Multilingualism in Computer mediated communication. A study of language choice among youngsters in rural Tanzania.

Mastergradsoppgave i digital kommunikasjon og kultur, Høgskolen i Innlandet, 2019.African youth linguistic practices have merely been regarded as an urban phenomenon that has nothing to do with rural areas. They have sometimes been labelled as urban vernaculars, a label that excludes creative linguistic practices of rural youths. This thesis aims to study how linguistic practices of Tanzania’s multilingual rural based youngsters are reflected in Computer mediated communication by examining to what extent are their linguistic practices fixed in the sense that they orient to the monolingual system and standard varieties or fluid in the sense that their whole linguistic repertoire is involved in the meaning-making process. I also examine which languages these youngsters use. I introduce multilingualism by considering its historical background regarding its evolution during the last six decades as well as a brief explanation of Computer mediated communication in general and in Africa. I have chosen to briefly introduce and explain language situation in Tanzania because its awareness will ensure understanding of the aim of research topic and the analysis of the youngsters’ linguistic practices in Computer mediated communication. Throughout the theory chapter, there will be a discussion of multilingualism’s central concepts such are language choice and code-switching. However, data in this thesis will be analyzed in the light of fixity and fluidity, and theories that suppose fluid linguistic practices, such as metrolingualism and translanguaging are also introduced in the theory. This study is done through a qualitative research design. Data used in this thesis is based on individual interviews and observation collected from six rural based Tanzania’s youths. There is a total of 22 examples of both interviews and observation selected to represent the main tendencies in the data. Findings of this study shows how youths’ linguistic practices in computer mediated communication challenge the monolingual approach to language emphasized by once but no longer hegemony state that is Tanzania. Online youth linguistic practices appear in many different shapes characterized by both local and global practices witnessed in many various social networking sites. Such linguistic diversity in computer mediated communication is contributed by various motives

Achieving high coverage of larval-stage mosquito surveillance: challenges for a community-based mosquito control programme in urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background: Preventing malaria by controlling mosquitoes in their larval stages requires regular sensitive monitoring of vector populations and intervention coverage. The study assessed the effectiveness of operational, community-based larval habitat surveillance systems within the Urban Malaria Control Programme (UMCP) in urban Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were carried out to assess the ability of community-owned resource persons (CORPs) to detect mosquito breeding sites and larvae in areas with and without larviciding. Potential environmental and programmatic determinants of habitat detection coverage and detection sensitivity of mosquito larvae were recorded during guided walks with 64 different CORPs to assess the accuracy of data each had collected the previous day. Results: CORPs reported the presence of 66.2% of all aquatic habitats (1,963/2,965), but only detected Anopheles larvae in 12.6% (29/230) of habitats that contained them. Detection sensitivity was particularly low for late-stage Anopheles (2.7%, 3/111), the most direct programmatic indicator of malaria vector productivity. Whether a CORP found a wet habitat or not was associated with his/her unfamiliarity with the area (Odds Ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.16 [0.130, 0.203], P < 0.001), the habitat type (P < 0.001) or a fence around the compound (OR [95% CI] = 0.50 [0.386, 0.646], P < 0.001). The majority of mosquito larvae (Anophelines 57.8% (133/230) and Culicines 55.9% (461/825) were not reported because their habitats were not found. The only factor affecting detection of Anopheline larvae in habitats that were reported by CORPs was larviciding, which reduced sensitivity (OR [95% CI] = 0.37 [0.142, 0.965], P = 0.042). Conclusions: Accessibility of habitats in urban settings presents a major challenge because the majority of compounds are fenced for security reasons. Furthermore, CORPs under-reported larvae especially where larvicides were applied. This UMCP system for larval surveillance in cities must be urgently revised to improve access to enclosed compounds and the sensitivity with which habitats are searched for larvae

Endophytic Fungi Associated with Cinnamomum iners Leaves in UNIMAS, Malaysia

Endophytic fungi are fungi that colonize within living plant tissues without causing any symptoms of disease, but they might provide a novel, alternative and eco-friendly compound. The present study was to observe the diversity, distribution and community structure of endophytic fungi of Cinnamomum iners in UNIMAS, Malaysia. The leaf segments were immersed in 75% ethanol for about one minute, in 65% Clorox for ten minutes, in 75% ethanol about 30 seconds and washed in sterilized distilled water for three times before plated on water agar and obtained their pure culture. A total of 287 isolates belonging to 14 species of endophytic fungi were isolated from 75 segments of young, mature and senescence leaves of C. iners. The percentage of occurrence of the fungi on senescence leaf (112 isolates with 39.02%) was higher than on mature (94 isolates with 32.75%) and young leaves (81 isolates with 28.22%). Of these 14 species, seven species, 12 species and nine species were isolated from young, mature and senescence leaf segments of C. iners, respectively. The percentage of occurrence of endophytic fungi isolated from young leaves was more in November, mature leaves in December and senescence leaves in October as compared to other sampling months. Species 3, Penicillium sp., Colletotrichum sp.2 and Colletotrichum sp.3 occurred in all the three leaf maturity stages of C. iners. Species 3 was the most abundant endophytic fungi in the senescence leaf of C. iners. Colletotrichum sp.3 occurred in all the three stages of leaf maturity but occurs at low percentages. Aspergillus aculeatus, Penicillium rolfsii and Talaromyces aculeatus were identified by PCR and DNA sequencing of ITS 4 and ITS 5. The optimum pH for fungus species growth was tends to be in slightly acidic condition. All the fungi were growing well when under incubation temperature range of 20˚C to 30˚C. The light and dark conditions did not influence much on the growth of fungi except of Aspergillus aculeatus and Species 4

The Influence of Private Tutoring On Students Academic Performance in Morogoro Municipal Council’s Secondary Schools: A Comparative Analysis Between Public and Private Secondary Schools.

The study sought to find out the factors that influence private tutoring on secondary school students’ academic performance in Morogoro municipal council. Specifically, the study intended to investigate stakeholders’ conception of private tutoring in secondary school students; assess the relationship between private tutoring practices and students’ academic performance; undertake an inquiry on the motivating factors for continued private tutoring despite government ban on private tutoring. The study employed a mixed method research approach i.e. qualitative and quantitative based on the descriptive survey research design. 124 respondents were involved in the study. Data were collected using documentary review, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires instruments. Based on the findings, it was revealed that 66.1% of participants viewed private tutoring as very important for learning as it improved students’ academic performance. Also, supplementary income was another motivating factor for private tutoring. However, 5% of respondents were pessimistic with private tutoring presenting that private tutoring promoted among others truancy and disrespect by some students who had access to private tutoring services. Private tutoring according to the findings de-motivated students who did not have access to such service resulting in to decline in their academic performances. The study recommended the urgency need for government and school management to look for working strategies to end private tutoring in both private and public secondary schools. The study recommends for clear rationale for private supplementary tutoring, also the need for further research around this topic to broaden knowledge of private tutoring and its adverse effect on students’ academic performance. Keywords: Private Tutoring, Secondary School, Academic Performance, Students