Assessing eLearning systems success in Nigeria: an application of the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model

Aim/Purpose: This study is based on the DeLone and McLean's Information Systems Success (D & M ISS) model, which was modified to determine the success factors re-sponsible for the acceptance of an e-learning system called Canvas by students of a Nigerian University. Background: The adoption of eLearning has been under studied within the context of devel-oping countries. There have been calls in the literature for further research from a developing country perspective. This study attempts to fill this knowledge gap by investigating the factors responsible for students' adoption of eLearning in a Nigerian University. Methodology: The study was built on the premise that system quality (SQ), service quality (ServQ) and information quality (IQ) are determinants of behavioral intention to use Canvas and user satisfaction of Canvas, both of which in turn influence the actual usage of Canvas. Responses from 366 students were analyzed with AMOS 22 using structural equation model (SEM) to test the relationships be-tween the constructs of the proposed model. Contribution: The study contributes to the research gap about the paucity of studies in the adoption of eLearning in developing countries that have placed emphasis on the use of eLearning systems or on the software quality attributes of the sys-tems under investigation. Findings: The results partially supported the effect of the quality antecedents on behav-ioral intention and user satisfaction of students. There was full support for the relationship between behavioral intention and user satisfaction of students on their actual usage of Canvas. Recommendations for Practitioners: The level of significance of the constructs identified in the study will guide the formulation of strategies and methods that could further enhance the adoption of eLearning systems in developing countries, specifically Nigeria. Recommendation for Researchers: Theoretically, the study contributes to the body of knowledge on eLearning adoption by empirically validating the DeLone and McLean model in a different context, specifically sub-Saharan Africa. Future Research: Future research could investigate the factors that influence instructors' behav-ioral intentions to use eLearning applications and also the effect that the in-structors have on students' adoption of eLearning

An Assessment of Generic Skills and Competencies of Architecture Graduates in Nigeria

Graduate unemployment has become a fundamental problem worldwide, necessitating studies that seek to identify generic transferable skills towards improving prospects for graduates in future. Several disciplines have received such research attention. There has been comparatively less attention paid to establishing generic skills/competencies that will boost the employability potentials of architecture graduates. A total of 102 survey questionnaires containing 19 generic skills/competencies were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests as well as the Wilcoxon signed ranked test in SPSS v.21. Results reveal that the most developed skills by architecture graduates, also considered important by respondents were basic knowledge of the field/discipline, creativity, knowledge of the profession, computing/ICT and the capacity to learn. Other important skills were decision making, ability to work as part of an interdisciplinary team, capacity to apply knowledge in practice, time management, responsibility for one's own work/self-criticism, interpersonal/communication, ethical commitment as well as leadership skills. The study recommends that stakeholders in architecture education re-iterate the acute need for architecture graduates to develop important generic skills to improve their versatility and employment potentials in future.Keywords: Architecture, Competencies, Generic skills, Graduates, Unemploymen

An evaluation of safety risk factors during installation and dismantling of tower cranes in construction sites

The construction industry plays a central and significant role in the economy of any nation. One of the major reasons for ineffective project delivery in the Nigerian construction industry is the improper assessment of risk factors. The industry however is currently facing a lot of challenges which include constant increase in the rate of accidents on construction sites which could be dueto ineffective safety management as construction companies are usually interested in maximizing their profit in order to secure funds for new investments, and cover possible expenses associated with the occurrence of risk factors during construction. Installation anddismantling of tower crane had been previously looked at as a general safety issue until, recent research showed that about 69% of accidents related to tower cranes in Korea from 2001-2011, occur during installation and dismantling process. In view of this, this paper aimed at evaluating safety risk factors during installation and dismantling by determining their probability of occurrence and degree of impact with a view to establishing the most significant ones. This is why a well-structured questionnaire was designed to collect data with respect to their probability of occurrence and degree of impact using a 5 point Likert scale. Responses from the administered questionnaire and interactions were collated, interpreted and analysed using descriptive statistics (mean) and results presented in tables. Results showed that abrasion (wear and tear of components such as bolts, nuts, or pins) is the most probable factor with a mean value of 3.63. Fracture of a wire rope during dismantling had the highest degree of impact with a mean valueof 4.63. The research concluded that fracture of a wire rope during dismantling and abrasion (wear and tear of components such as bolts, nuts, or pins) are highly affecting factor on safety during installation and dismantling. Adoption of a preventive maintenance strategy or routine check on the tower crane parts and components could help minimize the probability of occurrence and impact of the safety risk factors on site. Keywords: Accident, Hazard, Safety risk, Tower crane, Probability, Construction industry.&nbsp

Heavy metals concentration and human health risk assessment in groundwater and table water sold in Tudun Murtala Area, Nassarawa Local Government Area, Kano State, Nigeria

This study determines the level of some heavy metals and as well assess human health risk due to chronic intake of metals in water samples obtained from Tudun Murtala area of Nasssarawa local government area, Kano state. Results obtained showed that Pb, Cd, Cr, Fe and Zn concentrations in water samples were within the range of 0.295- 0.579, 0.471- 0.529, 0.550- 1.000, 0.3636 - 0.4545, 0.0814 - 0.173 respectively, while the Chronic daily intake calculated for the metals respectively were also within the range of 0.0086 – 0.0165, 0.0135 – 0.0186, 0.0034 – 0.0262, 0.0023 – 0.0049, 0.0104 – 0.0130. The total hazard quotient for non-cancer risk of Pb and Cd were found highly elevated, being at the range of 21.5 – 41.25 and 27.0 – 37.2 respectively while that of Cr, Zn and Fe where found to be below the standard limit of one. The hazard index of metals also showed a risk in exposure to Pb and Cd and a tolerable range was observed for Cr, Fe and Zn. The incremental lifetime cancer risk of metals developed through oral route showed elevated level in Pb, Cd and Cr, revealing that exposure to the heavy metals in the water samples posed an unacceptable potential cancer risk. While for the other metals, it showed a less or tolerable risk to the inhabitants.Keywords: Heavy metals, hazard quotient, hazard index, incremental lifetime cancer ris

Effectiveness of a Federal Healthy Start Program in Reducing Infant Mortality

Objective: Infant mortality is an important indicator of the health status of a community. In this analysis, we aimed to evaluate temporal changes in infant mortality rates (IMR) in the Central Hillsborough Healthy Start (CHHS) program service area in Tampa, Florida compared to rates in the rest of Hillsborough County and the state. Method: We conducted a five-year (2010-2014) trends analysis using birth and infant death data extracted from the Florida Community Health Assessment Resource Tool Set (CHARTS). The number of infant deaths and live births were used to calculate and compare IMRs in the CHHS catchment area to those in the rest of Hillsborough County, and the state of Florida. Three-year centered moving averages were directly adjusted to account for differences in the racial/ethnic distribution of mothers across geographic areas. Results: Between 2010 and 2014, the IMR decreased 42.8% in the CHHS service area (from 14.5 to 8.3 per 1,000 live births) compared to decreases of 10.1% and 7.7% in the rest of Hillsborough County and the state of Florida, respectively. Additionally, the infant mortality gap in the CHHS catchment area narrowed from 72% in 2010 to 14% in 2014 compared to the rest of the state, and was eliminated when compared to the rest of Hillsborough County. Discussion: The absolute and relative decreases in IMR in the CHHS catchment area reflect the program’s effectiveness in decreasing disparity in infant mortality. The quality services provided by the CHHS program have had a significant positive impact on the families served

The Effects of Childhood Social Support and Family Resiliency on Mental Health in Adulthood

The effect of social support on the overall health and quality of life in adulthood has been well documented particularly in chronic disease populations. Very few studies examined the relationships between childhood social support, family resiliency and mental health in adulthood in the community and among disadvantaged minority populations. We examined the role of social support and family resilience during childhood on subsequent mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adulthood among racial/ethnic minorities. A needs assessment survey which was designed to explore health determinants and quality of life indicators using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in a low-income community in Tampa was analyzed. Participants were predominantly low-income non-Hispanic black and Hispanic population (n=187). The outcome mental HRQoL was measured using the validated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Healthy Days Measure” instrument. We utilized sequential multivariable logistic regression models to examine the independent effects of childhood social support and family resiliency on mental HRQoL in adulthood. Approximately 12.3% of study participants reported poor mental HRQoL (i.e. ≥14 unhealthy days due to mental health). Childhood social support and family resiliency were significant predictors of mental HRQoL in adulthood, after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Sleep and composite health issues in adulthood were also associated with mental HRQoL. Our analyses highlight an opportunity to promote mental health through support of interventions that improve positive family relationships and reduce the burden of chronic health issues among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic children

Bio-ethanol production from cassava (manihot esculenta) waste peels using acid hydrolysis and fermentation process

In this research study, cassava peel waste was used as a sole carbon source for ethanol production using the process of fermentation and co-culture techniques. Production of Bio-ethanol from cassava peels was examined using co-culture of Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sulfuric acid solution with concentration of 2 %, 6 % and 10 %, was used to hydrolyze the substrates. Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were further used to ferment the substrates at 28 oC for 4 days. The fermented liquid was distilled at 78 oC and quantity of ethanol produced was determined. These findings proved that 10 % H2SO4 concentrated acid pretreated sample resulted into maximum ethanol yield (37.35 g/ml), pH 4.55, sugar content (15.5 %) and alcohol content (8.5 %) after 4 days. This study further revealed that bio-ethanol can be produced from cassava peels with maximum yield obtained using 10 % H2S04 acid for hydrolysis and Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae for fermentation

Structure and conduct of risk returns-characteristics of residential property investment in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria

Residential property investment is one of the most subscribed investments in the world. However, its risk-return characteristics is least understood especially in the Nigeria context. Though past studies have critically established the performance of mostly isolated  residential and commercial properties in southern regions of Nigeria. Disentangling and identifying empirically risk-return characteristic of residential property in Kaduna metropolis Northwest Nigeria is an unresolved challenge. This paper presents an empirical analysis of the performance of residential properties to gain a better understanding of the property market dynamics in Nigeria, survey research approach was employed to collect quantitative data required for the study. To determine residential property returns and asset risk, descriptive (weighted means, standard deviation and percentages) and inferential statistics were utilised. The outcome demonstrated that residential properties have diverse total returns and riskreturn characteristic. Furthermore, this study  established that total returns from residential properties ranged between 7.93% to 12.68 % and the risk features ranged from 2.37% to6.81% among the classes of properties. The result demonstrates a direct positive relationship between total returns and risk profile. Hence, recommends that Malali market is the most desirable location for risk-averse investors. Keywords: Risk- return analysis, residential investment, total return, portfolio, propert