Impact of Class-Wide Peer-Tutoring Strategy on Secondary School Slow Learners’ Performance in Redox Reactions in Funtua, Katsina State- Nigeria

The performance of senior secondary school students in chemistry has been very poor over the years in Nigeria. Teachers’ use of inappropriate instructional strategies and students varied abilities has been identified responsible for this problem. This study examined the impact of Class-Wide Peer-Tutoring Strategy on secondary school slow learners’ performance in redox reactions in Funtua Education Zone, Katsina State, Nigeria. Quasi– experimental design was adopted for the study. The study involved a population of 977 SS2 Students. A of sample of 108 slow learners drawn from two secondary schools were used. Three research hypotheses guided the study. Treatment involved teaching experimental group by trained peer tutors using CWPT while the control group was taught by the teacher using lecture method. Redox Performance Test (REPT) duly validated by experts with a reliability coefficient of 0.85 obtained using test retest method was used for data collection. Hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 levels of significance. Results revealed that slow learners taught by peer tutors using CWPT performed significantly better than those taught by the teachers using lecture method. The study recommended that chemistry teachers should be train through workshops, seminars and conferences on the use of class-wide peer-tutoring strategy in teaching and learning of chemistry

Investigating contributing factors to stress among mathematics lecturers in higher institutions of learning in Oyo state, Nigeria

Introduction: This study investigated some contributing factors to stress among mathematics lecturers in higher institutions of learning in Oyo state, Nigeria. Purpose: The study was to find out the contributions of cognitive, intrinsic and systemic factors in causing stress among mathematics lecturers in higher institutions. Methodology: The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study covered mathematics lecturers in ten (10) selected higher Institutions of learning in Oyo State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used in the selection of one hundred (100) mathematics lecturers, ten (10) lecturers per institution participated in the study. A self-designed structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants in the study. Croabach alpha was used to attain Correlation Coefficient (r = 0.88) which made the instrument reliable for the study. Three hypotheses were tested using the Chi square statistic at 0.05 level of significant. Results: Findings revealed that cognitive factors did affect individual Mathematics lecturer with x2-tab (21.0) < x2-cal (183.31). Also, intrinsic factors do affect the level of stress among Mathematics lecturers with x2-tab (21.0) < x2-cal (86.84), while systemic factors within the school setting did affect stress among Mathematics with x2-tab (21.0) < x2-cal (91..62). Recommendations: Based on findings of the study, it was recommended among others that management of higher institutions of learning should encourage mathematics lecturers to go for break and relaxation every day during break period on the academic time table

Profile Of Institutional Infrastructure For Implementing Universal Precautions In Primary Health Care Facilities In Sokoto State, Nigeria: Implication For Occupational Safety

Background: The adoption of primary health care in Nigeria has led to the expansion of health care delivery frontiers especially at the rural level. At this level is the most critical health services delivery point, with an attendant increase in contact between primary health care providers and patients. There is however also a simultaneous increased exposure to occupational and related health risks and hazards.Methods: The objectives of this study were to assess the universal precaution profile of primary health care facilities and determine those factors that inform their prevailing safety status. Using a structured checklist, 23 representative primary health care facilities from the 23 local government areas in Sokoto State were randomly selected for the study, one from each of the local government areas.Results: The facilities were found to have poor universal precaution profile that could guarantee effective control of infection transmission and safety of their personnel. The facilities’ mean score on measures and frameworks for ensuring the implementation of Universal Precautions was 53.12% ± 21.68% with only 56.52% scoring above 50%.Conclusion: Safety protocol and facilities for ensuring safe environment were inadequate and poorly developed. None of the facilities had full complement of facilities or resources for ensuring safety of working environment and for personnel’s implementation of Universal Precautions. Policy for safety practice was poor, and post exposure intervention programmes for staff in event of accidental exposure grossly underdeveloped. Interventions to improve safety environment and creation of safe climate are essential to protect primary health care workers against occupational hazards

Awareness of occupational hazards and use of safety measures amongst welders in northern Nigeria.

Background: Welders are exposed to a variety of occupational hazards with untoward health effects. However, little is known of welders’ awareness of health hazards and their adherence to safety precautions in developing countries. This study assessed the awareness of occupational hazards andadherence to safety measures among welders in Kaduna metropolis in northern Nigeria. Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered on a cross-section of 330 welders in Kaduna metropolis in northern Nigeria. Information was sought on their socio-demographic characteristics,their awareness of occupational hazards and adherence to safety measures. Results: All welders were males with a mean age of 35.7 ± 8.4 years. The illiteracy rate was 7.6%. Overall, 257 (77.9%) of the welders were aware of one or more workplace hazards. This was positivelyinfluenced by educational attainment, age, nature of training and work experience. Of the 330 respondents, 282 (85.3%) had experienced one or more work-related accidents in the preceding year. The most common injuries sustained were cut/injuries to the hands and fingers (38.0%), back/waist pain (19%), arc eye injuries/foreign bodies (17.0%), burns (14.0%), hearing impairment (7.0%), fractures (4.0%) and amputation (1.0%). Only 113 (34.2%) welders used one or more types of protective device with eye goggles (60.9%), hand gloves (50.3%) and boots (34.5%) being more frequently used. Regular use of safety device, shorter working hours and increasing experience were protective of occupational accidents.Conclusions: The level of awareness of occupational hazards was high with sub optimal utilization of protective measures against the hazards. There is therefore need for health and safety education of these workers for health and increased productivity

Efficacy of Process-Based Instruction In Enhancing Secondary School Students’ Academic Performance And Science Skills Acquisition In Identification of Cations In Faskari, Katsina State-Nigeria

This study examined the effect of process–based Instruction on secondary school students’ academic performance and science-skills acquisition in Faskari Education Zone, Katsina State, Nigeria. The study employed quasiexperimental design using a sample of 103 students drawn from a population of 984 in the study area. Two instruments namely Identification of Cations Performance Test (ICPT) and Test of Science Process Skills (TOSPS) duly Validated by expert with a reliability coefficient of 0.69 and 0.75 respectively were used for data collection. Research hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics at 0.05 levels of significance. One of the finding from the study indicates that there is significance difference in the acquisition of Science- Skills between students taught identification of cations using Process–Based instruction and those taught the same concept using lecture method. Based on the research findings, it was recommended among others that periodic workshops, seminars and conferences should be organised for teachers on the selection and implementation of appropriate strategy for teaching chemistry concepts

A Survey on Availability and Utilization of School Health Services Among Junior Secondary Schools in Funtua Zone Katsina State, Nigeria

The study investigated the utilization of available school health services among secondary school in Funtua Education Zone, Katsina State- Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design using a sample of Fifteen (15) junior secondary schools randomly drawn from a population of twentytwo schools in the study area. Three research questions were formulated for the study. School Health Services Availability and Utilization Questionnaire (SHSAUQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was duly validated by experts and a reliability coefficient of 0.85 was established using split half method. The data was analyzed using frequency and percentage count. Results revealed that, School Health Services are available in majority (86.70%) of the schools under study, but there was no enough qualified health personnel for effective utilization of school health services in the study area. It was recommended among others that Katsina State Government through ministry of education should deploy qualified health personnel such as nurses, community health workers in all the school clinics in the state

Exploring the Needs for the Development of Organic Reaction Teaching Model: Experts’ Collective Opinion

This article reported the findings of a study carried out to investigate the need for developing an organic reaction mechanism teaching model. Qualitative data was obtained through a semi-structured interview among five chemistry subject matter experts to explore their opinion on the issues centered on the teaching and learning of organic reaction mechanisms. The interviews were interpreted and analyzed using thematic analysis. Five themes comprising of many codes and quotations were identified. The analysis of the findings shows that organic reaction mechanisms are one of the most significant and central concepts in science. However, students are faced with challenges in learning the concepts. Thus, the need for an alternative model of teaching the concept of organic reaction mechanisms

Specialist task organisations procurement approach for re-engineering construction project processes

This dissertation provides a framework for improving owners' contracting strategies through a specialist task organisations (STOs) procurement approach for re-engineering construction project processes. The aim of this dissertation is to develop a procurement system that improves an owner's project implementation process in order to meet the project objectives in terms of time, cost and quality. This study involves the analyses of the construction practices, processes, and procedures, the conditions of construction management (CM) contracts, the review of the theoretical bases, the design of a novel procurement method (STO), its initial validation in terms of the theoretical and empirical validation as well as conclusions and summary. The study reveals interrelationships between contracting practices, processes, procurement routes, payments, and risk allocation. The contracting practices of the USA, the UK, Japan and Finland are used as a frame of reference. The dissertation proposes a task-oriented approach to procurement through the integrated product (task) development, the integrated management and the fragmented execution via task organisations. The application area of the suggested STO route is limited to the project and procurement management of large building projects. The STO route allows an owner's design team to produce an overall design that is used by STOs to produce technical detailed engineering design solutions and project cost estimates. The validation of the suggested STO route has been carried out through the mapping against the organisation theories, the case-questionnaire results and the case study examples. These outcomes support the applicability of the STO. 35 case questionnaires were used to compare the prevailing procurement routes in relation to the suggested STO route. The four case examples provide some additional validation. The suggested merits of the STO route include the shift from only-single-designs and cost-based competition toward more advanced competition based on multiple designs, life-cycle costs, alternative materials, constructability and maintainability. The STO route assumes a modular approach to building design. It allows the use of experts' knowledge in design and construction through their involvement in all project stages.reviewe

Mortality and cause of death in Abuth, Zaria: 1999-2005

Background: Accurate mortality statistics are needed for policy formulation,implementation and monitoring of health intervention that are aimed at improving the health status of the people. Mortality level is one of the indicators of the quality of life and status of health of a population. However, accurate collection, collation, analysis and interpretation of such data is poorly organised in developing nations, including Nigeria leading to a gap in health policy formulation, implementation and monitoring. Therefore, policies and strategies for disease prevention are based on empirical evidence rather than on data primarily collected to formulate disease specific interventions.Though, hospital data have inherent deficiency in its use to design prevention. However, when accurately generated and adequately managed would provide both qualitative and quantitative information on morbidity and mortality if not for the entire society at least for a segment of the population utilizing it. We implemented a system of death certification to determine causes and pattern of mortality in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria Methods: From May 1999 to November 2005, all case folders of deceased patients were retrieved from the central library of health information management department of the hospital; case folders of deceased patients are required to have in them a completed IFMCCD(International Form of Medical Certification of Cause of Death). All case folders of deceased patients after relevant information were extracted by the staff of health management information department, were passed on to the staff of department of Community Medicine directly involved in this study. The completed cause of death certificates received in the department of Community Medicine (between May 1999 and November 2005), were examined. Coding rules were employed to select the appropriate code for those certificates that were incorrectly completed. The underlying cause of death as identified from the correctly completed IFMCCDS is coded according to ICD-10.Results: For the period under study, there were 4019 deaths: 2212 males and 1807 females. Total of 2914 (72.5%) deaths were certified, using the IFMCCD of which 1641 of them were males and 1273 females and formed the basis of this analysis. Coverage rates ranges from 56.2% in 2001 to 85% in 1999. The proportion of garbage codes ranges from 0% to 2.4% while the three leading causes of death are HIV infection, road traffic accident (RTA), and cardiovascular diseases among the ten. The time-trend of the leading causes of death show RTA maintaining steady upward climb while malaria, septicemia, PEM, sepsis in the neonatal period shows unsteady fluctuation. Conclusion: This study assessed the pattern of mortality and causes of death in ABU Teaching Hospital, Zaria; it also provided information on leading causes of death

Modelling of novel photonic devices based on micro-structure engineered for space division multiplexing optical communication system

Standard single mode fibre has almost explored all degree of freedom, making it hard to accommodate considerable further enhancement in data carrying capacity in next generation optical networks. As a repercussion of the posing threat of a future capacity crunch, the consequential global effort to search for a viable alternative has been mobilised in recent years. The idea is to explore new fibre types, new photonic devices, and system, aiming to support much higher capacities by orthogonally combining multiple transmission paths over the same fibre, thereby upgrading or replacing the current optical communication system by the spatial dimension. The hope is to provide means of higher information stream per unit area to enable cost reduction and power saving benefits through the improved optical device integration and system interconnectivity. This thesis presents a few novel types of researches in the area of optical photonic devices for space division multiplexing system. The research comprises the design of two different mode converter devices; one is based on the two multi-ring core fibre, and the other is based on a tilted fibre assisted by the dual arc waveguides; and modelling of two novel high dispersion fibres using LP-mode matrix method. The thesis also discusses high-speed mode division multiplexing transmission supporting four signal mode channels. The design of the first converter device involves varying the lateral height and the distance that separates the two multi-ring core fibres, yielding a 94% coupling efficiency. The second converter device uses a multilayer core multimode fibre due to its low bending loss, high precession in mode confinement and ease of fabrication. The converter input was tilted at an optimised angle of 120 in order to align perfectly with the waveguides connected to the horizontal fibre having the same properties. Mode conversions of an LP11 to LP01, LP02 to LP11, and LP21 to LP01 were achieved with the conversion efficiency of 89.6%, 91.2% and 94.34% respectively. Furthermore, a novel dispersions equalisation technique for multilayer core four-mode fibre using LP mode-matrix method is presented. Each of the core ring radii of the alternating centre-high and centre-low core index profile was optimised to a specific thickness value. The core ring radius was varied in each case to determine the optimised thickness for the dispersion equalisation. The optimised thickness of the centre high index core fibre denoted by R1, R2, and R3 were found to be 4.25 µm, 2.6 µm and 2.3 µm respectively. Similarly, an optimised thickness of the centre low index core fibre, which was denoted by X1, X2, X3 and X4 was found to be 2.0 µm, 3.0 µm, 4.20 µm and 1.60 µm respectively. At 1.55 µm wavelength, these values were used to model the two fibres to achieve an equalised modal dispersion. Finally, performance analysis of high-speed mode division multiplexing transmission system was carried out. The binary non-return-to-zero and return-to-zero-on-off keying modulation at 10 Gb/s and 20 Gb/s bit rate were adopted using direct detection. The transmission distance was optimised by employing the dual port dual derive Mach Zehnder modulator. Expanding the proposed devices to accommodate more high order modes can enhance the bandwidth of a future spatial mode based-communication system