Effects of instructional approaches, attitude, and gender on financial accounting achievement among secondary school students in Nigeria

The financial accounting achievement of secondary school students in Nigeria over the years has persistently remained not encouraging, especially in their national examination. This is due to the persistent use of the conventional teaching approach. Several studies in other subject areas have documented that effective instructional approaches have significantly improved students’ achievement. However, arguments exist in the literature that knowing students’ attitude towards a subject could help the teacher to use appropriate instructional approaches to address the students’ learning problems. Therefore, this study extended the work of previous studies by examining the effects of instructional approaches, attitude, and gender on financial accounting achievement among secondary school students in Nigeria. An explanatory sequential mixed-method design was adopted where a cluster sampling technique was used in the study. The quantitative data were collected from 240 students, while twelve students participated in the interview. The data collected were statistically treated using ANCOVA, multiple regression, and t-test, while NVivo was used in analysing the qualitative data. The results revealed that cooperative instructional approach is the most effective approach for teaching financial accounting to secondary school students compared to the demonstration, guided discovery, and conventional approaches. Students’ attitude towards financial accounting also has a significant influence on their financial accounting achievement, whereas students’ gender difference has no influence on their financial accounting achievement. By implications, the findings of the present study suggest that the government should encourage curriculum planners and financial accounting teachers of secondary schools to adopt the cooperative instructional approach as an instructional approach for teaching financial accounting in secondary schools to improve their students’ achievement in the subject. Furthermore, financial accounting students should be motivated, especially by their teachers to develop a more positive attitude towards financial accounting. This will also help in improving their achievement in the subject

Potters Kiln Bricks: Using Manual Brick Making Machine

Bricks production is of vital importance for the sustenance and development of Nigerian ceramic potteries, ceramic tiles, red bricks and glass industries. Ceramic brick is the unit of kiln construction which without, ceramic production is impossible. Despite the availability of raw materials for potters kiln brickmaking locally everywhere in this country, little has been done in terms of investigating and designing standard brickmaking processes in Nigeria. Right from the inception of soft mud brickmaking method which is the main method for local production of potters kiln bricks has been associated with some problems. The production of brick (handmade brick) is found to be very slow, time consuming and labour intensive. This method of production is associated with irregular shapes due to its poor compaction capacity which affect lifespan of the kiln and insolation performance as well. Hence, there is need to attempt to produce potters kiln bricks with manual brickmaking machine which will minimize these problems. These manual bricks making machine was made primarily to produce concrete cement brick.   The successful completion of this research will therefore lead to replacement of the soft mud brickmaking process, and also substitute the high-tech motorized Compressed Earth Brick (CEB) machine, with locally constructed brickmaking machine it will also improve the quality of the thermal and mechanical properties of the brick in terms of shape and form using the standard compaction pressure which is equivalent to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) stabilization standard. This will also help in reducing the cost of buying imported ceramic brick at a higher rate, as well as create self-employment opportunities and support the growth of contemporary pottery and ceramic entrepreneurship programme in Nigeria. Keywords: Kiln, brick, pottery, refractory DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-11-04 Publication date: April 30th 201

Evaluation of growth response of Parkia biglobosa (JACQ) under different levels of organic manures

An investigation was carried out to evaluate early growth of Parkia biglobosa under different levels of organic manures in the nursery in order to promote its sustained utilization and regeneration. Seeds were sown in the germination bed at the nursery of Department of Forestry and Fisheries of KSUST, Aliero which took average of three days to germinate and at two weeks after germination, seedlings were transplanted into polythene bags (16 × 14 × 12 cm) filled with cow dung, poultry manure and farmyard manure at 40, 70 and 100 g kg–1 of top soil and top soil only was used as control. The experiment was laid in a completely randomized design with nine replications. Data collection commenced two weeks after transplanting and was done fortnightly for 12 weeks on stem height, collar diameter and number of leaves. Biomass was assessed at twelve weeks and the data were analysed using analysis of variance and follow up tests were conducted with Duncan Multiple Range Tests. The result revealed significant effect on all the variables (stem height, collar diameter and number of leaves) assessed, where poultry droppings at 40 g kg–1 and cow dung at 100 g kg–1 gave the highest growth and cow dung was recommended

Effects of cooperative learning on secondary students’ achievement in financial accounting

The major factor contributing to students’ failure in financial accounting in secondary schools is the teaching methods used by the accounting teachers.In this paper we study the effectiveness of cooperative learning approach on students’ academic achievement.Cooperative learning is the learning style whereby students are arranged in small groups and the group members are linked together in such a way that they cannot succeed unless every member in the group succeed. They assist and encourage the effort of each other to ensure that all the group members master the learning material in order to achieve their personal and group objectives.Cooperative learning approach is not only improving students’ academic achievement but it also enhances positive attitudes towards learning, develops social skills, improves interpersonal relationships, and prepare students for collaborative work.Therefore, the objective of this paper is to adopt social interdependence theory, cognitive development theory and motivational theory to examine the effects of cooperative learning on secondary students’ achievement in financial accounting using pre-test post-test control group design

Literature as a chronicle of social history: The historical antecedents of the Ikemefuna story in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

Few critical works have been produced aimed at discovering the sources for Achebe’s novels and how he has adapted the factual materials to create his fiction. Understandably, it is difficult to do a source study of works of an iconic writer such as Achebe. The present study sets out to re-examine the story of Okonkwo and Ikemefuna in view of a similar incident that happened about the same period and in the same area in which Things Fall Apart is set. The objective is to underscore the relevance of literature in chronicling and disseminating the socio-cultural values and ideals of the societies that were confronted with the challenges of colonialism in the wake of the twentieth century. Consequently, an actual incident that took place between two neighbouring communities to Achebe’s home community is here analyzed as the possible source for the Okonkwo and Ikemefuna narrative in Things Fall Apart. The two incidents are analyzed along the lines of the location and period of the action; the key characters involved; the murder and the reparation process. Explanations are based on some aspects of Igbo customs and traditions. The historical incident provides some details that are missing from the novel. The task in Ngozi Udengwu & Mohammed Umar-Buratai: Literature as a Chronicle of Social History...... 110 this essay is to identify the parallels between the historical incident and the recreation in the story but with a particular focus on history, location/setting and characterization. However, the names of the historical actors are masked because their descendants are still alive and related to one of the researchers

Impact of Quality of Work Life and Turnover Intention in Selected Nigerian Banks

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the qualities of work-life dimensions on turnover intention in the Nigerian banking sector. This study used the partial least squares (PLS) and structural equation model (SEM) tool of analysis to examine the quality of work life dimensions on turnover intention among employee of the Nigerian banking sector.It measures the impact of the quality of work life dimensions on turnover intention.Data was collected using a structured questionnaire from respondents.In a similar way, the study uses the cross-sectional research design in which data were collected throughout the entire period of the study.The units of analysis of the present study are the employee of the Nigerian banking sector. The results confirm that the three dimensions of quality of work life positively influence turnover intention.The findings are very useful to policymakers, Bank managers and practitioner in the industry in order to enhance turnover intention in the Nigerian banking sector. Limitations and suggestions for future research are also included

A proposed framework of the effect of guided discovery approach on secondary students’ achievement in financial accounting

It has been proved by the prior studies that the low achievement among secondary school students in financial accounting is due to the persistent use of conventional teaching approach where students put all their focus on the teacher.The conventional teaching approach was found to be less effective in enhancing the students’ achievement.In this paper, we study the effect of guided discovery approach on the secondary students’ achievement in financial accounting. The guided discovery approach is the instructional approach in which students are given opportunity to test their own understanding by engaging in active learning. Prior studies found that the approach has a strong positive effect in enhancing students’ achievement and in promoting their positive attitude towards learning. The research model of our study is proposed and developed based on the constructivist learning theory. The effect of this guided discovery approach on the secondary students’ achievement in financial accounting will be examined using a pre-test post-test control group design. The study’s findings are expected to be relevant to stakeholders, especially government, curriculum planners, and financial accounting teachers of secondary school in terms of the benefits of adopting guided discovery approach in teaching financial accounting and how this approach could be used to improve their students’ achievement

Measurement of respectful maternity care in exit interviews following facility childbirth: a criterion validity assessment in Nigeria

Background Valid methods for assessing women’s experiences of maternity care are essential to the global efforts toward providing positive childbirth environments for all women in all health facilities. Methods This criterion validity study used observation of childbirth as the reference standard compared to exit interviews with women upon discharge with a live baby, usually within 24 hours of childbirth. We investigated eight positive and sixteen negative maternity care experience indicators. Data were collected from ten primary healthcare facilities in Gombe State, northeast Nigeria, in August 2018 and August 2019. Data analysis involved tabulation of demographic characteristics of women and childbirth context, computation of individual level validity metrics including the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and estimating population level validity using the inflation factor (IF). Results A total of 724 women were observed and interviewed at the time of discharge (exit) following facility childbirth, 15% of whom were adolescents, 99% were married, 43% had no formal education, and a skilled birth attendant had attended only 12%. The prevalence of positive maternity care experience indicators ranged between 25% and 96% in childbirth observations. For these positive indicators, the agreement between childbirth observations and exit interviews ranged from 55% to 97%. Six of the eight positive maternity care experience indicators had high overall validity, meaning AUC≥0.70 and 0.75<IF<1.25, with high sensitivity (89% to 99%) and moderate to high specificity (44% to 84%). The prevalence of the 16 negative maternity care experience indicators ranged between 0.1% and 18% in childbirth observations. For these negative indicators, agreement ranged from 87% to 99%. Just six of the 16 negative maternity care experience indicators met the criteria for validation analysis; and these showed low to moderate sensitivity (32% to 74%), high specificity (97% to 100%) and moderate (0.60<AUC<0.70) to high (AUC≥0.70) individual-level validity. Conclusions In this high mortality setting with relatively low coverage of skilled attendance at birth, exit interviews with women following facility-based childbirth care provided responses consistent with the observation of childbirth for eight positive and six negative maternity care experience indicators

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. - A phytochemical and pharmacological review

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. (Hs, roselle; Malvaceae) has been used traditionally as a food, in herbal drinks, in hot and cold beverages, as a flavouring agent in the food industry and as a herbal medicine. In vitro and in vivo studies as well as some clinical trials provide some evidence mostly for phytochemically poorly characterised Hs extracts. Extracts showed antibacterial, anti-oxidant, nephro- and hepato-protective, renal/diuretic effect, effects on lipid metabolism (anti-cholesterol), anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive effects among others. This might be linked to strong antioxidant activities, inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase, inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE), and direct vaso-relaxant effect or calcium channel modulation. Phenolic acids (esp. protocatechuic acid), organic acid (hydroxycitric acid and hibiscus acid) and anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-sambubioside and cyanidin-3-sambubioside) are likely to contribute to the reported effects. More well designed controlled clinical trials are needed which use phytochemically characterised preparations. Hs has an excellent safety and tolerability record. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Literature, Modernity and Cultural Atavism in Aliyu Kamal2019;s Somewhere Somehow

In Africa especially in Nigeria the issue of cultural clash and the dilemma involved in the process is one of the predominant themes largely treated by renowned writers such as Chinua Achebe 1958 Cyprian Ekwensi 1963 Elechi Amadi 1966 Wole Soyinka 1975 and Labo Yari 1978 to mention a few Using postcolonial theory as a potent analytical tool attempt is made in this paper to critically examine Aliyu Kamal s latest novel Somewhere Somehow 2019 and portray how he employs it to interrogate the tragic social and psychological effect of modernization colonialism The story elaborately discusses the issue of skin bleaching a corollary of colonialism which has become very pervasive among the uneducated ladies with dark skin in northern Nigeria Habi and Jiniya the heroines who blindly believe that boys particularly in Kano where the novel is set pine after light-skinned girls even if they were to appear as witches engage in bleaching that ultimately makes their skins like wankan tarwada a Hausa terminology that suggests an undefined colour The paper also depicts how marital peace eludes the bleachers homes in addition to the tragedy that befalls on them all as a result of aping western culture Jiniya dies due to skin cancer leukaemia and Habi suffers double tragedy divorce and miscarriag