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E-Learning
(Springer, 2025-02-28) Mugizi, Wilson; Nagasha, Judith Irene
In this chapter, we elucidate the state of E-learning and the way forward in higher education in Africa. We look at E-learning as an emerging discipline, the progress achieved in education through the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and specifically the Internet, the multiple definitions that have emerged during the past few decades, and the advance in the uptake in African institutions of higher education to suggest a way forward. Since this chapter is an exploration of the state of the field, it is a critical review. The chapter familiarizes stakeholders in education with current knowledge and trends in E-learning in higher education in Africa. This offers an understanding of the progress, the steps taken to implement E-learning, and the way forward. The pertinent question that emerges is the following: Why evaluate E-learning in African higher education? The answer to this question is a simple one. Basically, since the education landscape worldwide has changed following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which made E-learning a requirement, and is no longer a peculiar way providing education by specific institutions and departments, mainly those offering distance education, stakeholders in higher education in Africa have to take steps to fully integrate E-learning in teaching and learning. This chapter provides insights for the implementation of E-learning in higher institutions of education in Africa. But, in order to do this effectively, we deem it very important to show how E-learning has conceptualized the continent.
Employers' desired employability skills in pre-service teacher graduates: a case study of Kyambogo University, Uganda
(Journal of Research Innovation and Implications in Education, 2025) Kakooza, Abdulaziz; Kaahwa, Maria Goretti; Owino, Philip
The study explored the key employability skills sought by employers of graduate teachers in Uganda, examining how these competencies can be integrated more effectively into pre-service teacher training programs. Guided by an interpretivist philosophical orientation, this qualitative single-case study was conducted at Kyambogo University. Purposive sampling included 2 heads of department, 8 lecturers, 22 final-year pre-service teacher trainees, and 8 head teachers from both public and private secondary schools. Data collection encompassed key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to derive key themes. Trustworthiness was reinforced through peer debriefing, triangulation, and member checking. Findings revealed that employers consistently emphasized a set of ten core employability skills communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, leadership, emotional intelligence, adaptability, problem-solving, time management, and self-sufficiency. These competencies were deemed vital for newly hired teachers to manage dynamic classroom environments, innovate within resource constraints, and contribute effectively to school communities. The study recommended that pre-service teacher training programmes should systematically embed these employability skills and assess them through practical experiences and mentorship. Stakeholders, including policymakers and educational leaders, must also offer institutional support such as professional development and structured collaborative opportunities to foster ongoing skill enhancement.
Functional and sensory properties of iron and folic acid fortifed NABE‑3 bean and silver fish composite instant four
(Discover Food, 2025-03-23) Ssepuuya, Geofrey; Hooper, Sharon; Nakyinsige, Khadijah; Maseruka, Eria Gyagenda; Musabi, Dianah; Rukundo, Peter; Kebirungi, Harriet; Weatherspoon, Lorraine; Jackson‑Malete, Jose
Despite the need for Iron and Folic acid (IFA) during critical stages of child development and gestation, there is observed persistence in deficiencies despite several interventions. This situation motivated a food-based approach using IFAfortified NARO Bean-3 (NABE-3 bean) and silverfish. IFA fortified composite flours with NABE-3 (BF): silver fish flour (SFF) proportions as 100% BF, 90% BF: 10% SFF, 80% BF: 20% SFF, and 70% BF: 30% SFF were developed. Functional, pasting, and sensory properties were assessed using standard methods. Increasing silverfish proportions in the composite flours was associated with decreased water absorption properties of the composite flours indicating reduced reconstitution abilities; reduced final viscosity but increased bulk density implying a high density of nutrients at lower viscosity and volume; and increased peak time indicating increased cooking energy requirements. The compressibility and Hausner ratios of the flours were high and not significantly different, indicating low flowability of the bean flour and its composites with silver fish. Increasing silverfish proportions reduced sensory score from liked moderately to indifferent on a 9-point hedonic scale due to colour darkening, and increased intensity of fishy aroma and flavour. The 90% BF: 10% SFF and 80% BF: 20% SFF composites were more acceptable than the 70% BF: 30% SFF. However, all the composites were more acceptable than the control 100% BF: 0% SFF. Incorporation of silver fish into NABE bean flour generally leads to increased sensory acceptability and nutrient density but reduced functionality.
Large-scale climate drivers of drought-to-flood events in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insight from CMIP6 large-ensembles
(EGU General Assembly, 2025-03-14) Dieppois, Bastien; Ekolu, Job ; Rubinato, Matteo ; Onyutha, Charles ; Okia, Clement ; Musinguzi, Denis ; Bogere, Robert ; Mombo, Felister ; Binego, Liliane ; Fried, Jana ; De Wiel, Marco Van
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is increasingly experiencing unprecedented drought-to-flood events, posing critical challenges to water and food security. These rapid or seasonal transitions between extreme hydroclimatic conditions underline the urgency of advancing climate adaptation strategies and enhancing risk management frameworks in the region. However, the role of large-scale climate variability, such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV), and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), in influencing decadal trends in these events across SSA remains inadequately understood.
This study aims to address this gap by evaluating how well eight single-model initial-condition large ensembles (SMILEs) from the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) simulate the spatiotemporal patterns of drought-to-flood events in SSA. ERA5-Land data is used as the observational reference. We also investigate potential seasonal links between the probability of drought-to-flood events and large-scale modes of climate variability.
Drought-to-flood events are defined as the sequential occurrence of a flood following a drought. To capture these events, we employ a variable threshold approach for identifying droughts, while floods are characterized using absolute thresholds (50th to 90th percentiles). To assess potential differences between meteorological and hydrological definitions of drought and flood, we compare results derived from precipitation, soil moisture, and runoff datasets.
Multiple antimicrobial resistance indices of Staphylococcus aureus from the nares of goats and slaughterhouse attendants in Kampala city, Uganda– a cross sectional study
(BMC Microbiology, 2025-03-22) Muwonge, Kizito M. ; Ndagire, Hellen ; Mulindwa, Julius ; Twesigye, Charles Kakuhikire
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global menace to both public and animal health sectors with devastating effects in developing countries. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics in human health and livestock management contributes to development and rapid spread of AMR. Staphylococcus aureus is a major opportunistic zoonotic pathogen that colonises the skin and nostrils of human beings and animals and continues to develop antimicrobial resistance against different agents. The study aimed to determine multiple antibiotic resistance indices of S. aureus isolates from healthy domestic goats and slaughterhouse attendants in Kampala, Uganda.
Demographic characteristics of consenting slaughterhouse attendants and goat keepers were recorded through a questionnaire. Antibiotics use among slaughterhouse workers and domestic goats and skin infections in the past twelve months were recorded. Nasal swabs were collected from healthy domestic goats at household level (n = 378) and slaughterhouse attendants (n = 131). Isolates were obtained on mannitol salt agar (MSA) upon incubation at 35°C for 24 h. The Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility to penicillin, gentamycin, erythromycin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, linezolid, amoxicillin, ceftriaxone and cefoxitin. In this study, the participating slaughterhouse workers were predominantly male (79%) while does (90%) were the majority of the goats sampled. S. aureus carriage was 32% and 43% among slaughterhouse workers and goats, respectively. Methicillin resistant S. aureus carriage was 12% and 11% among slaughterhouse attendants and goats, respectively. There was a high level of exposure to antibiotics among S. aureus carriers (62%) and goats (41%) in the past one year, including use of critically important antimicrobials in human medicine for livestock disease management. Amoxicillin (17%) and ciprofloxacin (12%) were the most used antibiotics among the S. aureus carriers. Oxytetracycline (33%) and Penicillin-streptomycin combination (21%) were the most used antimicrobials in goat keeping. Close to a quarter of the human participants reported having suffered probable staphylococcal related infections like pustules in the previous months. With the exception of gentamycin and linezolid, all the S. aureus isolates from human nasal swabs were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics used. S. aureus isolates from goats’ nasal swabs were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics studied. The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of 41% of S. aureus isolates from slaughterhouse attendants was greater than 0.2 (mean = 0.2 ± 0.2, range 0.1 to 0.7). The MAR index of 22% of S. aureus isolates from goats was greater than 0.2 (mean = 0.2 ± 0.1, range = 0 to 0.7). The most frequent multidrug resistance (MDR) pattern was FOX, CIP, E, TE, SXT, CRO, and CD among S. aureus isolates from slaughterhouse attendants. The most frequent MDR patterns for the isolates from goats were E, TE, CRO, CD and TE, CRO, CD. Healthy domestic goats and slaughterhouse workers are carriers of multidrug resistant S. aureus strains in Kampala city.