An analysis of quality of education and its evaluation: A case of Zimbabwean primary schools

This study sought to analyse quality of education and its evaluation in Zimbabwean primary schools. A qualitative research methodology was adopted. Thirty-five schools, 73 teachers, 15 school administrators and four Education Officials participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires and analysed through thematic content analysis. Findings indicate that a lot still needs to be done for quality of education to be fully realised. Overall, no meaningful school self-evaluation (SSE) of quality of education is taking place and teachers are not involved in the evaluation of quality of education in schools. Moreover, there is no standard instrument used to evaluate quality of education in schools. The study concluded that schools should engage in SSE and recommends the Ministry of Education to develop an SSE framework to be used in schools. It also recommends that teachers, as the main mediators between policy and practice, ought to be actively involved in SSE of education quality for its realisation and improvement.Keywords: evaluation; primary schools; quality of education; school self evaluation; school self-evaluation framework; Zimbabw

Dynamics and synchronisation of two coupled parametric pendula

One of the most important discoveries in the study of nonlinear dynamical systems in the last decade is that chaotic systems can be controlled and synchronised. Chaos synchronisation can be viewed as a particular problem of chaos control in the sense that by introducing a coupling term between two independent chaotic systems, we can provide a controlling mechanism in one or both systems (unidirectional or multi-directional coupling) that will eventually cause their trajectories to converge onto each other and then remain synchronised. But in most dynamical systems, chaotic attractors coexist with periodic attractors for a given set of parameters. This guarantees the coexistence of competing synchronous behaviours (chaotic and periodic synchronisation). Therefore in order to fully understand the synchronisation regimes that can occur to a given coupled dynamical system, we need to consider both the chaotic synchronisation component of the dynamics as well as periodic synchronisation and the transition between them. In this thesis we study both periodic and chaotic synchronisation of coupled dynamical systems. We introduce the subject of synchronisation of coupled dynamical systems in chapter 1. In chapters 2, 3 and 4 we study the oscillating, rotating and chaotic solutions of the single parametrically excited pendulum. The study of both periodic and chaotic synchronisation of two coupled parametrically excited pendula (sometimes called pendulums) is considered in chapters 5 and 6 respectively. Then we summarise our main findings in chapter 7 together with some proposals for future research directions

The research and development process for multiscale models of infectious disease systems.

Multiscale modelling of infectious disease systems falls within the domain of complexity science-the study of complex systems. However, what should be made clear is that current progress in multiscale modelling of infectious disease dynamics is still as yet insufficient to present it as a mature sub-discipline of complexity science. In this article we present a methodology for development of multiscale models of infectious disease systems. This methodology is a set of partially ordered research and development activities that result in multiscale models of infectious disease systems built from different scientific approaches. Therefore, the conclusive result of this article is a methodology to design multiscale models of infectious diseases. Although this research and development process for multiscale models cannot be claimed to be unique and final, it constitutes a good starting point, which may be found useful as a basis for further refinement in the discourse for multiscale modelling of infectious disease dynamics

A proposed unified conceptual framework for quality of education in schools

Quality of education in schools requires accurate descriptions of all its components to judge its realization and plan for its improvement. However, it can be difficult to obtain such descriptions in an effective manner. This article aims to propose a unified conceptual framework for quality of education in schools to facilitate an understanding of the quality of education. The conceptual framework proposed here is multi-dimensional in nature and based on operational experience by the authors with studying education systems’ performance in general, and particularly, quality of education in schools. The unified conceptual framework proposed here is informed by systems theory and acknowledges the interdependence among the components of quality of education and levels of the education system. In conclusion, we reiterate the importance of a conceptual framework for quality of education that explicates the relationships among the numerous education components (inputs, processes, and outputs) among the various education levels of the education system (national, tertiary, school, and pre-school) as a primary science for understanding the quality of education in schools as an essential step toward providing a scientific base for the study of education quality in schools.http://journals.sagepub.com/home/sgoam2020Science, Mathematics and Technology Educatio

A complete categorization of multiscale models of infectious disease systems

Modelling of infectious disease systems has entered a new era in which disease modellers are increasingly turning to multiscale modelling to extend traditional modelling frameworks into new application areas and to achieve higher levels of detail and accuracy in characterizing infectious disease systems. In this paper we present a categorization framework for categorizing multiscale models of infectious disease systems. The categorization framework consists of five integration frameworks and five criteria. We use the categorization framework to give a complete categorization of host-level immuno-epidemiological models (HL-IEMs). This categorization framework is also shown to be applicable in categorizing other types of multiscale models of infectious diseases beyond HL-IEMs through modifying the initial categorization framework presented in this study. Categorization of multiscale models of infectious disease systems in this way is useful in bringing some order to the discussion on the structure of these multiscale models

A primer on multiscale modelling of infectious disease systems

The development of multiscale models of infectious disease systems is a scientific endeavour whose progress depends on advances on three main frontiers: (a) the conceptual framework frontier, (b) the mathematical technology or technical frontier, and (c) the scientific applications frontier. The objective of this primer is to introduce foundational concepts in multiscale modelling of infectious disease systems focused on these three main frontiers. On the conceptual framework frontier we propose a three-level hierarchical framework as a foundational idea which enables the discussion of the structure of multiscale models of infectious disease systems in a general way. On the scientific applications frontier we suggest ways in which the different structures of multiscale models can serve as infrastructure to provide new knowledge on the control, elimination and even eradication of infectious disease systems, while on the mathematical technology or technical frontier we present some challenges that modelers face in developing appropriate multiscale models of infectious disease systems. We anticipate that the foundational concepts presented in this primer will be central in articulating an integrated and more refined disease control theory based on multiscale modelling - the all-encompassing quantitative representation of an infectious disease system. Keywords: Multiscale models of infectious diseases, Immuno-epidemiological models, Linking individual/lower/micro and population/upper/macro scales, Comparative effectiveness researc

Optimal Control of Combined Therapy in a Single Strain HIV-1 Model

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is administered to symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected individuals to improve their health. Various administration schemes are used to improve patients?lives and at the same time suppressing development of drug resistance, reduce evolution of new viral strains, minimize serious side effects, improve patient adherence and also reduce the costs of drugs. We deduce an optimal drug administration scheme useful in improving patients? health especially in poor resourced settings. In this paper we use the Pontryagin?s Maximum Principle to derive optimal drug dosages based on a mathematical dynamical model. We use methods of optimal control to determine optimal controls analytically, and then use the Runge-Kutta scheme of order four to numerically simulate different therapy effects. We simulate the different effects of a drug regimen composed of a protease inhibitor and a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Our results indicate that for highly toxic drugs, small dosage sizes and allowing drug holidays make a profound impact in both improving the quality of life and reducing economic costs of therapy. The results show that for drugs with less toxicity, continuous therapy is beneficial

The development of a school self-evaluation framework for classroom quality in Zimbabwean primary schools

There are growing concerns about quality of education in schools in many countries, and education systems implement mechanisms like school inspection, an external education quality assurance measure, to evaluate their education. Realising that effective improvement of education quality may be achieved from within rather than from outside, many education systems are adopting School Self-Evaluation (SSE), an internal evaluation process, to evaluate quality of education. This study attempted to identify the characteristics of effective SSE frameworks in order to develop one for Zimbabwean primary schools. The study utilised exemplary frameworks as facilitators for introducing SSE practices in Zimbabwe and was guided by the following question: What are the characteristics of an effective SSE framework for improving classroom quality in Zimbabwean primary schools? The study espoused design research approach which aims to provide solutions to various education problems. The study comprised three phases, the preliminary phase which included a literature review and a needs analysis with the former aimed to gain insight into the efficacy of SSE in evaluating quality of education. The needs analysis sought to establish how education is evaluated in Zimbabwean primary schools. The second, the prototyping phase, involved developing and formatively evaluating various prototypes. The last phase, a semi-summative evaluation, involved field-testing and appraisal of the intervention. Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data. Six design principles were generated with the main ones being to engage stakeholders in developing SSE frameworks, to agree on the need for SSE initiative and to define the quality indicators in context. The main characteristics of the SSE framework were that it should have a clear purpose, be context specific, and should focus on what is essential for education. The main conclusion of the study is that there are no clear policy guidelines for Zimbabwean primary schools, coupled with lack of SSE instruments, to engage in self-evaluation of quality of education and therefore, no meaningful SSE takes place. An SSE framework with procedural guidelines developed in this research appears to be relevant, feasible and is expected to be effective for use in Zimbabwean primary schools. Some recommendations were made in order to improve Zimbabwe‟s quality of education.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2015.Centre for Evaluation and Assessment (CEA)University of PretoriaScience, Mathematics and Technology EducationPhDUnrestricte

The transmission mechanism theory of disease dynamics: Its aims, assumptions and limitations

Most of the progress in the development of single scale mathematical and computational models for the study of infectious disease dynamics which now span over a century is build on a body of knowledge that has been developed to address particular single scale descriptions of infectious disease dynamics based on understanding disease transmission process. Although this single scale understanding of infectious disease dynamics is now founded on a body of knowledge with a long history, dating back to over a century now, that knowledge has not yet been formalized into a scientific theory. In this article, we formalize this accumulated body of knowledge into a scientific theory called the transmission mechanism theory of disease dynamics which states that at every scale of organization of an infectious disease system, disease dynamics is determined by transmission as the main dynamic disease process. Therefore, the transmission mechanism theory of disease dynamics can be seen as formalizing knowledge that has been inherent in the study of infectious disease dynamics using single scale mathematical and computational models for over a century now. The objective of this article is to summarize this existing knowledge about single scale modelling of infectious dynamics by means of a scientific theory called the transmission mechanism theory of disease dynamics and highlight its aims, assumptions and limitations