An examination of how organisational policy and news professionalism are negotiated in a newsroom: a case study of Zimbabwe's Financial gazette

The construction of journalistic professionalism in Zimbabwe has stirred debate among scholars. Critics have argued that professionalism has been compromised by the stifling media laws in Zimbabwe as well as the extra legal measures the state has enforced to control the press. Some have also argued that a new kind of journalism must be emerging in the Zimbabwean newsroom as journalism try to cope with the political and economic pressures bedeviling the country. Much of this criticism however, has not been based on close interrogation of professionalism from the perspective of the journalists in any particular newsroom. It is against this background that this study examines the constructions of professionalism at the Financial Gazette. In particular it explores the meaning of professionalism through interrogating the journalistic practices the journalists consider during the process of news production in the context of overwhelming state power. In undertaking this examination, the study draws primarily on qualitative research methods, particularly observation and multi-layered individual in-depth interviews. As the study demonstrates, the interrogation of professionalism from the perspective of newsroom practices uncovers the complex manner in which professionalism is negotiated in the Gazette’s newsroom located in a country undergoing transition in Democracy. The study establishes that when measured against normative canons of journalistic professionalism the Gazette is deviating from such tenets as public service and watchdog journalism. As the study indicates, perhaps unbeknown to the respondents, the ruling ZANU PF party hegemony is reproduced at the Gazette through choice of news values such as sovereignty and patriotism all euphemisms for ruling party‘s slogans

Medical education departments: a study of four medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background Many African countries are investing in medical education to address significant health care workforce shortages and ultimately improve health care. Increasingly, training institutions are establishing medical education departments as part of this investment. This article describes the status of four such departments at sub-Saharan African medical schools supported by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI). This article will provide information about the role of these institutional structures in fostering the development of medical education within the African context and highlight factors that enable or constrain their establishment and sustainability. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads or directors of the four medical education departments using a structured interview protocol developed by the study group. An inductive approach to analysis of the interview transcripts was adopted as the texts were subjected to thematic content analysis. Results Medical education departments, also known as units or centers, were established for a range of reasons including: to support curriculum review, to provide faculty development in Health Professions Education, and to improve scholarship in learning and teaching. The reporting structures of these departments differ in terms of composition and staff numbers. Though the functions of departments do vary, all focus on improving the quality of health professions education. External and internal funding, where available, as well as educational innovations were key enablers for these departments. Challenges included establishing and maintaining the legitimacy of the department, staffing the departments with qualified individuals, and navigating dependence on external funding. All departments seek to expand the scope of their services by offering higher degrees in HPE, providing assistance to other universities in this domain, and developing and maintaining a medical education research agenda. Conclusions The establishment of medical education departments in Sub-Saharan Africa is a strategy medical schools can employ to improve the quality of health professions education. The creation of communities of practice such as has been done by the MEPI project is a good way to expand the network of medical education departments in the region enabling the sharing of lessons learned across the continent

Health Education Advanced Leadership for Zimbabwe (Healz): Developing the Infrastructure to Support Curriculum Reform

An economic crisis in Zimbabwe from 1999–2009 resulted in a shortage of faculty at the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences (UZCHS) and declining enrollment and graduation rates. To improve proficiency and retention of graduates, the college sought to develop a competency-based curriculum using evidence-based educational methodologies. Achievement of this goal required a cadre of highly qualified educators to lead the curriculum review and innovation processes. The Health Education Advanced Leadership for Zimbabwe (HEALZ) program was established in 2012 to rapidly develop the needed faculty leadership. HEALZ is a one-year program of rigorous coursework delivered face-to-face in three intensive one-week sessions. Between sessions, scholars engage with mentors to conduct a needs assessment and to develop, implement, and evaluate a competency-based curriculum. Forty scholars completed training from 2012–15. All participants reported they were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the training after each week. Pre-post surveys identified significant knowledge gains in all key content domains. The program garnered significant organizational support. Scholars showed significant variation in progress toward implementing and evaluating their curricula as well as the quality of the work demonstrated by program end. Interviews of scholars and UZCHS leaders revealed important impacts of the program on the quality and culture of medical education at the college

Faculty Development Workshop Summary Notes 26-28 July 2011

University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences under the NECTAR programme conducted a three day Faculty Development training workshop. The workshop which was facilitated by Associate Professor Eva Aagaard, Professor Nancy Madinger, and Dr. Jake Gray from the University of Colorado Denver, USA recorded an average of 50 participants on a daily basis. The objective of the workshop was to introduce and acquaint participants to basic knowledge on: Curriculum Development; Team Based Learning; Bedside Clinical Teaching and Lecture methods. The workshop was officially opened by Professor Midion Chidzonga, the current Dean of the College of Health Sciences. The workshop was conducted in sessions with each of the 3 instructors facilitating specific sessions. This report is a summary of how the workshop unfolded. Workshop Objectives: To introduce faculty to the theory and practice of: • Curriculum Development • Medical Education Pedagogies • Student Assessment Session,National Institute of Health (NIH), under the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI

Faculty Development Workshop Summary Notes 26-28 July 2011

University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences under the NECTAR programme conducted a three day Faculty Development training workshop. The workshop which was facilitated by Associate Professor Eva Aagaard, Professor Nancy Madinger, and Dr. Jake Gray from the University of Colorado Denver, USA recorded an average of 50 participants on a daily basis. The objective of the workshop was to introduce and acquaint participants to basic knowledge on: Curriculum Development; Team Based Learning; Bedside Clinical Teaching and Lecture methods. The workshop was officially opened by Professor Midion Chidzonga, the current Dean of the College of Health Sciences. The workshop was conducted in sessions with each of the 3 instructors facilitating specific sessions. This report is a summary of how the workshop unfolded. Workshop Objectives: To introduce faculty to the theory and practice of: • Curriculum Development • Medical Education Pedagogies • Student Assessment Ses,National Institute of Health (NIH

Proceedings Of The Nectar/Chris/Imherz Workshop Held At Harare Holiday Inn 3rd - 5th Of February 2011

Prof Hakim started the workshop by welcoming the guests and thanked them for being punctual and then handed over to the Chair of the morning session Prof Chidzonga who formally welcomed the guests to the workshop making special mention of the guests from UK, USA and South Africa before handing over to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Nyagura to give the Official Opening Speech

Faculty Development Workshop Summary Notes 26-28 July 2011

The workshop was made possible with financial support from the National Institute of Health (NIH),under the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI).,University of Zimbabwe, College of Health Sciences under the NECTAR programme conducted a three day Faculty Development training workshop. The workshop which was facilitated by Associate Professor Eva Aagaard, Professor Nancy Madinger, and Dr. Jake Gray from the University of Colorado Denver, USA recorded an average of 50 participants on a daily basis. The objective of the workshop was to introduce and acquaint participants to basic knowledge on: Curriculum Development; Team Based Learning; Bedside Clinical Teaching and Lecture methods. The workshop was officially opened by Professor Midion Chidzonga, the current Dean of the College of Health Sciences. The workshop was conducted in sessions with each of the 3 instructors facilitating specific sessions. This report is a summary of how the workshop unfolded.,National Institute of Health (NIH); University of Zimbabw

Medical education departments: a study of four medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa

CITATION: Kiguli-Malwadde, E. et al. 2015. Medical education departments : a study of four medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. BMC Medical Education, 15:109, doi:10.1186/s12909-015-0398-y.The original publication is available at http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.comBackground: Many African countries are investing in medical education to address significant health care workforce shortages and ultimately improve health care. Increasingly, training institutions are establishing medical education departments as part of this investment. This article describes the status of four such departments at sub-Saharan African medical schools supported by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI). This article will provide information about the role of these institutional structures in fostering the development of medical education within the African context and highlight factors that enable or constrain their establishment and sustainability. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with the heads or directors of the four medical education departments using a structured interview protocol developed by the study group. An inductive approach to analysis of the interview transcripts was adopted as the texts were subjected to thematic content analysis. Results: Medical education departments, also known as units or centers, were established for a range of reasons including: to support curriculum review, to provide faculty development in Health Professions Education, and to improve scholarship in learning and teaching. The reporting structures of these departments differ in terms of composition and staff numbers. Though the functions of departments do vary, all focus on improving the quality of health professions education. External and internal funding, where available, as well as educational innovations were key enablers for these departments. Challenges included establishing and maintaining the legitimacy of the department, staffing the departments with qualified individuals, and navigating dependence on external funding. All departments seek to expand the scope of their services by offering higher degrees in HPE, providing assistance to other universities in this domain, and developing and maintaining a medical education research agenda. Conclusions: The establishment of medical education departments in Sub-Saharan Africa is a strategy medical schools can employ to improve the quality of health professions education. The creation of communities of practice such as has been done by the MEPI project is a good way to expand the network of medical education departments in the region enabling the sharing of lessons learned across the continent.http://bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-015-0398-yPublisher's versio