ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Junior high school mathematics teachers’ knowledge in calculators

Helping junior high school students to use calculators and computers for problem solving and investigating real-life situations is an objective of the junior high school mathematics curriculum in Ghana. Ironically, there is a technological drought in junior high school mathematics instruction in Ghana, with a suspicion that mathematics teachers’ competency in the use of calculators for teaching may be the source of this lack of use. This study sought to establish a correlation between junior high school mathematics teachers’ competence and the motivation supporting the use of calculators in teaching. A descriptive survey comprising of a test and questionnaire was used to collect data from junior high school mathematics teachers in an educational district in Ghana. Teacher characteristics such as educational attainment, age, and gender in relation to teachers’ competency in the use of calculators were discussed in the study. The results showed that about 70% of the teachers exhibited a low level of calculator competence. Besides, novice teachers outperformed expert teachers in the calculator competency-based test. Additionally, mathematics teachers’ enthusiasm for using calculators in teaching was directly associated with the teachers’ level of competency. The findings may send a signal to stakeholders in their efforts to revising the Ghana JHS curriculum in order to actualize the curriculum desire for the integration of technology in the teaching and learning of JHS mathematics.

Source: UCC
Junior High School Students and their Mathematics Teachers’ Understanding of the Concept of Addition of Fractions in Two Selected Districts in the Central Region of Ghana

The study investigated students and their mathematics teachers’ understanding of addition of fractions in three school contexts. The study was in three aspects: first is the understanding of addition of fractions; second is the characteristics of sentences in classroom interaction during the teaching and learning of addition of fractions; third is the understanding of the RPK in the teaching and learning of addition of fractions. A total of 616 students and their 17 mathematics teachers were sampled. The concurrent mixed method design was employed for the study. In exploring understanding of RPK and understanding of addition of fractions, categorisations (high, average, low, and NU, PU_S, PU_A, FU, respectively) of diverse levels of understanding were employed and frequency tables generated. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to analyse the tasks. MANOVA showed significant variations in students’ level of understanding of the RPK as well as addition of fractions. Students demonstrated low understanding of the RPK and the concept of addition of fractions. Classroom interaction in high achieving schools were observed to be richer than interaction in the other school contexts. It was recommended that preservice and in-service providers should put strategies in place to help students and their mathematics teachers in low achieving schools improve on their understanding of the RPK and addition of fractions. Findings in relation to the characteristics of sentences in classroom interaction in high achieving schools should be used to improve interaction in other school contexts.

Source: UCC
Junior High School Teachers knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of the School-Based Assessment in Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District

The study examined the school-based assessment (SBA) knowledge, attitudes, and practices of junior high school (JHS) teachers in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB) district of Ghana's Central Region. The study used a descriptive survey design. For the study, 230 junior high school teachers from across the district were chosen using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. The sampled teachers' responses to a 40-item questionnaire were used to compile the data. The overall instrument’s reliability coefficient was .91 and the instrument's ‘knowledge’ section had a Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient of .54, ‘attitude’ section of .76, ‘practice’ section of .76, and the ‘challenges’ section of .64. The statistical tools used for the analysis included frequency distributions, percentages, means, standard deviations, one sample t-test, Kruskal Wallis H test, and one-way ANOVA. According to study findings, junior high school teachers were highly knowledgeable about SBA. The study also showed that junior high school teachers in the district had a favourable attitude regarding the SBA's implementation. Teachers at junior high schools also acknowledged the practice of SBA. Once more, the study revealed that junior high school teachers in the district had difficulties when trying to carry out the SBA. According to the results, a teacher's years of teaching experience had no bearing on their knowledge, attitude, or practices of SBA. Consequently, it was recommended that the AOB district Education Service should organise ongoing professional development programmes to sustain teachers' expertise and keep them up to date on assessment-related issues.

Source: UCC
Junior High School Teachers' Knowledge and Challenges in the Practice of Formative Assessment in the Mfantseman Municipality

The study sought to examine the knowledge of junior high school teachers on the practice of formative assessment in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region. A descriptive research design was used for the study. The target population for the study consisted of 79 public junior high schools in the Mfantseman Municipality, which is made up of eight educational circuits. The sample for study consisted of 300 junior high school teachers.These were made up of 189 male teachers and 111 female teachers in the Mfantseman Municipality. Simple random sampling, specifically, the lottery method, was used to select five circuits out of the eight circuits. The questionnaire, which contained both close-ended and open-ended items, was the major instrument that was used. The study found that teachers in the Municipality have an adequate level of knowledge about formative assessment. The study again found that the sampled teachers on the average practise formative assessment effectively. The study further found that, teachers have difficulties in using scores generated through students' peer-assessments to inform future teaching and learning, which generate feedback loops during classroom discourse with students. The study found no statistically significant differences between the means of the teachers' years of experience and knowledge of formative assessment. It was also found out that there was a weak, positive correlation between the teachers' knowledge and practice of formative assessment. The study recommended that the Ghana Education Service in Mfantseman Municipality should organise workshops to educate teachers on how to use scores generated through student peer-assessments to inform future teaching and learning.

Source: UCC
A justification for the claim that marxism is a scientific theory

This study is an examination of the scientific status of Marxism. I argue that Marxism is scientific as far as Popper’s falsificationism is taken as a serious methodology of science. The method of establishing this finding involves the use of logical analysis to provide a harmonious synthesis between Popper’s falsificationism and Orthodox Marxism. The need for the attempt to harness Marxism and science is a direct response to Popper’s remarks which seem to pose an unsurmountable threat to the scientific status of Marxism as presented in the Conjectures and Refutations. The study examines Marxism’s scientific status in the light of the falsificationist criterion of demarcation between science and pseudo-science and concludes that the scientific credentials of the latter is acclaimed by the former and hence Orthodox Marxism ought to be described for what it is, unfalsified scientific theory.

Source: UCC
Justifications of Aggressive Behavior in Contact and Semicontact Sports

The present study examines the extent to which athletes in selected contact and semicontact sports report agreement or disagreement with the use of intentional acts of aggression during competition. Eighty-five male athletes responded to the Bredemeier Athletic Aggression Inventory-Short Form and the Mintah Huddleston Aggression Justification Inventory. Overall results revealed no significant differences between subjects’ use of hostile and instrumental aggression in sport and between the hostile and instrumental justifications provided for such behavior. Results indicated that contact-sport participants disagree more with the use of instrumental aggression than semicontact-sport participants.

Source: UCC
Juxtaposition of the Role of Small Businesses and the State in Ghana’s Economic Development

The Ghanaian private sector is mainly composed of small businesses. The sector is expected to propel the growth and development of the Ghanaian economy. Unfortunately, the key players in the sector, small businesses, are bedeviled with a multitude of problems majority of which have been left to the highly incapacitated private sector to handle. This paper argues, conceptually, for responsibility of the state in providing the required co-ordination externalities and big pushes that are indispensable to the development of the private sector and ability of the sector to truly act as the engine of growth and development of the economy. This is achieved through review of the importance of the small business sector to global and national economies; how the Ghanaian economy has performed under the dominance of the state and the private sector since independence; and shortcomings in state policy support for private sector development.

Source: UCC
The kaya yei phenomenon in Ghana: female migration from the upper-west region to Kumasi and Accra.

migrants and regarded women mostly as associational migrants who accompanied their husbands or close relations to urban centres. Within the last two to three decades, there has been the phenomenon of independent migration among women within and between countries. This paper focuses on independent migration of females from a rural district (in the Upper-West Region) to the two leading cities ( Kumasi and Accra) in Ghana. Eighty-three females from the Wa district, and working in Kumasi and Accra were interviewed. In addition, one focus group discussion was held in Kumasi. The migration of females from the less developed Upper-West Region to the more developed enclaves in the south to work as head porters (kaya yei ) is related to a process which provides the women with economic and social independence which they could not have achieved in their place of origin. Although there are some inherent difficulties and/or risks associated with the kaya yei business, the study revealed that the women have benefited from migration through improvement in their economic situation and physical appearances. This migration of females from rural areas of the Wa District to the two cities has implications for the discourse on gender-based migration.

Source: UCC
KCC2 Manipulation Alters Features of Migrating Interneurons in Ferret Neocortex

KCC2 is a brain specific chloride–potassium cotransporter affecting neuronal development including migration and cellular maturation. It modulates chloride homeostasis influencing the switch of GABA from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing, which contributes to the cues that influence the termination of neuronal migration. The expression of KCC2 during migration of interneurons, therefore, correlates with the ability of these cells to respond to GABA as a stop signal. Manipulation of KCC2 in development can affect various aspects of migrating neurons, including the speed. We describe the effect of KCC2 downregulation and inhibition on features of migrating interneurons of normal ferret kits and those treated with methylazoxymethanol acetate, which increases KCC2. Treatment of organotypic cultures with Bisphenol A, an environmental toxin that alters gene expression, also downregulates KCC2 protein. In organotypic slices treated with the KCC2 antagonist VU0240551, chloride imaging shows inhibition of KCC2 via blockade of chloride flux. Time-lapse video imaging of organotypic cultures treated with either drug, shows a significant increase in the average speed, step size, and number of turns made by migrating neurons leaving the ganglionic eminence. Our findings demonstrate the harmful effect of environmental toxins on brain development and potential consequences in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Source: UCC
Kerr ellipticity effect in a bmefreiigent optical feber

An intensity-dependent caange in the ellipticity of an input light beam leads to a characteristic shift in polarization instability. Dichroism gives rise to a self-induced ellipticity effect in the polarization state of an interse input light oriented along the fast axis of a birefringent optical fiber. The critical power at which the fiber effective beat length becomes infinite is reduced considerably in the presence of dichroism

Source: UCC
Key factors influencing the sustainability of local NGOs in the Wassa districts of the Western region of Ghana

Despite the role of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as actors in development, the question of NGOs’ sustainability has been a major issue of concern. This study sought to determine key factors that local NGOs in the Mpohor Wassa East and Wassa West Districts see as critical to their sustainability and the measures they are employing to achieve organizational sustainability. The research was a case study research which collected both qualitative and quantitative data on the phenomenon. The results show that local NGOs’ organizational sustainability can be viewed from several areas of organisation’s needs availability of funds, quality material resources, supportive leadership, development of need-based and demand-driven programmes and effective management. Significantly, leadership emerged as the most important factor critical to organizational sustainability of local NGOs in the study areas. The study suggests that local NGOs can adopt several measures to ensure their sustainability in terms of funding, resources, leadership, programme development and general management. These include the writing of good demand-driven project proposals, transparency, accountability, training and mobilisation of local resources including funds. To strengthen local NGOs sustainability, it is recommended that leadership training for local NGOs is necessary. Training institutions including University of Cape Coast, University of Development Studies and Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration with programmes in NGOs Studies and Management can play an important role in this direction

Source: UCC
Key factors of success for decentralized public agricultural extension: an expanded view from a Ghanaian case study

The research was based on a single-case study of a district agricultural extension organization that operates under a decentralization system that was judged by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Ghana as successful. The results of the study emphasized the importance of the effects of both, external and organizational, factors on the performance of the case organization. The external factors included: (1) the political will to decentralize, (2) the level of decentralization of other government departments, (3) the provision of a clear legal framework for decentralization, and (4) the existence of established institutions that are willing to support the decentralization process. New external factors that were identified in this study were: (1) the drivers of decentralization, (2) stakeholders’ willingness and commitment to support the decentralization process, and (3) the community characteristics, in terms of land tenure arrangements and gender roles. The results confirmed the importance of the organizational factors prescribed in the literature: (1) stakeholder participation, (2) managerial and technical capacity, (3) operational funding, and (4) accountability. However, the study also identified five other interrelated organizational factors that influenced the success of the case organization. These included the needs to: (1) have extension agents with right attitudes to decentralization, (2) develop a needs-based extension programme, (3) expand the extension service focus and roles, (4) foster a cross-sector pluralistic extension approach, and (5) use needs-based groups for service delivery

Source: UCC
Kinetics and equilibrium thermodynamic studies of the adsorption of phenolphthalein and methyl orange onto muscovite clay

A batch adsorption method for the removal of methyl orange and phenolphthalein from aqueous media onto muscovite clay has been assessed and proven to be successful. The adsorption studies were performed at 303, 323 and 343 K. Factors such as temperature and pH were evaluated. Equilibrium adsorption for all the adsorbates was attained after 30 minutes. Investigation of the adsorption isotherm at 303 K using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models showed that the adsorption of both indicators obey the Langmuir isotherm model with monolayer adsorptive capacities of 13.00 and 2.48 mg/g for methyl orange and phenolphthalein, respectively. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best describes both adsorption processes with R2 > 0.99 and negative activation energies indicating physisorption processes. Assessment of the thermodynamic parameters showed that although the adsorption processes were endothermic (ΔH values of +8.77 kJ/mol and +15.62 kJ/mol for methyl orange and phenolphthalein respectively) over the range of temperatures studied, the relatively high entropy changes (+38.05 kJ/(molK) and +52.52 kJ/(molK) for methyl orange and phenolphthalein respectively) gave an overall negative change in Gibbs free energy making the processes spontaneous. Generally, the adsorption of both dyes was found to increase steadily within the pH range of 3.3 to 7.0 but decreased drastically from pH = 8.0 to 10.0, a phenomenon which can be attributed to electrostatic repulsion between anionic sites on the dyes and negatively charged active sites on the surface of the adsorbent

Source: UCC
Kinetics and thermodynamic studies onMoringa oleifera oil extraction for biodiesel production via transesterification

Moringa oleifera produces oil which can be extracted and converted to biodiesel. However, the kinetics and thermodynamics of this viable fuel have been seldomly investigated. We examine the kinetics and thermodynamics of the oil extraction for biodiesel production. The biodiesel kinematic viscosity (3.75 ± 0.04 mm2 /s), cetane number (67.12), oxidative stability (15.2 ± 0.5), acid value (0.012 mg/KOH), pour point ( 9C) and carbon residue (0.020 6 .001) satisfy the American Society for testing and Materials (ASTM) limits. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy distinguishes the biodiesel and the base oil at 1435.77 cm 1 (-CH3 stretch), 1195.74 cm 1 (O-CH3) and 1377.67 cm 1 (O-CH2) because -CH3 and O-CH3 stretches are absent in the oil whereas the biodiesel lacks O-CH2 stretch. he highly negative activation entropy ( 214.1160.16 J mol 1K 1) and greater activation enthalpy (30.39 60.05 kJ/mol) indicate a slower extraction rate due to the higher energy requirement and stiffer transition of the extraction, respectively. he slower extraction rate agrees with the lower mass transfer coefficients (0.0119–0.0210 min 1). The equilibrium constant (K) is positive whilst the Gibbs free energy (DG) is negative, indicating a forward and spontaneous process. This investigation of kinetics, thermodynamics and transesterification essentially provides in-depth knowledge on oil extraction and biodiesel production

Source: UCC
Kinetics of B Cell Responses to Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 in Ghanaian Women Naturally Exposed to Malaria Parasites

Naturally acquired protective immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria takes years to develop. It relies mainly on Abs, particularly IgG specific for Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) proteins on the infected eryth- rocyte surface. It is only partially understood why acquisition of clinical protection takes years to develop, but it probably involves a range of immune-evasive parasite features, not least of which are PfEMP1 polymorphism and clonal variation. Parasite-induced subversion of immunological memory and expansion of “atypical” memory B cells may also contribute. In this first, to our knowledge, longitudinal study of its kind, we measured B cell subset composition, as well as PfEMP1-specific Ab levels and memory B cell frequencies, in Ghanaian women followed from early pregnancy up to 1 y after delivery. Cell phenotypes and Ag- specific B cell function were assessed three times during and after pregnancy. Levels of IgG specific for pregnancy-restricted, VAR2CSA-type PfEMP1 increased markedly during pregnancy and declined after delivery, whereas IgG levels specific for two PfEMP1 proteins not restricted to pregnancy did not. Changes in VAR2CSA-specific memory B cell frequencies showed typical primary memory induction among primigravidae and recall expansion among multigravidae, followed by contraction postpartum in all. No systematic changes in the frequencies of memory B cells specific for the two other PfEMP1 proteins were identified. The B cell subset analysis confirmed earlier reports of high atypical memory B cell frequencies among residents of P. falciparum– endemic areas, and indicated an additional effect of pregnancy. Our study provides new knowledge regarding immunity to P. falciparum malaria and underpins efforts to develop PfEMP1-based vaccines against this disease.

Source: UCC
Kitchen Area Air Quality Measurements in Northern Ghana: Evaluating the Performance of a Low-Cost Particulate Sensor within a Household Energy Study

Household air pollution from the combustion of solid fuels is a leading global health and human rights concern, affecting billions every day. Instrumentation to assess potential solutions to this problem faces challenges—especially related to cost. A low-cost ($159) particulate matter tool called the Household Air Pollution Exposure (HAPEx) Nano was evaluated in the field as part of the Prices, Peers, and Perceptions cookstove study in northern Ghana. Measurements of temperature, relative humidity, absolute humidity, and carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide concentrations made at 1-min temporal resolution were integrated with 1-min particulate matter less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5 ) measurements from the HAPEx, within 62 kitchens, across urban and rural households and four seasons totaling 71 48-h deployments. Gravimetric filter sampling was undertaken to ground-truth and evaluate the low-cost measurements. HAPEx baseline drift and relative humidity corrections were investigated and evaluated using signals from paired HAPEx, finding significant improvements. Resulting particle coefficients and integrated gravimetric PM2.5 concentrations were modeled to explore drivers of variability; urban/rural, season, kitchen characteristics, and dust (a major PM2.5 mass constituent) were significant predictors. The high correlation (R2 = 0.79) between 48-h mean HAPEx readings and gravimetric PM2.5 mass (including other covariates) indicates that the HAPEx can be a useful tool in household energy studies.

Source: UCC