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Medical Students’ KCSE Grade and Their Relationship to Academic Performance: A Case of Egerton and Moi Universities, Kenya
Ronald Omenge Obwoge,
Mosol J. Priscah,
Emarah Ashraf Mohamed,
Fred Nyabuti Keraro,
Simon Kangethe
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
34-44
Received:
25 August 2016
Accepted:
25 November 2016
Published:
15 March 2017
Abstract: Admission into Kenyan public universities’ medical schools is either by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) or individual universities and their senates on self-sponsorship programmes (SSP) basis. The KUCCPS selected students have strong O-level grades in all subjects, with specific cluster science subjects and cumulative points. The SSP students need to have minimum university entry requirements and cluster subjects for admission unto the medicine and surgery (MBCHB) programme. The study aimed to compare the relationship between Medical Student’s KCSE grade and their performance in preclinical and clinical levels at Medical schools of Egerton University (EU) and Moi University (MU). The study utilized ex post facto research design for Retrospective record review (3R) of medical students of academic year 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 as cohort classes of Egerton University and Moi University. This study was conducted in Egerton University and Moi University, medical schools. Both Universities admit medical students sponsored by KUCCPS and SSP students. This study’s Population was Public Universities’ Medical students (MBChB) who had been examined at both preclinical and clinical course levels. Students of academic years 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 were the accessible population. Admission characteristic were an independent variable and academic performance a dependent variable. This study used a Data sheet document to capture data from Academic Records offices. The students’ performance at preclinical and clinical courses is not influenced by their KCSE grades at admission at MU and EU. KCSE English and Chemistry grades positively impact on preclinical performances. Biology, Mathematics, Kiswahili and Chemistry positively influence performance in Clinical courses. Performance in Preclinical courses like Medical Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, and Pathology can predict performance in clinical courses. The diploma program (in-service) does not influence performance in preclinical courses as it does in clinical courses. Performance in preclinical courses is a predictor for performance in clinical courses. KCSE aggregate grade at admission has no influence on students’ performance in preclinical and clinical courses at MU and EU. The study recommends). Medical schools to consider an open entry Examination system for applicants who meet minimum cluster requirements regardless of the KCSE aggregate grade. Consider development of in-service curriculum that may allow the diploma holder to take track at clinical years.
Abstract: Admission into Kenyan public universities’ medical schools is either by Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) or individual universities and their senates on self-sponsorship programmes (SSP) basis. The KUCCPS selected students have strong O-level grades in all subjects, with specific cluster science subjects and cumula...
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Analysis on the Path of Strengthening the Socialist Core Values Abased on the Accreditation of Engineering Education in China
Zhang Weijie,
Song Xinquan
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
45-49
Received:
10 February 2017
Accepted:
28 February 2017
Published:
21 March 2017
Abstract: It is an important measure to integrate the socialist core values into the whole process of national education. Engineering education accreditation is an important evaluation system for the development of Engineering Specialty in china, which needs the socialist core values. However, there are some problems on the establishment of the engineering education. It is lack of coordination in departments. Colleges should integrate the socialist core values into the engineering education accreditation from the perspective of departmental coordination, teaching security and interdisciplinary, which forms engineering education with the Chinese characteristics.
Abstract: It is an important measure to integrate the socialist core values into the whole process of national education. Engineering education accreditation is an important evaluation system for the development of Engineering Specialty in china, which needs the socialist core values. However, there are some problems on the establishment of the engineering e...
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Promoting the Entrepreneurial Success of Women Entrepreneurs Through Education and Training
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
50-59
Received:
23 February 2017
Accepted:
7 March 2017
Published:
21 March 2017
Abstract: To support early stage women entrepreneurs there is a need to increase their performance and growth potential through entrepreneurial education and training. The objective of the study is to develop a theoretically and empirically based entrepreneurship education and training for early stage women entrepreneurs. The focus of this study is placed exemplarily on early stage women entrepreneurs in Germany and Ireland. The components, program goals, program elements, as well as the participants’ characteristics, the program’s contextual environment, and the availability of funding for operations provide a framework for designing a theoretically and empirically based program to help early stage women entrepreneurs increase their entrepreneurial success. This Entrepreneurship Education and Training is built on the core dimensions of entrepreneurship education action-orientation, autonomy and the interplay between risk and responsibility. Action-orientation is reflected in acting in learning to solve business problems in one’s own company. Autonomy is manifested by selecting individual learning objectives. Interplay between risk and responsibility is shown through taking responsibility for individual and organizational development, which participants will learn is in part a risk-taking process. Because we expand on these core dimensions, entrepreneurial learning can be understood as learning through entrepreneurial action, reflection and narration. The design of the program targeted at early stage women entrepreneurs not only shows how the core components of an entrepreneurial education and training program can be designed for the specific target group of early stage women entrepreneurs in Germany and Ireland, but also how the Entrepreneurship Education and Training Effectiveness Framework can be enriched. We include the process of deriving program and learner goals as a critical starting point for designing programs affecting both learning performance and outcome.
Abstract: To support early stage women entrepreneurs there is a need to increase their performance and growth potential through entrepreneurial education and training. The objective of the study is to develop a theoretically and empirically based entrepreneurship education and training for early stage women entrepreneurs. The focus of this study is placed ex...
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Searching Similar Books Based on Student’s Preference for Personalized Education
Mingxi Zhang,
Tianxing Liu,
Xiaohong Wang,
Liujie Sun
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
60-65
Received:
1 March 2017
Accepted:
9 March 2017
Published:
25 March 2017
Abstract: Personalized education aims to give students a personalized learning schedule according to students’ backgrounds and preferences, and the required learning resources for learning are personalized. On-line bookstore allows students to collect learning recourses on-line through Internet, but the problem of information overload plagues students since it is difficult to find the suitable books with the data becoming diverse and massive. Similarity search aims to find the similar objects to a given query, which can be regarded as a promising solution to the problem of information overload. However, the existing similarity search approaches limit the query into only one object, the students cannot express their preferences personally. In this paper, we proposed a personalized similarity search framework, towards finding the similar books based on student’s preference for personalized education. We build the student-book network based on the students’ ratings for books, and use SimRank to measure the similarities between books according to the student-book network. For satisfying student’s personalized query preference, we allow student to express query with multi-books. A personalized similarity measure is proposed for measuring the similarity between query and candidate book by combining the similarities between books. Experiments on Amazon dataset demonstrate that, when the number of input books are not limited into one, the returned rankings are more consistent with students’ query intentions.
Abstract: Personalized education aims to give students a personalized learning schedule according to students’ backgrounds and preferences, and the required learning resources for learning are personalized. On-line bookstore allows students to collect learning recourses on-line through Internet, but the problem of information overload plagues students since ...
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Language of Learning and Teaching as one of the Causes for Difficulties in Learning Fractions
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
66-70
Received:
29 March 2017
Published:
29 March 2017
Abstract: This paper evolved from a larger study and aimed to test the fractions skills of entry-level students at a South African comprehensive university. The focus in the paper is on the language of learning and teaching as one of the causes for difficulties in learning fractions for entry level science and engineering students. The sample consisted of 94 entry level students out of a population of 120, who enrolled for national diplomas in science and engineering. The survey instrument consisted of 20 items and the data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013. The main findings were that entry-level students enrolled for engineering and science diploma courses struggled to apply fraction arithmetic and that the problems associated with the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) caused difficulties. This study provided important information to school- and university-level mathematics educators by confirming that language difficulties can negatively impact upon the success in learning fractions.
Abstract: This paper evolved from a larger study and aimed to test the fractions skills of entry-level students at a South African comprehensive university. The focus in the paper is on the language of learning and teaching as one of the causes for difficulties in learning fractions for entry level science and engineering students. The sample consisted of 94...
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Factor Analysis of Academic Staff Satisfaction in Dire Dawa University, Ethiopia
Dawit Daniel Dando,
Getachew Liben Abate,
Ashenafi Adugna Mola
Issue:
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2017
Pages:
71-81
Received:
22 February 2017
Accepted:
9 March 2017
Published:
1 April 2017
Abstract: Job satisfaction is defined as how people feel about their jobs, different aspects of their jobs and it is an emotion, a feeling and a matter of perception. This study was conducted to explore academic staff satisfaction with the university and to extract a set of factors from various dimensions used to measure satisfaction. A cross-sectional study on a sample of 150 academic staff selected using simple random sampling technique was conducted. Primary data was collected on teaching-learning, facility provision, benefits & incentives, research undertakings, community engagement, interpersonal relationship and management of the university. Descriptive statistics together with factor analysis using principal component extraction via varimax rotation was used. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy and Barlett’s test of sphericity was employed to check the sample size and sufficiency of correlation between the variables. Analysis of data revealed that the general satisfaction level of Academic staff in the university is 40%. The results indicated higher satisfaction levels for teaching-learning, interpersonal relationship, management of the university with 74.6%, 69.7% and 74.8% respectively. The factor analysis identified four factors within teaching-learning, facility provision and research undertaking. It also identified two factors within benefits & incentives, community engagement, interpersonal relationship and management of the university. Additionally the satisfaction level did not indicate variation across sex. Therefore, although satisfaction level for the academic staff increased from the previous academic year it is still moderate and requires further work. Additionally service quality of Dire Dawa University showed progress but the management and other stakeholders should focus on improving the facilities related with recreation, internet access, transportation and restrooms on buildings.
Abstract: Job satisfaction is defined as how people feel about their jobs, different aspects of their jobs and it is an emotion, a feeling and a matter of perception. This study was conducted to explore academic staff satisfaction with the university and to extract a set of factors from various dimensions used to measure satisfaction. A cross-sectional study...
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