Journals National University of Science and Technology (NUST)
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The uptake of AI in Zimbabwean mainstream newsrooms: Perspectives of journalists
Get PDFThe use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has intensified around the world and the journalism and media industry has not been left behind as journalists have also adopted its use. The paper investigates the adoption and integration of AI in the journalism and media industry in Zimbabwe, coming from a social constructionist perspective. The paper interrogates how journalists in the mainstream media are utilising AI in their journalism practice. It reveals the negative and positive impacts of using AI in the practice of journalism in third world countries like Zimbabwe. The study reveals that Zimbabwean journalists take advantage of the opportunities offered by the use of AI. The study exposes that Zimbabwean journalists use AI in advancing their sourcing, news gathering and writing news stories. The paper also provides an understanding of how Zimbabwean journalists use AI in a world where technology seems to be taking over in almost every industry and overcoming the traditional ways of doing things. The study combined both qualitative and quantitative methods and it was carried out in Harare and in-depth interviews and questionnaires were used to gather data from ten and 12 journalists respectively. The journalists were purposively selected from three traditional media houses in Harare comprising Alpha Media Holdings, Zimpapers and Radio Zimbabwe. The findings reveal that AI has not been fully embraced and more needs to be done to promote its uptake and adoption. It was also established that journalists believe that AI is more like a double-edged sword offering opportunities and threats
Covid-19 information disorders on WhatsApp and non compliance to Covid-19 prevention measures
Get PDFThe impact of social media on communication and information sharing is undeniable. However, it has also become a breeding ground for sensationalism, misinformation, and falsehoods. This has been argued in literature to have a significant impact on public opinion and decision-making. Social media platforms such as WhatsApp are prominently used for news dissemination. However, the ease of sharing information that these platforms have provide has led to the proliferation of information disorders such as misinformation and disinformation. Information disorders affect public opinion and decision making, shaping sentiment and influencing policymakers. Guided by Rothkopf's (2003) concept of ‘information disorders’ and Stuart Halls reception theory, this study uses content analysis and interviews to explore the nature of Covid-19 misinformation and disinformation that circulated on WhatsApp and how it influenced people not to adhere to Covid-19 prevention strategies that were meant to slow its spread. It found out that misinformation and disinformation about Covid-19 varied focusing on issues such as vaccine efficacy, Covid-19 cure and treatment among other issues. This paper argues that misinformation and disinformation influenced some people to not adhere to Covid 19 prevention measures
Decolonising teacher education for sustainability in Zimbabwe
Get PDFIn the post-colonial period, the establishment of new teachers' colleges alongside the Education 5.0 initiative signifies a critical paradigm shift aimed at fostering innovation and industrialisation in teacher education. This paper argues that current teacher education programmes are focused on decolonising higher education by promoting creativity and sustainability, addressing the deficiencies inherited from the colonial era. The study examines the government's role in decolonising teacher education in post independent Zimbabwe. Employing a qualitative research methodology with a case study design, data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, and archival research, focusing on Hwange College. Participants included ten lecturers, twenty student teachers, and the college principal, selected through stratified random and purposive sampling methods. The findings reveal that remnants of colonial influences persist, with current programmes leaning towards knowledge acquisition over practical skills. Although many participants felt adherence to Education 5.0 is largely superficial, efforts to decolonise the curriculum are underway, particularly through the incorporation of indigenous languages and relevant subjects. Nevertheless, challenges such as limited resources and deeply entrenched Eurocentric practices impede the decolonial process in the light of education 5.0. The study recommends the expansion of the number of teacher colleges, conducting continuous curriculum reviews to integrate local content, renaming colonial institutions, and enhancing professional development for educators. This study highlights the necessity for a holistic approach to decolonising teacher education in Zimbabwe so that innovation, industrialisation and sustainability are achieved. This means that teacher education programmes should equip graduates to meaningfully contribute to national development. 
An Update on the epidemiology of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase's (ESBLs) Producing Organisms in Nigeria
Get PDFThe significance of extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBL)-producing organisms in aggravating public health threats, long hospital stays, treatment failures and sometimes death is a very topical issue eliciting great deal of concerns. This study was therefore aimed at providing an expansive update on the epidemiology of ESBL producing organisms in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, with a view to providing details of all ESBL producing organisms from different sources including foods, environmental and clinical samples. To achieve this, a literature search was carried out on articles published between 2007 and 2023 through electronic databases including Google Scholar, African Journals Online (AJOL), Scopus and PubMed. The inclusion criterion was that the articles must have been published between 2007 and 2023 in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A total of 252 articles were identified while only 63 studies (10 from north-central, 11 from southwest, 9 from northeast, 10 from southeast, 11 from southsouth and 12 from southwest Nigeria) that met the inclusion criteria were used for the study. The prevalence of ESBL producing organisms from the six geopolitical zones were determined to be (42.88 ± 8.28), (30.7±5.49), (46.57±5.14), (38.45±5.14), (32.49±7.33) and (30.75±6.14) for North-Central, North-West, North-East, South-East, South-South and South-West respectively. Majority of the studies analyzed used the phenotypic method which is based on double-disc synergy test (DDST) while none of the studies used the minimum inhibition concentration method. The most encountered ESBL producing organism was Escherichia coli and this was followed by Klebsiella spp. In conclusion, the prevalence of ESBL producing organisms was considerably very high in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. This, therefore, highlights the need for establishing programs in Nigeria to educate the populace on the implications of wide epidemiology of ESBL-producing organisms and the best ways to preventing their spread including frequent and thorough hand hygiene
Political disinformation during Zimbabwe’s 2023 harmonised elections
Get PDFPolitical disinformation is heightened during election periods world over and Zimbabwe is no exception. Leveraging on technological advancements to create hyper reality social media content, the period leading to the 2023 elections experienced complex and sophisticated forms of content that made it difficult for the audiences to tell whether it was real or fake. Audiences re-shared and re-posted such content with an assumption that it was real — and one such is an MP4 campaign message purported to be emanating from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) political party. Such content has the potential to threaten a healthy democracy in any society. Against this background, this study sought to explore the nature of political disinformation used by political parties, candidates, interest groups, civil society and individuals for campaigning and de-campaigning purposes. Factored in is an analysis of how online audiences, particularly on the X platform, were deciphering meaning, and exploring the possible implications of such ‘problematic information’ in society. Rooted in the interpretivist paradigm, the study achieved its objectives by employing a non-participatory observation (netnography) approach to collect and archive data on the micro-blogging site, X. The data that were analysed using thematic and semiotic analysis revealed that the period under study experienced a high proliferation of political disinformation in its varied and diversified forms such as, among others, doctored images, edited audios and videos, and memes. Due to technological advancements, a contemporary form of political disinformation emerged such as deepfakes; content which blurred the lines between real and simulated media texts. The study submitted that deepfake content resulted in the polarised nature of online audiences. Furthermore, the study established that a polarised audience has the potential to impede democratic dialogue and threatens a healthy democracy
Studies on behavioural, blood metabolites and biochemical composition of Clarias gariepinus exposed to quarry particles
Get PDFIn fish, exposure to pollutants can induce increase or decrease in haematological and biochemical composition. Haematology, biochemical and behavioural parameters of Clarias gariepinus exposed to quarry dust were examined. Quarry particles were collected and taken to the Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago - Iwoye for sieving with tight perforated sieve to allow free passage of only the dust, then weighed for the experimental exposure. Two hundred C. gariepinus juveniles were obtained from Ministry of Agriculture fish farm, Ikenne, Remo, Ogun State at three weeks and six days of age and then acclimatized for 14 days at the Animal House. The fish were fed with commercial fish feed at 5% of their body weight twice daily. During the acclimatization, 80% of water in each tank was replaced daily. Quarry dust of 65 g, 150 g and 250 g were introduced in each allocated labeled tank. Behaviour of the fish species were observed and then sacrificed for the haematology study through recommended procedures. The fish size range between 579 and 590 cm in total length and 670 and 690 grams in total weight, while the average water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, electric conductivity and total dissolved solids was 28.0±0.1 ºC, 7.8±0.025, 3.05±1.3 ppm, 683.75±50 µscm-1 and 432.33±64 ppm respectively. Haematological parameters showed pack cell volume (PCV) and neutrophils to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher and white blood count (WBC) lower in the fish species. Meanwhile, lymphocyte, eosinophil, basophil and monocyte showed no significant difference in all the exposure. C. gariepinus blood biochemistry showed lower triglycerides level and higher cholesterol and high density lipoproteins, while levels of blood bilirubin, albumin, protein, urea, creatinine and alanine transaminase were higher. Thereby, quarry dust has harmful effects on fisheries and the findings shall serve as a baseline data for study other fish species
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in News: A case study of selected digital-native news outlets in Zimbabwe
Get PDFThe excitement and widespread publicity of OpenAI’s Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT) in 2022 further allowed news outlets and journalists to reimagine their interactions and engagements with audience members. Newsrooms, particularly digital-native, have increasingly woven generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as, among others, Google Gemini, ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, Canva, Grammarly, Headline Hero, StoryMap, Chartbeat, GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Copilot into their news production processes. Such AI tools are harnessed for their potential to automate text, image, video and audio creation, streamlining workflows and personalising content. Arguably, these are profound capabilities that are swiftly becoming essential for digital-native news outlets in a competitive environment. This study investigates how four digital-native news outlets, namely Matabeleland Pulse, Community Podium, Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE), and Eco Climate Network, are adopting generative AI, their motivation in deploying such tools, and how newsroom leaders perceive the influence of these tools on journalistic practice. The study is anchored on the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) framework, which emphasises that social, economic and cultural forces shape the adoption of technologies as much as technical efficiency does. This study analyses this phenomenon along the three axes of the journalistic field. These are, (i) techno-economic means, that is, financial and technical resources that enable or constrain an adoption, (ii) subject of journalism, that is, journalists’ perspectives on AI in their professional practice and (iii) object of journalism, that is, audience reception, trust and engagement with AI-generated content from the newsroom editor’s perspective. The study employs a qualitative design methodology using online surveys and brief follow-up interviews with newsroom leaders
Civic engagement and social responsibility in Zimbabwean schools: analysing community-school partnerships and the heritage, competence-based curriculum
Get PDFZimbabwe has been implementing educational reforms to promote civic engagement, social responsibility, and community involvement in schools. Central to these efforts is the Heritage, Competence-Based Curriculum (HCBC), which seeks to align formal education with community needs by emphasising practical skills, cultural awareness, and active citizenship. This study adopted the Social Network Theory (SNT) as a conceptual framework to understand the relationships and interactions among key stakeholders in education. An integrated methodological approach, combining focus group discussions (FGDs) and document analysis, provided a strong foundation for examining civic engagement and social responsibility in Zimbabwe’s government and public schools. The study highlights the critical role of community-school partnerships in the success of the HCBC, emphasising the need for greater community involvement in decision-making processes and school governance. While the HCBC has the potential to equip pupils with vital competencies through project-based learning and collaboration, several challenges were identified, including limited community engagement, inadequate resources for citizenship education, and an overemphasis on traditional academic achievements. Key findings reveal that School Development Committees (SDCs) often lack the capacity for meaningful input, reducing their effectiveness. Moreover, teachers and schools are generally unaware of key organisations such as UNICEF, UNDP, and FAO, which could provide critical support. The study also underscores the importance of integrating the philosophy of Ubuntu/Unhu/Vumunhu into the curriculum, alongside values like ethics, tolerance, and mutual respect. To ensure the long-term success of the HCBC, recommendations include strengthening community-school partnerships, enhancing teacher training in citizenship education, adopting flexible teaching methods, and regularly reviewing the curriculum. These strategies aim to promote participatory citizenship, sustainable development, and a more inclusive, responsive educational system that aligns with Zimbabwe's social and economic realities and online methodologies in teaching and learning at schools
Towards Energy Efficient Machining of Titanium Alloy – Ti6al4v: Characterising Chip Morphological Impact on Specific Energy Use During the Mechanical Finish Cutting Process
Get PDFDuring mechanical cutting of aircraft grade titanium alloy, Ti6Al4V, chip morphology features observation relay fundamental intelligence towards understanding the machining activity energy efficiency management. In the present study, the effect of chip formation, on specific energy use, was experimentally investigated. Design of experiments was used to plan the 18 machining experiments iteration set in Minitab 22 software. The input cutting parameters were varied and the segmented chip morphological variation was studied in order to understand its effect on the energy efficiency, which is reflected through specific energy use. Key, Ti6Al4V material chip formation feature attributes, were examined and characterised as regards how the chip profile features correlate with specific energy use during cylindrical billet exterior cutting on the CNC turning machine tool. The research, aimed to generate insight into the energy efficient machining of the Ti6Al4V, as mirrored through the chip morphology system. Furthermore, the intention was to get a macroscopic insight about the energy use from observing the chip profile trends during machining of the high grade titanium alloy. Results established the correlation between the seven analysed chip morphology attributes changes with specific energy use minimisation up to some point beyond which the reduction trend changes direction towards energy consumption increase. The profiles of the chip morphology versus specific cutting energy plot suggest the subsistence of an energy use optimum point during the cutting of Ti6AL4V. The study findings provide important reliable guidance to the machining industry stakeholders who could apply this knowledge to monitor the process efficiency of their operations by macroscopically monitoring the features of the cutting chips produced. Conclusion reached is that it is feasible to observe the specific energy use trend, of the machining process, through observing the chip morphology system. Future work relate to establishing the optimum operating parameters from the chip morphology models
Evolving library staff skills during a health crisis: A case of Rimuka public library in Zimbabwe
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to assess the evolving library staff skills during a health crisis. The focus was on skills that library staff could adopt in the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) era in Zimbabwe and worldwide. The aim was to generate insightful knowledge that could be used by information professionals facing health pandemics in order to provide current and relevant library services to their user community. The research employed a qualitative research design using a case study research strategy. Interviews were conducted with six library staff and four administrators who were chosen based on the purposive sampling procedure. Data was analysed thematically and presented textually. The significant findings were that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had caught the Library unprepared for providing distant services. The library staff did not possess the requisite skills to offer distant services. The Library lacked resources, including ICT gadgets, which could have been used to provide such services. The main recommendations were for the Library to organise in-house training programmes, workshops and seminars to equip staff with digital literacies. To this end, the Library could upskill its staff and use the general digital competencies framework to focus the training. The Library could appoint a systems librarian to set up and run a digital library. The staff could participate in collaborative activities with other local council libraries and events organised by institutions in the library profession. The current study adds to our knowledge of how staff skills in public libraries in Zimbabwe during health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have changed over time. Numerous studies have been conducted in developed and developing nations evaluating the extent of harm to library services in health environments. Nevertheless, there is little research on how staff skills could be developed and enhanced during health crises in African public libraries, especially in Zimbabwe