Students' utilization of distance learning through an interventional online module based on moore transactional distance theory

Introduction: Online learning platforms potentially increase student engagement and interactivity, thus contributing toward enhancing students' satisfaction with distance learning. The main aim of this research is to investigate the efficacy of an interventional online module based on Moore transactional distance theory on students' learning autonomy and satisfaction regarding the utilization of distance learning. Materials and Methods: An experimental design was conducted with a stratified random sample of 100 students (50 control and 50 intervention) from the University College of Applied Sciences, Palestine. Three tools were applied in this study: the DELES instrument, which was given to the intervention group, another validated tool that was given to the control group and an achievement test that was introduced to both groups. The intervention included educational and training sessions that were given in the environment of online learning after the student's baseline assessment. Results: It was noted that there was a significance difference in the domain of instructor support before and after the intervention within the intervention group. It was also observed that there was no significant difference (NSD) in the mean scores for students' collaboration and interaction, satisfaction and learning autonomy within the intervention group before and after the intervention. Moreover, there was NSD in mean scores for remembering, understanding or application among two groups (control and intervention) before and after the intervention, whereas it was a significant difference in the mean analysis score among the intervention and the control group before and after the intervention

Gaya pemudah cara di sekolah: sejauhmanakah pengetua-pengetua mengamalkannya

Kajian deskriptif ini bertujuan meninjau persepsi guru-guru terhadap gaya pemudah cara perubahan di kalangan pengetua-pengetua dan kaitannya dengan dimensi tingkah laku kepimpinan di sekolah menengah. Terdapat tujuh dimensi tingkah laku yang berkaitan dengan gaya pemudah cara perubahan pengetua yang dilihat dalam kajian ini iaitu penetapan matlamat, menstruktur dan menyusun semula sekolah, menguruskan perubahan, bekerjasama dan menugaskan kerja, membuat keputusan, memberi bimbingan dan sokongan dan akhir sekali penstrukturan peranan kepimpinan pengetua. Dapatan daripada kajian rintis menunjukkan pekali kebolehpercayaan alpha Cronbach adalah 0.9210. Seramai 167 orang guru dipilih sebagai sampel penyelidikan dari 14 buah sekolah menengah di daerah Johor Bahru. Instrumen soal selidik telah digunakan dalam kajian ini Penganalisaan data dilakukan menggunakan parisian “Statistical Package of Social Sciences version 9.0 dengan melakukan analisis secara deskriptif dan inferensi. Selain itu analisa tahap dilakukan berpandukan tiga tahap iaitu tahap rendah, sederhana dan tinggi untuk melihat tiga gaya pemudah cara yang dikaji iaitu gaya responden, pengurus dan perintis. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan gaya pemudah cara pengurus dan perintis adalah pada tahap yang tinggi berbanding gaya pemudah cara responden pada tahap yang sederhana. Di samping itu, kajian juga menunjukkan penstrukturan peranan kepimpinan merupakan aspek utama dalam dimensi tingkah laku yang dibenkan penekanan oleh pengetua-pengetua. Analisis Ujian -t menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan mengikut persepsi guru lelaki dan perempuan terhadap tiga gaya pemudah cara pengetua. Bagaimanapun, terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan gaya pemudah cara pengurus dan perintis mengikut perjawatan. Berdasarkan analisis Inferensi, didapati perhubungan korelasi bagi setiap gaya pemudah cara perubahan dan bagi setiap tujuh dimensi tingkah laku pengetua

Influence of household behaviour on malaria control in Zamfara State North West Nigeria: A pilot study for instruments validation

Malaria in Nigeria and Africa remains most important health problem.It remains a vital public health fear of our time.Human behaviour is a tremendous challenge that must be addressed if malaria control and ultimately elimination is to be successful. This study was aimed to measure the validity and reliability of instruments of household behaviour on malaria control.The reliability of each construct is determined using Cronbach’s Alpha statistics. The Cronbach’s Alpha results provide evidence and good acceptable value that indicates the instruments were sufficiently valid and reliable

Effects of Contract Farming on Small-Holder Soybean Farmers’ Income in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region, Ghana

Contract farming is a form of vertical coordination largely aimed at correcting the market failure associated with spot markets that arise due to imperfect information. While some studies have argued that contract farming improves access to ready markets by smallholder farmers, other studies have suggested that contract farming lowers the incomes of smallholder farmers because the contractors wield greater market power over the farmers. In Ghana there has been few or no work carried out in this area to ascertain whether it is beneficial to farmers or not. This study assesses the effects of contract farming on small-holder soybean farmers’ incomes in the Eastern corridor of the Northern Region, Ghana. The specific objectives were: to identify the factors influencing farmers’ participation in contract farming; to identify the determinants of income of soybean farmers in the region and finally to determine whether contract farming enhances farmers’ income compared to non-contract farming. The treatment effects model was used for the analysis. A sample size of 340 soybean farmers (contract and non-contract) was used in the study. Estimation of the effect of contract farming on income shows that participation in contract farming does not necessarily improve small-holder farmers’ income. Factors influencing farmers’ participation in contract farming, the conclusion is that; accesses to ready market, credit and extension service positively affect participation. The study recommended among others that companies or firms should permit farmers to make a percentage of sales on an extra-contractual basis when prices of soybeans rise this will enable farmers to benefit when prices are at its peak and contractual arrangements should be flexible and allow for the renegotiation of contracts when there are significant changes in market conditions. Keywords: Contract farming, Contractual arrangement, Smallholder farmer, Incom

The practice and challenges of e-Government in Nigeria in the 21st century

This paper investigates the state of the present condition of e-government commitment in Nigeria. It also, examines the difficulties encountered in the implementation process.Layne and Lee (2001) “Stages of growth theory” was adopted to explain the position of Nigeria in the implementation and the challenges it faced on e-government.To do this,this paper used secondary data as a source to collect different articles and report.This paper finds that while e-government is present in Nigeria, it is still in its initial stage.Not only have that, the environment lacked many prerequisites for the survival and continued maintenance of e-governance due to many factors such as inadequate electricity, technical expertise etcetera.It is therefore suggested that both the government and the stakeholders should take it up as a challenge to find quick and lasting solutions to them. There must also be political will and government should have its administrative staff retrained in IT to properly manage the facilities and infrastructure necessary for e-government

Antecedent of Corporate Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance of Small and Medium Manufacturing Enterprises in the Post Covid 19 Era: The Case Nigeria

Even in the post-pandemic period, the Covid-19 pandemic still has a multiplier effect on the performance of SMEs. As sales revenues dropped, branches were closed, and employees’ jobs and overall performance were impacted negatively around the world. This paper aims to review literature to determine research antecedents on the relationship between firms’ entrepreneurial orientation and manufacturing SMEs' performance in the post-Covid-19 era in Africa and the rest of the developing economies. This is to note the area needed to cover some of the major causes of the variation in this sub-sector of the economy for future research. A literature survey methodology was employed for the current article. Articles were reviewed from sources including journals (Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Academia, and ResearchGate platform), and ordinary articles that spanned from 2002-2022 to understand the antecedents of research contexts and variables explored. The findings revealed that most studies focused on large-scale manufacturing firms and SMEs and considered external environmental factors like regulation, competition, interest and a few others to explain variation in enterprise performance. Furthermore, the result shows that non-multidimensional measures of enterprise performance were used. Consequently, a new conceptual framework was developed to look at firms’ inward entrepreneurial orientation as the driving factor for organisational performance improvement. The implication of the proposed framework developed is to harness strategies for performance improvement, growth, and survival in a complex and dynamic business environment. Thus, the paper concludes that the way to this development is for SMEs to build capacities that entrench their corporate entrepreneurial orientation to suit every business situation.

Theoretical framework of criteria and indicators for interpreting image and identity in architecture / Linda Shafarina Hassan, Yahaya Ahmad and Fadhillah Nasir.

Architecture has a significant role in the image and identity of cultural heritage, as it generates outstanding cultural values for a sustainable culture and its context. Meanwhile, contemporary architecture is the most potent agent to the missing local culture of a place. This is due to architecture trends have been rapidly increasing in worldwide and has transforms the image of cultural context into a global city. This scenario shall cause heritage risk when current redevelopment planning scheme has not provided the guaranteed in sustaining cultural image and identity in the new development of cultural context. To sustain the cultural values, it is important to establish criteria and indicators to guide and recommend preservation and incorporation of vital traditional features into new architecture images. This paper uses a critical literature review of previous studies to identify correlated items of image and identity indicators for the development of a new image and identity assessment framework. These indicators reflect the elements and features of the Traditional Malay House (TMH) which has been accepted as the most substantial image and identity character in the context of Kampong Bharu in Kuala Lumpur. Established under the Malay Reserve Enactment 1913 and the Land Enactment 1987, Kampong Bharu represents a significant heritage context in the city, and its cultural identity should be integrated into its new redevelopment strategy and plan. Content analysis of the literature has ascertained 2 general criteria and 55 indicators that are recommended for interpreting image and identity of the Traditional Malay House (TMH)

Malaria as a Cause of Morbidity and Mortality: A Socio-Economic Overview

Malaria is one of the most severe public health problems worldwide. It is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in many developing countries especially in sub Saharan African countries where the burden of the disease is high. This paper aims to provide discussion on the socio-economic overview of malaria morbidity and mortality.  Base on the existing literature the paper discusses the link between malaria and poverty and revealed varied evidence between malaria incidence and socio-economic status with some articles showing strong linkages of malaria deaths among those with poor socio-economic background. The political economy of health theory is use to understand those relationship between socio-economic status and malaria and how these parameters interact. Focusing on the links between socio-economic status and malaria morbidity and mortality this paper concludes that malaria morbidity and mortality is correlated with people socio-economic status. Keywords: malaria, socio-economic, morbidity, mortality, overvie

Influence of Religion on Malaria Control Practices among Household Heads in Zamfara State North West Nigeria

This study aim to explore the role of religion in determining household behaviour on malaria control in Zamfara state North West Nigeria. The study employed a qualitative methodology of research to collect in-depth information about the influence of religion on malaria health seeking behaviour among the respondents. In general the finding of this study attempts to present some beginning evidence that religion play a very vital and important role in shaping the behaviour of household members in the health seeking practices regarding malaria control and prevention. The study suggested that all activities of malaria control should engage into educating religious leaders so that to enlighten their subjects about the contemporary stand of religion on health seeking and health related issues. Keywords: Malaria, Religion, Household, Behaviour, Zamfara, Nigeria