BECOMING A TEACHER IN ADDIS ABABA: THE ROLES OF GENDER, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND FAMILY PROFESSION

Enguday Ademe   

This study examined the potential teacher’s opinion towards becoming a teacher. It also checked if there exists a statistically significant relationship between choice to become a teacher and gender, or performance, or family profession. It was mixed quantitative-qualitative in its approach. Grade 12 students in Addis Ababa were the data sources and 394 students participated in the study. Data were collected using feedback surveys and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and a two-way chi-square test for independence. The findings revealed that a significant majority of students (92.6%) would choose not to become teachers. However, 42.4% of them would join the field if they were assigned. Among those who would choose the field, any association between choice and gender, or performance (except choice and performance with no other option), or family profession failed to reach statistical significance. The majority’s reason to join the field is extrinsic and not to do so is intrinsic. ‘Assigning students’ to study teaching rather than through ‘having the interest’ or ‘having no other option’ routes is a preferred way to attract a better pool of candidates to the profession.

INTERNATIONALIZATION OF AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE TIME OF EMERGING GLOBAL REALITIES

Yekunoamlak Alemu

This paper aims at exploring opportunities and challenges of internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Africa so as to encourage South–South partnership. In order to achieve this objective, desk review of experiences coupled with historical sketch were employed. Qualitative review of experience was selected to examine the comparative viewpoints of challenges and opportunities in internationalization. The approach and materials consulted were chosen depending on policy relevance and appropriateness to the context. Accordingly, research-based documents were thematically organized and analyzed. As African universities are part of the wider Global HEIs, academic activities of HEIs in the South are positively and adversely influenced by institutional culture and technological advancement of the North. Although Africa is endowed with strong communal culture and natural resources, most HEIs are in the ivory tower detached from real-life-situations and far from addressing existing and emerging problems of the society. Based on research findings and institutional examples, internationalization of higher education in Africa lacks experience and heavily relies on Western approaches, and considered as weak in terms of resource and network. Hence, the findings focus on how to maximize homegrown approaches for HEIs in Africa and address limitations in the direction of mobility and ICT.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COST OF SUGARCANE PRODUCTION AND COST OF MAIZE PRODUCTION AMONG FARMERS IN NYANZA REGION IN KENYA: APPLICATION OF STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING

Ben Jack Otieno Ochieng and Samuel O. Onyuma

Sugarcane is an essential crop globally due to its many dietary and commercial uses. In spite of the increased demand for sugarcane as an intermediate input for the production of animal feeds, bioethanol and food stuff, its significance on the livelihood of farmers in Kenya is mixed. There are sections of farmers uprooting this cash crop in favour of maize, a staple food, as a means to enhance their food security status. On the other hand, some policy pronouncement encourages the diversification of this cash crop by intercropping it with other staple food crops. The study was anchored on the agricultural production theory. Based on the application of correlation research design, this paper adopted the Structural Equation Modeling to analyze primary data collected from rural households in three Nyanza region counties of Homabay, Kisumu and Migori to establish the relationship between sugarcane and maize production from their corresponding cost of inputs (labor, land and capital). From the findings, as the cost of sugarcane production increases, the cost of maize production also increases significantly, though inelastic. This implies that mechanization of farm activities can act to reduce production costs. Enhancing sugarcane productivity will contribute significantly towards reducing production cost. Therefore, the government must closely monitor the spikes in cost of sugarcane production since this is bound to result in the cost of maize production also spiking exacerbating the problem of food insecurity. This paper therefore empirically contributes to understanding of the intertlinking complexity between the production structure of a cash crop (sugarcane) and food crop (maize), given their importance in food security in a developing economy. 

MEDIA VIEWING HABITS OF SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND THEIR ATTITUDES: A CASE OF SELECTED SCHOOLS IN NIFAS –SILK LAFTO SUB-CITY OF ADDIS ABABA

Daniel Erena and Hailu Gutema

The purpose of this study was to determine satellite television viewing habits of high school teachers and administrators and their attitude towards various elements of culture imbibed from satellite television movies and its impact on Ethiopian culture. The study also determined the link between television-viewing habits, attitudes and gender. It was conducted on select private and government secondary schools found in Nifas Silk Lafto sub-city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A mixed-methods and case study approach was employed. The study used a mix of purposive, stratified random sampling technique. Instruments of data collection composed of questionnaire and interview. The findings indicated that Television, Mobile device, and Internet are most sought after by the teachers and administrators to satisfy their information /entertainment needs. Most of them were found to be heavy viewers of satellite television. Movies serve as the overall major shows for the school teachers and administrators. Differences in expressions of attitude of the high school teachers and administrators from the private and government schools were not statistically significant. Altogether, however, between the continuum of extremely negative and positive attitudes the subjects’ attitude is more inclined towards negativity. The study indicated that there is association between television-viewing habit and attitude. The analysis also indicated that there is some connection between gender and attitude. Findings of the present study thus have implication on media literacy training or promoting media awareness among the school communities. 

INSTITUTIONALIZING CRISIS-SENSITIVE EDUCATION PLANNING, PREPAREDNESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY PRACTICAL SKILLS FOR UNDERGRADUATE PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

Truphena E. Mukuna

There is consensus that teacher educators should be held responsible for the trainees that they graduate. COVID-19 led to rapid response to the crisis by promoting adoption of remote learning. Ministries of education all over the world aligned rapid response to their long-term learning priorities. Efforts should be geared towards enhancing the skills of teacher educators and the trainee teachers in crisis risk reduction and management through micro-teaching course. Educational media practical skill training is critical to ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. Teachers need Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge to use technology for economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental conservation. Digitalization of the curriculum is about looking ahead of crises that may disrupt learning. However, studies on integration of ICT into pedagogy have revealed gross incompetence of teachers and lack of infrastructure and instructional leadership to support its implementation. Additionally, Ministries of Education in Africa have not institutionalized crisis-risk reduction and management into education policies and programs. Moreover, effective continuous professional development for teacher educators and learners has not been institutionalized in higher education in Kenya. Therefore, adoption and integration of ICT into higher education curriculum and pedagogy is still at a nascent stage. A study was done among fourth year pre-service teacher trainees at Maasai Mara University to establish how effective the media practical skills training prepared them for teaching practice and Technological Pedagogical Knowledge Content. The findings revealed that there was a relationship between media practical skills training and teaching practice. They also revealed that most of the students had pedagogical and content knowledge but no Technological Knowledge. This study has recommended revision of the teacher education curriculum, capacity building of teacher educators in 21st Century skills on Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge and provision of well-equipped resource centers in teacher training institutions.