Self-Concept and Performance in Shorthand: A Case Study of Secretarial Students

This study sought to ascertain the effects of students’ self-concept of academic ability on their academic performance in shorthand. The respondents were mainly secretarial students. After giving a background to the study, research questions and corresponding research objectives were developed. Relevant literature was reviewed and a research methodology developed. The systematic random sampling was used and the research instrument was questionnaire. Analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The study discovered that, shorthand students have basic qualification for the study of the course and are self-motivated. The study concluded that, shorthand is an interesting course that motivates young people with requisite qualification. The study also elucidated that shorthand as a course be taught at pre-tertiary level and level 100 at the polytechnics. DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/87-03 Publication date: January 31st 202

Motivation And Shorthand Performance: Case Study of Bolgatanga Polytechnic

Shorthand has been described as any system of rapid writing using symbols or shortcuts that can be made quickly to represent letters of the alphabets, words or phrases. This study sought to examine the influence of motivation on shorthand performance. It solely sought to appraise the interest of shorthand students in the subject and how that affects student’s performance and also determine the adequacy of tuition and timeframe for the practice of shorthand. Relevant literature was reviewed and a research methodology developed. The system sampling technique was used in the study and the main research instrument was the questionnaires which was developed and administered to respondents. The study discovered that, the content of shorthand, both theoretical and practical dimension s were comprehensively administered and the time frame for teaching and learning was adequate. The study also unearthed various limiting factors such as reduction of credit hours, inability to write shorthand outlines and inappropriate placement vowels and identification of outline for transcription that affect students’ performance

Assessing the Impact on the Job of Secretaries on the Use of Information Communication Technology in Public Institutions: The Case of Bolgatanga Polytechnic

This study basically aims at gathering information on the impact of office Information and Communication Technology on the performance of the professional secretary in Bolgatanga polytechnic. The descriptive survey method was used for this study. A total sample of 22 secretaries was used in this study. Questionnaires involving both open and closed ended questions were used to collect data. This study showed that there are computers, printers, photocopiers and telephones in every office of the secretaries in the polytechnic, however, not all the offices have electric typewriters, scanning machines, shredding machines, fax machines and duplicating machines. The result of the study also showed that all the secretaries accepted that the introduction of Information Communication Technology in their offices has helped staff to work faster than before, enhanced flexibility in their offices, and improves positively the performances level of secretaries. The secretaries also indicated that the main challenges of using ICT in secretarial duties were the instability in power system in the institution, the need for special training of personnel on the use ICT facilities, and protection against data loss. It was recommended that the Polytechnic should endeavour to organize training and development programmes that will enhance the effective performance of secretaries through acquisition of additional skills. Also, secretaries should always be ready and open-minded to acquire additional training/skills development, bearing in mind that changes occur frequently in the line of their chosen career.Keywords: Information Communication Technology, secretaries, computers, electronic device

Quality Education in Second Cycle Institutions: The Role of the Private Sector

The study was an assessment of quality education; the role of the private sector. Questionnaire and interview schedules were used to collect data from 175 respondents in second cycle institutions. SPSS and Microsoft Excel were used to analyze the data. The study discovered varied determinants of quality education for private second cycle institutions; critical of which are well-motivated teachers, availability of instructional materials, effective monitoring and supervision and recognition of individual differences. Private institutions could contribute enormously to quality education through strong partnership between the public and private educational sector. The private second cycle schools are constraint with inadequate infrastructure, inadequate professional teachers, untimely payment of school fees, excessive expectation of parents towards students’ performance and minor interference by parents administratively. Quality education should be tackled comprehensively and incrementally. The study recommends an urgent need for public-private sector partnership for quality education. Private schools should be granted access to the GET fund; and there should be a strong monitoring and evaluation team for quality education from the Ghana Education Service. The study also recommends that, Ministry of Education should chatter a principle, comprehensive and incremental approach to deal with quality education issues in the second cycle education. Finally, the study recommends collaboration between Ghana Education Service and Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Agency (YEA) for regular supply of non-professional graduate teachers to the second cycle institutions. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-9-17 Publication date:March 31st 201

Forces That Influence Change in the Operational Areas of Technical Universities/ Polytechnics

The study intended to identify the forces that influence change in the operational areas of the Technical Universities/Polytechnics. The population comprised management and staff.  Purposive, stratified, simple and convenience sampling methods were used to select the sample size of 120. Questionnaires and interview were the main instruments used.  Analysis was carried out using Microsoft Excel.  The study revealed that, the most dominant factors of significant change in the operations of the Technical Universities\ Polytechnics were the adoption of new technology in teaching, learning and general administration, improvement in the skills, knowledge and the abilities of employees, elimination of bureaucratic leadership, and sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of the clients. The study also revealed that, overhead projectors are important in instructional delivery. Keywords: influence change, overhead projectors DOI: 10.7176/NMMC/78-0