50 research outputs found
Influence of Personal Characteristics on Job Performance Among Extension Agents and Agricultural Researchers in South Western Nigeria
No full textThis paper examined the influence of personal characteristics of extension agents and researchers on their job performance. The results indicate that extension agents had a mean of 36. 5 years with majority being male and married as well as having HND certificates. They have also spent between 21 and 30 years in service. Of all the linkage activities, extension agents frequently carried out joint problem identification and evaluation reports. Findings with respect to researchers showed a mean age of 37.4 years and 71.5 per cent were male and married. About 45 per cent had Masters Degree and above. Only 23 per cent are currently studying for higher degrees while 32 per cent had spent between 21 and 30 years in office. Researchers are mostly involved in joint problem identification (73.8 per cent) with extension agent and evaluation meetings (67 per cent). The result of the Chi-Square analysis shows that educational level (χ2 = 25 df10, p < 0.05) and job tenure (χ2 = 23.72 df6, p < 0.05) affect job performance among researchers while for extension agents gender (χ2 = 7.94 df2, p < 0.05), marital status (χ2 = 16 df6, p < 0.05), educational level(χ2 = 27.86 df10, p < 0.05) and job tenure (χ2 = 25.52 df6, p < 0.05) are related to the job performance. The paper concludes that personal characteristics exert a lot of influence on the job performance of extension agents and researchers. Ce papier a examiné l\'influence des caractéristiques personnelles des vulgarisateurs et des chercheurs sur leur performance du travail. Les resultats indiquent que les vulgarisateurs avaient un moyen de 36.5 ans et la majorité sont des sexes maseulins, mariés et possèdent le certificat national du diplôme supérieure. Ils ont également passé entre 21 et 30 ans en service. Parmi toutes les activités de rélation, les vulgarisateurs fréquemment entament le problème conjugué de l\'identification et de l\'évaluation des réportages. Dans le cas des chercheurs, on a remarqué que l\'âge moyen était 37.4 ans et 71.5% étaient des sexes masculins et mariés. 45% d\'eux possèdent le minimum des maîtrises. Il n\'y a que 23% d\'entre eux qui apprennent toujours pour les licences supérieures alors que 32% ont passé entre 21 et 30 ans en service. Les chercheurs s\'occupent normalement du problème conjugué d\'identification (73.8%) avec les vulgarisateurs et des réunions d\'évaluation (67%). Les résultats des analyses chi-carrées indiquent que le niveau pédagogique (χ2 = 23.72 df6, p < 0.05) a un effet sur la performance parmi les chercheurs alors que dans le cas des chercheurs, sexe (χ2 = 7.94df2, p < 0.05) situation familiale (χ2 = 16 df6, p < 0.05) le niveau pédagogique (χ2 = 27.86 df10, p < 0.05) et période du travail (χ2 = 25.52 df6, p < 0.05) sont considérablement liés à la performance du travail. Le papier conclu que les caractéristiques personnelles exercent beaucoup d\'influences sur la performance du travail des vulgarisa teurs et des chercheurs. Keywords: Personal characteristics, job performance, extension agents, researchers, south western Nigeria. Agricultural and Food Science Journal of Ghana Vol. 6 2007 pp. 431-44
The conventional versus a constructionist Scratch programming and first-year students' achievements in higher education classes: experimental data.
No full textGlobally, learning or teaching the first programming (popularly called CS1) remains a significant educational challenge. Indicators such as CS1 students' engagement, failure and attrition rates, and lack of diversity, continue to show the need for innovating the learning or teaching of novice computer science students. To ease initiating novices to programming, Scratch, a visual programming language, has become a staple of K-12 CS1 classes.
As outcomes of a research project aiming to explore a constructionist Scratch pedagogy with novice CS students in higher education, we present these datasets. In the research lasting two successive academic sessions, we conducted two quasi-experimental studies involving four intact CS1 classes in selected public polytechnic in the north central Nigeria. In each study, we randomly assigned the classes to the experimental and control groups, constituting the constructionist Scratch and the conventional CS1 classes, respectively.
Instruments for collecting data include a student profile questionnaire, a pretest, and posttest. Sequel to ethical clearance and permission from the selected schools, we conducted each study during the first semester of each academic session, in the first seven to eight weeks. During the first to second week, we administered students who consented to take part with the questionnaire and the pretest. Learning or teaching in the two classes lasted six weeks. Then both classes took the posttest. An independent CS educator who is not part of this research marked all the achievement tests, following a rubric prepared by the first author. To strengthen the research design and the possibility of arriving at valid causal evidence, we employed a Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) algorithm to generate matched samples of experimental and control data, which we used in the analysis.
Data presented here includes the raw, unmatched and matched experimental datasets from both studies. A researcher can make use of the data:
To explore if some background variables not addressed in the original research may moderate CS1 students' achievements. For instance, their prior achievements in mathematics, physics, or English.
To uncover some interesting patterns using machine learning algorithms.
To validate the outcome of the original experiment by using the unmatched, matched or newly generated matched samples.
The authors welcome further research collaborations in using the data or the accompanying research instruments.
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Effect of Nomadists‟ Uncontrolled grazing on livelihood activities in Oyo State Nigeria
No full textThe study assessed the effect of Nomadic pastoralists uncontrolled grazing which led to conflicts on the livelihood activities of agro-pastoralists in Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State. Fifty percent of the agro pastoralists households (III) in the study area were randomly selected and simple technique was used to sample one male and one female household heads from each of the households, totaling two hundred and twenty two respondents. The agro-pastoralists personal characteristics, livelihood activities and accessibility to resources before and after occurrence of conflicts due to nomadic pastoralists uncontrolled grazing were determined. Findings showed that majority of the agropastoralists had no formal education. The nomadic pastoralists uncontrolled grazing led to conflicts between agropastoralists and crop farmers. Majority of the agro pastoralists assumed that the aggressive attribute of the nomadic pastoralists was the major cause of their uncontrolled grazing, which consequently made agro pastoralists to suffer in numerous ways. Measures to prevent future occurrence of conflict were recommended. Such as enactment of government policy to check the nomadic pastoralists uncontrolled grazing and improvement to nomadic education programme as to provide opportunities for diverse livelihood activities to the pastoralists
<smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"> Indigenous labour sourcing: Subsistence farming and poverty status among farmers in Nigeria </smarttagtype></smarttagtype>
No full text478-484 The paper examines the concepts of farm renting, farm pledging and sharecropping as correlates of poverty status among farmers in Nigeria. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select farmers in Ondo state, where the practice of these concepts predominates. Data were collected through structured interview schedules and data analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. One-way analysis of variance for the six categories of the respondents on expenditure, poverty alleviating strategies and income from other activities shows that there is a significant difference among the respondents for the variables examined. The implication of these findings is that poverty alleviation programmes should focus the types of income generating activities examined in the study. </smarttagtype
Effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on agricultural information access among extension officers in North West Province South Africa
No full textThis study determined the effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on agricultural information access among extension officers in North West Province South Africa. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 169 officers from which data were collected with structured and face validated questionnaire. Fourteen statements were perceived by officers as having an effect on improving information access. Significant determinants of the effect of ICT on information access were education (t= 2.61, p = 0.11); constraints to ICT tools (t= 2.60, p = .010), use of ICT tools (t = 4.67, p = .000) and e-readiness (t= -3.01, p =.003).Keywords: Information Communication Technology, information access, extension officers, agricultural informatio
Job burnout and coping strategies among extension agents in south western Nigeria
No full textThe need to maintain a non-mineral dependent economy and daunting food import bills have been the drive for the provision of extension services, which is dependent on motivated extension work force.. Extension personnel will not stay motivated under circumstances where the risk of job burnout is high. A simple random technique was used to select 120 extension agents from 328. Data were collected with a structuredquestionnaire (reliability coefficient of 0.85) and were analyzed with frequency counts, percentages one-way analysis of variance and multiple regressions. The result shows that 68% of the agents are males 85% married; 50% are above 40 years and 66% have at least a BSc degree. Burnout symptoms manifest mostly as depression (48%), insomnia (40%), headaches (43%), and weight loss (44%). Popular copingstrategies are keeping positive attitude at all times, setting self-realistic goals, and maintaining healthy relationship with co-workers. A significant difference exists in burnout symptoms experienced across the states (F = 5.71, df 3,117 p < 0.05). Significant determinants are age (t = 3.61), Number of children (t = 4.36), and coping strategy (t = -4.71).The study recommends that extension agents should be young, dynamic, maintain manageable family size and be exposed to different techniques tocope with burnout symptoms
Book Review: African Philosophy: Reflections on Yoruba Metaphysics and Jurisprudence
No full textBook Title: African Philosophy: Reflections on Yoruba Metaphysics and JurisprudenceBook Author: Oladele Abiodun BalogunPublisher: Xcel Publishers. Pages: 387. Year of Publication: 201
Extension systems in Southern African countries: A review
No full textThis paper reviews extension systems in selected southern African countries with a view of identifying the features of the systems and how they have been able to reach their target audience. Some of the features are use of committees for research and extension linkages, involvement of NGOs and private sector, the use development programmes to improve rural areas, extensive grassroots coverage, use of ICT, high involvement of farmers in extension planning, potential for effective programme implementation, and effective setting of extension administration units.. The paper recommends that extension administrators, and policy makers should review the extension systems in each country with the realities and challenges of extension in the 21st century
Level Of Job Satisfaction Of Agriculture Teachers In Gaborone, Botswana
No full textThe purpose of the study was to determine the level of job satisfaction of agriculture teachers in the Gaborone region of Botswana. This is predicated on the fact that identification of specific factors related to satisfaction of agriculture teachers can foster professional growth and development. This was a descriptive survey which covered a census population of 49 agriculture teachers in Junior Secondary Schools in the Gaborone region in Botswana. Data were collected through structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.72. Results on the demographic characteristics of teachers of agriculture show that about 59 percent were male, and over 90 percent had teaching diploma and less than ten percent teachers having Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education. Only 18 percent of the teachers were holding “senior teacher grade 2” and 61 percent are in the lowest rank of the teachers’ salary scale. Teachers were satisfied with interaction pattern among stakeholders (mean = 2.92) and job environment (mean=2.46) but not satisfied with opportunities for theirprofessional growth (mean=2.12), job characteristics (mean=2.28), and available resources (mean=2.34). It was concluded that teachers who differ in; level of education, gender, number of years in teaching, different salary scales, loads per week and school time tables, were moderately satisfied. These results implied that there is need to educate teachers to adegree level, promote as at when due and increase salary.Keywords: job satisfaction, agriculture, teachers, professional development, job characteristic
Veterinary Extension Services Provided To Livestock Farmers In Oyo State
No full textThis paper examines the differences in the veterinary services provided by university and ministry based officers to livestock farmers in Oyo State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select veterinary clinics and livestock farmers who visited the clinics. One hundred and twenty five farmers were selected and interviewed for the study. The results showed that regular veterinary services received include advisory services and control of livestock diseases. Significant difference between university-based services and ministry-based services was recorded only in the effectiveness of veterinary services (t=-2.45, P=0.02). Other variables are not significantly different (services received t=0.43, p=0.67) benefit derived (t=-1.82, P=0.07) and attitude to veterinary services (t=-0.51, P=0.61). The implication of the findings is that the functions of teaching, research and service should be well integrated for meaningful development of the livestock sector.
Key Words: Veterinary extension, livestock farmers, animal diseases.
Trop. Vet. Vol. 21: (4) 182-186 (2003
