Provision of in-service training of mathematics and science teachers in Botswana: teachers’ perspectives

Teaching is a field that is dynamic, with innovations necessitating upgrading of skills and education of teachers for the successful implementation of reforms. The behaviour and attitudes of teachers towards teaching and learning and their knowledge banks are the result of the impact of in-service training. This study investigated the perceptions of mathematics and science teachers in Botswana towards in-service provision by the Department of Mathematics and Science Education In-service Training unit (DMSE-INSET), whose mandate is to improve the quality of teaching by supporting teachers through training programmes that enable them to take ownership of their professional development. Data were collected from a sample of 42 senior Mathematics and Science secondary school teachers, using structured interviews with open-ended questions, which were analyzed qualitatively. The findings show that teachers’ concerns included the lack of impact of current in-service training programmes on the education system, no regular follow-up activities to support the one-off workshops and insufficient skills acquired to sustain the implementation of the strategies solicited by the workshops.     

Faculty opinion on shared authority: A Nigerian national survey

The purpose of this paper is to (1) describethe characteristics and governancestructure of higher education at the FederalUniversities in Nigeria, and (2) examine (a)how academic decisions are made, (b) thelevel of academic staff participation inuniversity governance, and (c) the extent towhich academic staff is consulted on keypersonnel issues. The results of theinvestigation revealed that (a) academic staffmembers believed they are consulted onacademic matters through their representativesin the faculty senate, (b) their participationin decisions related to non-academic matters isvery limited, (c) academic decisions related toadmissions criteria and accreditation standardsare made by external bodies, (d) administratorsmake administrative decisions with very limitedinput from academic staff (e) compared to lowerranked academic staff members, higher rankedacademic staff members perceived the governanceprocess to be very effective, and (f) academicstaff members are dissatisfied with the generalworking conditions and the governance process. Overall, the results of this study stronglysuggest the need for improvement in theconsultation process, and more involvement ofthe academic staff in other governance issuesespecially the selection and appointment ofadministrators, including Vice-Chancellors.     

Literature Review of Student Characteristics and Performance in an Accounting Course

This article explores the current literature on student characteristics and performance in an accounting course. When planning to teach or design a course, student characteristics play a role as part of the “situational factors” (Fink, 2003). Research has widely shown that college graduation rates are associated with student characteristics (e.g., Astin & Oseguera, 2005; Gold & Albert, 2006). This article focuses on student characteristics and performance in an accounting course. The following factors are discussed: math, English, gender, age, and prior accounting course. These factors are chosen, as they are often available from course enrollment data. The literature shows that some characteristics (math, prior accounting course) have a positive relationship with performance in an accounting course, while other characteristics (English, age, gender) have a mixed effect on performance.