University of Education, Winneba Online Journal System
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Training: A Critical Imperative in the Growth of Universities
Get PDFTraining has been found to be the best method of remedying any observed performance deficiencies of employees. The write up is intended to drum home to Managers the significance of training and the need to develop a systematic method of training
UNDERGRADUATE SANDWICH STUDENTS’ CONCEPTUALISATION OF LEADERSHIP
Get PDFThe study adopted the cross-sectional survey design to investigate how sandwich students of the Department of Basic Education, University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Ghana, conceptualise leadership. It also sought to determine differences in how the students conceptualise leadership based on their sex, age, and level/professional status. Adopting a census sampling technique, 140 students were obtained for the study. A questionnaire made up of six sub-scales of leadership emphasis (trait, ability, skill, behaviour, relationship, and influence), was used to collect quantitative data. The instrument has a reliability co-efficient of 0.78. The findings revealed that the sandwich students mostly conceptualised leadership as a skill, while relationship was the least conceptualised leadership sub-scale. Apart from a statistically significant difference in means observed for influence emphasis based on sex of the students, no statistically significant differences in means were observed for the remaining five leadership sub-scales based on the students’ age, and level/professional status. It was concluded that the sandwich students had varying opinions in understanding leadership based on their different experiences in leadership situations. The findings are valuable for the lecturers of the department in understanding how sandwich students conceptualise leadership. Thus, the use of scenarios, case studies, role-plays, school visits, and hands-on-activities during lectures will enhance the students’ understanding of contemporary leadership through promotion of values such as collaboration, teamwork, independent study, critical thinking, and empowerment. Accordingly, the findings will contribute to the body of knowledge in terms of students’ conceptualisation of the concept of leadership in the 21st century
RESOURCE FACTORS AND SKILLS SUPPLY TO LABOUR MARKETS IN PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIA
Get PDFThe study investigated resource factors and skills supply to labour markets in private universities in southwestern Nigeria. Skills acquired by graduates are important to economic productivity and economic development. Despite its importance, different stakeholders have been complaining of inadequacy of these skills in university graduates especially among fresh graduates in Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Multi stage sampling procedure was used. At the first stage, purposive sampling technique was used to select 10 private universities that have been in operation for minimum of ten years in Southwestern, Nigeria. At the second stage, simple random sampling technique was used to select 173 Heads of Departments in the sampled faculties. At the third stage, human resource managers in seven firms (Communication, Banking, Education, Health, Judiciary, Manufacturing/Construction and Agricultural) were sampled for the study. The instruments used were Questionnaire on Skills Supplied by Private Universities to Labour Market (= 0.89) and Questionnaire on Resource Factors and Skills Supply in Private Universities (r = 0.81). Statistical tools used were Frequency counts, Pearson product-moment correlation and Multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. Private universities met the benchmark of National Universities Commissions but about 53.2% of their academic staff were either on part time / adjunct appointment or on sabbatical appointment. There were positive significant relationships between resource factors and skills supply (r=0.201
Cleaners’ Perspective of Littering Behaviour of Students in a Ghanaian University Context: A Case Study of Nyankpala Campus of University for Development Studies
No full textThe study ascertained the cleaners’ perspective of littering behaviour of students in the Nyankpala Campus of the University for Development Studies. A total of 20 cleaners were randomly selected and questionnaires were administered in the various facilities they clean on the Nyankpala Campus. Data collection strategies included observation and face-to-face interviews with cleaners and their supervisors. The study revealed that 90% of the respondents submitted that the streets and surroundings were dirty and students were the major culprits in terms of littering on the Campus. They believed that cleaners are employed and they are required to always be around to clean the environment at all times. Most of the respondents suggested the need for a comprehensive waste management strategy that can help reduce littering and garbage on the campus. Respondents recommended that the institution should impose fines on culprits as a way to stop the littering on the Campus. The study revealed littering is a behavioural problem on the Nyankpala Campus. It is recommended that University Management and students’ leaders should provide adequate waste bins on the campus, especially at vantage points with notes to encourage cleanliness. This will encourage the culture of cleanliness and shared responsibility of safeguarding the environment
Effects of organisational communication on administrative performance of staff in a multi campus university
Get PDFThe study examined the effects of organizational communication on administrative performance of staff in a multi campus University in Ghana, guided with the application of the System theory and a developed conceptual framework. The mixed research design was used and a multistage sampling technique was applied with 428 staff selected. Questionnaires were administered to 400 staff out of which 309 (77.3%) questionnaires were returned. Descriptive and inferential statistics such as percentages, means, factor analysis, cluster analysis, chi-square, t-test, correlation and F-test were used to analyse the data with the help of SPSS software version 18.0 and Microsoft Excel. The results revealed that staff generally perceived the communication system in the University to be good with a grand mean value of 3.86 which is equivalent to “Agree” on the response scale. The two step cluster analysis revealed four groups of employee cohesion patterns, and the factor analysis also revealed four independent communication constructs vis a vis group cohesion. The rotated factors showed four major constraints: Human, Communication Systems, Administrative and Structural. The researcher concludes that significant differences do not exist in the patterns of communication among campuses of the University. This means that a congenial managerial communication system is likely to improve the organisational environment. It is recommended among others that standardisation and decentralisation in administration and management should be encouraged and various campuses given some independence to enhance performance. Feedback, acknowledging good performance, periodic progressive conversations to enhance policy direction in communication, there is the need to upgrade the knowledge and skills of staff through appropriate training
EFFECT OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN GOMOA EAST, GHANA
Get PDFThis study was designed to examine the effect of parental involvement on the academic performanceof private and public junior high schools in the Gomoa East district in Ghana. The sequentialexplanatory mixed-method design was employed for the study. A sample size of 256 was selectedfrom a population of 698 parents, students and headteachers in the selected schools. Simple randomsampling, cluster sampling and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the participantsfor the study. Questionnaires and interview guides were the instruments for data collection. Analyseswere done using percentages, multiple regression and Independent samples t-test. Though the studyshowed a significant difference in the parental involvement levels of parents, there was no significantdifference in academic performance levels of students in public and private junior high schools.Regression analysis indicated that parental involvement did not affect academic performance in theselected schools. The study concluded that parental involvement challenges in the district should betackled together with other factors affecting academic performance in the district. It is recommendedthat awareness of parental role in the education of children should be created through PTA meetingsand the establishment of annual PTA week
EFFECT OF ITEM PRE-KNOWLEDGE ON LOCAL ITEM DEPENDENCE AND DISTRACTER EFFICIENCY AMONG ECONOMICS STUDENTS IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study investigated the effect of item pre-knowledge on occurrence of Local Item Dependence and Distracter efficiency. The study adopted the quasi-experimental research design. The Sample consisted of 1500 Economics students selected through multi-stage sampling technique. The research instrument used was Economics Achievement Test (EAT) which contained 60 multiple-choice items with five options scored dichotomously and adapted from 2015 NECO SSCE Economics Paper III. Fifty percent of the items were pre-known (experimental items-Form A) while the other 50% were secured items (control items-Form B). Data collected was analysed using Yen Q3 statistic, frequency counts and percentages. The results showed that the 5 pairs of items comprising 6 pre-known items and 1 secured item exhibited local item dependence for Form A of the EAT while only 1 pair of item comprising 1 pre-known and 1 secured item exhibited local item dependence for Form B . However,
the 6 pre-known items in the Form A did not exhibit local item dependence when they were secured in the Form B. Also, amongst the items with Non-Functional Distractors in form A, 12 (40%) were pre-known and 6(20%) were secured. With form B, only I item (42, 3.33%) was pre-known and 3 items (item 12, 16 and 26; 10%) were secured. It was recommended among others that feasible approach to eliminate the occurrence of cheating through any form especially pre-knowledge be considered as well as items with inefficient distractors be assessed and reviewed for any further usage
Assessment of Job Satisfaction among Early Childhood Education Teachers in Edo State, Nigeria
Get PDFThe study examined job satisfaction among early childhood education teachers in Edo State. Four research questions were raised for the study, and three were formulated into hypotheses. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The study’s population comprises all the one thousand and twenty-one (1021) public early childhood education schools and one thousand two hundred and sixty-three (1263) early childhood education teachers in Edo State. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select a sample of one hundred and two early childhood schools and one hundred and twenty-six early childhood teachers in the three senatorial districts of Edo State. A questionnaire (JSAECETQ) validated with a reliability coefficient of 0.97 was used to collect data from the respondents. The research questions were analysed using mean and standard deviation while hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that the level of job satisfaction among early childhood education teachers in Edo State is low and that there is a positive and significant relationship between working conditions, professional growth and advancement opportunities and job satisfaction among early childhood teachers in Edo State. The finding also revealed that there is no significant relationship between the involvement of early childhood teachers in school administration and job satisfaction among early childhood education teachers in Edo State. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the working conditions of early childhood teachers should be improved upon by the relevant stakeholders by making adequate provision for their “welfare needs such as car loans, accommodation facilities, study leave with pay, leave of absence when needed, provision of instructional materials to improve their job performance, protection from occupational hazards and regular promotion as at when due
INFLUENCE OF GENDER AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF SCHOOL ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN ASANTE AKIM, GHANA
Get PDFThe study investigated influence of gender and location of school on the academic performance of students in the Ashanti Akim North District. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. Purposive and proportional sampling techniques were used to select 297 from a population of 1292 students to respond to the Academic Performance Tests in the Four Core Subjects. Data were collected using achievement tests in Mathematics, English Language, Social Studies and Integrated Science whose reliabilities were respectively 0.75, 0.80, 0.78 and 0.76. Data were analysed using the Independent Sample t-test. Findings of this study suggest that location and sex determined students’ academic performance. The study among others recommends that attention should be focused on male students to catch up academically with their female counterparts. Again, to bridge the dichotomy in urban rural students’ performance, the Ministry of Education together with the District Education Directorate and the District Assembly should upgrade the facilities and provide learning resources in junior high schools in the rural areas to the standards of schools in the urban areas