a culturally conservative setting.</p

Accountants’ Attitudes to Digital Technology: A Barrier to the Digital Transformation of Accounting?

The digital transformation of accounting depends, in large part, on accountants being able to continuously upgrade their digital technology competencies in line with ongoing and accelerating digital technology changes. Doing so is critical to accountants being able to deliver digitally transformed or transforming accounting roles, processes/workflows, and value outputs. However, an apparent inference from information systems and learning science researchers is that accountants’ attitudes to new technology and technology-related issues could be barriers to the efficient and effective attainment of required digital technology competencies. Combining survey research and quantitative content analysis, we investigate the nature and prevalence of accountants’ attitudes to new technology. We then discuss the implications of these attitudes and their prevalence for the required upgrading of accountants’ digital technology competence and for efforts to digitally transform accounting practice. Our research is related to research on the digital transformation of accounting, research on the expectation–performance gap in accounting education, and research on effective strategies for translating required technology competencies into accounting practice

Lost in Translation? The Required Vs. Actual Technology Skills of Accountants

Prior accounting research has investigated accountants’ required digital technology (DT) competencies and how they continue to be impacted by ongoing DT advancements. To this end, the literature has identified a diverse collection of required accounting DT competencies, including information systems management, data, emerging technology, digital transformation, and digital business-related competencies. These diverse competencies compartmentalize into two broad categories: the required knowledge of DTs relevant to accounting work, and the skills and abilities required to effectively use these DTs for accounting work. Focusing on the second category, we examine the gap between the DT skills currently required by the accounting profession, and the DT skills currently possessed by accountants. We first conduct an extensive literature review to identify the DT skills required by the profession, and then use survey research to investigate the extent to which accountants across different career levels, accounting functions, and accounting practice settings actually possess the required accounting DT skills. In summary, we find that most accountants rate their DT skills level below average, with junior accountants surprisingly having the lowest DT skills rating. We identify and unpack the skill areas accountants are weakest and strongest in across different accounting functions, accounting career levels, and accounting practice settings. And we discuss potential moderators and mediators of skills gaps. Our findings have important implications for accounting practitioners, employers, educators of future accountants, and professional bodies

Implementating TESSA teaching lower secondary science: learning from the experience and the implications for partnership working

Teacher education in Africa has been criticised for being not ‘fit for purpose’ (Verspoor, 2008, Mulkeen, 2010). The TESSA programme was established in 2005 to support teacher education at primary level, and there is evidence that the initial project has made an impact across Sub-Saharan Africa (Harley et al., 2012). This paper describes the TESSA Teaching Lower Secondary Science project, which extends the TESSA approach to secondary schools. Colleagues from five countries worked together to produce 15 units of work to support teacher education. The units are grouped around five pedagogical themes and aim to address some of the challenges faced by secondary teachers. They are based on the belief that student-centred approaches to learning produce the best results and that discussions about how to teach are more productive that discussions about what to teach. The units are now being trialled in the partner institutions and this paper describes some of the activities that have been taking place. Initial impressions are encouraging, but there is much still to be done. We conclude with a review of some of the criticisms of secondary teacher education in Africa and demonstrate how, with carefully planned interventions, the TESSA secondary science resources could begin to address some of these problems, particularly in the field of partnership working