Self-Efficacy and Use of Electronic Information as Predictors of Academic Performance

Abstract Students’ ability to find and retrieve information effectively is a transferable skill useful for their future life as well as enabling the positive and successful use of the electronic resources while at school. It is a known fact in this digital era that any student at the higher level who intends to better achieve and go further in academics should have the ability to explore the digital environment. Students are increasingly expected to use electronic information resources while at the university. Research was undertaken to determine the level of influence of self-efficacy and the use of electronic information resources on students’ academic performance. This study examined self-efficacy and the use of electronic information as predictors of academic performance. Its participants were comprised of 700 students (undergraduate and postgraduate) randomly drawn from seven departments in the faculty of education, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Data on the study was collected through the Morgan-Jinks (1999) academic self-efficacy scale and the use of the electronic information scale (UEIS) with r = 0.75. Three research questions were raised to guide the study. The results indicate that self-efficacy and the use of electronic information jointly predict and contribute to academic performance; that respondents with high self-efficacy make better use of electronic information and have better academic performance; that a correlation exists among self-efficacy, use of electronic information and academic performance; and that the use of electronic information influenced respondents\u27 performance in General Education subjects more than other subjects. Finally, the results reveal that the Internet is the electronic information source students access for information most often. Implications of these results and recommendations are discussed

Potential of teledentistry in the delivery of oral health services in developing countries

In developing countries, access to qualified medical personnel especially oral health care specialists by inhabitants of rural and remote areas remain a challenge due to the fact that these personnel are mostly located in urban communities. Teledentistry is an approach that will eliminate the problem of distance between qualified oral health care personnel and potential patients in rural and remote communities. The objective of this review is to investigate the history of teledentistry and its practical application in overcoming the rural-urban oral health care problems.A scoping search of literature using keywords associated with telemedicine and teledentistry and its application was undertaken via PubMed and  Scientific electronic Library Online (SciELO). Literature published in English in the last 10 years (2008 – 2018) were selected. The review summarises the available literature related to origin and method of delivering teledentistry and its use in dental practice and education. It shows that  teledentistry has the ability to improve access to and delivery of oral health care at a relatively lower cost as well as supplementing traditional  teaching methods in dental education. However, despite the promising nature of teledentistry in improving oral health care provision, it is  associated with some attending problems and challenges. Keywords: Telemedicine, Teledentistry, Rural, Remote, Developing countrie

Tongue in education in Nigeria

This paper critically investigated the linguistic aspect of Nigerian education policy. It examined the relevance of language of instruction in classroom learning. The philosophical nature of the study necessitated the analytic and speculative modes of research. The concept of mother tongue was analytically examined in other to give a clear-cut definition and facilitate a quick understanding; while the prescriptive mode was used to assess the place of indigenous languages in Nigerian curricula. The paper x-rayed arguments for and against the use of mother tongue in Nigerian schools. Among several works considered, the experimental work of Fafunwa was particularly showcased. The famous Ife Six Year Primary Project (SYPP), which was conducted between 1970 -1979, had established beyond any reasonable doubt that the Nigerian child will benefit immensely if schooled with mother tongue. Despite the success, it was however discovered that some challenges are constantly militating against the use of mother tongue in Nigerian schools. Such challenges range from one-nation-one-language myth; perception of English language as a global language; absence of orthography of some Nigerian languages; lack of trained teachers in the use of indigenous languages; lack of political will; among others. These challenges were addressed in this paper. The researchers, laconically, submitted that for education in Nigeria to function as it should, as elsewhere, her language policy should be revisited; and to actualize this, the researchers recommend that teacher education in Nigeria be revitalised, while adequate training is given to teachers, so as to enable them to comfortably and conveniently teach their subjects in indigenous languages. It was suggested that for cognitive, cultural purposes and national interest, use of mother tongue is a necessity as education is to the society what fuel is to a vehicle, and language is to education what blood is to humans.Keywords: Mother tongue, Nigerian education, relevance and us

ANALYSIS OF INTER-TEMPORAL PRICING EFFICIENCY OF SORGHUM IN GUYUK LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined inter-temporal pricing efficiency of sorghum in Guyuk Local Government of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The sea- sonal price pattern of sorghum from1996-2006 was investigated using index number approach through the use of simple regression analysis. Average monthly storage cost of sorghum was estimated from the primary data collected. The findings revealed that female marketers dominated sorghum marketing in the study area and had one form of formal education or the other. Their marketing capital was mainly from personal savings with an initial investment capital of less that N10,000. There was the existence of seasonal variation in the price pattern of sorghum with an average monthly price rise of 8.97%, with September being the peak period and March being the lowest. Also, marketers were found to be efficient in sorghum marketing as revealed by the average monthly storage cost exceeding average monthly price rise of the commodity, thus establishing the existence of inter-temporal pricing efficiency

Evaluation of Automated Cataloguing System in Academic Libraries in Oyo State Nigeria

This study investigated automated cataloguing system in academic libraries in selected higher institutions in Oyo State Nigeria. The population of the study covered all the forty one (41) professional and para-professional cataloguers working in the cataloguing section. Total enumeration technique was used for data collection. Questionnaire was distributed to all the cataloguers in the selected institutions. Descriptive statistics was used to analysed the data collected. The result of the study revealed that automated cataloguing system saves time taking to catalogue information materials in the libraries. The result of the study also revealed that the selected institutions did not share resources among themselves. The finding of the study revealed that automated cataloguing system made cataloguing of information materials in the libraries faster. Therefore, the study concluded that automated cataloguing system in institutions’ libraries is a desirable one. Hence, the study recommended that in addition to cataloguing section, all other sections in the libraries be automated and provision of information technology tools needed for effective system be made available in the libraries

Synthesis and characterization of a tetranuclear Cu(II) coordination polymer containing pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid and 4-amidinopyridine co-ligand

This research demonstrates the preparation of a new coordination polymer, {[Cu4(H2pydc)2(H1apy)(H2O)2DMF].DMF}n, (H2pydc = pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, H1apy = 4-amidinopyridine) under solvothermal condition by the self-assembly of pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, 4-midinopyridene and copper(II) acetate. The compound was characterized by elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopic technique. The analysis indicated that the 4-amidinopyridine coordinated to the copper ions through the terminal nitrogen in a monodentate fashion while the pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acids coordinated through the carboxylate oxygens in monodentate mode. Both the elemental analysis and the infrared spectroscopic data agreed with the proposed stoichiometry. This result represent the first report of a tetranuclear Cu(II) coordination polymer having coordinated 4-amidinopyridine as the nitrogen donor moiety in its structure

Capital Ratios As Predictors of Distress: A Case Study of the Nigerian Banking System

We examine the relationship between capital ratios and bank distress and also compare the efficiency of three capital ratios risk-weighted leverage and gross revenue ratios in the prediction of bank distress The above objective is based on the recent global failure of banks which is a pointer to the fact that the Early Warning Systems EWS Models with the aim of identifying weaknesses and vulnerabilities among financial institutions have either failed or have been wrongly applied In addition some studies show that the risk-weighted capital ratio used in bank distress prediction may become obsolete and ineffective within a short time and that it may give rise to economic problems Some other studies also show that capital ratios may in fact not be related to bank distress and should not be used to monitor it Data on bank distress in Nigeria from 1991 to 2004 are used and the OLS regression autoregression and the Granger causality test are used to analyse the data The study show that the three capital ratios predicted bank distress significantly and that there is no significant difference in the level of efficiency of the three capital ratios in distress prediction The continued use of capital ratios in the prediction of bank distress is suggested The leverage capital ratio and the gross revenue capital ratio may be used to replace the risk-weighted capital ratio since they are simpler and may not be influenced by the ever changing risk pattern of the bank