ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Effects of predict-observe-explain instructional approach on science student-teachers’ performance and attitudes towards selected organic chemistry topics

The study was conducted to assess the effects of predict-observe-explain instructional approach (POEIA) on the selected College of Education (COE) science student-teachers’ performance and attitudes towards the selected organic chemistry topics mainly hydrocarbons, alkanols, carbonyl compounds, alkanoic acids, alkanoates and amines. Action research was the design employed for the study. A total sample size of 40, 2021- 2022 second year science student-teachers made up of 32 (80.0%) males and 8 (20.0%) females were used for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample in an intact class for the study. Tests, questionnaires and interviews were the instruments used to collect data for the study. The POEIA intervention activities was implemented for ten weeks. The data were analysed using both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods. The SPSS version 21.0 for window was used for data analysis; and Microsoft excel program was used to present the data pictorially into Tables and charts. It was revealed that almost all 38(95.0%) perceived organic chemistry to be very difficult for them to learn. Again, alkenes, alkynes, alkanols, aldehydes, ketones, alkanoic acids, alkanoates, acid anhydrides and amines were identified as the nine most difficult topics to learn in their COE organic chemistry curriculum; with ketones being the most difficult topic. All the 40 (100%) respondents unanimously agreed that lack of remedial action by COE tutors for them and organic chemistry syllabus being too broad were the two major causes of their conceptual difficulties in learning the selected topics. It was observed that majority (50% or more) of the respondents demonstrated very good conceptual understanding with respect to functional group identification; but almost all of them demonstrated low conceptual understanding with respect to IUPAC nomenclature, organic reaction mechanisms and correct balancing of equations involving combustion of hydrocarbons and had misconceptions on these topics. It was found that science student-teachers’ performance had improved significantly and also had higher positive attitudes towards the selected organic chemistry topics after they had been exposed to the POEIA intervention activities. The post-intervention test results showed a significant increase in performance (t = -6.639, p < 0.05). Finally, the views of the research subjects on the POEIA were very positive, they wanted it to be continued, and that they indicated that the designed POE module could be used to enhance the teaching and learning of the selected organic chemistry topics at the colleges. It was therefore, recommended that chemistry tutors should adopt innovative teaching strategies such as POEIA so as to help COE science student-teachers to learn organic chemistry topics such hydrocarbons, alkanols, carbonyls, alkanoic acids, esters and amines better in colleges

Source: UEW
The effects of problem-based learning on students’ cognitive achievements in some selected topics in Chemistry

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of problem-based learning on students‘ cognitive achievements in some selected topics in chemistry. The research design employed for the study was Quasi-Experimental specifically non-equivalent control group pretest–posttest design. The total population considered for the study consisted of Two hundred and fifty (250) second year senior high school students‘ who learn chemistry as an elective subject in Nkrankwanta Senior High Technical School. The sample size was Eighty-five (85) elective chemistry students in Nkrankwanta Senior High Technical School. Two intact classrooms were used for the study. The control group consisted of forty five (45) second year science students and the experimental group was equally Forty (40) second year Agricultural science students‘. Tests (Chemistry Achievement Test) and questionnaire with reliability coefficient of 0.80 were the instruments used for data gathering. Chemistry achievement pre-test was administered to both experimental and control groups. An intervention was carried out for the experimental group after which chemistry achievement post-test was also administered to both groups. Descriptive statistics such as percentages, mean , standard deviation and inferential statistics independent samples t-test, and paired samples t-test were used in analysing the collected data to answer four research questions and two null hypotheses, which were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The t-test results for control and experimental groups indicated that there was a statistically significance difference between students Post-test scores of both Control group exposed to Traditional method and Experimental group exposed to Problem-Based Learning approach. Also, the inferential statistics carried on the pre-test and posttest scores of students‘ in the experimental group exposed to Problem-Based Learning approach revealed there was no statistically significant difference between the cognitive achievement of male and female students‘ in chemistry. The study therefore recommends the need for inclusion of problem-based learning approach in the Senior High School chemistry syllabus and textbooks as this can result in significantly higher students‘ cognitive achievement in chemistry concepts such as redox reaction and acid-base concepts than the conventional approach (traditional learning approach).

Source: UEW
Effects of realistic and non -realist simulations on students achievement on the topic cell division

This research was primarily designed to help improve the academic performance of students in Adventist Senior High School in the Sekyere South District in the study of Cell Division in Biology. The target population comprised Senior High School Biology students. Using the quasi-experimental design 74 second year biology students were selected for the study, the researcher put students into two groups; experimental and control groups, each group comprised of 37 students. The researcher developed two interventions realistic and non-realistic simulation teaching approaches to teach the topic. Using the developmental research approach, both teaching strategy were pilot tested with 30 SHS biology students. This was followed by the sample size implementation and evaluation of the techniques intervention. A paired sample Tukey-test analysis was used to analyze the scores from the tests thus the pre and post-test of both the experimental and control group. In the experimental group the p value gave 0.486 which showed that there was no significant difference between the means of the pre and post-test of the experimental group. The control group recorded a p-value of 0.000 meaning there was significant difference between the pre and post test. The Tukey-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances was used to analyze the post-test of experimental group and post-test of control group which showed there were statistically significant difference among the two, where p = 0.000 ( = 0.05). The study revealed that the selected students lacked conceptual understanding about the topic. Among other things it was suggested that biology teachers should be encourage to use realistic simulations approach in teaching and learning some abstract biological concept to minimax students understanding. Suggestions for further research into the problem of this study include the replication of the study in other schools in the country to provide a pool of data for possible full scale national attention.

Source: UEW
Effects of realistic and non -realist simulations on students achievement on the topic cell division

This research was primarily designed to help improve the academic performance of students in Adventist Senior High School in the Sekyere South District in the study of Cell Division in Biology. The target population comprised Senior High School Biology students. Using the quasi-experimental design 74 second year biology students were selected for the study, the researcher put students into two groups; experimental and control groups, each group comprised of 37 students. The researcher developed two interventions realistic and non-realistic simulation teaching approaches to teach the topic. Using the developmental research approach, both teaching strategy were pilot tested with 30 SHS biology students. This was followed by the sample size implementation and evaluation of the techniques intervention. A paired sample Tukey-test analysis was used to analyze the scores from the tests thus the pre and post-test of both the experimental and control group. In the experimental group the p-value gave 0.486 which showed that there was no significant difference between the means of the pre and post-test of the experimental group. The control group recorded a p-value of 0.000 meaning there was significant difference between the pre and post-test. The Tukey-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances was used to analyze the post-test of experimental group and post-test of control group which showed there were statistically significant difference among the two, where p = 0.000 ( = 0.05). The study revealed that the selected students lacked conceptual understanding about the topic. Among other things it was suggested that biology teachers should be encourage to use realistic simulations approach in teaching and learning some abstract biological concept to minimax students understanding. Suggestions for further research into the problem of this study include the replication of the study in other schools in the country to provide a pool of data for possible full scale national attention.

Source: UEW
Effects of realistic and non -realist simulations on student’s achievement on the topic cell division

This research was primarily designed to help improve the academic performance of students in Adventist Senior High School in the Sekyere South District in the study of Cell Division in Biology. The target population comprised Senior High School Biology students. Using the quasi-experimental design 74 second year biology students were selected for the study, the researcher put students into two groups; experimental and control groups, each group comprised of 37 students. The researcher developed two interventions realistic and non-realistic simulation teaching approaches to teach the topic. Using the developmental research approach, both teaching strategy were pilot tested with 30 SHS biology students. This was followed by the sample size implementation and evaluation of the techniques intervention. A paired sample Tukey-test analysis was used to analyze the scores from the tests thus the pre and post-test of both the experimental and control group. In the experimental group the p value gave 0.486 which showed that there was no significant difference between the means of the pre and post-test of the experimental group. The control group recorded a p-value of 0.000 meaning there was significant difference between the pre and post test. The Tukey-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances was used to analyze the post-test of experimental group and post-test of control group which showed there were statistically significant difference among the two, where p = 0.000 ( = 0.05). The study revealed that the selected students lacked conceptual understanding about the topic. Among other things it was suggested that biology teachers should be encourage to use realistic simulations approach in teaching and learning some abstract biological concept to minimax students understanding. Suggestions for further research into the problem of this study include the replication of the study in other schools in the country to provide a pool of data for possible full scale national attention.

Source: UEW
Effects of recycled fe2o3 nanofiller on the structural, thermal, mechanical, dielectric, and magnetic properties of ptfe matrix

The purpose of this study was to improve the dielectric, magnetic, and thermal properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites using recycled Fe2O3 (rFe2O3) nanofiller. Hematite (Fe2O3 ) was recycled from mill scale waste and the particle size was reduced to 11.3 nm after 6 h of high-energy ball milling. Different compositions (5�25 wt %) of rFe2O3 nanoparticles were incorporated as a filler in the PTFE matrix through a hydraulic pressing and sintering method in order to fabricate rFe2O3�PTFE nanocomposites. The microstructure properties of rFe2O3 nanoparticles and the nanocomposites were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The thermal expansion coefficients (CTEs) of the PTFE matrix and nanocomposites were determined using a dilatometer apparatus. The complex permittivity and permeability were measured using rectangular waveguide connected to vector network analyzer (VNA) in the frequency range 8.2�12.4 GHz. The CTE of PTFE matrix decreased from 65.28 � 10?6/?C to 39.84 � 10?6/?C when the filler loading increased to 25 wt %. The real (?? ) and imaginary (??? ) parts of permittivity increased with the rFe2O3 loading and reached maximum values of 3.1 and 0.23 at 8 GHz when the filler loading was increased from 5 to 25 wt %. A maximum complex permeability of (1.1 ? j0.07) was also achieved by 25 wt % nanocomposite at 10 GHz. � 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Source: UEW
Effects of regular maize and different certified maize varieties on the growth and carcass traits of broiler chickens

The effects of Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa maize varieties or their mixture and regular maize on the growth performance of broiler chickens was evaluated over a 6-week experimental period using 180 cobb 500 broilers. There were 5 treatments arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments were as follows: regular maize-based diet; Obatampa maize-based diet; Abontem maize-based diet; Honampa maize-based diet and a mixture of Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa maize varieties. Each treatment was replicated 5 times with 9 birds per replicate. Growth performance and carcass traits data were collected. The findings of the study revealed that the metabolize energy content of QPM and Regular maize was similar. Results showed that the nutritional composition of the maize varities used were similar to that of Regular maize, although maize varities tended have higher levels of crude protein and crude fat. Treatment effects after 7, 14, 21, and 28, 35 days was not significant for livability, body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed intake. Abontem had the lowest FCR. However, the treatments did not affect livability and feed intake at the end of day 42. Obatanpa, Honampa, Abontem or their mixture influence growth performance at the initial stages of growth but did influence growth performance at the latter stages. Birds fed regular diet tended to consume more feed compared to the birds receiving QPM-based diet. The breast muscle yield of the chickens fed with regular maize diet was lower compared to those fed with QPM maize diet. However, higher breast meat yield and lower duodenal, jejunum and ileum weight were noticed in the diet in which QPM was used. Further, weights of breast, thigh, heart, duodenum, liver, gizzard, jejunum, ileum and caeca) expressed as % of live weight were not significant (p > 0.05) except proventriculus (p<0.05). It is concluded that Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa used in broiler feed improved the growth performance and carcass traits of the birds than regular maize.

Source: UEW
Effects of regular maize and different certified maize varieties on the growth performance and carcass traits of broiler chickens

This 6-week study was conducted to compare the effects of different varieties of maize (Obatanpa, Abontem, Honampa or their mixture) and regular maize on the growth performances of broiler chickens. A total of one 180-day-old chick were randomly allotted to 5 treatments with 4 replications with 9 birds in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). All the dietary treatments were formulated to iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The energy, crude protein and crude fat content of the Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa was higher than the regular maize. The production performances did not significantly influence (P > 0.05) for day 0 – 7 by the maize varieties and regular maize. No significant (P> 0.05) difference was observed for the parameters used among the dietary treatments from day 0 – 21. However, weight gain (WG) from day 0 – 42 recorded an increase showing a significant (P< 0.05) effect. Feed intake also increased from day 0-42. Again, feed intake did not show any significant effect (P> 0.05) on the birds for day 21 – 42. Also FCR of birds for day 21– 35 did not show any significant effects (P> 0.05). Moreover, day 21 – 28 recorded a significant difference in Weight gain (WG), body weight (BW) and Livability (LV) for all dietary treatments. B.W, WG, FCR and intake recorded no difference (P> 0.05) for day 28 - 35. Birds fed the Abontem diet recorded the lowest Liveability. However, from day 0 – 42, BW, WG and FCR differed significantly (P<0.05) but birds fed regular maize recorded a higher FCR. The weights (% of live weight) of the breast, thigh, heart, liver, duodenum, jejenum, gizzard, Ileum and caeca of the birds were not significantly influenced (P>0.05) by the dietary treatments. Birds fed the regular maize, Abontem and Honampa recorded a higher (P < 0.05) weight in the breast and proventriculus. Feeding Obatanpa decreased (P>0.05) the weight of the liver and gizzard. Overall, It was concluded from the results that the growth performance parameters were similar for all the dietary treatments, farmers can utilize any of these new varieties in their feeding operations but where carcass colour is desired HM and AM could be the varieties to use.

Source: UEW
Effects of regular maize and different varieties of maize on the growth performance and carcass traits of broiler chickens

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different varieties of certified maize and silo maize on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and eighty (180) broiler chicks aged day old were used for the experiment. The experimental diets were Regular maize, (T1), Obatanpa Maize (T2), Abontem Maize (T3), Honampa Maize (T4), and a combination of certified maize varieties (T5). A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was used for the experiment. Data collection was subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model using Minitab Statistics (Version 20.3) and treatment means were compared using Tukey’s Pairwise Comparisons at a 5% significant level. Results of the study showed that birds fed with different varieties of certified maize and silo maize had no significant (P>0.05) effect on feed intake throughout the experiment. It was observed that feed conversion was high in birds fed with a T4 (Honampa) maize diet with T1 (regular maize) recording the least feed conversion in weeks 1 and 2. Breast weight, thigh weight, heart weight, duodenum weight, liver weight, gizzard weight, jejunum weight, ileum weight, and caeca weight observed in this study were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the different varieties of certified maize and silo maize inclusion in the diets of broilers. It can therefore be deduced that the various dietary treatments did not influence growth performance and carcass characteristics, except for live weight and weight of proventriculus. It is recommended to farmers that, feeding broilers with different varieties of maize has no significant effect on growth characteristics and so farmers can include any maize variety in the diets of broilers provided it is certified

Source: UEW
The effects of sand mining on sub-structure of buildings in new Juaben municipality in the Eastern region

The purpose of the study was to study the effects of sand mining on sub-structure of buildings in New Juaben Municipality in the Eastern Region. The research design used for this study was a case study. The population for the study involved sand miners and chiefs of Koforidua (New Juaben Municipality). The purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of 200 for the study. This was made up of 176 household respondents, 7opinion leaders, 15 informants and 2chiefs. Data collection instruments used includes questionnaire, interview and observation. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to analyse the data for the study. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 20) software was used to analyse data. The study results concluded that sand mining communities are associated with destructions to the sub structures of buildings, vegetation cover, creation of gullies on farmlands and other damages to the physical environment. Unfortunately, these degraded sites become unproductive because no measures are put in place to reclaim the lost lands. Consequently, several acres of lands are lost annually to the activities of sand mining in various parts of the region. All efforts must therefore be put in place by the district assemblies, in collaborations with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; to restore the lands that are destroyed in the wake of sand mining activities. The study recommended that the Environmental Protection Agency should intensify operations to combat illegal sand mining activities in the New Juaben Municipality.

Source: UEW
Effects of sand on the cement laterite interlocking blocks

In recent years, the attention of most researchers is shifting towards the optimization of building materials by using local contents, the use of indigenous materials, and local industrial by-products unique and abundant in certain localities. This study investigates the effect of sand utilised in cement–laterite interlocking block production in Ghana. Cement-laterite interlocking blocks were made with lateritic soil replacement with conventional fine aggregate from 0% to 25% by weight with Hydraform interlocking block moulding machine. Cement-laterite interlocking blocks without sand (0%) served as control. The blocks produced were tested to determine their density, compressive strength, tensile strength, water absorption, erosion and EDS/SEM properties. The average density of cement-laterite interlocking blocks indicated that as the curing days increase the density decreases alongside for each percentage of sand content decreases. The results of both the compressive and tensile strength were almost the same because only 5% sand replacement achieved the maximum strength above the 0% (control level) and the rest were below the control level or 0% from 7 days to 28 days curing period. Water absorption test results after 28 days curing period increased as the sand percentages increased. Erosion test result after 28 days curing period showed increase erodability as the sand percentages increased. The EDS results test indicated he chemical elements of the block such as O, Ca, Si, Al, and Fe. Lastly, the SEM images of the various percentages of sand showed some pores present in the cement–laterite interlocking blocks. Therefore, it can be concluded that the sand replacement interlocking laterite blocks have the potential of supporting the affordable housing concept in Ghana. The study recommends 5% sand replacement of laterite in producing cement–laterite interlocking blocks.

Source: UEW