ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The theory of planned behavior: a conceptual approach to assessing emergencies among selected Ghanaian public Universities.

Why do people behave the way they do in emergency situations that require some urgency? Drawing on the planned behavioral theory, it is understood that, individuals engage in behaviors that are formed out of their beliefs. These beliefs are hinged on three pre-conditions; the actor‟s belief in his ability to intervene (attitude), his perception of what significant others may think about his conduct (subjective norms) and his assessment of the presence of factors that may facilitate or inhibit his conduct (perceived behavioral control). This study set out to assess the theory of planned behavior in emergencies among students, staff and management members of selected Ghanaian public universities. The research had as its objectives, the following intents; to examine the levels of awareness of emergency preparedness on public university campuses, to assess the mediating effect of behavioral intentions in the relationship between attitude and commitment to emergency preparedness, to assess the mediating effect of behavioral intentions in the relationship between subjective norms and commitment to emergency preparedness and to assess the mediating effect of behavioral intentions in the relationship between perceived behavioral control and commitment to emergency preparedness. The study involved a total of 379 respondents with a breakdown of 270 students, 77 staff and 32 management members across the three selected university campuses sampled by a combination of quota, purposive and convenience sampling methods. The analysis of data was conducted in basic descriptive statistics, paired sample T test analyses and linear regression models. The study‟s findings reveal that, the levels of emergency awareness on these campuses did not differ between students, staff and management. Further demonstrating that, behavioral intention positively influence the relationships between attitude with commitment, subjective norms with commitment and perceived behavioral control on commitment. Consequently, behavioral intention was found to be the most influential factor that affects behavioral commitment

Source: KNUST
The threshold effect of electricity consumption and urbanization on carbon dioxide emissions in Ghana

Purpose – The quest for economic development has brought adverse effects on the environment through the release of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2). This will counter the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. This study, therefore, investigates the effect of electricity consumption and urbanization on CO2 emissions in Ghana. Electricity consumption and urbanization are among the factors that can be used to reduce CO2 emissions. Design/methodology/approach – Following the STIRPAT framework with the Hansen (2000) least squares threshold estimation strategy, the study employed annual time series data from 1971 to 2019. Findings – The study revealed a single threshold effect of both electricity consumption and urbanization on CO2 emissions. Electricity consumption intensity reduces CO2 emission when electricity consumption is below the threshold (6287GWh) but increases when consumption passes the threshold. However, urbanization exerts a positive influence on CO2 emissions regardless the level of urbanization (either before or after the threshold point). Again, the empirical results revealed that the urbanization threshold moderates the effect of electricity consumption on CO2 emissions. Research limitations/implications – Policymakers have to consider redesigning the current urbanization mode to include some new-type urbanization elements. Originality/value – The threshold effect of electricity consumption and urbanization on CO2 emissions in Ghana is examined using the Hansen (2000) least square method.

Source: KNUST
The State Of Visual Art Programme In Selected Senior High Schools In The Northern Region Of Ghana

In spite of the monumental benefits associated with the study of Visual Art education and the availability of natural resources in the region to enhance its study, there are low numbers of Senior High schools offering Visual Art programme in SHSs in the Northern Region of Ghana likewise the number of students offering the programme. The study investigated the State of Visual Art Programme in selected Senior High Schools in the Northern Region of Ghana and guided by the following research objectives: to determine the nature of Visual Art programme in selected Senior High Schools in Northern Region of Ghana; to analyse why SHSs in Northern Region are not utilizing its resources for the development of quality Visual Art programme; to analyse and discuss the challenges facing the teaching and learning of Visual Art in selected SHSs in Northern Region and to provide useful suggestions and propose recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the Visual Art programme in the Northern Region. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research design approaches were used. An interview guide, key informants and field trips were employed as data collection instruments from 194 respondents which comprised 40% female and 60% male students. The study established that: Visual Art studios are not adequately equipped and the few available art studios are not properly equipped to enhance their practical knowledge and skills with a mean value of (2.56, SD =1.45). To address this, Government of Ghana and Non-Governmental Organizations should help provide proper funding to cater for the funding gap so as to equip Visual Art studios and make it attractive for other schools and students to offer Visual Art at the SHSs level. The study revealed that, available resources in the area of study are: leather, clay, straw, cane, wood and weaving thread but adduced lack of capacity to transform the natural resources into useful form impede their ability to tap into the available resources to run Visual Art programme. It can be concluded from the above that teachers and students offering Visual Art capacities building should be enhanced by the government to enable them transform the natural resources into useful finished products so as to run Visual Art programme and also attract other students to offer Visual Art.

Source: KNUST
The transition of Ghana’s cooling appliance sector to a circular economy via a small wins governance framework

Air conditioning poses environmental, socioeconomic, and political challenges, especially in sub-Saharan countries such as Ghana, where almost all devices are imported. Thus far, socio-economically feasible pathways for a cooling transition to a circular economy are unclear. Drawing on qualitative interviews, field observations and survey data, this study analyses the potential of small wins governance as a pathway to sweeping system change along Ghana’s air-conditioners’ lifecycle. The research analyses the status quo and identifies potential small wins that could lead to transformative shifts in the cooling sector. Through a mixed-methods approach encompassing interviews, surveys, and field assessments, the study uncovers small wins at four stages of the air conditioner lifecycle, from (1) import, (2) retail & purchase, (3) usage & service, and (4) end-of- life management practices. For policymakers and practitioners, our results imply that they should (a) systematically encourage and reap small wins in public-private spaces in the short-term, e.g. changing the incentive structure for staff controlling imports of air conditioners, (b) adjust supporting policies as learning dynamics unfold over time (e.g., energy and refrigerant standards and labels, tax system), but (c) also keep pushing for big wins in the mid-term (e.g., constructions of a recycling plant for refrigerants in West Africa). The findings emphasize the need for a behavioural, consumer-oriented perspective for the pragmatic potential of small wins towards a circular economy. Overall, the study addresses significant gaps in the literature and suggests that bottom-up approaches may offer more success than attempting broad top-down system changes. The paper contributes to the wider discourse on social-ecological transitions and offers valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers aiming to foster sustainable practices in the cooling sector.

Source: KNUST
The usage of Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) in the Ghanaian Construction Industry

One important component of project management is managing the information that is generated by different stakeholders to ensure that it is efficiently used for delivering the project. Managing this information often requires tools that fall in the framework of Project Management Information Systems (PMIS) and this study was instituted to evaluate the use of PMIS among ArchitecturalEngineering-Construction (AEC) firms in Ghana. The objectives included assessing the level of PMIS usage among the AEC professionals and identifying the challenges associated with PMIS adoption. The literature identified relevant information on the project objectives and was relied on to prepare a structured questionnaire which was presented to respondents selected purposely from AEC firms operating in the Greater Accra Region. The professional associations for the architects, engineers and contractors were accessed for the targeted respondents who were sampled using the Census method. Analysis of the data in relation to the literature showed that the AEC professionals showed great awareness PMIS and identified also the significant information management and information technology constraints that necessitated their use of PMIS. As well the study concluded that AEC professionals extensively used PMIS tools and even identified those used more frequently. These showed conclusively that the PMIS usage among AEC firms was extensive, and also concluded that the challenges faced by these firms included costs and training, differences in protocols used by different professionals on a project and finally the efficient collection and use of data. It was recommended that AEC professionals get adequate training on PMIS and firms invest in relevant tools to promote good information management.

Source: KNUST
The use of kinaesthetic activities as art therapy tools to improve performance in pre-reading and pre-writing among kindergarten pupils.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to find out the existing teaching strategies for teaching at the kindergarten, their usage in the classroom as well as their impact on pupils’ performance. The study sought to identify instructional materials and activities that teachers of KNUST Nursery School engaged the pupils in when teaching the English alphabet and their related sounds, as well as the challenges associated with them and what teachers do to manage such challenges. The study employed the qualitative research approach to critically study the Curriculum and Handbook for Pre-School Education, both of which guide the teachers in order to find out the existing strategies used in teaching the letters and sounds of the alphabet. Observation, questionnaire and interview were used to identify and study how teachers employ the existing strategies, activities and instructional materials in the classroom and their impact on the pupils’ performance in pre-reading and pre-writing. The major findings of the study indicated that the KG 1 and KG2 teachers in the school were not abreast with current strategies because their lessons centred mostly on patterns, joining of patterns and songs were used to teach the letter names and sounds. They employ child centred teaching approaches with play activities in the teaching and learning of the alphabet and sounds. Because some of the pupils had challenges writing the letters accurately, new art based activities were introduced for the teaching and learning of the alphabet and their sounds which made the pupils very active in class and got them fully involved. The activities motivated them to work sometimes without supervision and on the playground. At the end of the study, pupils’ showed positive signs of improvement in their reading and writing of the alphabets. To improve the pupils performance, it is recommended that the Kindergarten teachers be trained to use the kinesthetic teaching and learning strategies and related instructional materials to teach their pupils to learn to read and write the letters of the English alphabet and recognise them by their sounds.

Source: KNUST
The Use Of Enterprise Resource Planning For Effective Warehouse Operations Management In Cocoa Marketing Company (Cmc), Ghana; The Mediating Role Of User Satisfaction

Businesses must outgrow paper-based systems as they expand in order to maximize efficiency and accuracy in product selecting, packing, and shipping. This study's aim is to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for a successful Warehouse Management System in the Warehousing and Ports Operations (WPO) division of Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC). It will assist management in assessing how the module would affect their warehouse operations to raise organizational productivity and profitability. The quantitative research method was used in this study to gather and examine data. The study also employed the purposive sample method to distribute 80 questionnaires to respondents, the majority of whom were workers at the Tema branch of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) in Ghana. To perform thorough analysis, the data was entered into an excel spreadsheet and coded before being imported into SPSS version 23.0. The study's found out that enterprise resource planning practices positively influence warehouse operation management. ERP practices had positive influence on user satisfaction. User satisfaction had a non-significant influence on warehouse operation management. User satisfaction did not mediate the nexus between ERP practices and warehouse operation management. It is recommended that Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC) management should regularly arrange well-tailored training programs for staff at different levels of the organization's hierarchy to give them up-to-date knowledge and skills to use the system effectively and efficiently to produce quality information for decision-making, which will increase return on investment.

Source: KNUST
The use of knapsack 0/1 in prioritizing software requirements and Markov chain to predict software success

Requirements prioritization is one of the most valuable aspects of software engineering. This is primarily due to the fact that resources, be it time, skillset, or budget, are limited. Existing complex methodologies, such as ana lytical heuristic process (AHP) and planning game, face low adoption in the industry, promoting the need for more accessible techniques. This research introduces a novel con tribution to software engineering by ofering a simple and scalable approach to requirement prioritization (RP) and software acceptance prediction. The proposed approach con sists of two key methods, knapsack 0/1 and Markov, to opti mize RP and predict software acceptance respectively. By considering constraints, organizations can make enlightened decisions on handling requirements and optimize their mini mum viable product. The results showcase signifcant time efciency, with an average worst-case time of 5.645s for 10,000 requirements and an upper bound of 0.023s for the Markov prediction. This study aims to provide practitioners with a practical solution for prioritizing requirements and predicting software outcomes from user acceptance tests. By simplifying the process and ofering compelling time complexity, this approach contributes to the enhancement of software development practices.

Source: KNUST
The use of modal auxiliaries: a comparative study of commencement speeches from Ashesi University and the United States of America

ABSTRACT The uses of modal auxiliaries in research papers and political speeches have been well established. The commencement speech, however, remains a green area as far as exploring modal auxiliary usage is concerned. This study explores the semantic contribution of modal auxiliaries in commencement speeches and their link to the speech act theory. To achieve this aim, commencement speeches from Ashesi University and selected speeches from the United States of America have served as the data for this study, with a total corpus size of 51,447 words. The study used AntConc 4.0 to generate the total frequencies of the modal auxiliaries as well as their instances of usage in the commencement speeches. Leech’s (2004) theory of modal auxiliary meaning and Searle’s (1969) speech act theory were employed to identify modal meanings and speech acts performed per their instances of usage, respectively in the commencement speeches. The results indicate that the American commencement speeches employed more modal auxiliaries than the Ashesi University commencement speeches. It was also established that the most frequent modal auxiliaries were ‘will’ and ‘can’ while the lest used modal auxiliary was ‘shall’ Again, it was established that modal auxiliaries tend to carry the import of the message being communicated i.e., the ability of graduands, a prediction of the future, the obligation, the possibilities etc. The study therefore contributes to a deeper understanding of modal auxiliaries and speech act in commencement speeches within the Ghanaian and the American contexts.

Source: KNUST
The use of social media among first-year student groups: A uses and gratifications perspective

The purpose of the study was to explore the uses and gratification of social media among first-year student groups at a satellite campus of a public university in Ghana. The study employed a descriptive survey design. The study involved all 1061 first-year university students in six academic departments of the College. A total of 680 (64%) participants returned validly completed copies of the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that WhatsApp was the most popular application for social media groups, while a need for information-sharing, peer-tutoring and learning, and finding and keeping friends were the primary motivations for joining social media groups. First-year students are involved mainly in reactive activities, as most engage when solving an academic assignment through group discussions. Though challenges persist, such as posting of unwanted images, inadequate participation, and ineffective and irrelevant communication, most are willing to continue their social media groups' membership in the long term. This study provides valuable insight into transitioning students' lived experiences on social media from the group perspective. These insights are valuable conceptually and practically to academic counsellors, librarians and student affairs officers who are expected to provide on-going education on (social) media literacy to first-year students to enhance the adjustment process. The study is the first of its kind in Ghana that investigates social media group participants' exit intentions.

Source: KNUST
Theological Reflection of Christian Education on Some Selected Mission Churches in Akyem Abuakwa

This thesis assesses and examines the effectiveness of Christian education in terms of its transformational impact on members of three selected mission Churches: Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Methodist Church Ghana (MCG) and Roman Catholic Church (RCC) in Akyem Abuakwa traditional area. The thesis emphasises that Christian education has never been effective in the three selected mission Churches. The causes are: failure among many members to set a high priority on Christian education programmes, the busy schedules of the adults and the youth, lack of parental interest in their children’s education, the lack of interest in adult learning, failure of Ministers and Priests to visit children during Church service, high level of illiteracy in rural communities and small budget allocation for Christian education at the expense of heavy capital intensive projects in the Churches. Furthermore, most of the Christian education committees in various congregations are not functioning and there is lack of implementation of Christian educational policies. The study also reveals that lack of resources has affected Christian education in the three selected mission Churches. Furthermore, the study then shows that the lives of most of the members of the three selected Churches could be transformed to be Christlike if members would give Christian education a priority. Christian educators should be qualified personnel who are well versed in the Bible. Christian education committees in the various congregations should be active and they should implement their policies. There is the need for proper planning especially in coordination, supervision and evaluation of Christian education programmes. Manpower development and organization of literacy classes should be emphasized in the three selected mission Churches. v The study recommends that dependence on the Holy Spirit, if people are selected solely for the publication of Christian education materials and also if indigenous or traditional educational resources are given due consideration in Christian education programmes in the three selected mission Churches, there can be effectiveness in the educational ministry of the Church that will result in real character transformation in the lives of their members.

Source: KNUST
Theological response to Open Defecation in Asokore Mampong Municipality.

ABSTRACT Inadequate environmental sanitation and open defecation has been recognized as a public health hazard worldwide. In some Ghanaian communities, living with waste and defecating in gutters as part of the natural environment has become a way of life. This study is to identify the theological response on sanitary condition of urban communities in Asokore Mampong Municipality. The study uses a cross sectional survey design for a sample population of 6,770 household head of four communities in the municipal. Simple random sampling technique as well as purposive sampling was used in selecting 350 inhabitant/household head in these communities and structured questionnaire was used for data collection, both primary and secondary data were also considered in the study. Data was analysed using frequencies, percentages and Cronbach Alpha. Result of the findings shows that, both communities were beset with extremely poor waste management practices. Large volumes of waste were observed in almost every open space with the few poorly maintained gutters being clogged by waste. Improved toilet facilities coverage was extremely low (2.8% for Aboabo number 1, 4.8% for Aboabo number 2, 1.4% for Aboabo Extention and 8.9% for Asawase) leading to an average number 227 representing 64.9% of households patronizing the few public toilet facilities in the communities. Majority of the private toilets were also shared by more than three households. High levels of indiscriminate disposal of children‘s excreta on open plots, streets, gutters and dump sites were observed as well as the practice of open defecation. Due to this, high levels of water related diseases, particularly diarrhoea (12.7%, 16.2%, 24.4% and 11.6 respectively) were high in children under five years in both communities. The study also reveals the various unsatisfactory personal, domestic and environmental hygiene practices, contributing to various diseases in the communities. These findings could be used by residents and city authorities for planning and effective management of the sanitation sector in order to protect public health and ensure good environmental quality. Therefore, to enhance the sanitary condition and open defecation in these communities, the government should establish and enforce a more robust environmental sanitation approach and health education.

Source: KNUST