ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Extent of integration of practical activities in teaching and learning of chemistry in Ghanaian Senior High Schools

The study was designed to investigate the extent of integration of practical activities in teaching and learning of chemistry in senior high schools. The study was situated at Secondi-Takoradi Metropolitan area in the Western Region of Ghana. The study adopted an action research design. The researcher used simple random sampling techniques to select seventy (70) participants: twenty (20) Chemistry teachers and fifty (50) students. The data collection instruments used in the study was questionnaire, pre-test and post-test. Analysis of data was carried out using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The findings revealed that demonstration experiment and discussion type of practical activity had F-statistic of 14.86 and its associated significance level was found to be 0.000 indicating a significant linear relationship with the dependent variable which is the post-test. The study found the mean pre-test scores and the standard deviation of participants to be (M = 51.73, SD = 12.304), and that of the mean post-test scores and standard deviation computed were (M = 64.80, SD = 14.742). Also, 8(16%) students revealed that they had a little practical activity, 10(20%) half of the time, 11 (22%) had it most of the time while 21 (42%) had practical activities all the time. Moreover, 5(10%) indicated that no time was allocated to Chemistry lesson by demonstration. However, 9(18%) had it a little of the time, 14(28%) half of the time, 16(32%) had it most of the time and 6(12%) had it all the time. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that teaching and learning of chemistry in senior high schools should include more practical work. In order to improve their practices, chemistry teachers must receive rigorous in-service training in practical work management and current research. Teachers' pre-service training should include extensive practice in fundamental and higher-order science process abilities so that new teachers are more confident in their ability to use practical work while teaching chemistry and other science concepts. Furthermore, it was recommended that teachers should also be taught how to utilize hand tools so that they can improvise science equipment for practical work as necessary.

Source: UEW
Extraction, Gc-Ms analysis and bioactivity test of secondary metabolites from the cultures of mangrove endophytic fungi

Mangrove plants and their associated micro fauna have been a rich source of bioactive molecules, but only a limited antimicrobial screening of this chemo-diversity source has been reported. The unique adaptation of mangroves towards their extreme environment is largely aided by endophytic fungi. Endophytic fungi are underexplored group of microorganisms since only a few plants have been studied with regards to this community. Endophytic fungi live inside the tissues of other organisms, such as mangrove plants and provide protection to them. In return, endophytic fungi support their hosts by fighting off pathogens through the production of antimicrobial compounds. These bioactive compounds are the secondary metabolites which are often produced as waste- or by-products. In this study, the leaves, barks and roots of red, black and white mangroves found along the Ayensu estuary and the Muni lagoon in Winneba were screened for their endophytic fungi in a malt-glucose culture media containing 3%(w/w) malt extract and 6%(w/w) glucose. Five fungi from BBMAV, BWMS, LBMS, RBMAV and BBMS were obtained and cultured in malt-glucose media containing 3%(w/w) malt extract and 6%(w/w) glucose for 8 weeks for their secondary metabolites. The TLC studies and GC-MS analysis of the crude extracts from culture media of the fungal isolates reveal that fungi produced several secondary metabolites. A bioassay on the crude extracts was carried out using human pathogenic microbes Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 12493), Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 12973), E. coli (NCTC 12241), S. mutants (ATCC 700610), P. aeroginosa (ATCC 4853), S. typhi (ATCC 14028), K. pneumonia (NCTC 13440) and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028) and two fungi that infest cocoa (Phytophthora palmivora and Phytophthora megakarya). The bioassay results indicated that the crude extracts were active against all the test organisms. The crude extracts were tested for antioxidant activity using ABTS and DPPH as scavenging agents. The results indicate that the crude extracts of all the fungal isolates exhibited high antioxidant activity.

Source: UEW
Extrinsic effect of remittance houses on desire to migrate and usage of irregular migration routes

Characteristics of remittance houses display the new financial and social status of migrants; hence, serve as a motivation for others to migrate abroad. However, this effect is highly general without specificity of how individual characteristics of remittance houses influence migration. This study hypotheses that different characteristics of remittance houses have different levels of influence on prospective migrants and their likelihood to use irregular migration routes. With the help of a structured questionnaire, the study interviewed 371 respondents in the Berekum Municipality (an out-migration hotspot in Ghana especially for persons using Sahara regions and the Strait of Gibraltar to Europe) on the external motivation of remittance houses, their desire to travel and the use of irregular routes. Locals perceived characteristics of remittance houses of migrants abroad (Mean [M] = 2.86, Standard deviation [SD] = 0.33) to be higher than non-migrants� houses (M = 1.9, SD = 0.59) while they assigned similar scores for remittance houses of migrants in Africa (M = 2.58, SD = 0.47) and migrants in Ghana (M = 2.58, SD = 0.44). Furthermore, the exterior architecture of remittance houses (? = 0.33, p < 0.01) and social recognition accorded migrants outside Africa (? = 0.30, p < 0.01) motivated locals to migrate to Europe. Again, there was no extrinsic motivation from the characteristics of remittance houses on locals� likelihood to use irregular migration routes. However, the social recognition accorded to migrants in Africa who own houses motivated locals to use irregular routes (? = 0.44, p < 0.01). The study recommends that the locals of Berekum should be educated by the traditional authorities, government agencies and NGOs that better housing characteristics and social recognition are not worthy of risking one's life by using irregular routes. � 2022 The Author(s)

Source: UEW
Étude syntaxico-sémantique des prépositions dans et en par les apprenants du fle au niveau shs le cas des apprenants de Ghana senior high school tamale et tamale girls senior high school

The purpose of the study is to identify the difficulties in the use of the prepositions en and dans by learners in the two senior high schools, Ghana Senior School Tamale (Ghanasco), and Tamale Girls Senior School (TGSHS). Learners at that level are challenged in the use of these two prepositions due to the similarities of their meanings in English grammar. Eighty (80) students offering French were sampled though simple random sampling and the data was solicited by administering questionnaires. The results showed that the prepositions en et dans are ambigious and present more pitfalls in the knowledge and handling of the constituent rules of French grammar. Specifically, the results reveal that while about 25% of the students could identify en et dans as prepositions in French, as high as approxatively 75% admitted that their usage were very confusing. About 73% of the students also showed poor interest in the learning of the language. The study also finds that 75% of the French teachers teach in English. Hence a good application of the grammar in the bases of French as Foreign Language ((FLE), the learner must broaden their learning interest of the subject by laying a more solid foundation that will allow them an opener of the grammatical system in all forms. This could be achieved if government could make French compulsory from the basic level. Heads of SHS should also monitor to ensure that French is taught in French in order to enhance familiarity to the language. Finally, there should also be a frequent periodical training to revive/ update the teachers that will enable them to be current in order to effectively deliver.

Source: UEW
F. K. Aidoo (2017) nwoma ‘anhununtԑm’ mu mpɛnsɛmpɛnsɛmu

Dwumadie yi botaeԑ ne sԑ, ԑbԑhwehwԑ ԑkwan a atwerԑfoᴐ nam Atwerԑ Kasadwini so da Akanfoᴐ amammerԑ ne amanneԑ, kasasu ahodoᴐ ne agorᴐmma dwumadie adi wᴐ Abasԑm mu. Mede nhwehwԑmu no gyinaa Aidoo (2017) nwoma a wato no edin ‘Anhununtԑm’ so. Megyinaa ‘Feminist’ tiᴐri so hwԑԑ ԑkwan a atwerԑfoᴐ fa so da agorɔmma adi wᴐ Atwerԑ Kasadwini mu ne titire mmaa. Nkᴐmmᴐtwetwe, nsrahwԑ, ano nsԑmmisa ne atwerԑtwerԑ yԑ akwan a mefaa so yԑԑ nhwehwԑmu no. Nhwehwԑmu no mu no, mebᴐᴐ aporᴐ kᴐᴐ Kumase Abrepo Junction ne mpanimfoᴐ bi kᴐtwetwee nkᴐmmᴐ faa me dwumadie no ho pԑԑ mmuaeԑ firii wᴐn hᴐ. Afei nso, mesan kᴐᴐ Colleges of Education a ԑwᴐ Asante Mantam mu no mu bi mu ne akyerԑkyerԑfoᴐ a wᴐkyerԑ Twi Kasa ne adesuafoᴐ a wᴐsua Twi Kasa twetwee me dwumadie no ho nkᴐmmᴐ. Nkᴐmmᴐtwetwe no mu no, ԑbԑdaa adi sԑ, atwerԑfoᴐ pii de ԑbԑ ne kasakoa na ԑtaa di dwuma pᴐtee wᴐ wᴐn nwoma mu. Dwumadie no mu no, yԑhunuu Akanfoᴐ amammerԑ bi te sԑ ahayᴐ, afahyԑ ne Akanfoᴐ gyidie ahodoᴐ. Afei nso, yԑhunuu sԑ, Agorɔba Titire no ne Osidifoɔ no nyinaa, ᴐtwerԑfoᴐ no de mmarima na ԑhyԑԑ saa diberԑ no a wamma mmaa no anni dwuma bi a ԑyԑ sononko firi wᴐn tete deԑ a yԑnim dada no ho. Wamma mmaa anni dwuma bi te sԑ adᴐkotafoᴐ, asɔre mu akannifoɔ, adwuma bi mu panin, atikyafoᴐ ne deԑ ԑkeka ho. Yei kyerԑ sԑ, ᴐtwerԑfoᴐ no amfa ‘Feminist’ tiᴐri no anyԑ adwuma. Dwumadie yi bԑboa adesuafoᴐ, akyerԑkyerԑfoᴐ, akenkanfoᴐ ne nhwehwԑmuyɔfoᴐ nyinaa wᴐ wᴐn dwumadie biara a wᴐpԑ sԑ wᴐyᴐ no wᴐ Atwerԑ Kasadwini mu.

Source: UEW
Facebook experiences of visually impaired students: A deconstruction of the challenges and benefits

This study explores the motivation for usage, benefits, and strategies to overcoming the challenges visually impaired people face in their Facebook interactions. Using in-depth interviews and a narrative analysis of five visually impaired students at the University of Cape Coast, we found that Facebook usage among visually impaired students, although unique in experiences and gratifications, has promoted the formation and strengthening of their social bonds in the community of visually impaired people and their significant other. However, the visually impaired students face significant challenges with interpreting the pictures and videos they encounter on Facebook because screen reader software currently in use cannot interpret graphical content forcing them to rely on their sighted friends which have created independence and privacy issues. Despite these challenges, Facebook remains a powerful communication tool for visually impaired students in interacting with both their disabled and non-disabled friends whom they would normally shy away from in person. � The Author(s) 2021.

Source: UEW
Facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccine uptake among women in two regions of Ghana: A qualitative study

Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, evidence suggests that several factors hinder or facilitate their use. Several studies have found gender differences in COVID-19 vaccine uptake, with women less likely to vaccinate than men in many countries, including Ghana. These studies, however, have primarily been quantitative. This study used a qualitative approach to examine the facilitators and barriers to vaccine uptake among women in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional descriptive qualitative research design, 30 women in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana were conveniently sampled and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Fifteen (15) interviews were conducted in each region. The data were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using QSR NVivo version 10 software. Among the key factors that facilitate COVID-19 vaccination are the desire to protect oneself and family against COVID-19, education about COVID-19 vaccines, seeing others receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and vaccine being cost-free. On the other hand, long queues at the vaccination centres, fear of side effects, misconceptions about the vaccines, and shortage of vaccines were the main barriers against COVID-19 vaccination. The study results show that individual, institutional, and vaccine-related factors facilitate or hinder COVID-19 vaccination among women. Addressing these factors need continuous comprehensive health education, and ensuring vaccine availability at vaccination sites will improve women�s uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines. Copyright: � 2022 Afrifa-Anane et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Source: UEW
Factors affecting academic performance in Social Studies among Students in selected Public Junior High School in Hohoe Municipality, Ghana

This study examined the factors that affect academic performance in Social Studies among public junior school students in Hohoe Municipality of the Volta Region, Ghana. The study used quantitative (positivist) approach and employed the natural science inquiry paradigm. This work further employed a descriptive, a cross-sectional survey design. Systematic sampling approach was used to in the selection of sample of 180 junior high students. The census method was adopted to sample 30 teachers since they were few. Data collected from questionnaires were coded into SPSS version 25 which generated descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that, home factors such as parents taking keen interest in their wards’ education, numerous home chores and students socio-economic background affected the academic performance. The study also revealed that teacher factors like teacher professional qualification, teaching experience, control over subject matter, teacher student cordial relationship and foremost the completion of the Social Studies syllabus were also responsible for academic performance among public junior high students in Hohoe Municipality. Furthermore, and more importantly, it was revealed that either student discipline or student indiscipline was a key factor affecting academic performance. It was therefore recommended that Ghana Education Service and Ministry of Education should provide guidance and counselling systems in the public junior high schools in the Municipality. Finally, Hohoe Municipal Directorate of Ghana Education Service (GES) organizes regular and comprehensive in-service and workshop training for the teachers in public junior high schools to assist them to improve on their knowledge on instructional pedagogies, knowledge and teaching skills.

Source: UEW
Factors affecting academic performance of senior high school students in chemistry in the Akatsi south district of the Volta Region

The purpose of the study was to find out the factors affecting the academic performance of students in Chemistry in the Akatsi South District. The study employed descriptive survey design. The population of the study was made up of all Senior High School students studying Chemistry as well as all chemistry teachers in the Akatsi South District. The sample comprised of four (4) teachers and one hundred and thirty-one (131) students who were selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques respectively. Questionnaires were employed as the main data collection tool. Records of 2020 WASSCE results were also collected and analyzed. The instrument validity was established by expert judgement whilst its reliability was established through test-retest method yielding a Cronbach alpha Coefficient of 0.79. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively using frequencies and percentages. The study revealed among others that, the performance of students in Chemistry for 2020 WASSCE was very poor. School factors such as: use of limited of teaching methods, inadequate periods to cover a broad syllabus, failure of Chemistry teachers to be punctual and regular, inadequate laboratory and library resources were identified as the contributing factors to the poor performance. In addition to these, socio economic factors such as low educational background of parents and financial problems resulting in extensive absenteeism of students from school and inadequate time at home to study emerged as factors affecting the performance of students in Chemistry in the Akatsi South District of the Volta Region of Ghana.

Source: UEW
Factors affecting attrition and retention of public basic

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors associated with the rate of teacher attrition in public Basic Schools in the South Dayi District. The study further sought to explore mechanisms put in place by stakeholders to help retain public Basic School teachers in the district. A mixed method concurrent triangulation research design was used in the conduct of this study. The study was guided by four research questions. Data for the study were collected through two methods: a survey structured questionnaire that was administered to 285 sampled teacher participants of public basic schools, and a semi structured interview was administered to five educational office workers and five teachers in the South Dayi District. To analyze the quantitative data, descriptive statistics (means, percentage, and standard deviations) were used to explore the state of attrition and inferential statistics (Pearson product-moment correlation and independent samples t test) were applied to examine the relation between attrition and quality of education as well as the difference between attrition and teachers’ marital status. Qualitative analysis was applied to thematically interpret the data obtained from the semi-structured interviews with education office workers and teacher participants. The result of the study indicated that the most important factors associated with teacher attrition are: Socio economic, Managerial, and Interpersonal factors. Finally, the study established that retention mechanisms such as: available opportunities for personal and professional development, leadership styles which empower teachers to participate in decision making process, and appealing relationship with fellow teachers on staff, and lastly, reasonable teaching workload were crucial in retaining teachers. The study recommends that teachers’ salaries, incentives, management policies and teachers’ professional status should be given an urgent attention.

Source: UEW
Factors affecting attrition and retention of public basic school teachers in the south Dayi district of Ghana

The purpose of the study was to investigate factors associated with the rate of teacher attrition in public Basic Schools in the South Dayi District. The study further sought to explore mechanisms put in place by stakeholders to help retain public Basic School teachers in the district. A mixed method concurrent triangulation research design was used in the conduct of this study. The study was guided by four research questions. Data for the study were collected through two methods: a survey structured questionnaire that was administered to 285 sampled teacher participants of public basic schools, and a semistructured interview was administered to five educational office workers and five teachers in the South Dayi District. To analyze the quantitative data, descriptive statistics (means, percentage, and standard deviations) were used to explore the state of attrition and inferential statistics (Pearson product-moment correlation and independent samples ttest) were applied to examine the relation between attrition and quality of education as well as the difference between attrition and teachers’ marital status. Qualitative analysis was applied to thematically interpret the data obtained from the semi-structured interviews with education office workers and teacher participants. The result of the study indicated that the most important factors associated with teacher attrition are: Socioeconomic, Managerial, and Interpersonal factors. Finally, the study established that retention mechanisms such as: available opportunities for personal and professional development, leadership styles which empower teachers to participate in decision making process, and appealing relationship with fellow teachers on staff, and lastly, reasonable teaching workload were crucial in retaining teachers. The study recommends that teachers’ salaries, incentives, management policies and teachers’ professional status should be given an urgent attention.

Source: UEW
Factors affecting basic school students’ academic performance the case of St. Gregory Basic School, Gomoa Buduburam

The essence of this research was to study the various factors that affect the academic performance of students in St. Gregory Basic School in Gomoa Buduburam in the Central region of Ghana. The study employed the qualitative approach and made use of one-on-one interviews and a focus group discussion. In all, a total of ten respondents were involved in this study. Specifically, the study focused on some administrative factors such as educational resources, teacher absenteeism and the role of the parent teacher association. Environmental factors considered in this study were class size, distractions and pupil teacher ratio. In addition, psychological factors such as how teachers motivate students and allow for class participation given are also discussed. The analysis procedure was largely based on the recommendation of Braun and Clarke (2006) which stresses a flexible yet detailed analytic technique, hence, a thematic analysis approach was adopted. Themes were chosen and organized into a theoretical framework, which meant that coding was done with specific problems in mind. The study found that insufficient resources in the school was influencing the academic performance of students negatively. In addition, the punctuality of teachers in the school positively affected the academic performance of students. More so, the large class sizes also affect the academic performance of the students negatively. Lastly, distractions from their home and school environment negatively affect the academic performance of students. From the findings, the researcher gave recommendations that the school authorities must liaise with the parents to provide the needed resources for the school, school authorities must work to do away with all distractions from the school’s environment while parents also strive to reduce all forms of distractions at home for the students to help improve their academic performance.

Source: UEW