http://hdl.handle.net/10500/4671 2013-05-26T06:58:07Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9484 Stakeholder perceptions of service quality improvement in Ethiopian public higher education institutions Solomon Lemma Lodesso The study identifies how different stakeholders perceive service quality improvement initiatives in public higher education institutions in Ethiopia. For this purpose, a mixed research methodology was employed. Furthermore, secondary data were collected from a variety of literature and primary data were collected from academic staff and final year students at public higher education institutions using the SERVQUAL scale and through focus group interviews. The collected data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The research findings indicated that all dimensions of the service quality improvement initiatives were perceived by academic staff and studentsto be verypoor. The reasons for these poor or low perceptions were: the high expectationsof the stakeholders, the government’s intention to expand, lack of adequate knowledge regarding the implementation of the BPR process, the lack of motivation by service providers, poor management and the lack of good governance by the universities, inexperienced workers, non-empowered and task specific frontline employees, the low quality of the infrastructure, non-value adding hierarchical structures and approval systems, ethical problems with some service providers, the high staff turnoverand the lack of experienced staff. In addition, at all new universities, construction is underway and as a result,there are problems such as the poor state of the dormitories, classes,bathrooms, recreation areas, lounges, TV rooms, sport fields and internet connectivity, while the libraries are not well stocked with books and periodicals either. This study has recommended that the institutions should have standardised instruments that can be used to measure the status of service quality improvement and deliveryperiodically and to identify the areas that have the highest perceived performance gap scores in order to redeploy some of the resources. It also needs to be pointed out that the service providers lack sufficient knowledge and skillsconcerning the implementation of BPR, thus training is recommended in this regard.It is further recommended that for effective implementation of the BPR process, the importance of the provision of different guiding documents, continuous monitoring of activities and top management support should be kept in mind. 2012-12-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9483 Exploring problems encountered in the teaching and learning of statistics in Grade 11 Makwakwa, Eva Gavhaza The purpose of the study was to explore problems encountered in the teaching and learning of statistics in grade 11 and to offer ways of addressing them. A convenient sample of 100 grade 11 mathematics teachers and 448 grade 11 mathematics learners participated in the study. A descriptive survey design was used. Data were collected from the teachers using a teacher questionnaire, classroom observation schedule and teacher interview, and from learners through the use of a learner questionnaire, classroom observation schedule, diagnostic test and learner interview. The validity and reliability of all these instruments was established. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse learner questionnaires, teacher questionnaires and learners‟ responses to a diagnostic test. Teacher and learner interviews were transcribed and classified according to themes. Classroom observations were analysed by using themes and checking for similarities and differences. The results showed that teachers had difficulty with the interpretation and calculation of measures of dispersion; representation and interpretation of data on graphs or plots; determining the five number summary; constructing and interpreting probability diagrams and tables; and interpreting probability terminology. Also, the results showed that learners experienced difficulties when using graphs to predict the results; interpreting and determining measures of dispersion; computation of quartiles when the total number of data values was even; representing data on graphs or plots; interpreting and determining measures of central tendency; constructing and interpreting probability graphs and tables; and interpreting probability terminology. The results found possible causes of the teachers‟ difficulties to be (1) their lack of statistics content knowledge; (2) inadequate textbooks; (3) in-service programmes which did not cover statistical topics, or which did not pay adequate attention to probability; and (4) teachers failure to attend these in-service teacher workshops. Further, the findings of the study were that the probable causes of learners‟ difficulties were (1) inadequate teaching of statistics topics in previous grades; (2) teachers‟ lack of content knowledge in statistics meant they had difficulty explaining concepts to learners; (3) inadequate learning material and learners‟ inability to use the statistics function mode on their calculators; and (4) learners‟ lack of conceptual knowledge of certain aspects of statistics. Lastly, the results of the study found that the possible ways to address the problems in the teaching and learning of statistics in grade 11 to be: (1) teachers should receive financial support from their schools/districts to attend in-service education and training programmes; (2) textbooks should be well written (provide thorough explanations) and contain all the information necessary to teach data handling and probability (i.e. formulae, more examples); (3) in-service teacher programmes should meet the needs of the teachers by offering topics that teachers find difficult to teach; and (4) more and longer inset programmes on probability, preferably five-day workshops, should be arranged. 2012-12-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9479 Mentoring as a professional development for mathematical literacy teachers in the Greater Taung area Owusu-Mensah, James The study seeks to examine the role of mentoring and how it could be used in the process of professional development of mathematical literacy teachers in the Greater Taung area. The study attempts to flag the importance of mentoring in professional development, especially for mathematical literacy teachers. To obtain data for the study sixteen mathematical literacy teachers from Taung area (within Ruth Mompati District) were purposively selected. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect relevant data. Literature review, based on previous studies on mentoring also provided data for the study. The following findings emerged from the study: a) that mentoring has over the years has been an effective process for developing early-career teachers’ practices b) that there are no formal mentoring programmes to assist mathematical literacy teachers in the Greater Taung area c) there is a need for effective communication between the mentor and the mentee, since the learning that takes place in a mentoring relationship is usually through regular interaction.From the findings, a collaborative form of mentoring is recommended.Both parties in this relationship are considered as a source of knowledge that can contribute to the learning that occurs within the context of mentoring. 2013-05-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10500/9469 The relationship between the management strategies of school principals and the job satisfaction levels of educators Tsvara, Peter South African schools have experienced a high rate of educator turnover which has led to greater school instability, disruption of curricular cohesiveness and a continual need to hire experienced and inexperienced educators, who may be typically less effective, as replacements for educators who leave. Unfortunately, principals of schools lack organizational capacity to provide the necessary management strategies that can enhance educators’ job satisfaction. Since the principals are fully responsible for the proper functioning of the schools and their personnel, this study explored the relationship between the management strategies of school principals and the educators’ job satisfaction levels within the context of South African schools. It examined how management strategies of principals impact on job satisfaction levels of educators in various school environments. The study explored literature from local and international perspectives on management strategies and the job satisfaction of educators. It described the background and findings of the relationship between management strategies of principals and educators’ job satisfaction levels from an education management perspective. For the empirical inquiry the study adopted a qualitative research paradigm, and as such, a qualitative investigation of the relationship between the management strategies of school principals and the educators’ job satisfaction levels in schools was conducted. Non-probability sampling methods were used to select a sample of six school principals and twelve educators. Individual and focus group interviews were used in data collection and were audio-recorded. Throughout the research study, ethical considerations were upheld. Data analysis involved a mix of content and thematic analysis instruments. The study findings determined the relationship between management strategies of principals and educators’ job satisfaction levels. An understanding of human relationship is very important to school principals who have the responsibility of establishing an environment that not only motivates educators, but can also help to enhance their job satisfaction levels in a positive way. An understanding of educators’ needs also helps school principals to devise management strategies to enhance the job satisfaction levels of educators. Based on the findings, recommendations to improve the management strategies of school principals in the enhancement of educators’ job satisfaction were proposed. 2013-06-01T00:00:00Z