University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal

The Editorial Note

2024-08-01T10:56:15+00:00

On behalf of the editorial committee and editorial board, I have the privilege to present to you our current issues of June 2024.

Postgraduate Students’ Common Errors in Writing Education Studies Dissertations

2024-07-26T13:06:14+00:00

The purpose of this study was to investigate common mistakes that postgraduates make in writing dissertation chapters at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, then propose corrective measures. Using a desk research design, the study reviewed 200 randomly selected master’s degree dissertations. The document review guidelines also facilitated the study’s review of examiners’ reports on the dissertations under review. The information collected was subjected to content analysis. The study found that postgraduate students struggled in stating explicitly the research problems and ended up with vague problem statements. In the limitations section, most of the postgraduates mention trivial issues that the researcher could otherwise address during the planning of logistics. Moreover, the students struggled to critically review literature and, instead, simply described the details or provided summaries of findings from other empirical studies. As a result, the literature review is usually devoid of their respective voices. Students also found difficulties in describing the relationship between the proposed methodology and their study specifically by failing to explain adequately the coherence between the methodology and the nature of the study. Furthermore, some postgraduates failed to analyse data with the required precision; for instance, they use codes and themes interchangeably. Based on the findings, the study recommends intensive and adequate orientation and training of postgraduate students both theoretically and practically on fundamental academic skills for effective writing of quality dissertations.

Pedagogical Beliefs and Intention of Teaching Using ICT in Uganda’s Higher Education Institutions

2024-07-29T13:43:59+00:00

Though COVID-19 restrictions demonstrated the relevance of using Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education, academic staff are hinged to engage in face-to-face teaching as well as holding on to other related teaching methods associated with how they were taught, how colleagues teach, and even their perception of past successful teaching modes, thereby limiting ICT usage in the lecturing process in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Uganda. This study was carried out to establish the relationship between pedagogical beliefs and behavioral intention to teach using ICT in HEIs in the country. This focus was derived from the realization that pedagogical beliefs are manifested through modes of provision of lectures and the mode of interaction between academic staff and students, which have the potential to trigger the behavioral intention to use ICT in teaching in the HEIs in Uganda. This study centered on three representative HEIs in Uganda; Makerere University, Kyambogo University, and Makerere University Business School. A survey technique was used to collect data from a sample of 322 academic staff members out of a population of 1,916. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the collected data. Findings indicated that pedagogical beliefs, specifically “interaction between students and lecturers,” had a significant association with and influence behavioral intention to use ICT for teaching in HEIs in Uganda. Therefore, it is recommended that academic staff members' and students' views be considered before selecting whether to use ICT in the teaching process in HEIs in Uganda.

Evaluation of the Quality of Online Education Based on a Learning Interactive Network

2024-07-29T14:08:39+00:00

Contemporary education models are undergoing significant transformation, driven by the goals of ubiquity, intelligence, and personalization. This transformation is particularly evident in online education, exemplified by massive open online courses (MOOCs), which are increasingly becoming mainstream. The quality of online learning is now heavily influenced by interactivity, recognized as pivotal in supporting effective learning outcomes through enhanced help and feedback mechanisms. This study establishes an interaction network model for online learning, utilizing recurrent neural networks (RNNs) to embed learner and learning resource nodes into a Euclidean space. The primary aim is to evaluate the quality of interactions and determine whether they align with expected learning outcomes. The research methodology involves the development of an interaction network model and the application of RNNs for embedding nodes. Key metrics are proposed to assess interaction quality, integrating assessment feedback to enhance learning outcomes. Experimental validation on real-world datasets demonstrated the efficacy of the approach. The findings indicate that the proposed model significantly improves interaction quality in online learning environments. Recommendations include the adoption of similar interaction network models in educational platforms to optimize learning experiences. The implications of this study underscore the importance of robust interaction metrics in designing effective online learning environments. This study contributes to advancing the understanding and methodologies for modeling interactions in online education, emphasizing the critical role of interaction quality in achieving desirable learning outcomes.

Teachers’ Perception of Digital Literacy Skills as a Tool for 21st Century Teaching in Nigeria

2024-07-29T14:20:15+00:00

The study examined teachers’ perception of digital literacy skills as a relevant tool for teaching in the 21^st Century in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State. The descriptive research design was adopted. One research question and four research hypotheses were generated. The sampling technique was simple random sampling, selecting 200 teachers as respondents. The instrument used for data collection was a self-constructed questionnaire. Its reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha with 0.85 co-efficient. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were employed in answering and testing the generated research question and the hypotheses respectively, using mean and standard deviation, independent t-test and ANOVA. The findings showed that teachers perceived digital literacy skills as a relevant tool for teaching in the 21st Century; there is a significant difference in the perception of teachers towards digital literacy skills for teaching in the 21^st century based on gender and age while there is no significant difference in the perception of teachers towards digital literacy skills for teaching in the 21st Century based on educational qualification and years of teaching experience in Ilorin South. Recommendations were made that school managements should further encourage teachers’ digital literacy skills by organizing or sponsoring them to attend training on how to integrate e-learning tools into their classroom instructions; all age groups and both genders especially female teachers should be encouraged to acquire digital literacy skills among others.

Exploring Science Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of ICT Integration in Secondary School Teaching

2024-07-29T14:26:44+00:00

This study investigated science teachers’ beliefs and practice of ICT integration in teaching and learning in Zanzibar. Its objectives were: to assess science teachers' beliefs about the role of ICT integration in teaching and learning and to explore how science teachers integrate ICT in classroom teaching. The study involved 60 science teachers purposively selected from 5 public secondary schools in the Town District of Zanzibar. The schools were selected by using convenience sampling procedures. The study employed a mixed-methods approach and a concurrent nested design. Data were collected by using survey questionnaires, interviews and classroom observation. The quantitative data were analysed using the descriptive analysis technique while the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings indicated that the science teachers had varied beliefs about ICT integration in teaching and learning. While some had positive beliefs about ICT integration in teaching and learning, others held negative beliefs. The findings also revealed that the teachers’ actual practice of ICT integration in teaching was inefficient. Insufficient skills and knowledge as well as a lack of confidence in ICT integration were identified as significant obstacles to ICT integration, which caused science teachers to inefficiently integrate ICT in teaching. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the Zanzibar Government through the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, the Zanzibar Institute of Education, and other educational stakeholders, take comprehensive professional development initiatives to raise teachers’ confidence, skills, and knowledge on integration of ICT in teaching and learning. Studies are needed to address the self-efficacy in ICT integration and the challenges faced by science teachers to integrate ICT in teaching and learning context.

The Role of Institutional Repositories in Facilitating Scholarly Communication at the Open University of Tanzania and University of Dar es Salaam

2024-07-29T14:54:18+00:00

This study explored the role of Institutional Repositories (IR) in facilitating scholarly communication in Institutions of higher learning in Tanzania with the case of the Open University of Tanzania and the University of Dar es Salaam. The study examined the benefits of IR among researchers and explored the challenges facing its management. The study employed a survey research design. Data was collected using a questionnaire survey, involving 148 postgraduate students. Moreover, the study used interviews to collect data from two library directors and two directors of research and publications of the two Institutions of higher learning under review. Of the respondents, 89(73.6%) reported that IR enhances research outputs. However, they also identified several challenges including poor internet connectivity 56(83.6%), unreliable power supply 49(73.1%) and limitations of accessing IR contents 34(50.7%). Other bottlenecks identified included a lack of policy to guide the IR management, limited motivation among academic staff to submit their research output, and a lack of institutional support and commitment from the management. Based on the findings, strategies suggested include formulating and instituting comprehensive policies to guide the proper management of IR, enhanced management support in allocating sufficient budget for ICT infrastructures and hardware, and motivating staff to use IR. In addition, the librarians should market the services provided by IR to inform users on what is available in the IRs, because the value of information deposited depends much on its accessibility and usage. Doing so could further effectively contribute to enhancing scholarly communication at the two institutions.

Efficacy of Social Media Platforms in Fostering Access to Information on Water Utility Services in Tanzania

2024-07-29T15:01:15+00:00

This paper reports the findings of a study that investigated the efficacy of social media platforms in fostering access to information on water utility services in Tanzania particularly on Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Authority (DAWASA). The study specifically sought to determine the frequency at which customers access information through DAWASA’s Instagram and Facebook platforms; examine the kind of information customers access; assess the customers’ perception on the messages they access; evaluate the customers’ perception on the promptness of DAWASA’s responses to questions, comments and complaints. The study adopted a quantitative approach and specifically a descriptive research design. The study was conducted on DAWASA customers using standardised structured questionnaires which included Likert-scale questions to gather their views on interactions with the DAWASA Instagram and Facebook platforms. In all, 136 active followers of the two platforms were randomly selected and sent the questionnaires to complete and return but only 118 respondents returned their questionnaires. The Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS) version 20 facilitated data analysis. The study found that most respondents accessed daily information on water allocation schedule, meter reading, bill payments and reminders, and DAWASA staff communication contacts. However, such information is not promptly responded to by DAWASA via these platforms, an anomaly that needs fixing. As such, DAWASA should optimise the use of the social media to further improve access to information by promptly responding to questions, comments, and complaints from customers on both Facebook and Instagram platforms.

A Model for Technology Adoption, Financial Literacy, and Growth of Internet Banking in Centenary Bank Branches in Uganda

2024-07-29T15:08:35+00:00

This study examined the relationship between technology adoption, financial literacy, and the growth of Internet banking in Centenary Bank branches in Uganda and it specifically based on three objectives to examine the relationship between technology adoption and Internet banking, financial literacy and the growth of Internet banking, and to examine the combined effect of technology adoption and financial literacy on Internet-banking A cross-sectional research and quantitative design was adopted with a sample size of 108 employees from a population of 150 determined by Krejcie and Morgan's (1970) table. The data was tested for reliability and validity, analysed using SPSS v23 and results presented based on the study objectives. Findings revealed a significant and positive relationship between technology adoption and Internet banking given by (r=.380** and p<.01). Further findings indicated that there is a positive significant relationship between financial literacy and growth of Internet banking given by (r=.591** and p<.01). Overall technology adoption and financial literacy explain 34.5% of the variance in Internet-banking. In addition, financial literacy was found a stronger predictor (Beta = .539, sig. <.000) of Internet-banking compared to technology adoption (Beta = .101, sig. <.001). Therefore, recommendations are detailed in the main document for further guidance.

Determinants and Consequences of Information Exchange Quality in the Buyer-Supplier Relationship

2024-07-29T15:16:53+00:00

Given a number of studies that recognise the imperative of information exchange in buyer-supplier relationships, there is still a gap to fill. Thus, this study investigated the determinants and consequences of information exchange quality in the buyer-supplier relationships of the fishing industry in Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed to investigate the associations that exist between information exchange willingness and information exchange quality, information exchange content and information exchange quality, information exchange quality, and perceived information exchange benefits. Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) theory and empirical literature guided the development of hypotheses. The study employed a cross-sectional research design with a quantitative approach, and a structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument for data collection. The study used partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) aided by SmartPLS 3.3 to validate the measurement model and test the hypotheses by using data from 300 fish purchasing managers from the Mwanza and Dar es Salaam regions. Findings indicate that information exchange willingness and content are positively and significantly associated with information exchange quality. Furthermore, findings indicate that information exchange quality is positively and significantly associated with perceived information exchange benefits. This study contributed to the imperative of information exchange quality in the dynamic supply chain for the growth of the fishery industry in Tanzania, as it offers significant meaning to fish purchasing practitioners and policymakers. Moreover, the findings have implications for transaction cost economics theory by further considering the quality of information exchange rather than information exchange in general.

Human Resource Information Systems Usage and Competitiveness of Organisations

2024-07-29T15:26:46+00:00

This study mainly aimed to analyse the role of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) in driving organisational competitiveness of Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) through improved human resource management (HRM). Specifically, it determined the influence of HRIS use on administrative costs, HR service delivery and HR innovation using data collected from HR managers and heads of academic and administrative departments or sections responsible for handling HR activities in the HLIs under review. Employing a quantitative survey, the study gathered data from purposively selected human resource and administrative officers in both public and private HLIs. The analysis of the data collected entailed the use of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that using HRIS reduces administrative costs, improves the quality of HR service delivery, and promotes innovation in HR service delivery. These results demonstrate that the investment and extensive use of HRIS can further enhance organisational competitiveness. This paper contributes innovatively to HRM literature by empirically demonstrating the potential benefits of HRIS in HLIs, particularly against the backdrop of scarce empirical studies that have specifically examined the direct impact of HRIS on organisational competitiveness in HLIs in the context of low-technology countries such as Tanzania.