Browsing by Author "Stephen, Ndawula"

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Didactic infrastructure management and curriculum implementation in public universities in Northern Uganda
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2024-06-13) Emmanuel, Acidri Bileti; Stephen, Ndawula; Harriet, Kebirungi; Joseph, Rwothumio
This study investigated the levels of curriculum implementation and didactic infrastructure management in public universities in Northern Uganda. It evaluated the influence of didactic infrastructure management on curriculum implementation in public universities in Northern Uganda. It was hypothesised that didactic infrastructure management has no significant relationship with curriculum implementation in public universities in Northern Uganda. The study was guided by a pragmatic worldview and embraced a concurrent mixed- methods research design. The study used a questionnaire to collect quantitative data from 123 respondents. Qualitative data was collected from 26 participants through interviews. Furthermore, eight focus group discussions were conducted. The quantitative data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient analysis and multiple linear regression techniques, while thematic analysis techniques were used to analyse qualitative data. The study revealed that, generally, the levels of curriculum implementation were low and didactic infrastructure management was moderate. The study results showed that didactic infrastructure management had a significant influence on curriculum implementation in public universities in Northern Uganda. The null hypothesis that didactic infrastructure management has no significant relationship with curriculum implementation in public universities in Northern Uganda was rejected. The study concluded that didactic infrastructure management is significant for curriculum implementation. Therefore, it was recommended that public universities in Northern Uganda improve the management of their didactic infrastructure, such as libraries, sports facilities, and halls, to further enhance curriculum implementation, especially in areas of preparation for teaching, content delivery, and assessment of learning.
Does the school financing role matter in e-learning adoption? An explanatory sequential study in midwifery schools in Uganda
(Contemporary Educational Technology, 2020-02) June, Patrick Bigirwa; Stephen, Ndawula; Esther, Frances Naluwemba
Despite the high level of investment on e-learning programs in Uganda, there is a low adoption of this new pedagogy in midwifery schools. This trend is likely to frustrate government’s efforts to improve the skill mix, competencies and numbers of midwives. This research sought to establish whether school financing role was essential to e-learning adoption, and the salient traits of school financing role to be focused on by midwifery schools. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed, ten midwifery schools were sampled with 167 respondents. A moderate positive relationship between school financing role and e-learning adoption (r = 0.402, p = 0.000, n = 167), was ascertained and school financing role accounted for 15.7% of the variance in e-learning adoption. The salient traits were; diversified sources of funds, deliberate efforts to expand sources of funds, coordination mechanisms for the sources of funds, affordable school fees structure, and a convenient fees payment system. Midwifery schools ought to implement these traits if they are to improve e-learning adoption.
E-learning adoption: Does the instructional design model matter? An explanatory sequential study on midwifery schools in Uganda
(E-Learning and Digital Media, 2020-07) June, Bigirwa Patrick; Stephen, Ndawula; Esther, Frances Naluwemba
E-learning has become an integral part of mainstream society and hence revolutionizing distance education endeavours. A number of change agents and bureaucrats in Uganda have embraced this pedagogy constructing it as an alternative to the traditional brick and mortar educational systems, which have become difficult to develop and maintain. However, despite the high level of investment on e-learning programs, there is a slow adoption of this new pedagogy amongst students and faculty, and those who do start to use the system opt out later. This trend of slow adoption is likely to constrain government’s efforts of improving the skill mix, competencies and numbers of midwives in the country. This research intended to ascertain whether instructional design was an influencer of e-learning adoption and profile the salient instructional design traits relevant to e-learning adoption in midwifery schools in Uganda. Ten schools were sampled with 224 participants. Data collection was conducted in two phases, the first entailed quantitative data collection and analysis to ascertain whether instructional design played a significant role in e-learning adoption and the second embraced a qualitative data collection and analysis to ascertain the salient traits of instructional design to be relied on by midwifery schools. Simple linear regression analysis established that instructional design had a significant influence on e-learning adoption with p value of (p = 0.016), and it accounted for 38.7% of the variance in e-learning adoption, with a moderate positive relationship and its key salient traits includes: choosing an appropriate instructional design model to guide the entire e-learning process, interactivity of e-learning materials, collaborative working in developing and updating e-learning materials, eliciting feedback on instructional materials, and engaging in more than one e-learning activity. Midwifery schools therefore have to focus on these six traits if they are to improve e-learning adoption.
Exploring user attitudes towards internet use: the role of gender and age difference
(Science Journal of Psychology, 2013-02) Stephen, Ndawula; Joyce, Ayikoru Asiimwe
This study was conducted in Kyambogo University (KYU), Uganda to assess the impact of gender and age difference on students’ attitudes towards use of internet. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 350 students were randomly selected to constitute the sample. Data was collected using a questionnaire, and analyzed descriptively using SPSS for frequencies, means, standard deviation and cross tabulation. The results indicated that there were no significant relationships between gender and age difference of undergraduate students’ attitudes towards the academic use of Internet. It was recommended, that; free Internet access be provided to students at the university, students taking ICT classes be helped to purchase personal computers at subsidized prices, KYU encouraged to devise more strategies of maintaining gender balance into the students’ curricula.
Optimizing computer supported collaborative learning within higher education: insights from student collaboration on take-home group tasks in Uganda
(Makerere Journal of Higher Education, 2023-05) Lydia, Namatende-Sakwa; Loyce, Kiiza Kobusingye; Stephen, Ndawula; Christopher, Isabirye
The growth in computer-supported Collaborative learning (CSCL), especially in higher education, has attracted many research studies. However, there remains a paucity of empirical studies on how it can be taken up within higher education in real-world settings. This study, undertaken with undergraduate students in a Ugandan university, takes up Design Based Research, specifically using Google docs, to provide an empirical example, illuminating how teachers can optimise technology as informed by the SAMR model in order to support Collaborative learning towards the attainment of higher order thinking skills. The study generated some design principles which can be used to inform CSCL. These principles, undergirded by the imperative for teachers to support learners in CSCL, include the provision of a feedback loop to enable learner support; designing in ways that cater for diverse learner styles; tracking and rewarding student contributions; supporting learners to explore and optimise the affordances of tools to complement each other as well as using technology in ways that allow for progression in students’ thinking as well as in their technological skills. The study has implications for teacher training, particularly the inclusion of technology as a key component in solving educational problems within their practice. Specifically, teacher education programmes should ground pre-service and in-service teachers in theoretical frameworks which can support their practice.