The University of Zambia Journals
Not a member yet
787 research outputs found
Sort by
Challenges Pupils Face in Enlargement Transformation Geometry in Zambian Secondary Schools: A Case of Two Schools in Lusaka and Monze Districts
Get PDFZambian Secondary Schools have experienced a low performance in Mathematics at School Certificate level in recent years (Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ), 2016). An analysis of results in terms of topics in the examinations showed that Transformation geometry is one of the topics in mathematics in which pupils have not been performing very well (ECZ, 2009; ECZ, 2008). For this reason, this study was set to establish the challenges pupils faced in learning transformation geometry in particular enlargement transformation geometry in two schools in Zambia. School A is located in Lusaka District and School B is in Monze district. The Van Hiele Model of levels of thought were used as the theoretical framework of the study. The study largely used a mixed method approach that included descriptive study design. The data was obtained through written test and interview schedules. One hundred Grade 12 pupils, all together from both schools wrote the test and six volunteered to undergo interview. Data was analysed through a process of coding, categorizing, clustering and performance indicators corresponding to the Van Hiele’s model were used in the analysis of data. The study findings revealed that pupils faced challenges in solving enlargement transformation geometry problems. The study demonstrated that most of the grade 12 pupils were reasoning at the lowest level (visualisation) of the Van Hiele’s model of geometric thought. Pupils had problems with the concept of the centre and scale factor of an enlargement. The findings revealed that pupils demonstrated ignorance of the basic relationships of figures under enlargement through identifying incorrect image of the triangular figure given. Pupils expressed challenges in explaining the steps they took to obtain the image after enlargement because they did not have enough pre-requisite knowledge on the topic. Zambian Secondary Schools have experienced a low performance in Mathematics at School Certificate level in recent years (Examination Council of Zambia (ECZ), 2016). An analysis of results in terms of topics in the examinations showed that Transformation geometry is one of the topics in mathematics in which pupils have not been performing very well (ECZ, 2009; ECZ, 2008). For this reason, this study was set to establish the challenges pupils faced in learning transformation geometry in particular enlargement transformation geometry in two schools in Zambia. School A is located in Lusaka District and School B is in Monze district. The Van Hiele Model of levels of thought were used as the theoretical framework of the study. The study largely used a mixed method approach that included descriptive study design. The data was obtained through written test and interview schedules. One hundred Grade 12 pupils, all together from both schools wrote the test and six volunteered to undergo interview. Data was analysed through a process of coding, categorizing, clustering and performance indicators corresponding to the Van Hiele’s model were used in the analysis of data. The study findings revealed that pupils faced challenges in solving enlargement transformation geometry problems. The study demonstrated that most of the grade 12 pupils were reasoning at the lowest level (visualisation) of the Van Hiele’s model of geometric thought. Pupils had problems with the concept of the centre and scale factor of an enlargement. The findings revealed that pupils demonstrated ignorance of the basic relationships of figures under enlargement through identifying incorrect image of the triangular figure given. Pupils expressed challenges in explaining the steps they took to obtain the image after enlargement because they did not have enough pre-requisite knowledge on the topic. The study concluded that pupils lacked relevant and enough pre-requisite knowledge to enlargement transformation, and they lacked exposure to more geometrical problem-solving situations. The study concluded that teachers should strive to motivate learners on the topic and equip them with necessary pre-requisite knowledge on enlargement transformation. This should include introducing pupils to more practical situational problem-solving tasks which should involve explanation as well. 
Analysing Teachers’ and Pupils’ Classroom Language Choices and Practices in Selected Grade Five Classrooms in Zambia’s Chongwe District
Get PDFFrom 2013 up to date, the curriculum framework stipulates that the language of instruction for initial literacy is familiar local language from Grades one to four (1-4) while from grade five (5) onwards, English is the sole medium of instruction. The purpose of this study was to analyse the transitional language practices among the grade five teachers and learners in selected primary schools of Chongwe district. The study adopted a mixed methods design where both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed. 8 primary schools were randomly selected while 40 grade 5 teachers were purposively sampled. Data was collected through classroom lesson observation, interviews with the teachers and questionnaire. The classes which were observed had 216 pupils collectively. Qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis while quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The findings showed that the teachers did not have a common way of transitioning as some were using abrupt transitioning while others who are the majority are using gradual transitioning. In the questionnaire, most the teachers indicated that they used both English and local Zambian languages to teach in order to help the learners. However, the lesson observations showed that in fact, some teachers transitioned to English at the expense of the learners since some learners had not yet broken through to literacy at the beginning of grade five. In view of the findings, it is recommended that primary teachers should be trained on how to transition at grade five.From 2013 up to date, the curriculum framework stipulates that the language of instruction for initial literacy is familiar local language from Grades one to four (1-4) while from grade five (5) onwards, English is the sole medium of instruction. The purpose of this study was to analyse the transitional language practices among the grade five teachers and learners in selected primary schools of Chongwe district. The study adopted a mixed methods design where both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analysed. 8 primary schools were randomly selected while 40 grade 5 teachers were purposively sampled. Data was collected through classroom lesson observation, interviews with the teachers and questionnaire. The classes which were observed had 216 pupils collectively. Qualitative data was analysed through thematic analysis while quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The findings showed that the teachers did not have a common way of transitioning as some were using abrupt transitioning while others who are the majority are using gradual transitioning. In the questionnaire, most the teachers indicated that they used both English and local Zambian languages to teach in order to help the learners. However, the lesson observations showed that in fact, some teachers transitioned to English at the expense of the learners since some learners had not yet broken through to literacy at the beginning of grade five. In view of the findings, it is recommended that primary teachers should be trained on how to transition at grade five
Siwale et. all 2019 Determining blood glucose lowering effects of leaf extracts of Cleome gynandra, Amaranthus cruentus and their mixture in Normoglycaemic and Hyperglycaemic (Alloxan-diabetic) rats.
No full textBackground: Normal blood glucose is maintained in the range 3.5 – 8.0 mmol/L. However, abnormally high blood glucose is characteristic of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) due to defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both.Objective: The present study was conducted to assess blood glucose lowering effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Cleome gynandra (CG), Amaranthus cruentus (AC) and their mixture (1:1 ratio) in Normoglycaemic and Alloxan-diabetic rats.Methods: The study was an in vivo experimental study using the rat model. The crude drugs were extracted from the leaves of AC and CG by maceration and formulated into 3 dose levels (200, 400 and 600 mg/Kg BW). Normal saline (0.9%) and Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg BW) were used as control and reference drug respectively. The crude drugs were administered orally to normoglycaemic and alloxan diabetic rats to assess glucose lowering effect. Data was analyzed by Students `t’ test and one way ANOVA in order to make quantitative conclusion of the study.Results: Extracts of AC, CG and their mixture produced maximum reduction in FBG of 30%, 35.4% and 26.1% respectively in normal rats after 6 hours. Glibenclamide produced maximum hypoglycemic effect of 50% after 4 hours (2.8 ± 0.09 to 1.6± 0.05) and only 2 % reduction in FBG was observed in the control group. Similarly, in diabetic rats, blood glucose levels were significantly lowered as compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). Mean RBG was lower in the experimental compared to diabetic control group at day 10 (17.6±1.61 Vs. 28.8 ± 0.23 mmol/L, p <0.05). The leaf extracts seem to act via extra-pancreatic mechanisms.Conclusion: Ethanolic leaf extracts had glucose lowering effects in normal and diabetic rats. The Leaf extracts seem to act via extra pancreatic mechanisms
Understanding the Correlation between Institutional Characteristics and Academic Performance: A case of Undergraduate Medical Students at University of Zambia
Get PDFThis article investigated the institutional characteristics of the School of Medicine of the University of Zambia and how the characteristics has contributed to academic performance. A mixed methods approach involving qualitative and quantitative methods was employed to investigate the correlation between institutional characteristics and academic performance. An explanatory sequential research design was used. Data were captured using an evaluation survey instrument, students’ Focus Group Discussion (FDG) schedule and an in - depth interview schedule for key informants regarding the Grade Point Average (GPA) and examination attritions. Quantitative data was collected first and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was collected second and was analysed using themes and a constant comparative method was used to understand the correlation. The results reveal that the good governance and administration of the school with well qualified staff contributed positively to good academic performance of the students. However, the results also reveal that the school should enroll students according to the capacity of infrastructure and that there was great need of improving on providing educational resources to students. In view of this, the study recommends that the school should from improve on lecture rooms, libraries and access to internet and use of MOODLE in the provision of online educational resources
Religion and Gender: Emancipatory Tools for Development in Zambia
Get PDFReligion and Christianity in particular has a history ofintegrating its mission of evangelisation to addressingsocial concerns and contributing to development.Using case study, the current article discusses religionand gender as emancipatory tools for development inZambia, with specific reference to Lusaka District.As posited by Jun (2008) researchers and participantsare purposive beings who have experiences and caninterpret the meaning of existence and relationshipsin a social world. With this philosophy, the articleuses qualitative methods to gain deeper insight intothe experiences of adherents to four churches namely,Seventh Day Adventist, Catholic, Evangelical Churchof Zambia, and Pentecostal Holiness Churches inLusaka District. The sample comprised four religiousleaders, 16 adherents of the churches and five officialsfrom women activist organisations. There was a totalof 25 participants. All the participants were selectedpurposively by virtue of their position and belongingto a church or women’s organisation. The objectiveswere to establish perceptions of Christians towards religion, gender and development; to examine the roleplayed by the church in gender and development and toascertain women involvement in the church. The mainfinding was that no meaningful development couldbe realized without including women as they wereimportant individuals in society. Churches should,therefore, delegate decision-making responsibilitiesnot only to men but also women
The Nature of Pupil Interaction and Challenges Faced by Teachers and Pupils when Implementing Inclusive Teaching/Learning in ESL Classrooms
Get PDFInclusive education is the type of education that puts all the pupils regardless of their physical or mental disabilities to learn together. For example, the deaf learners put in the same class with the learners who are not deaf. The study aimed at analyzing language practices in selected inclusive education classrooms that have learners with hearing impairments in selected secondary schools of central province. The study was anchored on two objectives as follows: analyze language strategies teachers used when teaching English Language in inclusive classes and to asses the nature of interaction between the pupils with hearing impairments and those without hearing impairments. The method used was mixed methods, mainly qualitative and a bit of quantitative data was collected. The design was descriptive employed through face to face interviews, document analysis, focus group discussions and classroom lesson observations. 16 teachers of English Language and 180 pupils who were purposively sampled participated in the study and the findings were analyzed thematically and statistically. The study established that there were various Language Practices that teachers and learners used when teaching/ learning in inclusive classes of the hearing impaired learners and the non-hearing impaired. The Language Practices that were mainly used were simultaneous use of verbal and sign language, use of language interpreters among teachers who did not know sign language, interpretation of sign language to verbal language in a class where teachers could not only use sign language as well as use of pictures and videos to deliver lessons. The nature of nature was such that pupils interacted in class when the teacher was around but did not interact outside where teachers were not present. There was discrimination and abuse of with each other which led to groups avoiding each other. The study recommended that government should put in a deliberate policy to train more teachers of special education on how to use the standard sign language to alleviate the shortages.Inclusive education is the type of education that puts all the pupils regardless of their physical or mental disabilities to learn together. For example, the deaf learners put in the same class with the learners who are not deaf. The study aimed at analyzing language practices in selected inclusive education classrooms that have learners with hearing impairments in selected secondary schools of central province. The study was anchored on two objectives as follows: analyze language strategies teachers used when teaching English Language in inclusive classes and to asses the nature of interaction between the pupils with hearing impairments and those without hearing impairments. The method used was mixed methods, mainly qualitative and a bit of quantitative data was collected. The design was descriptive employed through face to face interviews, document analysis, focus group discussions and classroom lesson observations. 16 teachers of English Language and 180 pupils who were purposively sampled participated in the study and the findings were analyzed thematically and statistically. The study established that there were various Language Practices that teachers and learners used when teaching/ learning in inclusive classes of the hearing impaired learners and the non-hearing impaired. The Language Practices that were mainly used were simultaneous use of verbal and sign language, use of language interpreters among teachers who did not know sign language, interpretation of sign language to verbal language in a class where teachers could not only use sign language as well as use of pictures and videos to deliver lessons. The nature of nature was such that pupils interacted in class when the teacher was around but did not interact outside where teachers were not present. There was discrimination and abuse of with each other which led to groups avoiding each other. The study recommended that government should put in a deliberate policy to train more teachers of special education on how to use the standard sign language to alleviate the shortages
The Inculturation of Religious Life in two Female Roman Catholic Congregations of Zambia: ‘A Sense of Feeling of being at Home’.
Get PDFWhen Pope Paul VI visited Africa in 1969 (the first pope to visit Africa) he directed the church in Africa to have an African Christianity. The Pope gave an opportunity for the African Christians to develop or domesticate Christianity and make it their own. Five years later, the Synod of Bishops on Consecrated Life gave a directive to religious men and women to inculturate religious life so that it could be meaningful to them and the people they served. It was assumed that religious life was still foreign to the African religious men and women.It is against the above background that reasons for the inculturation of religious life were explored. The paper argues that without inculturating or domesticating religious, it would not survive and be meaningful to the religious persons. The religious men and women were being implored by the Church to Africanize religious life. Therefore, the paper seeks to explore reasons for the inculturation of religious life in Zambia. Although there are good reasons why religious life should be inculturated, there are several obstacles which has made it difficult to domesticate or inculturate religious life in Zambia as observed by Milingo (2013) who outlined the challenges to the implementation process of inculturation of religious life in Zambia. Related literature was reviewed to appreciate the efforts made by religious scholars in the area of inculturating religious life. The study was qualitative and used the case study design. The targeted population was the catholic community in four provinces of Zambia (Lusaka, Copperbelt, Central and Southern). A total number of eighty-nine respondents were used. Fifty-five were sisters, two bishops, ten priests, eight former sisters, eight former brothers and six practising Catholics. Data was mainly collected through interviews and focused group discussions with semi structured interviews with former brothers, former sisters, priests and practicing Catholics. Observations and document analysis were also used. The data was analysed using thematic approach and presented in a descriptive manner. The study revealed that the religious men and women were in favour of inculturating religious life and the following are the reasons: survival, meaning and relevancy of religious life, credibility, a sense of feeling of being at home and maintaining an African identity. The study recommended that Church leadership should be flexible and give freedom to the religious persons to implement integration of African values and religious life. Policy makers in the congregations should put a deliberate policy on inculturation of religious life.When Pope Paul VI visited Africa in 1969 (the first pope to visit Africa) he directed the church in Africa to have an African Christianity. The Pope gave an opportunity for the African Christians to develop or domesticate Christianity and make it their own. Five years later, the Synod of Bishops on Consecrated Life gave a directive to religious men and women to inculturate religious life so that it could be meaningful to them and the people they served. It was assumed that religious life was still foreign to the African religious men and women.It is against the above background that reasons for the inculturation of religious life were explored. The paper argues that without inculturating or domesticating religious, it would not survive and be meaningful to the religious persons. The religious men and women were being implored by the Church to Africanize religious life. Therefore, the paper seeks to explore reasons for the inculturation of religious life in Zambia. Although there are good reasons why religious life should be inculturated, there are several obstacles which has made it difficult to domesticate or inculturate religious life in Zambia as observed by Milingo (2013) who outlined the challenges to the implementation process of inculturation of religious life in Zambia. Related literature was reviewed to appreciate the efforts made by religious scholars in the area of inculturating religious life. The study was qualitative and used the case study design. The targeted population was the catholic community in four provinces of Zambia (Lusaka, Copperbelt, Central and Southern). A total number of eighty-nine respondents were used. Fifty-five were sisters, two bishops, ten priests, eight former sisters, eight former brothers and six practising Catholics. Data was mainly collected through interviews and focused group discussions with semi structured interviews with former brothers, former sisters, priests and practicing Catholics. Observations and document analysis were also used. The data was analysed using thematic approach and presented in a descriptive manner. The study revealed that the religious men and women were in favour of inculturating religious life and the following are the reasons: survival, meaning and relevancy of religious life, credibility, a sense of feeling of being at home and maintaining an African identity. The study recommended that Church leadership should be flexible and give freedom to the religious persons to implement integration of African values and religious life. Policy makers in the congregations should put a deliberate policy on inculturation of religious life
The adult learning environment
Get PDFThis article examines some aspects of a learning environment for adults. The main purpose of the write-up was to have an insight into some of the distinguishing factors of the adult learning from that of children. Central to the discourse are the characteristics of adult learners which dictate that their learning environment must also be unique, which environment must be deliberately created by planners and facilitators of their learning programmes. In general terms, the characteristics of adult learners have been categorized in terms of sociological, psychological and physiological. The paper, therefore, has made reference to the behaviourist, humanist and constructivist theories which assert that learning is usually stimulated by the environment and the consequences thereof. All in all, the article has attempted to provide the ideal adult learning environment
Understanding the Concept of Functional Literacy by Selected Residents of Lusaka District of Zambia
Get PDFThis study sought to establish the conceptual understanding of functional literacy by selected residents of Lusaka and how they thought it was applied in the society. The study was guided by four research questions (a) what was the understanding of functional literacy by residents of Lusaka? (b) what role did functional literacy play in a society and how did it improve people’s lives? (c) how was functional literacy applied according to residents of Lusaka? and (d) what were the challenges faced by functionally illiterate people according to respondents? This was a qualitative mode of inquiry under post positivism research paradigm. The specific research design used was phenomenological with the constructivist theory. Data was collected through face to face interviews with residents of Lusaka that were randomly selected. Data was analyzed thematically by grouping related information under certain themes. The study revealed that functional literacy is the application of reading and writing skills in people’s daily lives such as reading cell phone messages, social media chats, receipts, writing plans, notes, budgets, books, messages on social media and others. Other respondents indicated that it was the ability to translate theory or skills into practice. It was further noted that, functional literacy helped people to be self-sustaining, in return, contributing to social, political and economic development of the country. It was further reported that people that were functionally illiterate had limited access to written information and were prone to certain risks such as eating expired foods. The study recommended that the government and non-governmental organisations should sensitise the people of Lusaka on the concept of functional literacy
Literacy Goes to School: Emergent Literacy Experiences and Skills that Children Take to School
Get PDFThis study sought to establish emergent literacy experiences and skills among children in the age range of 2 and 6 years in Mwense Rural District in Zambia. A case study of two villages was conducted with a sample size of 40 participants comprising 20 children and 20 caregivers. The researcher used purposive sampling to select the district and the two villages. A simple random sampling was used to select 20 family households from the two villages with children in the required age range. The study employed qualitative research methods and data was collected using semi-structured interviews and participant observations. The data collected were grouped into themes which were then analyzed further to come up with findings. This study established that children engaged in various emergent literacy skills in the early days of their primary school. They demonstrated a number of emergent literacy skills and abilities. Emergent skills and abilities included pattern drawing, holding a pencil, scribbling, narrative and listening comprehension skills, singing, reciting bible memory verses and pretend reading which they went with to school when they started formal schooling. The study concluded that even though children in this study had no preschool background, the interaction they had with their family members had influence on the literacy experiences they engaged in which in turn had influenced the emergent literacy skills and abilities they developed