University of Cape Coast Journals
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Employability skills: perspectives from employers and tourism graduates in Ghana: Employability skills: perspectives from employers and tourism graduates in Ghana
No full textEmployers of graduates of higher education have often complained of a gap between skills and work attributes required by industry and those acquired by graduates. The main aim of this paper was to provide a comparison of views of employers and tourism graduates on employability skills required for employment by industry in Ghana. The paper was based on a tracer study conducted in June and July 2011 at the Tourism Department of Cape Coast Polytechnic, in Ghana. The study, which was cross sectional, involved a sample of 174 employed tourism graduates, selected using snowball sampling and 25 of their employers selected through multi stage sampling. The results of the study indicated that while there were no vast differences in their views regarding importance of certain skills, there were variations in the level of importance placed on such skills. For instance, the graduates considered the work attribute of time management more important than the employers, while the employers gave higher priority to team working skills than the graduates. An implication of this study is that strong collaboration is needed between higher educational institutions and industry employers not only to ensure industrial attachment placement for students but also for the students to acquire the right employability skills and work attributes, needed by industr
Efficacy of combined therapy of cognitive restructuring and study skills counselling on test anxiety among senior high school students in Ghana: Efficacy of combined therapy of cognitive restructuring and study skills counselling on test anxiety among senior high school students in Ghana
No full textTest anxiety is a serious problem for many students. It is a major obstacle to academic performance. In view of this, it is necessary to help students manage test anxiety through psychological interventions. This study investigated the combined effects of cognitive restructuring therapy and study skills counselling on test anxiety among senior high school students in Ghana. The population for this study was all second year senior high School students in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality. Quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test control group design guided the study. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 40 respondents to participate in the study. Two research hypotheses were formulated for the study and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The data were analysed using independent samples t-test. The study revealed that cognitive restructuring and study skills counselling had significant effect on the test anxiety of participants in the experimental group at post-test when compared with the control. Again, the results showed that there was no significant influence of gender on the test anxiety scores of the participants in the experimental group at post-test. Based on the findings, it was recommended that counsellors should make use of cognitive restructuring and study skills counselling in order to reduce or manage test anxiety among senior high school students
Effectiveness of frequency of testing on anxiety and achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Ogun state, Nigeria: Effectiveness of frequency of testing on anxiety and achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Ogun state, Nigeria
No full textAchievement Testing is the general means of finding out how much the students have learnt, but it could lead to test anxiety, which may affect students’ achievement. Thus, this study examined the effectiveness of frequency of testing on test anxiety and academic achievement in mathematics among secondary school students in Ogun State, Nigeria. Four research hypotheses were postulated to direct the study. Quasi experimental pre-test/post-test control group research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprised all Senior Secondary II Students in Ogun State. The sample for the study comprised 157 (76 male and 81 female) Senior Secondary II students selected using multistage sampling process. The study used five Schools as experimental groups and each of these schools was tested at varying test frequencies. The Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) and Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) were the instruments used for collecting data for the study. The data generated were analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that there were significant differences in the mean scores of students experiencing test Anxiety and Achievement in Mathematics as a result of exposing students to varying test frequencies. In addition, the study revealed that gender was not a significant factor when planning to moderate students’ Mathematics Anxiety and improving Achievement in Mathematics. A periodic testing of every two weeks was recommended for students experiencing poor achievement in Mathematics. Also, weekly testing was recommended for students experiencing test anxiety
Impact of classroom motivational climates on attitude to and achievement in visual arts among junior secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria: Impact of classroom motivational climates on attitude to and achievement in visual arts among junior secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria
No full textThe study investigated the impact of classroom motivational climates on attitude to and achievement in Visual Arts among junior secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 120 junior secondary three students drawn from three junior secondary schools in Lagos Education District 6 served as participants. Each of the three schools was randomly assigned either the task-involved, ego-involved or the control condition. The experiments which entailed teaching lessons in Visual Arts within a specified motivational climate spanned over four weeks. Each lesson lasted for 80 minutes per week. Three research instruments were used for data collection. These comprised the Students’ Attitude to Visual Arts, Visual Arts Achievement Test, and Students’ Perception of Motivational Climate. Three null hypotheses were formulated in the study. The hypotheses were tested using the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The findings showed that the classroom motivational climates produced differential effects on the participants’ post-test scores on attitude to Visual Arts. The task-involved and ego-involved motivational climates were more effective than the control condition in bringing about greater positive feelings about Visual Arts class. The study also revealed that task-oriented and ego-involved motivational conditions recorded significant post-test mean gains in visual arts achievement
Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility On Non-Traditional Exports In Ghana
Get PDFThe government of Ghana has implemented a number of policies to strengthen the production and export of non-traditional products as a way of diversifying exports in Ghana with very little success. Foremost among these policies is the liberalisation of exchange rate. Meanwhile, the exchange rate has been very volatile. The study, therefore, examines the effects of exchange rate volatility on non-traditional exports in Ghana.This study employed Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration estimation technique for the investigation. The results indicate that exchange rate volatility negatively impacts Ghana’s non-traditional exports. Also, the effect is greater in the long- run than it is in the short-run. Other results also show that world income, growth rate of the economy and Treasury bill rate promote non-traditional exports, but real effective exchange rate does not. rThe value of the paper lies in the discussion of the short-run and long-run effects of exchange rate volatility on non-traditional exports in the Ghanaian context
Hotel employees’ perceptions of training practices in a developing economy: Implications for improving service delivery.: Hotel employees’ perceptions of training practices in a developing economy: Implications for improving service delivery.
No full textThis study examined employees’ perception of training practices in the hotel industry in a developing economy, and adopted a purely quantitative approach, using the cross-sectional field survey. Data were collected using self-administered survey questionnaires and was analysed using percentages. Using a sample of 195 full-time employees from 61 registered hotels in the Cape Coast Metropolis and the Elmina Townships in Ghana, the findings showed that hotel employees perceived all the elements of training practices as adequate except evaluation of training where training effectiveness and reaction to trainees were found to be inadequate. Indicatively, employees’ ability to transfer learning from training to the workplace significantly affects their service delivery. The authors recommend that managers invest in staff training but pay particular attention to hotel employees acquiring and transferring the requisite skills and knowledge required to improve service deliver
Assessment of personal and food hygiene practices of food handlers in educational institutions in the Kwawu-East District of Ghana: Assessment of personal and food hygiene practices of food handlers in educational institutions in the Kwawu-East District of Ghana
No full textFood hygiene is one of the most pertinent issues in the food service industry today. This research sought to assess the personal and food hygiene practices of food handlers in the three boarding educational institutions in the Kwahu- East District of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study employed the descriptive survey design. The research instrument used was questionnaire. The data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Results showed that foods conveyed to the dining halls were uncovered and not served at the right temperature. Aprons and hair coverings were not worn at all times during food preparation. Only 6.6% of food handlers wore gloves while cooking. It is recommended that District Assemblies should monitor the personal and food hygiene practices of food handlers not only on the streets but also in our institutions. Hand washing basins should be fixed close to washrooms in institutions and detergent provided for proper hand washing immediately after visiting the washroom
Improving the study behaviour of Ghanaian senior high school students through counselling: Improving the study behaviour of Ghanaian senior high school students through counselling
No full textDespite the importance of study skills counselling, students in Ghana are not explicitly taught how to study. This study, therefore, explored the effects of study skills counselling on the study behaviour of senior high school students in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. The quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test control group design was adopted for the study. The target population of the study consisted of all senior high school form one students. A sample of 40 respondents was selected through the simple random sampling technique. A study behaviour inventory was used in gathering the data. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data were analysed using independent samples t-test. The findings revealed that study skills counselling significantly improved the study behaviour of participants when compared with the control group. It was also discovered that study skills counselling had significant effects on all the five components of study behaviour at post-test. In contrast, the results indicated that gender did not have significant influence on study behaviour at post-test. Based on the findings, it was recommended that study skills counselling be adopted as a viable approach for improving study behaviour among senior school students so as to enhance their academic achievement. Implications for counselling were also provided
Local integration of Liberian refugees in Ghana: Local integration of Liberian refugees in Ghana
No full textIn sub-Saharan Africa, protracted refugee situations have become common within the last three decades. Although voluntary repatriation is mostly recommended as the more lasting solution to refugee problems, some refugees think otherwise. This paper explores the views of Liberian refugees on local integration in Ghana. Using an in-depth interview guide, a total of 25 Liberian refugees were interviewed through the snowball sampling procedure at the Buduburam refugee camp. Guided by both the theory of national identity and an adapted framework on domains of local integration, the results show that the refugees are prepared for local integration. Most of them are already engaged in informal sector businesses as their sources of livelihood; almost all of them have established some social networks which facilitate interactions between them and the indigenes; and moreover they have been granted residence and work permits as well as registered for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as part of the integration package. It can be concluded that the Liberian refugees who opted for local integration are positively disposed for local integration in Ghana. There is the need for government to adopt the most appropriate local approach to facilitate the full intergration of the Liberian refugees into the country.
 
Development of innovational strategies for physical, health and sports education: Development of innovational strategies for physical, health and sports education
No full textIn this paper, innovation is seen as a driver of growth and wellbeing. New technologies, products, services and organizations create jobs and rejuvenate industries. This also presents new opportunities for innovation and improvement in education systems. The paper, therefore, delved into some strategies for education innovation. It was explained that schools need to become places where diverse talents are recognized and nurtured and every student made to feel special. This will give each student opportunity to realize their full potential and succeed on their own terms. Again, innovative education brings about personality development since the creative capacity of students also manifest. Another strategy is that higher education must be developed to adapt and transform the status and ability of students to create the future. The paper further looked into some new strategies for physical education and sport. It was explained that since sports education is for all students, assessment should be a variety of sports and three-dimensional. In addition, the use and operation of multimedia design reflects the innovative aspect with the development of technology in physical education. Another new strategy is that physical educators must be engaged in high quality and sustainable professional development. This can be achieved through developing dynamic and high standard physical education programme that will consider content knowledge, instructional strategies and methods to create an individualized learning environment that meets the needs of your diverse student population. Another section in the paper looked at the teaching method and innovation of physical education. To enhance the implementation of innovative education, the people-centered education must make way for student-centered, teacher-led education which gives full play to the initiative of students. There is also the need to enhance students’ physique by exploring the teaching methods that will affect the students learning enthusiasm and initiative. The paper touched on the personalized sports teaching methods. Here, emphasis was placed on the fact that teaching method design should be changed from “teaching” to “learning method” and the teaching methods changed from “Professor” to “guide”. Some recommendations were made for the experts and appropriate stakeholders to take actions