ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Status Of Science Teaching and Learning at the Colleges of Education in Ghana

The purpose of the study was to find out and describe the status of science teaching and learning in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. The study employed the sequential explanatory mixed method research design. The quantitative data were obtained from 543 teacher trainees, 33 tutors and 36 college administrators. The qualitative data were gathered from interviews with twelve teacher trainees, six tutors, six administrators and eighteen focus group interviews. This was followed by observation of lessons. The data gathered from the survey questionnaire were analysed quantitatively through frequency counts and inferential statistics using cross tabulations and chi-square test. It was found that more than half ofthe teacher trainees entered the Colleges of Education with grades C4-C6. The results revealed that 60.6% of tutors call on teacher trainees only once because they want every trainee to be part of the lesson. 84.8% of tutors liked questions to be answered randomly. The college tutors (81.8%) would like to ask introvert teacher trainees questions whilst 18.2% likes to occupy them with activities. 78.8% of college tutors preferred to use positive reinforcement techniques on the trainees. It is recommended that the Ministry of Education and the governing councils of the various colleges should make the effort to improve the infrastructural facilities of the colleges by providing colleges with wellequipped laboratories, libraries, furniture, textbooks and equipment for practical science. Teacher trainees should be relieved of all grounds work to enable them to concentrate on their academic work. Colleges of Education should admit students who have obtained at least grade C6 in all subjects in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination or its equivalent.

Source: UCC
Status of Some Antioxidant Micronutrient and Pregnancy Outcomes in Ghanaian Adolescents Attending Antenatal Clinic in Urban (Suntreso) and Rural (Mampong) Hospitals

Aims: Antioxidants are important in maintaining cellular function in normal pregnancy and are needed for mitigating the effects of oxidative stress. However, there is paucity of information on the importance of antioxidants in pregnant adolescents. This study was therefore aimed at assessing maternal antioxidant micronutrient status and its impact on pregnancy outcomes in Ghanaian pregnant adolescents. Study Design: Prospective Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Mampong and Suntreso Government hospitals in the Ashanti Region of Ghana between March and November 2014. Methodology: We included 100 pregnant adolescents aged 11 to 19 years. Two 24 hr recall sessions were used to assess dietary antioxidant micronutrient (Vitamin A, E, C, Zinc and Selenium) intakes of study participants. Biochemical status was assessed by measurement of serum Vitamin A, zinc and selenium using standardized methods. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from hospital records after parturition.

Source: UCC
Status of teacher management and support services for basic school teachers in Wasa Amenfi East District of the Western Region of Ghana

The study examined the status of teacher management and support services for basic school teachers in the Wasa Amenfi East District in the Western Region of Ghana. It specifically looked at how effective in-service training courses were, the assistance given by supervisors to teachers, the availability of incentives for teachers, their influence on teacher output, and the challenges confronting teacher support service providers in the district. The study was a descriptive survey in which data were collected from 180 respondents made up of 90 teachers and headteachers, 20 education officials (service providers) and 70 other stakeholders. Three different questionnaires were used after they were pilot-tested. The questionnaires for the teachers and headteachers, education officials and other stakeholders had reliability coefficients of .72, .69 and .81 respectively. The study revealed that induction programme for newly recruited teachers, promotion of good relationship between the teacher and other staff members, and the provision of opportunities for teachers to develop themselves professionally and academically were found to be the main teacher incentives available in the Wasa Amenfi East District. The study therefore concluded that a good number of teacher support services were provided in the district. On the basis of the findings, it was recommended that stakeholders should provide those unavailable incentives especially financial and health support service to teachers in the district because it is likely to motivate them to give of their best. Also, in-service training for newly posted teachers should be continued.

Source: UCC
Status of Teaching and Learning of Science in Junior Secondary Schools

The study investigated the status of teaching and learning of science in junior secondary schools. An embedded mixed methods design, survey design and case study design were employed. The study involved 36 basic science teachers and 377 learners for the quantitative part, and 10 teachers, five principals, two zonal education directors, and 10 learners for qualitative part. Multistage sampling was employed in this study. Questionnaires, performance tests, interviews, and observation guides were the main instruments used to collect data. The findings of the study indicated that basic science teachers did not fully understand the basic science curriculum they were expected to implement. The teachers could not design science activities for learners to learn through exploration, guide learners to practise, and evaluate learners’ learning outcomes. All the schools involved in this study have laboratories. However, these laboratories were not used for practical work except in three schools where they used the laboratory space for basic science lessons. The results further showed that the predominant teaching methods used in the teaching of basic science were question and answer, lecture, and demonstration methods. Teachers depended on the little available instructional materials in their schools to deliver their lessons. The research concluded that teaching and learning of science in the Junior Secondary Schools in Kebbi State were generally not good since many teachers seemingly neglected the basic aspects of the subject. It is recommended that basic science teachers be taken through in-service training, seminars, and workshops on assessment skills to enable them to function effectively in their role as teachers

Source: UCC
The status of training and development of human resource in social security and national insurance trust-Tema branch offices

It is an indispensable fact that training and development of human resource is paramount to the achievement of organisational goals and enhancement of organisational image. Most recently, however, it was common knowledge that some employers have overlooked the importance of human resource development. The critical question this study seeks to address is “to what extent is human resource development appreciated in SSNIT? The sample size of the study is 70 and it comprises employees of three SSNIT Branch offices in Tema: namely Community Two Branch office, Harbour Branch office and Tema Last Branch office. It was observed from the study that the often-used method of training is out-the-job training and it appears to be very advantageous. Findings from the study indicate a relationship between Human Resource Development and achievement of organisational goals. Based on the above, recommendations are made as to how SSNIT can strengthen the training and development of its human resource. The conclusions of this study include the following; To a very large extent, the importance of human resource training and development is well appreciated in SSNIT. In SSNIT, it is the responsibility of the Head of Human Resource Development (HRD) to ensure that employees attend training programmes after training needs have been identified at the Branch Offices by Branch Managers.

Source: UCC
‘Stay green’ in wheat: comparative study of modern bread wheat and ancient wheat cultivars

Wheat production in arid and semi-arid environments can be limited by water stress which hastens premature senescence and consequently lowers yield. ‘Stay green’ is a vital characteristic associated with the capacity of the plant to maintain CO2 assimilation and photosynthesis. Ancient wheat genotypes possessing the ability to maintain green leaf area duration (stay green traits) throughout grain filling are potential candidates for adapting and improving wheat for higher yield in arid and semi-arid regions. This study compared the ‘stay green’ of four cultivars of modern bread wheat and eight cultivars of three ancient wheat genotypes (emmer, einkorn, spelt). Values of stay green obtained through visual scoring and SPAD-502 chlorophyll content measurement were compared and explored for relationships at both the cultivar and genotype levels. The results show that spelt has superior stay green trait that can be explored for wheat improvement for arid and semi-arid environments. Linear relationship was also found between visual scoring stay green values and SPAD502 values. Such a relationship would prove useful for research and crop management in resource-poor areas

Source: UCC
Stay or leave? using job embeddedness to explain turn over intention among hotel staff in Ghana

The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between job embeddedness and employee turnover intentions of staff in the hotel industry. It examined the various factors of each of the component of job embeddedness and its influence on employees’ mobility decision. Cross sectional quantitative design was conducted on a probability multi-stage sampling of 309 staff in the hotel industry of Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. A binary log it regression model was used to investigate the relationship between job embeddedness and employee turnover intentions. The results of the study revealed that organization-person culture fitness, autonomy (factors of organisation fit), experience, sense of belongingness, co-worker dependency (factors of organisation links) have significant effect on turnover intention. When designing retention strategies, management and human resource practitioners need to recognize how job embeddedness influences the turnover intention of higher educated staff. This paper provides a new dimension of considering the individual indicators of each of the main component of job embeddedness construct and its effects on employee turnover intention

Source: UCC
Stem Bark Extract of Sterculia setigera Delile Exhibits Anti-inflammatory Properties through Membrane Stabilization, Inhibition of Protein Denaturation and Prostaglandin E2 Activity

Aims: The stem bark of Sterculia setigera has been used in several African countries for the treatment of many inflammatory conditions. However, there is no scientific report to authenticate this usage. The current study, therefore, aims at assessing the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities of the stem bark extract of Sterculia setigera (SSE). Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Laboratories of Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana between October, 2016 and April, 2017. Methodology: In vitro anti-inflammatory activities were assessed using heat and hypotonic solution - induced red blood cell haemolysis assays, as well as egg and bovine serum albumin denaturation assays. In vivo anti-inflammatory effect of SSE (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) and diclofenac (10 mg/kg, p.o.) was assessed using carrageenan as well as prostaglandin E2 -induced paw oedema models in rats. Results: SSE inhibited heat and hypotonic solution-induced haemolysis by a maximum effect of 62.81 ± 1.18% and 76.05 ± 3.08% respectively as compared to diclofenac which was 76.63 ± 3.36% and 76.49 ± 1.67% respectively. Also, egg and bovine serum albumin denaturation were markedly inhibited by SSE with a maximum inhibitory effect of 74.84 ± 64% and 45.73 ± 8.41% respectively. Diclofenac had a maximum inhibitory effect of 72.23 ± 3.14% and 52.02 ± 0.72% respectively for egg and bovine serum albumin denaturation assays. Also, SSE (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) and diclofenac (10 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly and dose-dependently reduced rats’ paw oedema in the carrageenan and prostaglandin E2 – induced inflammation tests. Conclusion: SSE exhibited anti-inflammatory effects in both in vitro and in vivo models and this gives credence to its folkloric usage.

Source: UCC
Stereotyping, Prejudice, Collective Self-Esteem and Academic Achievement of Distance Education and Regular Students of University of Cape Coast

Research has established that stereotyping, prejudice and collective self-esteem have immense implications for academic achievement. Similarly, in Ghana, students‘ academic achievement could be influenced by stereotyping, prejudice and collective self-esteem, particularly, in relation to their mode of study. Thus, the study compared distance education and regular students of the University of Cape Coast on account of stereotyping, prejudice, collective self-esteem and academic achievement. The study employed the cross-sectional research design. A sample size of 622 comprising 302 and 320 regular and distance education students respectively was used as respondents. Multi-stage sampling approach was employed. Two research instruments that measured stereotyping, prejudice and collective self-esteem of the distance and regular students were used to collect data. The instrument had a reliability co-efficient of .793 and .826 respectively. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results from the analysis revealed that stereotyping and collective self-esteem predicted academic achievement of regular students. However, these variables did not predict academic achievement of distance education students. Again, regular students reported higher academic achievement whiles distance education students reported higher collective self-esteem, and feelings of being stereotyped and prejudiced. It was recommended by the researcher that counselling be intensified to boost students‘ pride in their mode of study, build their collective self-esteem, stand up to stereotypes and forge ahead with their studies.

Source: UCC
Steroid-induced dysglycaemia in patients with haematological disorders a ten-year review in a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background: Glucocorticoids (steroids) play a key role in the management of multiple medical conditions including haematological disorders. This study looked at the prevalence of steroid induced dysglycaemia in patients with haematological disorders receiving steroids as part of their treatment with the view of modifying its use and selection of patients where necessary.

Source: UCC
Steroid-induced dysglycaemia in patients with haematological disorders a ten-year review in a tertiary hospital in Ghana

Background: Glucocorticoids (steroids) play a key role in the management of multiple medical conditions including haematological disorders. This study looked at the prevalence of steroid induced dysglycaemia in patients with haematological disorders receiving steroids as part of their treatment with the view of modifying its use and selection of patients where necessary. Methods: A retrospective review of haematology patients on treatment regimens including steroids. Information extracted included, demographic characteristics, clinical information such as age, gender, haematological disorder, type of steroid, daily and cumulative dose of steroid, duration of therapy, family history of diabetes and alcohol use. Results: The case records of 351 haematology patients were reviewed. However, eight patients with dysglycaemia before therapy were excluded. The median age of patients was 51.0 ± 26.0(IQR: Interquartile Range) years, with an age range of 13 to 87 years, and a female: male ratio of 1.2: 1 (p= 0.778). The prevalence of Steroid-Induced Dysglycaemia (SID) was 3.79% with a mean diagnosis interval of 8.8 + 2.1 months. Overall, 245 (71.4%) patients were on continuous steroids. Among the 13 patients who developed SID, 11 (84.6%) were on continuous steroids. In the majority of the patients (97.1%) there was no family history of diabetes in a first degree relative. Significant differences were found between patients with normoglycaemia and those with dysglycaemia with respect to age (p=0.049) and duration of steroid therapy (p=0.024). Conclusion: The prevalence of steroid-induced dysglycaemia is relatively low among Ghanaian patients with haematological disorders on steroid based chemotherapy.

Source: UCC
Stéréotype dans le guide de voyage petit futé Ghana : Le cas des phrases génériques

Cette étude s’appuie sur un corpus écrit tiré du guide de voyage Petit Futé Ghana (2009) pour analyser le stéréotype tel qu’il se manifeste par les phrases génériques dans les première et deuxième parties du guide. L’analyse montre que la majorité des phrases génériques employées sont de type traditionnel qui suit la forme les N2. De plus les phrases génériques partitives ayant un employ limité ont aussi des syntagmes nominaux comme sujets grammaticaux. Les phrases génériques utilisées correspondent à une image locale du monde (Palma, 2006) exprimée par les scripteurs-guides ; elles transforment une expérience individuelle en vérité à valeur générale. Elles ne visent pas à expliquer un concept et n’expriment pas non plus des vérités que nous pouvons catégoriser comme des vérités générales. Les scripteurs-guides se servent de la comparaison comme stratégie pour stéréotyper de manière positive un groupe de gens aux dépens de l’autre

Source: UCC
Stigmatisation and discrimination against HIV and AIDS: a case study of patients at St. Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Fosu

The study explores the nature of HIV and AIDS stigma felt by PLWHAs and the effect this has on them in the Assin Fosu Municipality. This was pursued through examining the effect of stigma on the PLWHAs and assessing the coping strategies of the PLWHAs. Descriptive and cross-sectional research designs were adopted to study the 256 HIV carriers from the Saint Francis Xavier Hospital at Assin Fosu. Interview schedules were used to collect data from the respondents. Statistical tools used to analyse the data collected included descriptive tools such as means, medians, frequencies, and percentages. Mann-Whitney U test was also used to test for significant differences where applicable and chi-square was used to test for significance in associations where applicable. The study found that the forms of stigma could be describes as internalised stigma, workplace stigma, family-related stigma and stigma/discrimination at health posts. Moreover, the effects of stigma on PLWHAs were internalised, personal, family, community and health related. The coping strategies were mostly adaptive in nature. For example, in order to deal with stigma, most of the respondents chose adopted learning from educational campaigns, participating in HIV programmes, accepting the status quo, and avoiding confrontation. The study recommended further education campaigns, a focus on internal stigma and adopting self-help approaches for HIV carriers.

Source: UCC
Still the Dark Continent? Towards contextual methodological approaches to management development research in foreign multinational firms in Africa

Following the widespread implementation of liberalization policies across the continent and resultant ‘subsidiarity’ of the industrial sectors by mostly Western multinational firms, management development in Africa has been dominated by Western approaches. The alternative is contextualization of research approaches that take into account the cultural and societal values of the people being researched. The article therefore proposes two methodologies believed to be contextual to management development research in multinational firms in Africa. These include indigenous methodology and postcolonial methodology. The two methodologies are complemented by appropriate data collection and analytical approaches, which have also been suggested. Data for this conceptual paper were mainly from review of extant popular and academic literature. The article concludes that applying the proposed methodologies could help tackle the neocolonial influence in African industries to decolonize indigenous people from Western hegemony and management development approaches that do not tackle the development problems of indigenous managers. Theoretically, the article contributes to literature on postcolonial management and organizational studies and, practically, contributes to alternative and appropriate approach to research into managerial skills development problems in Africa.

Source: UCC
Stochastic Optimal Control Of Systems Driven By Stochastic Differential Equations Of Mean-Field Type With Irregular Drift Coefficients

The main objective of this work is to maximize a performance functional subjected to a controlled stochastic di erential equation of mean- eld type using the stochastic maximum principle approach. The controlled mean- eld stochastic di erential equation has a non smooth drift and is driven by a one dimensional Brownian motion. We started by rst showing that, considering a corresponding sequence of mean- eld stochastic di erential equations with a smooth drift coe cient, the corresponding sequence of solutions will converge to the solution of the mean- eld stochastic di erential equation. We study the representation of the stochastic (Sobolev) di erential ow, via a time-space local time integration argument. Lastly, we look at a control problem where the state process follows the dynamics of a mean- eld stochastic di erential equation. Since the drift coe cient is non smooth, we characterize the optimal control through an approximate performance functional which is derived using the Ekeland's variational principle. Afterwards, we pass to the limit and prove convergence of the stochastic maximum principle.

Source: UCC
A stochastic production investigation of fish farms in Ghana

This paper considers the stochastic production frontier approach to analyse the technical efficiency and its determinants of fish farms in Ghana using a cross-section data of 150 farms. It considers the explicit effects of family and hired labour on production by setting the log-value of the zero-observation of these two sources of labour to zero with dummy variables. Results demonstrate that expected elasticities of mean output with respect to all input variables are positive and significant. Findings also show that family and hired labour used for fish farming in Ghana may be equally productive. Fish farms in Ghana are revealed to be characterised by technology with increasing return to scale. The combined effects of operational and farm specific factors are found to influence efficiency. The study further reveals that inclusion of interaction between some exogenous variables in the inefficiency model is significant in explaining the variation in efficiency. Results also suggest that small pond operators are more efficient than farms with large ponds. Mean technical efficiency is estimated to be 78 percent.

Source: UCC