ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Teaching Practices of Senior High School Accounting Teachers in the Central and Brong Ahafo Regions of Ghana

The study assessed teaching practices of Accounting teachers from selected Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Central and Brong Ahafo Regions of Ghana. The study was rooted in the pragmatist philosophy which employs the mixed methods approach. The convergent parallel design was adopted for the study. Accounting teachers and students. The multistage sampling technique was used in selecting 81 teachers and 482 students from the selected schools. Twelve purposively selected teachers were observed and interviewed. Data was gathered using questionnaire, observation and interview guide. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages, and mean and standard deviation) were used to analyse the quantitative data. The results of the study indicated that Accounting teachers employ appropriate strategies to introduce their lessons, and state clear objectives. However, they do not write comprehensive lesson notes but have skeletal plans that guide their teaching. They do not plan to use appropriate Teaching Learning Resources to enhance teaching and learning. The study further showed that Accounting teachers projected their voices louder and clearer enough during instructional periods, exuded confidence, connected well to students’ prior knowledge, but their teaching was largely teacher-centered. Accounting students were minimally assessed through formal assessment procedures, which lacked higher order questions, and their participation was enhanced by the appropriate reinforcement techniques. It was recommended that workshop and refresher the use of TLRs to improve their pedagogical skills during lesson delivery.

Source: UCC
Assessing the uncertainties between the big five personality factors and organizational citizenship behaviour among teachers of the Nungua and Osu Presbytarian Senior High Schools

A number of studies have been conducted regarding the relationship between organizational citizenship behaviour and the Big-Five personality traits and have established some correlation between the variables. The present study sort to assess the uncertainties between organizational citizenship behaviour and the Big-Five personality traits, using the perspectives of Chiaburu et al. (2011) and Ilies et al. (2009) among teachers in Greater Accra. In this regard, two secondary schools – Nungua and Osu Presbyterian Senior High Schools were used for the study. The study posited that there is a positive and significant relationship between the variables. Specific hypotheses concerning the relationship between the variables were tested using quantitative approach and descriptive research design. Questionnaires were used for data collection from selected institutions with a sample size of 120 teachers. The study found that openness to experience was the only personality trait that positively and significantly predicts all three dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviour. Again, openness to experience predicted the three dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviour more than the four other Big Five personality traits. Also, conscientiousness was found to positively and significantly predict OCB-I and OCB-CH dimensions. The hypothesized significant relationship between agreeableness, extraversion, neuroticism and the three dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviour was not supported. In view of the findings of the present study, it is recommended that institutions should recruit teachers who possess openness to experience and conscientiousness traits in order to improve teachers’ engagement in organizational citizenship behaviour.

Source: UCC
Assessing the Utilisation of the Nursing Process in the 24-hour Nursing Reports at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital

Nurses are expected to provide quality care to their patients and families using the nursing process and document as such. However, it is unclear whether the content of the 24-hour nursing reports reflects the nursing process in Ghana. This thesis, therefore, sought to explore how the 24-hour nursing report reflects the nursing process, and identify factors that influence documentation of the 24-hour nursing reports at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Thirty-nine (39) reports and nine (9) registered nurses were purposively selected for document review and one-on one interviews respectively. The findings showed that the most documented phase of the nursing process in the 24-hour nursing reports were assessment and interventions (100%). The most documented assessment data was the vital signs which were found in all reports. Interventions recorded were mostly routine care such as vital signs and serving medication. Nursing diagnosis, objectives and outcome criteria and patient strength were the least documented (0%, 0%, and 4% respectively). Evaluation statements were presented in 95% of the records. However, no evaluation statement met the standard as indicated by the nursing process. Nurse characteristics and work situations were reported to have influenced documentation. A standardised format for report writing must be developed by the nursing administration based on the nursing process in the study area. Staffing and supplies must be improved by hospital management to enhance documentation

Source: UCC
Assessing the Utilization of the Nursing Process in the 24-hour Nursing Reports at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital

Nurses are expected to provide quality care to their patients and families using the nursing process and document as such. However, it is unclear whether the content of the 24-hour nursing reports reflects the nursing process in Ghana. This thesis, therefore, sought to explore how the 24-hour nursing report reflects the nursing process, and identify factors that influence documentation of the 24-hour nursing reports at Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Thirty-nine (39) reports and nine (9) registered nurses were purposively selected for document review and one-on one interviews respectively. The findings showed that the most documented phase of the nursing process in the 24-hour nursing reports were assessment and interventions (100%). The most documented assessment data was the vital signs which were found in all reports. Interventions recorded were mostly routine care such as vital signs and serving medication. Nursing diagnosis, objectives and outcome criteria and patient strength were the least documented (0%, 0%, and 4% respectively). Evaluation statements were presented in 95% of the records. However, no evaluation statement met the standard as indicated by the nursing process. Nurse characteristics and work situations were reported to have influenced documentation. A standardised format for report writing must be developed by the nursing administration based on the nursing process in the study area. Staffing and supplies must be improved by hospital management to enhance documentation.

Source: UCC
Assessing Urban Infrastructure Design, Mobility Patterns and Risk of Injury Among Female Head Porters in the CBD of Kumasi

The presence of pedestrian infrastructure in cities serves as a safety net for vulnerable road users. Female head porters are classified among the vulnerable in the city as their activities involve walking throughout the city centre with heavy loads from one point to the other. Many researchers have studied the various vulnerabilities of female head porters with little to no insights into their mobility issues. This study assessed the pedestrian infrastructure, female head porters’ movement in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kumasi, and how they are exposed to injuries. Questionnaires, interview schedules, and an observation checklist were used to collect data for the study. The study sampled 223 female head porters using purposive, accidental and snowballing sampling techniques. In addition, three key stakeholders were purposively sampled for this study. The findings from the study indicated that pedestrian infrastructure in the CBD of Kumasi is fairly adequate to accommodate the pedestrian volume. Furthermore, the study reveals that several factors influence the movements of female head porters in the city but paramount among these factors is the economic factor, the need for the female head porter to be engaged. During their daily mobilities, female head porters encounter several injuries resulting from their usage of the road and pedestrian infrastructure in the CBD. These include falling into open drainages, tripping due to obstruction on the road, and colliding with other pedestrians. However, these injuries have not been classified under road traffic injuries and getting concrete statistics from designated agencies proved futile. The study therefore recommends the inclusion of injuries due to pedestrian falls, trips and collisions with other pedestrians into the definition of transport injuries.

Source: UCC
Assessing urban-rural differences in achieving the millennium development goal for sanitation: the case of New Juabeng Municipality, Ghana

In spite of many decades of development planning and assistance, Ghana still has low sanitation coverage. This study therefore assessed the urban-rural variation in sanitation service delivery in the New Juabeng Municipality. Descriptive study design was adopted, using a mixed method approach to select two communities (Koforidua and Akwadum) to represent urban and rural communities respectively. Systematic and purposive sampling methods were adopted to select respondents for the study. These included 377 household heads, staff from the Municipal Environment Health Unit and other opinion leaders. The results showed that though sanitation coverage was generally low within the Municipality, there was a huge sanitation gap between urban and rural communities. The sanitation coverage for the urban communities was 15.1 and 2.5 percent for the rural areas. It also came out that implementation of sanitation projects was driven by low budgetary allocation to the sector and inadequate data for planning and implementation. Consequently, most people in the municipality preferred to have their own improved pit latrines and were willing to pay for improved sanitation facilities or services. It is recommended that the Municipal Assembly should increase investment in sanitation and embark on enhanced social marketing for sanitation. Additionally, there should be general public education and sensitization on the importance of good hygiene including the use of improved sanitation facilities among rural households for improved health status.

Source: UCC
Assessment and management of occupational stress among senior members in selected public universities in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to find out how stress affects senior members in some selected public Universities in Ghana and the management strategies that can be adopted to influence their work performance. A total of 300 participants were randomly selected from two public Universities in Ghana namely; University of Cape Coast and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. A 34 item questionnaire were designed and administered. The research data was analyzed using the SPSS, the chi square and simple percentage descriptions. Findings from the study revealed that majority of the senior members experienced some form of stress and do not put in any coping or management strategies to avert the situation. Furthermore, the study revealed that length of working in the University and age were not significant factors in the management of stress. Conclusion and recommendations were made to serve as a guide for senior members and other workers in general.

Source: UCC
Assessment and Management of Postoperative Pain among Nurses at a Resource-Constraint Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Background. Postoperative pain remains one of the greatest concerns for patients following surgical procedures. Nurses play an essential role in postoperative pain assessment and management, especially within the first few days after surgery. Objective. The study investigated how nurses in a resource-constraint hospital in Ghana assessed and managed postoperative pain. Methods. This was an explorative qualitative study involving 12 registered nurses practicing in the largest referral hospital in Ghana. Data was gathered using a semi structured interview guide. Demographic characteristics of participants were summarized using descriptive statistics. Data were analysed using Kvale’s three phases for analysing qualitative data. First, the entire text was read again to identify meaning units which were then condensed. Second, the condensed texts were read again and interpreted. Finally, the condensed data containing similar meaning were coded and then sorted into subthemes. Results. It was found that some nurses have never used any pain assessment tool due to lack of standard tool for assessing postoperative pain. The majority of nurses reported that managing pain by using medication was the norm especially in the first 24 hours after surgery. Conclusion. Although participants may have some knowledge of assessing and managing postoperative pain, this knowledge was not largely used to manage postoperative pain effectively, partly because of resource constraints. Therefore, there is the need for adequate training and with provision of resources, it is imperative that the use of standardized pain assessment scales could help in the proper assessment and management of postoperative pain in this setting.

Source: UCC
Assessment and Management of Postoperative Pain among Nurses at a Resource-Constraint Teaching Hospital in Ghana

Background. Postoperative pain remains one of the greatest concerns for patients following surgical procedures. Nurses play an essential role in postoperative pain assessment and management, especially within the first few days after surgery. Objective. The study investigated how nurses in a resource-constraint hospital in Ghana assessed and managed postoperative pain. Methods. This was an explorative qualitative study involving 12 registered nurses practising in the largest referral hospital in Ghana. Data was gathered using a semistructured interview guide. Demographic characteristics of participants were summarized using descriptive statistics. Data were analysed using Kvale’s three phases for analysing qualitative data. First, the entire text was read again to identify meaning units which were then condensed. Second, the condensed texts were read again and interpreted. Finally, the condensed data containing similar meaning were coded and then sorted into subthemes. Results. It was found that some nurses have never used any pain assessment tool due to lack of standard tool for assessing postoperative pain. The majority of nurses reported that managing pain by using medication was the norm especially in the first 24 hours after surgery. Conclusion. Although participants may have some knowledge of assessing and managing postoperative pain, this knowledge was not largely used to manage postoperative pain effectively, partly because of resource constraints. Therefore, there is the need for adequate training and with provision of resources, it is imperative that the use of standardized pain assessment scales could help in the proper assessment and management of postoperative pain in this setting.

Source: UCC
Assessment and remediation of pollutants in Ghana’s Kete-Krachi District Hospital effluents using granular and smooth activated carbon

The need for simple, cheaper and high performance hospital effluent treatment system in Kete-Krachi District which is adjacent to the Lake Volta has necessitated this study. This study focuses on assessing, and treating Kete-Krachi District Hospital effluent using packed granular (GAC) and smooth activated carbon (SAC). The use of activated carbon is due to its less expensive method of operation, the ease to prepare from local raw materials, high availability, and effectiveness for treating hospital effluent. The dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nutrient compounds (P-PO4, N-NO3), turbidity, pH, conductivity and total coliform parameters were investigated and later treated with the activated carbon. The average conductivity and P-PO4 removals were <50%. The average BOD5, COD, coliform, N-NO3, and turbidity removals for all the SAC treatments were 58.36%, 62.26%, 84.39%, 83.86%, and 50.74%, respectively. The DO also improved 3.8 times on the average. The pH of the raw and treated samples was within the limit 6.5e9. The results of this study suggest that the SAC is predominantly effective for reducing the pollutants concentrations of the hospital effluent which can result in oxygen depletion, eutrophication, algal bloom and ecosystem disturbance in the Lake Volta. It will also decrease the susceptibility of the Kete-Krachi residents to waterborne diseases as the effluents seep into the Lake

Source: UCC
Assessment in early childhood education: threats and challenges to effective assessment of immigrant children

Research indicates that early childhood professionals gather assessment information to monitor child development and learning, to guide curriculum planning and decision making, to identify children who may have special needs, to report and communicate with others, and to evaluate programmes. Review of literature indicates that immigrant children have low achievement assessment scores as compared with mainstream merican children, also immigrant children enter kindergarten already behind their mainstream merican peers. The current study explored early childhood teachers’ perceptions of assessment measures used with immigrant children and the challenges faced when assessing immigrant children. Findings of the study reveal that there are several factors that make early childhood teachers fail to gather effective assessment information from immigrant children. Unless the factors are addressed, planning for effective curriculum for immigrant children using assessment data will continue to be a challenge for early childhood teachers. Factors that continue to affect gathering effective assessment data from immigrant children include language barriers, cultural clashes, socio-economic factors, and culturally and linguistically biased assessment measures

Source: UCC
Assessment in Preschools in Ghana: Issues and Challenges

This paper focuses on a very critical area, assessment in preschools in Ghana. It discusses the issues and challenges in Ghana’s early childhood education system. Educational Reforms since 1987 have advocated the inclusion of nursery and kindergarten education in the basic school system. In all of these reforms, especially that of 1987 and 2007, efforts were not made to critically look at establishing standards for the smooth running of such early childhood programmes. Also, assessment procedures to help in achieving the major purposes of the programme as introduced in some selected schools in 1987 and as a beginning point of Ghana’s education as stipulated in 2007 reforms were not clearly stated. It is on this note that the authors discuss the issues and the numerous challenges that have evolved in assessing young children between the ages of 3 and 8 years in Ghana’s education system. This paper, as a caveat from a discussant paper presented during a national conference in early childhood education in Ghana, addresses the issues of assessing young children by reviewing major purposes of assessment, action options to improve the system, challenges in assessing young children and recommendations for good practice

Source: UCC
Assessment Literacy And Practices On Students‘ Academic Achievements

This research delved into Teachers ‗assessment literacy (TAL), and classroom assessment practices (CAP) on the academic achievement of students in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana. Employing a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, the study focused on 150 English, Mathematics, and Science (EMS) professional Junior High School (JHS) teachers and 2097 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates from 50 GALOP junior high schools in the Municipality, utilizing a purposive sampling technique. Data were gathered through a questionnaire on CAP, a district mock examination, and a TAL questionnaire. The analysis involved frequencies, percentages, means, and Pearson correlation techniques. The findings revealed that most professional teachers possessed a substantial understanding of student assessment. teachers demonstrated alignment of test items with instructional goals and consideration of the exam's purpose, the non-utilization of test specification tables was noted. The majority of students' academic achievements in EMS were below average. A noteworthy positive correlation surfaced between TAL and their CAP. The relationship between TAL and students' academic achievement exhibited varying degrees, with mathematics showing a weak correlation, English language a moderate one, and science demonstrating a strong positive relation. Similarly, the association between CAP and students' achievements displayed a spectrum from weak to strong relationships. The study concludes by recommending the instruction of teachers on the importance of incorporating test specification tables in question formulation, with an additional suggestion for school officials to support teachers in adopting this practice.

Source: UCC
Assessment Literacy of Health Tutors in Nurses‘ Training Colleges in Central Region, Ghana

The study investigated classroom assessment literacy and adherence to the recommended principles in constructing multiple-choice items among nursing tutors in Central Region of Ghana. Descriptive survey design was used where the whole accessible population of the nursing tutors was covered. The main instrument used for data collection was a closed–ended questionnaire (dichotomous and rating scales). The study revealed that majority of tutors had classroom assessment knowledge. Tutors followed [12(60%) out of 20] recommended principles in multiple-choice test construction. However, differences in their assessment literacy and adherence to the recommended principles were influenced by their professional qualification. Tutors with professional qualification in education had higher assessment literacy and adhered to principles in constructing multiple-choice items than those without professional qualification in education. The study recommended that heads of various health institutions are encouraged to organise workshops/seminars on test construction at least twice every year especially for tutors without professional qualification in education and those below three years of teaching. Health tutors in Central Region are encouraged to take advance courses in assessment in order to keep themselves abreast with updated issues as far as assessment is concerned.

Source: UCC