33 research outputs found
Security and Nuisances of Social Media on Wi-Fi Network
No full textPurpose: This research is about the nuisances of social media application on a Wi-Fi network in a university campus in Ghana. The aim was to access the security risk on the network, the speed of the network and the data consumption of those platforms on the network. Nmap Zenmap GUI 7.80 application was used to scan the various social media platforms to identify the protocols, ports, services etc. to enable in accessing the vulnerability of the network. Data consumption on users\u27 mobile devices was collected and analyzed.
Methodology: An online questionnaire was also used to solicit for the information on social media data usage from the users of the network.
Findings: The top ten social media platforms i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, LinkedIn, Telegram and Tik-Tok are not running on secured protocols and services. This calls for serious attention on the security of networks that allows such application. A proper filtering mechanism is necessary to protect the network from attacks.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Entertainment is relevant for education but not mandatory for learning. If social media platforms are posing security threats, increasing unnecessary traffic and resulting to high cost of maintaining networks. The nuisance of social media is as a result of the nature of the content or media that is allowed. Users of a network are often attracted to these content. The ability of the content to lure the users makes it necessary for traffic to be generated on the network through the social media applications.
 
Free senior high school devours basic education in Ghana: rescue the children
No full textPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the effect of free senior high school on the quality of basic education in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach – A convergent mixed method design as indicated in Sharma et al. (2023) is used in this work to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from documents available from the stakeholders of education. Quantitative data from already-existing reports with data on basic education are analysed to identify the effects of the FSHS on basic education in Ghana and ascertain the impact of the FSHS on the educational budget as well as the indicators of basic education in the country. This is followed by a qualitative data analysis of the reports to ascertain the gravity of the results in the quantitative data. The Ministry of Education in charge of education in the country and the Ministry of Finance in charge of resource distribution to various sectors of the country’s economy are the major institutions with relevant reports and data which assist in this research. Reports from organisations and institutions with a keen interest in education are also considered. The secondary data is therefore the source for this research using a document analysis. Findings – The poor performance of learners is largely attributed to the inadequate resources for effective management of basic education. Government expenditure on education is managed by reducing the spending on basic education. Compensation which is the inevitable expenditure for basic education is the only expenditure the parliamentary committee could identify. This is clear evidence that goods and services at the basic education level are sacrificed to manage the government’s spendings on education. Research limitations/implications – This research is limited to Ghana, a Sub-Sahara African country which introduced a free senior high school policy. The research only looks at the effects of the policy on the quality of basic education. Practical implications – Educational policymakers should ascertain the consequences of a policy on the economy before implementation. The devastating effect of educational policy on other educational policies should also be considered when bringing in a new policy. As policies leverage existing policies, new policies must not devour already existing policies which are still relevant. An educational policy at any level must consider the basic policies of education that enhance inclusivity and equity at the lower levels of education. This will help in maximizing the effective implementation of the policies. Through this, nations can promote life-long learning with inclusivity and equity in education. Originality/value – This research work has never been published elsewhere
An investigation into the relationships between corporate social responsibility, community-company trust, corporate performance and social performance: A case of petrochemical industry and community in Ghana
No full textThere has been impressive growth in output and revenue of the oil and gas companies in Ghana for the last decade. However, our current review shows that there are vulnerable and untrustworthy relationships between companies and community members in the Sekondi-Takoradi district in Ghana, which is one of the major oil and gas mining areas. Although earlier research demonstrated that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) influences financial growth, current CSR research does not explain CSR, community-company trust, social performance and corporate performance relationships. CSR research is highly context-specific, with limited case studies in the Ghanaian context. Therefore, this research aims to validate the CSR, community-company trust (CCT), corporate performance (CP), and social performance (SP) constructs in the Ghanaian context and examines their relationships. This study also examines the effects of gender and stakeholder differences in the hypothesised relationships.
This thesis defines CSR as the voluntary contributions of the Ghanaian petrochemical companies to the local community for the improvement of life standards and social wellbeing of the community while maintaining ethical values, ecological balances, and improving natural environment through mutual respect and better practices. CCT is defined as mutual belief aiming to work together to improve corporate business and social outcomes. CP is defined as company revenues, market share and profits; and finally, SP is defined as result-oriented outcome measures for the betterment of the society where the company is located. While CSR is corporate activities, SP is CSR’s outcome measure.
The pragmatic research paradigm with the concurrent mixed-methods approach was followed. The pen and paper-based survey resulted in 211 valid responses for hypotheses testing and the one-on-one interviews involved 10 company executives and 20 community participants. The one-on-one interviews in the qualitative phase were used to explain the quantitative results. There were six causal and four mediational hypotheses that confirmed the research model of this thesis. The results of the Multigroup Analysis (MGA) also confirmed the effects of gender and stakeholder differences in the model. Survey data were analysed using the Partial Least Squares-based Structural Equation Modelling technique (PLS-SEM), and interview data were analysed through the content analysis procedure.
The study shows that both CSR and CCT influence SP, and both CSR and SP influence CP. Although CSR is found to influence CCT, CCT does not influence CP. Results also confirm that CCT and SP have partial mediational effects between CSR and CP in the study context. The results of the multi-group analysis (MGA) also show that group effects are significant due to gender and stakeholder differences. The qualitative findings also revealed that bribery, corruption, gender bias, employment discrimination and poverty are of concern in the Sekondi-Takoradi community.
The major theoretical contributions of this thesis include the definition and validation of the CSR, trust (CCT), corporate performance (CP) and social performance (SP) constructs in the contexts of the Sekondi–Takoradi petrochemical companies and communities in Ghana. There are methodological contributions to this study. These are the adoption of the pragmatic research paradigm with the concurrent mixed-methods approach, and the use of PLS-SEM in the data analysis procedure. In addition, each of the constructs included multiple items, and those were validated statistically. Corporate managers could use the CSR, CCT, SP and CP measures for periodic checks to examine how companies are performing. These checks can inform where managers are missing issues and need to improve, and where they have improved over time. The findings suggest a strong need for a consultative or participatory approach in the governance strategies at the local, regional, and national levels to determine the priority areas of CSR activities for the local community and its outcomes (e.g., social performance) both short-term and long-term. The research suggests developing and operationalising an agreement between companies, the community, and other stakeholders in order to strengthen relationships, build mutual trust and implement the CSR programs as promised.
The findings revealed that there is a need for proper education and training programs in CSR, corporate and community relationships, governance, transparency, accountability and participation in government, in the company, and at the community level. Overall, this could enhance trustworthy and sustainable relationships. The policy implications of this study suggest, too, that Ghana should progress towards suggesting that companies become members of the International Council on Mining and Metal (ICMM) and implement strong and engaged relationships with the local community to establish trust and respect with the aim of achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), corporate performance and social performance indicators and removal of poverty and unfair discrimination. However, this study only included two petrochemical companies and a community group located in the Sekondi-Takoradi area in Ghana, and thus the findings are formally limited to the study context
Photographs of the Dagbanli Ajami and Arabic Manuscripts of Northern Ghana project
No full textFieldwork Team: Karl J. Haas, PhD (Pricipal Investigator; Visiting Researcher, African Studies Center), Saeed Alhassan Dawuni (Field Researcher), and Fuseini Abdul-Fataw (Field Researcher). Technical Team: Professor Fallou Ngom (Project Director and former Director of the African Studies Center at Boston University), Eleni Castro (OpenBU Librarian, Boston University Libraries), and Eric J. Schmidt (Assistant Director, African Studies Center). This collection of Dagbanli Ajami materials is copied as part of the African Studies Center’s African Ajami Library. This project is partly funded by the BU African Studies Center and Middlebury College. Access Condition and Copyright: These materials are subject to copyright. Access is for research and educational purposes only, provided the original author and source are fully cited using the information below. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom ([email protected]). Citation: Materials in this web edition should be cited as: Haas, Karl J., Dawuni, Saeed Alhassan, Abdul-Fatawu, Fuseini, Ngom, Fallou, Castro, Eleni & Schmidt, Eric J. (2019). African Ajami Library: Digital Preservation of Dagbanli Ajami and Arabic Manuscripts of Northern Ghana. Boston: Boston University Libraries: http://hdl.handle.net/2144/32937. For Inquiries: please contact Professor Fallou Ngom ([email protected]). For technical assistance, please contact [email protected] of Baba Issahak, Afa Ajura and the fieldwork team: Karl J. Haas, PhD, Saeed Alhassan Dawuni, and Fuseini Abdul-Fataw in Tamale, Ghana.The contents of this collection were developed with support of the Title VI National Resource Center grant # P015A180164 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government
Exploring the Impact of Students Demographic Attributes on Performance Prediction through Binary Classification in the KDP Model
No full textDuring the course of this research, binary classification and the Knowledge Discovery Process (KDP) were used. The experimental and analytical capabilities of Rapid Miner's 9.10.010 instructional environment are supported by five different classifiers. Included in the analysis were 2334 entries, 17 characteristics, and one class variable containing the students' average score for the semester. There were twenty experiments carried out. During the studies, 10-fold cross-validation and ratio split validation, together with bootstrap sampling, were used. It was determined whether or not to use the Random Forest (RF), Rule Induction (RI), Naive Bayes (NB), Logistic Regression (LR), or Deep Learning (DL) methods. RF outperformed the other four methods in all six selection measures, with an accuracy of 93.96%. According to the RF classifier model, the level of education that a child's parents have is a major factor in that child's academic performance before entering higher education
Enhancing Effective Teaching and Learning Using Multimedia Tutorials with Quizzes on Smartphones
No full textThe curriculum of colleges of education in Ghana emphasis on professional values and attitudes, professional knowledge and professional practice to help groom trainee teachers. This paper dwells much on the professional practice. With an averages student population of one thousand five hundred (1500), there is only one computer laboratory with only sixty (60) computers working in Bagabaga College of Education in the Northern Region of Ghana. This brings the average computer student ratio to 1:25. This inadequate computers in the school does not enhance effective teaching and learning thereby making teachers resort to lecture method in teaching practical lessons. The study is to help students in level 200 in Bagabaga College of Education learn practical task in ICT using their smartphones as a substitute for the computer. Five hundred and seven (507) students out of the total population of over one thousand five hundred (1500) students were used in this research as they constitute a year group for the study. Research instruments used are: test and observation. These were used at the pre-intervention and post intervention stages of the research. Multimedia tutorials was developed to assist the learners learn at their own pace in some of the practical tasks. Post intervention information revealed that students’ performance improved significantly. Camtasia studio 7 was used in developing the tutorial with natural Ghanaian narrations by the tutor. The findings of the research revealed practical lessons that are taught by mere demonstrations without students practice do not enhance students understanding of the subject matter. Demonstration coupled with students practice are vital to student understanding of classroom lessons. Keywords: Camtasia studio 7, tutorial, Demonstration, Multimedia, Quizzes, Smartphone. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-4-07 Publication date: February 29th 202
Agile neural expert system for managing basic education
No full textInadequate experts in managing resources at the lower level of education to enhance effective teaching and learning for quality education is a significant challenge in developing nations. Many basic schools lack basic educational resources such as sitting places and writing places for learners. Inadequate teaching and learning resources negatively affect the educational policies in a country. It is common to see the media projecting the challenges of a school lacking these resources. The use of an Expert System (ES) in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in effective management is a necessity. In this paper, an agile neural expert system is proposed using differential equations with an initial value problem. The technique combines both rule-based and neural networks in handling the problem. The expertise of the Human Expert (HE) is used in a knowledge-based to assist in managing the resources in schools. This has been possible with the use of Data Mining (DM) techniques and modeling of projected population growth, affecting enrolment in schools and necessitating the provision of resources to cater to the growing population. For efficiency and effectiveness in planning, provision, and management of the resources, smart notification has been embedded in the system to monitor the availability and provision of the resources by prompting the various actors in the requisition, verification, validation, and approval of resources to be supplied to schools. The system proves a higher efficiency demonstrating speed in decision-making, accuracy in decisions and ease to use
Integrating expert system in managing basic education: A survey in Ghana
No full textManagement of basic education in developing countries like Ghana is a major challenge as resources are not adequately available for effective teaching and learning in schools. Careful planning and prediction using available data is also a major challenge as there are inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the available data. An investigation into the use of an Expert System for easy management of the resources is carried out in this research to know the level of readiness to accept an ES to assist in management. Stakeholders of education are contacted to solicit their views. With 216 districts for managing education in the country, a minimum of 3 participants were selected from each district to constitute a sample for the survey. In all 648 participants data were analyzed. The unstructured interview was also conducted using 9 members of an executive position in management. A thematic analysis was done on the responses and presented in diagrammatic form. The Acceptance Model for Educational Expert System (AMEES) is also presented. The results showed the majority of respondents agree with the use of an Expert System (ES) to assist in managing basic education. The use of data mining techniques to filter the data in an ES and help in easy prediction for decision-making accuracy is a necessity
Can social license theory explain the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Community Engagement (CE)? The new Ghanaian petrochemical industry context
No full textAkbar, DH ORCiD: 0000-0002-2269-5056; Rolfe, JC ORCiD: 0000-0001-7659-7040; Sultan, P ORCiD: 0000-0003-3856-4592Corporations are currently anticipated to engage communities via corporate responsibilities that are far from legal compulsion and profit intent to attracting goodwill. This originated CSR where corporate sponsorships are directed to interest communities for social acceptance. This study explores how social license theory can be extended in the new Ghanaian petrochemical industry context to improve corporate social engagement. Using interviews as the method of data collection, the purposive sampling method obtained 20 useable responses for this qualitative study. The study found that the Ghanaian oil companies are financially oriented with very little CSR intent as they take advantage of the CSR illiteracy of the community. What communities can do to supporting the social license process was also a prominent empirical question suggested for answers
Salatu Allah Ameen (Prayer to God)
No full textThe entire manuscript is available for download as a PDF file(s). Higher-resolution images are unavailable. Fieldwork Team: Karl J. Haas, PhD (Pricipal Investigator; Visiting Researcher, African Studies Center), Saeed Alhassan Dawuni (Field Researcher), and Fuseini Abdul-Fataw (Field Researcher). Technical Team: Professor Fallou Ngom (Project Director and former Director of the African Studies Center at Boston University), Eleni Castro (OpenBU Librarian, Boston University Libraries), and Eric J. Schmidt (Assistant Director, African Studies Center). This collection of Dagbanli Ajami materials is copied as part of the African Studies Center’s African Ajami Library. This project is partly funded by the BU African Studies Center and Middlebury College. Access Condition and Copyright: These materials are subject to copyright. Access is for research and educational purposes only, provided the original author and source are fully cited using the information below. For use, distribution or reproduction beyond these terms, contact Professor Fallou Ngom ([email protected]). Citation: Materials in this web edition should be cited as: Haas, Karl J., Dawuni, Saeed Alhassan, Abdul-Fatawu, Fuseini, Ngom, Fallou, Castro, Eleni & Schmidt, Eric J. (2019). African Ajami Library: Digital Preservation of Dagbanli Ajami and Arabic Manuscripts of Northern Ghana. Boston: Boston University Libraries: http://hdl.handle.net/2144/32937. For Inquiries: please contact Professor Fallou Ngom ([email protected]). For technical assistance, please contact [email protected] / Custodial history: The manuscript's owner was given a copy of the manuscript from a man named Malam Fari, who had been the Friday Imam of Zohe Ayim community in the Yendi District.This is one of the three manuscripts in the collection written in Arabic. Baba Issahak had no information on the contents or context of the text.The contents of this collection were developed with support of the Title VI National Resource Center grant # P015A180164 from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government
