Makerere Journal of Higher Education

Editorial

David Onen — 2023-05-15

No abstract.

Academic Drift of Tanzania’s Non-University Higher Education Institutions: Its Impact on the Higher Education System and Development of Middle-Level Workforce

Johnson Muchunguzi Ishengoma — 2023-05-15

Tanzania’s public non-university higher education institutions were established in the late 1960s and early 1970s to train skilled middle-level workforce critical for post-independence Tanzania’s social and economic development. These institutions were mandated to train public servants in public administration and management, accountancy and financial management, materials management, community development, social welfare, nursing and clinical medicine, rural development planning, tax administration, journalism, engineering, agriculture and livestock development, among other disciplines, at three qualification levels: certificate, ordinary diploma and advanced diploma levels. Following the liberalisation of the higher education policy in the late 1990s to allow higher education institutions to respond to new labour market demands, non-university institutions drifted into degree-granting institutions, abandoning their three-year advanced diploma programmes in favour of the so-called “professional degrees” but retaining their certificates and ordinary diploma programmes. This paper, using extensive documentary and literature reviews and a critical search of the institution’s websites, documents the hitherto undocumented phenomenon of academic drift of Tanzania’s non-university institutions, its possible causes and impact on the higher education system and the development of middlelevel workforce. The paper concludes that the academic drift of non-university higher education institutions in Tanzania has blurred the higher education system, i.e. it has eliminated differentiation and diversity in higher education (the important aspects of an effective higher education system) and curtailed the balanced development of the skilled middle-level workforce.

Zambian Higher Education and Induction of Early Career Academics: Current Status and Way Forward

Gift Masaiti — 2023-05-15

Like many other higher education systems globally, Zambia’s higher education terrain is grappling with the new complex situation of increased private higher education providers and the quality of faculty. While questions related to internationalisation and quality assurance are being discussed, very little attention is being paid to the induction process of emerging academics in both public and private providers of higher education. Higher education has experienced huge changes regarding working conditions premised on regular scrutiny of individual research and quality of teaching, and, more importantly, individual academic performance. These changes have come at a time when Zambia has seen a plethora of universities with Early Career Academics (ECAs) becoming part of higher education as they are potentially seen as an inevitable investment. In 2015, the Zambian Higher Education Authority (HEA) was established under the Higher Education Act of 2013 to ensure quality education in Zambian Higher Education, with ECAs expected to play a huge role in driving this ever-growing sector. It is, therefore, imperative that these ECAs are inducted into the academic profession adequately, as different renowned scholars have attested that the significance of experiences of ECAs in the first five years of employment determinately shape their future academic success. There are now emerging issues related to the ‘massification’ of higher education amid limited facilities and resources and declining numbers of senior academics. It appears that seasoned, experienced, and competent academics are not only increasingly scarce but are either retiring or getting other portfolios away from academics. Against this background, this research paper illuminates the status of ECAs induction (impacting teaching, research, and publication skills) in Zambian universities with a focus on policies, procedures, and prospects. It further examines what facilities and provisions exist for the induction and, more importantly, what Higher Education Institutions are putting in place for the growth and sustainability of the Academic Profession.

The Kind of Support to the Female Leaders’ Success in Higher Education: Tales from Vice Chancellors

Florence Nakamanya — 2023-05-15

The number of females in senior leadership positions is increasing in Ugandan universities. Previous research has focussed mainly on the barriers females face in accessing and occupying leadership positions. However, little is known about the kind of support that enables those few females who have broken the glass ceiling to succeed in their roles. This article explores the kind of support for the female Vice Chancellors’ success in Ugandan universities. Using a multiple case study design and semi-structured interviews, this study highlights institutional policies, support from senior management, networking, mentoring, role models and family support as critical to the success of female Vice Chancellors in universities in Uganda.

Core Practices of Teacher Preparation in an Outstanding Teacher Education Programmeme: Lessons for Practicebased Teacher Education in Uganda

Rovincer Najjuma — 2023-05-15

Worldwide, teacher educators and policy-makers have called for teacher preparation to be practice-based. Yet, we know little about what practice-based core practices can link teacher education with practice. Although a rich literature on critical features of teacher education has continued to develop over the past decade, this research has overlooked the core practices that facilitate teacher trainee learning about practice and learning in practice. This study takes a step forward by defining practice-based core practices in teacher education, identifying and documenting core practices and how they are enacted or implemented in a teacher preparation programmeme to facilitate teacher trainee learning and achievement of teacher standards. I present and discuss findings and lessons from a 10 - month instrumental case study with PGCE Secondary teacher trainees and expert teacher educators in an on-ongoing pre-service teacher education programmeme in England. It is hoped these results can be applied in other contexts, such as Uganda, with various models of initial teacher education; notably, they may be used to help inform and/or even guide efforts for implementing teacher education models based on and in practice.

Optimising Computer Supported Collaborative Learning within Higher Education: Insights from Student Collaboration on Take-home Group Tasks in Uganda

Lydia Namatende-Sakwa — 2023-05-15

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.

Students’ Self-efficacy and Academic Performance at Makerere University

Gerald Bwenvu — 2023-05-15

The study aimed to establish the relationship between students’ self-efficacy and academic performance at Makerere University. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to collect a large amount of data on students. The study used an online instrument to collect data from 117 College of Education and External Studies of Makerere University students. To establish the academic self-efficacy of students at Makerere University, data collected using an online survey were analysed using IBM SPSS version 21.0. Findings showed that the students’ selfefficacy and academic performance mean scores are on the same level (high) and 2nd class upper, respectively. However, there is no significant relationship between students’ academic self-efficacy and academic performance given the ρ > .05 for all constructs (perceived control, competence, persistence and self-regulated learning). Even though the students have a high level of self-efficacy, it may not influence their academic performance in class. Also, this does not mean that the university should not give importance to developing the students’ self-efficacy. The study concluded that the university should continue its academic programmes that will continuously develop the student’s well-being in acquiring relevant experiences and skills in the University.

Adult Learners’ Attitudes as Correlates of E-Learning Uptake During the COVID-19 Era at Makerere University, Uganda

Oscar Mugula — 2023-05-15

The study examined how adult learners’ attitudes correlated with e-learning uptake during the COVID-19 era at Makerere University, Uganda. Specifically, the study tested the relationship between students’ attitudes on perceived usefulness, e-learning effectiveness, e-learning system satisfaction and perceived self-efficacy with e-learning uptake. Using the cross-sectionalcorrelational research design, data were collected from a sample of 361 students with selfadministered questionnaires and analysed using quantitative methods. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness, e-learning effectiveness, e-learning system satisfaction and perceived selfefficacy had a positive and significant relationship with adult learners’ e-learning uptake. It was concluded that perceived usefulness, e-learning effectiveness, e-learning system satisfaction, and perceived self-efficacy are imperative for e-learning uptake. The study recommends that in implementing e-learning, universities adopt learning technologies that are useful to students, adopt effective technologies, introduce technology systems that give satisfaction to students, and provide training to students to enhance their efficacy in using online technologies.