Blended Learning in the Vocational Education and Training System in Tanzania: Understanding Vocational Educators’ Perceptions

In a constructivist world of teaching and learning, opportunities to acquire and develop the knowledge and practical skills necessary to design, establish, and deploy blended learning in vocational education and training (VET) programs delivery is a labour-market-driven. The paper examines VET educator’s pleas about the need for the design, adoption and deployment of blended learning in VET programs delivery in Tanzania. A single case study design with an in-depth interview and focus group discussion was conducted with 15 VET educators in three VET colleges in both Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions. Snowball and purposive sampling were used to obtain sample respondents. For the data analysis, content analysis was employed to condense data obtained from interviews and focus group discussion. It was found that continuous professional development, institutional arrangements, and support should be provided online to facilitate the design, adoption and use of blended learning in VET. We recommend that locally designed blended learning should be relevant to the environment of both students and teachers. In reality, the interplay between blended learning, imparting knowledge and practical skills remain the key focus of future research

Blended Learning in the Vocational Education and Training System in Tanzania: Understanding Vocational Educators’ Perceptions

In a constructivist world of teaching and learning, opportunities to acquire and develop the knowledge and practical skills necessary to design, establish, and deploy blended learning in vocational education and training (VET) programs delivery is a labour-market-driven. The paper examines VET educator’s pleas about the need for the design, adoption and deployment of blended learning in VET programs delivery in Tanzania. A single case study design with an in-depth interview and focus group discussion was conducted with 15 VET educators in three VET colleges in both Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions. Snowball and purposive sampling were used to obtain sample respondents. For the data analysis, content analysis was employed to condense data obtained from interviews and focus group discussion. It was found that continuous professional development, institutional arrangements, and support should be provided online to facilitate the design, adoption and use of blended learning in VET. We recommend that locally designed blended learning should be relevant to the environment of both students and teachers. In reality, the interplay between blended learning, imparting knowledge and practical skills remain the key focus of future research

Technical efficiency of small-scale fishing households in Tanzanian coastal villages: An empirical analysis

The effort to conserve fisheries resources and improve the welfare of small-scale fishing households is an important objective of poverty reduction strategies in Tanzania. The success of such strategies depends on both the diversity and the level of efficiency within small-scale fishing households. This paper examines the technical efficiency of Tanzanian small-scale fishing households, based on data from two coastal villages located near Bagamoyo and Zanzibar, using a stochastic frontier model with technical inefficiency. The estimated mean technical efficiency of small-scale fishing households was 52%, showing that they were operating far below optimum efficiency. The efficiency of individual fishing households was positively associated with fishing experience, size of farming land, distance to the fishing ground and potential market integration; it was negatively related to non-farm employment and bigger household sizes. Future policies aimed at conservation and development in fishing communities should provide mechanisms that improve the access of small-scale fishing households to less-destructive fishing tools (via the provision of credit facilities) and to markets, as well as the creation of new employment opportunities in other sectors. In addition, measures which check the use of illegal fishing gear, overcapitalisation and open-access problems should be considered

Factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurship in fisheries small and medium-sized enterprises in Tanzania

This paper seeks to establish factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the fishing industry. Quantitative data were collected from 390 Nile perch fishery entrepreneurs in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish factors influencing sustainable entrepreneurship and their significant contribution. Results indicated that entrepreneurs have a high level of sustainable entrepreneurial behaviour but perceive a lack of government support. Entrepreneurs’ values, innovativeness, proactiveness, and rules and regulations were found to highly significantly influence sustainable entrepreneurship in the fishery business. On the other hand, firm assets and firm age were found to be only associated with social and environmental practices and not with sustainable entrepreneurship in general. The study recommends an integrated approach that considers entrepreneurial orientation, gender inclusion, values-driven entrepreneurship, educational initiatives, and community engagement for sustainable entrepreneurship in fisheries

The Impact of Agricultural Research on Poverty and Income Distribution: A Case Study of Selected On-farm Research Projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1): 1-

The impact of agricultural research on poverty and income distribution: A case study of selected on-farm research projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2013) Accepted August, 2010 Vol. 12 No. 1, 1-9Improved technologies induce productivity growth that generates pro-poor improvement processes. However, improving welfare and equity is a difficult task. This study investigated whether interventions in agriculture benefit farmers who are more capable to derive sufficient gains than others using data from on-farm research projects in Tanzania.Data were collected during baseline and impact assessment studies using questionnaires. The distributions of income were assessed using coefficients of variation, Gini coefficients and Theil’s Tstatistic. Results show that the projects contributed to increase farm income through enhanced productivity and sales of products and these gains were equitably shared. To encourage adoption and sustainability of these interventions it is important to sensitize Local Government Authorities and Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries on these technologies to allow incorporation of research findings in development plans. Involvement of extension staff in research and demonstrations through farmers’ shows should also be encouraged to increase adoption

The capacity of on-farm research in reducing poverty: Experiences from twenty seven projects in Tanzania

Tanzania J.Agric.Sc. (2007) Vol. 8 No.2, 103 -114 Accepted May, 2008Poverty can be categorized into income poverty and non-income poverty. At the smallscale Jarmers level income poverty results Jrom low productivity oj agricultural enterprises. hence low sales oj products. On the other hand. non income poverty encompasses a wide range oj live phenomena, including level oj education, poor survival strategies, poor nutritional status. lack oj clean and saJe drinking water, poor social wellbeing, vulnerability , etc. In 2000/01 about 62% oj households in Tanzania succumbed to income poverty. While the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) was silent on research as one oj the strategic approaches to reduce poverty in Tanzania, a study was conducted between 2001 and 2004 by Sokoine University oj Agriculture (SUA) in collaboration with the Agricultural Sector Lead Ministries (ASLMs) to evaluate the effectiveness oj onjarm research and development (R&D) approaches in bringing about poverty reduction amongst the smallholder Jarmers in the country. The study was based on 27 projects under Tanzania Agricultural Research Project Phase II (TARPII) managed by SUA (TARPII-SUA) conducted in the Eastern and Southern Highlands Zones oj country. By responding to a questionnaire. smallholder Jarmers evaluated technologies introduced through research. Results have shown that smallholder Jarmers' poverty could be signijkantly reduced by inb'oducing appropriate technologies. Thus. on average, participating Jarmers observed reductions in income poverty by the period oj this study. It is concluded that introduction oj technologies through onJarm research increases technology adoption and reduces income poverty

The Impact of Agricultural Research on Poverty and Income Distribution: A Case Study of Selected On-farm Research Projects at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania

Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2013, Vol. 12(1): 1-