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Adoption of the principle of autonomy in the promotion of community development practices in Nigeria
No full textThis paper presents autonomy as a principle rooted in ethics - a normative branch of philosophy which applies to most human development activities. Since community development activities continue to grow both in developing and developed countries with its attendant agitations for autonomy, it is proposed that autonomy should be adopted for grassroots development. Autonomy remains an ingredient that can unleash massive human potentials within people and harness local resources in communities in order to promote broad based human sustainable growth and development. The members of various localities ought to be involved in the articulation of their own felt needs and running of their own affairs without inhibiting external assistance. So, external assistance should submit to the overriding interests and aspirations of the people so as to address the difficulties of sustainability in development programmes. This paper proposes autonomy as an ethical value in community engagement
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Science and Technology Education, Faculty of Education in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of (Ph.D. Physics Education) DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY of the UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN
Get PDFPhysics, a unifying subject for most science-related disciplines is important for technological advancement. Reports have shown that academic achievement in and attitude to physics particularly in concepts of light among senior secondary students in Oyo State are poor. Previous studies have focused largely on student-related factors that influence learning outcomes in physics, with little attention paid to student-centred strategies such as Interactive-lecture-demonstrations Strategy (IldsS) and Guidedreverse Jigsaw Strategy (GrJS). This study therefore, was carried out to determine the effects of (IldsS) and (GrJS) on students’ learning outcomes (achievement in and
attitude to) in concepts of light in physics. It also examined the moderating effects of gender and students’ commitments to physics. John Dewey’s Constructivist Theory of Interaction and Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory underpinned the study. The pretest-posttest control group quasiexperimental design with a 3x2x2 factorial matrix was adopted. One Local Government Area (LGA) was randomly selected from each of the three existing senatorial districts in Oyo State. Three schools were purposively selected from each LGA based on availability of qualified physics teachers and functional laboratory. Intact classes of Senior School II students from each school were randomly assigned to IldsS (83), GrJS (126) and control (105) groups. The instruments used were Physics
Achievement Test (r=0.78), Students’ Commitment to Physics Scale (r=0.80), Students’ Attitude Questionnaire (r=0.87) and instructional guides. The treatment lasted 10 weeks. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni Post-hoc test at 0.05 level of significance. The participants’ age was 15.30±2.50 years and 52.9% were female. The participants’ commitment to physics (45.2%) was low. Treatment had a significant main effect on students’ achievement in concepts of light in physics (F(2, 312) = 53.95; partial η2 = 0.26). The participants in IldsS had the highest post-achievement mean score (11.89), followed by those in GrJS (11.82) and the control (8.55) groups. There was a significant main effect of treatment on students’ attitude to physics (F(2, 312) = 44.28; partial η2 = 0.23). The participants in IldsS had the highest post-attitude mean score (50.70), followed by those in GrJS (45.12) and control (42.30) groups. There was a significant main effect of students’ commitment to physics on achievement (F(1, 313) = 6.54; partial η2 = 0.02), but not on attitude to concepts of light. The participants in high commitment group obtained a higher post mean score (11.13) than their counterparts with low (10.38) commitment group. The main effects of gender were not significant on students’ achievement in and attitude to concepts of light. The two-way and threeway interaction effects on achievement in and attitude to concepts of light were not significant. Interactive-lecture-demonstrations and guided-reverse jigsaw instructional strategies improved students’ achievement in and attitude to concepts of light in physics in Oyo State, Nigeria with emphasis on students’ commitment to physics. Both strategies should be adopted by physics teachers
Climate change and the potential distribution of the invasive shrub, leucaena leucocephala (lam.) de wit in Africa
Get PDFLeucaena leucocephala, previously known as ‘miracle tree’ because of its numerous agroforestry uses has become a seri¬ous invasive species in tropical regions. Despite the risks associated with the spread of L. leucocephala, changes in its distribution with respect to climate are poorly understood, particularly in Africa where it has been widely introduced in more than 30 countries. To provide first-line information for the management of L. leucocephala, we examined its poten-tial distribution in Africa using ecological niche modelling. We identified bioclimatic variables that determine the global distribution of L. leucocephala, and calibrated niche models using MaxEnt and species occurrences recorded between 1973 and 2013. The potential distribution of this species was estimated from model projections in Africa based on cur¬rent and future climatic conditions. We tested the hypothesis of niche conservatism for L. leucocephala by comparing its climatic niche in Africa to that of its native range. Under current conditions, L. leucocephala is constrained between 30° S and 20° N in Africa, with the broadest distribution in East Africa. High rainfall areas in Central Africa with no known records of this species hitherto, were found to be highly suitable for its establishment. We predicted a significant decre¬ment in the extent of areas at risk of invasion by L. Leucocephala under changing climates in Africa. Our results revealed that the study species occupies a similar but non-identical climatic niche in Africa in relation to its native niche. Climate change is likely to impede the spread of L. leucocephala in Africa
Management of childhood cataract: practice patterns among ophthalmologists in Nigeria
Get PDFOBJECTIVE: To describe the practice patterns for the management of paediatric cataracts among ophthalmologists practising in Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of fully trained Nigerian ophthalmologists who perform cataract surgery in children aged 16 years and below. An online questionnaire was distributed via e-mail and social media platforms to respondents. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, type, location and years of practice, status and preferred approach to management of childhood cataracts were obtained and analysed. RESULTS: =A total of 41 ophthalmologists responded that they perform paediatric cataract surgery. Of these, 25 (61.0%) were paediatric ophthalmologists while 7(17.0%) were general ophthalmologists. Most respondents (92.7%) practise in urban settings and 30(73.2%) work in tertiary hospitals. Most respondents (90.2%) routinely insert intracular lenses (IOLs) in children aged 2 years and above while 32(78.0%) routinely under-correct the IOL power. Thirty-four (82.9%) have an anterior vitrectomy machine, 31 (75.6%) routinely perform posterior capsulotomy and anterior vitrectomy, and 17 (58.5%) routinely perform same-day sequential bilateral cataract surgery. Twenty-six respondents (63.4%) respondents routinely give near correction in aphakic children, while 24 (58.5%) respondents routinely give bifocals in pseudophakic children. Compared to other sub-specialists, paediatric opthalmologists were 24 times more likely to routinely under-correct IOL power (p=0.001) and 4 times more likely to routinely correct near vision in aphakic children (0.036) as well as prescribe bifocals for pseudophakic children respectively (0.029). CONCLUSION: The practice of paediatric cataract surgery in Nigeria is mainly in line with expected standards, but there is a need for the development of detailed practice guidelines
Forced convection heat transfer in micro heat sinks with square and circular configuration
No full textThis paper reports the results of three-dimensional numerical optimisation of microchannel heat exchanger with square and circular cooling channels. The objective of the optimisation is to maximise the global thermal conductance or minimise global thermal resistance. Response surface optimisation methodology (RSM) is used in the numerical optimisation. A high-density heat flux (2.5×106/2) is imposed at the bottom surface of the unit cell microchannel and numerical simulation carried out using ANSYS Fluent commercial software package. The elemental volume and axial length =10 of the microchannel were all fixed, while the width was free to morph. The cooling technique employs single-phase water which flows through the rectangular block microchannel heat sink to remove the heat at the bottom of the microchannels in a forced convection laminar flow regime. The velocity of the fluid pumped across the microchannel axial length is the range 400≤≤500. Finite volume method (FVM) is used to descretised the computational domain and computational fluid dynamic (CFD) code employed to solve a series of governing equations. The effect of channel hydraulic diameter and Reynolds number of water-flow on peak wall temperature and minimised temperature are investigated and reported. The numerical results show that the microchannel with square cooling channel has the highest maximised global thermal conductance than the micro heat sink with circular configuration. The result of the numerical study agrees with what is in the open literature
DATA FOR ASSESSMENT OF SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGY TEACHERS' AND STUDENTS' CONCEPT KNOWLEDGE OF COVID-19 IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA
No full textThe disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS – CoV-2) called COVID-19 has claimed a lot of lives across the world that the World Health Organization on 11 of March 2020, declared it a global pandemic. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has also been updating Nigerians about the pathogenic nature of the virus.
Objectives
This study assessed senior secondary school biology teachers’ and students’ concept knowledge of COVID-19 in Oyo State, and to show the type of relationship that existed between their concept knowledge.
Methods
A descriptive survey research design was adopted with two research questions and one research hypothesis. The sample size of the study included 620 Biology students (31 students per school) and 20 Biology teachers (1 teacher per school) from 20 senior secondary schools across 5 Local Government Areas in Oyo State. Two research instruments were used to collect data from respondents, these were Biology Teachers’ COVID-19 Concept Knowledge Test (r = 0.71), Biology Students’ COVID-19 Concept Knowledge Test (r = 0.79). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as per centage (%), mean, and standard deviation; and inferential statistics such as Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient.
Results
It was revealed that senior secondary school biology teachers and students in Oyo State had high (63.15% and 61.17% respectively) levels of concept knowledge of COVID-19, however a moderate negative relationship that is not significant (r = -0.47; p>0.05) existed between them.
Significance
Biology teachers’ and students’ good concept knowledge of COVID-19 was an assurance that they were equipped with requisite concept knowledge of the disease, if there should be a resurgence. However, the not significant relationship between their concept knowledge of the disease, indicated a gap that needed to be filled
Seed pre-treatment and early growth performance of piliostigma thonningii (schum.) milne-redhead under nitrogen amendment in Old Oyo national Park, Nigeria
No full textSurvival of wildlife in protected areas is dependent on innate attributes and response of vegetation to climate change. Piliostigma thonningii holds promise for wildlife conservation in Old Oyo National Park, but its population is threatened by physical dormancy. There is dearth of information on long-term benefits of its seed pretreatment and early growth response to nitrogen fertilizer. This study assessed effects of acid scarification on germination and early growth of P. thonningii under different nitrogen application rates. Seeds harvested from three purposively selected seasonal wetlands in Old Oyo National Park (OONP) were treated with 1N H2SO4 at durations ranging from 0 – 120 minutes in three replicates. Germinated seeds were enumerated over a 14-day period. Top soils from the wetlands were randomly sampled using soil auger in three replicates for physical and chemical analyses, and for early growth study with Urea fertilizer at rates 0, 50 and 100 kg/ha in experimental pots in completely randomized design. Growth and dry matter were assessed using ANOVA at P.05. Germination commenced in control treatments at 14 days after plating (DAP) and was low (13.3%). Germination progressively increased in acid treatment. At 5 DAP for soaking for 30 minutes gave 46.67%; while it was 96.67% at 40 minutes at 14 DAP. Higher soaking times gave 100% germination by 14 DAP, but with low growth vigor. The response of P. thonningii to Urea application was significantly higher in number of leaves at 12 weeks than in other rates. Other growth parameters are not significantly different at all rates. The biomass yield of P. thonningii was 1.98 g 0.21and 2.6 g 0.36 root and shoot dry weights at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS); and 7.3 g 0.04 root and 6.4 g 0.95 shoot dry weights at 12 WAS. Piliostigma thonningii can restore and improve wildlife abundance to mitigate climate change effects in the Park
Quality and acceptability evaluation of soy-cheese (tofu) enhanced with meat
Get PDFThe study was carried out to determine the quality and acceptability of soy-cheese (Tofu) enhanced with different meat types. 40g of raw soybeans, 40g of each meat type-beef, mutton, chevon, chicken and 5g of industrial grade calcium sulphate (CaSo4) were used for this study. The meat types + Tofu constituted the treatments, thus: T0 = Tofu only (control), Ti = Tofu + beef, T2 = Tofu + mutton, T3 = Tofu + chevon, T4 = Tofu + chicken meat. Data were collected and analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p<0.05. The meat Tofu products samples showed significant differences (p<0.05) in physical, chemical and the sensorial variables tested with chicken meat Tofu (T4) having highest (p<0.05) yield, water holding capacity, protein, fat, ash, all the organoleptic and overall acceptability values. This study supplied first hand information on the effect of meat inclusion in Tofu, therefore, chicken meat could be included in Tofu at ratio of 1:1 for quality and acceptability enhancement
Factors against senior secondary school students' performance in english writing skills: the teachers and learners' perspectives
Get PDFWriting skills are essential for academic success and effective communication in today's interconnected world. This study investigates the factors influencing senior secondary school students' writing performance in English in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Nigeria, from the perspectives of both teachers and students. Despite the importance of writing, students face challenges that raise concerns among examination bodies like WAEC and NECO regarding their writing competencies. Identified factors include socioeconomic influences, psychological barriers, ineffective instructional methods, and the impact of technology and social media. The research utilized a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design, involving 300 students and 10 teachers from selected public schools. Key findings indicate that poor family backgrounds, lack of parental support, and inadequate teacher training substantially hinder writing abilities. Psychological factors, such as fear of criticism and low self-efficacy, along with social media influence, further complicate writing development. The study recommended targeted interventions, such as improved teacher training, increased parental involvement, and the integration of technology in writing instruction, to create an environment conducive to developing strong writing skills and enhancing academic performance
Some of the mechanisms for coexistence of tree species diversity in tropical forests: a review of effects of tree density dependence
Get PDFTree communities contribute to maintenance of species diversity in tropical forests. Coexistence of many tree species is not without competition. Therefore, coexistence of tree species and size diversities occur sequentially or simultaneously in tropical natural forests. Understanding coexistence and competition mechanisms of tree species requires knowledge of interactions within and between species. However, many conservation efforts and strategies failed due to inability to identify and maintain functional coexistence mechanisms among tree species in the forest. Also, most trees died because of pressure on their habitats and not because of limiting growth resources. Hence, species identity, minimum distance and size of the neighbouring trees which are responsible for coexistence of competing trees in most tropical forests have not been explicitly reviewed. Therefore, this review evaluated some of the density dependent mechanisms for coexistence of tree species alpha diversity in tropical forests. Many interactive mechanisms are responsible for coexistence tree species in tropical forests. Inter- and intra-specific competitions are the most significant and both facilitate positive and negative density dependence. Therefore, switching from negative to positive density dependence may occur in some situations. Positive and negative density effects regulate species abundance and coexistence through conspecific and heterospecific structures. Aggregates of conspecific and heterospecific neighbours constitute forest spatial structure. Negative density interactions are mutually exclusive and basically ranged from effect of species identity of neighbours, distance to neighbours and tree size of the neighbours to reference trees in the community structures. Some mechanisms shorten distances for heterospecific than conspecific interactions. Conspecific structures improved survival and growth of rare tree species. Interactive mechanisms in tree community and population structures facilitate species diversity and size inequality, respectively