UNAM Open Access Journal University of Namibia
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Factors influencing academic performance in Basic Business Statistics course at Polytechnic of Namibia
No full textThe Polytechnic of Namibia offers the Basic Business Statistics course for all its undergraduate registered students for the Bachelor of Technology degrees in Business Administration, Public Administration ,Marketing, Human Resources Management and Economics programmes as part of their curriculum requirements, on full-time, part-time and distance education (open learning) basis. Academic performance in this course is generally poor, leaving a lot of students with the Basic Business Statistics Course outstanding even after their final year of study, thus delaying their graduation.This paper seeks to the determinants of the students' performance in this course by fitting a binary logistic regression based on the population of distance students who enrolled for the course in the first semester of 2012. The dependent variable is the performance or final result (Pass or Fail} for the Basic Business Statistics course. The independent variables include gender of student, Matric Score (Moths, English), home language, and degree programme
The effect of relentless monitoring and grading on teaching writing : An example from two South African schools
Get PDFThis study investigated the way in which two Grade 5 teachers employed at different primary schools in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa taught writing to their English first additional language (EFAL) learners. A qualitative interpretive approach was used to identify factors that shape the ways these teachers handle the teaching of writing. Data collection methods consisted of interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. Analysis of the data reveals that both teachers focused primarily on ensuring that their learners completed their written work so that it could be marked and graded in response to demands from their superiors, rather than on engaging deeply with the processes of writing (brainstorming, drafting, revising etc). Not only does this run counter to the writing pedagogy recommended in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), but it also denies learners the scaffolding needed to help them develop the self-regulation skills needed to become independent writers. These findings demonstrate the need for assisting teachers to shift away from focusing only on learners’ performance (testing and grading) towards a stronger emphasis on the process of writing. This would require that teachers develop a deeper understanding of the process/genre approaches to teaching writing advocated by CAPS
Investigating factors that lead to school dropout in Namibia
Get PDFAlthough schools report a variety of reasons why learners leave school prematurely, these reasons do not reveal the underlying causes, especially multiple factors that influence learners’ attitudes, behaviours, and performance prior to dropping out. In order to understand the underlying causes behind learners’ decisions for dropping out, using a quantitative approach through document analysis this study first analysed the Education Management Information System (EMIS) reports for 2005 to 2009. The findings revealed that Kavango, Kunene and Omaheke regions were the regions with the highest dropout rates in the country. Using a qualitative approach, with a phenomenological design, the researchers interviewed school principals, school counsellors and teachers at randomly selected 20% of schools with the highest dropout rate for each region. This resulted into 58 schools in the Kavango region, 10 schools in the Kunene region and 5 schools in the Omaheke region. At the same schools, and using the snowball sampling procedure, the researchers selected and interviewed learners who have dropped out at some point during their schooling days but came back to school. The study found that, for all the learners interviewed, 50% of learners dropped out due to pregnancy, 20% dropped out due to economic factors, 15% due to system factors, 11% due to lack of parental involvement, and 4% due to cultural factors. On the basis of the findings a number of recommendations are made to mitigate the dropout phenomenon
An investigation into the antibacterial activity of pigmented secondary metabolites isolated from streptomyces from Windhoek soil
Get PDFThere is an increase in mortality from infectious diseases due to an increase in antibiotic resistance worldwide. Hence, his study aimed at investigating the antibacterial activity of Streptomyces that produces pigmented secondary metabolites .The soil samples were collected from 3 different sites in Windhoek. Streptomyces were isolated on starch case in agar. Biochemical and physiological tests were used to identify Streptomyces species. Case in slantagar method was used for preliminary anti-bacterial test. Chloroform and n-Hexane were used to extract secondary metabolites by solvent-liquid extraction method.Thin layer chromatography plates were used for antibacterial activity of the isolated secondary tabolites.Minimum inhibitory concentration of isolated secondary metabolites was determined by the broth dilution method at concentrations ranging from 50to1.5 μg/ml. Six out of nine Streptomyces isolates showed antibacterial activity against at least one of three test bacteria. Streptomyces isolate 1exhibited potentactivityof19.5mm ± 0.056 against M. avium. Different pigmented secondary metabolites were produced and showed antibacterial activity against at least against one of three test organism. Streptomyces isolate 4 and 6 showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration of 6.25 μg/ml against M. avium and E. faecialis. The results showed that Windhoek soil contain antibiotic producing Streptomyces
Subjective well-being, psychological well-being and anxiety symptoms of medical and pharmacy students in Namibia
Get PDFMedical and pharmacy students at the School of Medicine of Namibia underwent a survey investigating their level of mental well-being and anxiety symptoms. Not only were the two constructs, subjective well-being and psychological well-being positively inter- related but also correlated inversely with anxiety symptoms. Environmental mastery in the psychological well-being scale was negatively associated with anxiety (coefficient: -0.17, 95% CI: [-0.27,-0.7], p-value = 0.001). Supportive qualitative data brought some environmental challenges forward that were typical for medical and pharmacy students as these professions are fundamentally emotionally challenging, in addition to a taxing curriculum, work overload and time constraints influencing well-being negatively. Supplementary information contributed towards additional challenges which deviate from the common hardships of studying high profile professions such as medicine and pharmacy. Firstly, most of the students needed to migrate to the capital city to study, finding themselves in a new and unfamiliar environment; and, secondly poverty influenced the well-being of the students in addition to physical safety issues
Omikalo omikulu nomipe dhokuyunga oosa dhAawambo
Get PDFThis paper describes the past and the present mourning practices and rituals of Aawambo. It examines traditional practices, which were adhered to in the ancient time, and the impact of modernization on the mourning practices of Aawambo. The paper also presents the responses of the Aawambo to the funeral rites in Oshiwambo society. Interdependent construal theory is used to identify the tenets of mutual obligations among Aawambo during the mourning rite. In addition westernisation theory is employed to gauge the impact of euro-western culture on the mourning practices and rituals of Aawambo. The data for this paper were collected through interviews, observation and documented texts. In the final analysis, the paper reveals that western cultures co-exist with Oshiwambo culture. It further reveals mourning period has become a conduit for class distinction associated with prestige, respect and economic status
A brief overview about models and methods to calculate the tilt angle and orientation of photovoltaic panels to maximize power generation
Get PDFPhotovoltaic systems are presented as an alternative energy for a sustainable development that can satisfy global energy requirements and provide electricity in remote locations, usually in accessible and away from the electrical network. An essential step in the installation of a photovoltaic solar module is to determine the tilt angle and orientation with respect to the horizontal plane, because an incorrect orientation and inclination can decrease the production capacity and lifetime of a photovoltaic module. The optimum angle for collector’s surfaces of a solar system is determined by many factors such as the incident radiation on the place of the installation and the solar sky, where the shadow of objects that cannot be eliminated like buildings, mountains and others must be taking into account. Based on a literature review of the models and methods more employees worldwide, we provide a brief overview of models and methods to calculate the angle and orientation of a panel in order to maximize power generation
An activity theory analysis of factorsm influencing information security practices in software organisations
Get PDFInformation is an asset to any organisation. As a result, different organisations strive to ensure that information is well protected. This has led to organisations creating information security policies Despite this approach, employees play a vital role to ensure that these policies are implemented. Information security has been studied in different contexts. However, in the existing literature, there is limited research which investigates the factors that influence information security practices in the context of software organisations. Similar to other business contexts, information is an important tool within software organisations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that influence information security practices in software organisations using a Namibian software organisation as a case study. The use of Activity Theory as a lens helped to investigate the factors that influence information security practices in software organisations which are often overlooked. From the analysis of the findings, it is evident that factor such as employee structure, work context, information sensitivity, reputation, responsibility, accountability and policies influence information security practices in software organisations. The findings revealed that information security policies have to been forced at different levels and units in software organisations. The findings from this study may assist software organisations when implementing information security policies
Texts on Swahili cultural artefacts in Tanzania and the representation of women’s voice
No full textThis paper seeks to examine how women express themselves in Swahili through household cultural artefacts in Tanzania. The paper focuses on words or texts written on the cultural artefacts, especially food covers and hand fans. We analyze these two artefacts together due to the fact that in Swahili society they are mainly used by women at homes and they have some parallels in the content of their texts. Although these artefacts are found in various parts of the country, they are mostly widely available in the coastal areas. The data of this paper, therefore, were collected in three coastal areas in Tanzania, namely Kilwa, Tanga and Dar es Salaam. The paper uses the Semiotic Theory in the analysis of of its data. It is generally revealed that food covers and hand fans serve as an important means of communication among Swahili women. The artefacts present issues of the women while at the same time communicating their messages to a wider audience
Organisational knowledge management: a case study of the ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) in Namibia
Get PDFThis paper reports on a study carried out on organisational knowledge management (KM) practices in the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare (MGECW) in Namibia. The objectives of the study were: to explore knowledge sharing (KS), knowledge acquisition (KA), knowledge capture (KC), knowledge dissemination (KD), and knowledge transfer (KT) at MGECW; to determine barriers and enablers to organisational KM; to examine the work culture and attitudes of personnel which affect organisational KM and its practices; and to investigate how management supports organisational KM practices. The case study used a mixed methods approach. Two instruments were used to collect data, namely semi-structures interviews and questionnaires. The results reveal that organisational knowledge (OK) in the MGECW hinges on tacit and explicit OK and respondents had a comprehensive understanding of OK and KM, however, the management of OK was found to be informally practiced without KM structures in place and no structural procedures to encourage employees to share their OK. Organisational KD and KT practices showed a strong preference for the use of fax machines, telephones and face-to-face meetings as forms of dispensing and transferring OK. Same enablers of organisational KM in the MGECW included positive leadership (senior management), technology (im-proved ICT infrastructure), organisational culture, employee commitment and involvement, trust, social networking and teamwork. The study found lack of skills and technical support in ICT; poor ICT infrastructure; lack of motivation and reward systems; negative attitude of employees towards organisational KM practices; poor record management; lack of time and funds for training and equipment as barriers of organisational KM