Abstract: Provision of quality education is one of the cornerstones of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. Attempts at increasing the quality of education has embraced the use of modern technologies including the technology platforms. In the 21st century, learners at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) need quality education, which may be enhanced by integrating modern digital technology platforms in teaching and learning. However, there is less research outputs in this realm. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of integration of modern digital technology platforms in teaching and learning at the TVETs in Kenya. The study relied on both the descriptive and explanatory research designs. The target populations were 367,925 students and 7645 tutors/trainers distributed among 2,287 registered and licensed TVETs in Kenya. A samples size of 245 students and similar number of tutors/trainers were selected in 96 TVETs. Data were collected through questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression model. The study established that the overall mean access to modern digital technology platforms was 42.3% for the students and 46.1% for the tutors, which suggest low access to these modern digital technology platforms. Moreover, 77.6% of the total variation in the learning outcomes was attributed to the modern digital technology platforms. The study concluded that modern digital technology platforms positively influence teaching and learning at the TVETs. The study recommends that tutors/trainers and tutors who were trained without ICT content should organize and undertake such courses in higher learning institutions to develop the requisite modern ICT competencies. Therefore, the study recommends that tutors/trainers without adequate digital platform knowledge should organize and undertake refresher courses in higher learning institutions to develop the requisite competencies. The study also recommends that digital knowledge should be integrated in all the subjects being taught at the TVET to help improve the quality of teaching and learning. The management of the institutions should also undertake necessary training in digital competencies to enhance their ability to implement the policy of ICT integration in curriculum within the institutions. In general digital technology should be adopted by all TVETs in their curriculum for Competency Based Education (CBET) learning outcomes.Abstract: Provision of quality education is one of the cornerstones of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. Attempts at increasing the quality of education has embraced the use of modern technologies including the technology platforms. In the 21st century, learners at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVETs) need quality educ...Show More
Abstract: Background: University students face different challenges on the exit exam. However, since it is new in Ethiopia (started in 2023), there is a lack of data about their specific challenges, both nationally and in the study region. Purpose: This study aimed at exploring barriers to university exit exams from the perspective of students at Dire Dawa University in Ethiopia, which can help with interventions. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted at Dire Dawa University between August and September 2023. Study setting, and participants selected using the purposive and convenience sampling techniques respectively. Participants interviewed individually between 45 and 60 minutes using a semi-structured interview guide with the assistance of a voice recorder and field notes. The data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematic approach. Results: Five main themes emerged from the data: limited awareness, opposing arguments, lack of motivation, commitment, and time, quality of the exit exam questions, and ineffective higher education institution. Conclusion: University students face various challenges that emanate from students, higher education institutions, and the Federal Ministry of Education. Therefore, the Federal Ministry of Education, higher education leaders, and teachers recommended improving the barriers and conducting multi-perspective research to better address these barriers.Abstract: Background: University students face different challenges on the exit exam. However, since it is new in Ethiopia (started in 2023), there is a lack of data about their specific challenges, both nationally and in the study region. Purpose: This study aimed at exploring barriers to university exit exams from the perspective of students at Dire Dawa U...Show More
Abstract: The formation of an ensemble of key concepts in relation to texts with highlighted semantic parts (text with a table of contents) is reduced to the stratification process from three procedures - the procedure of text preparation, the procedure of extracting key concepts from semantic parts and dividing the entire text into fragments related to the found key concepts. Quantitative characteristics of the ensemble (the number of words in related fragments) make it possible to solve a number of problems, including determining the predominant content of the text, calculating the parameters of text proximity, identifying concepts of interest to the reader, forming fragments for training neural networks while preserving the author's style, etc. The article briefly describes the formation procedures and provides three examples of using the ensembles of key concepts obtained by stratification. In the first example, the most fully (by the number of words in related fragments) disclosed key concepts in textbooks on the subject of "Project Management" in English, German, French and Russian are determined. The results obtained make it possible, for example, to justify the choice of a specific textbook. In the second example, for ten Russian-language educational and methodological publications on project management, proximity parameters were calculated, including the normalized length of the difference vector, the angle between the ensemble vectors, and the normalized integral characteristic. The results obtained can be used in selecting materials for educational programs and individual courses. In the textbooks participating in the first example, the longest continuous fragments of texts by the number of words, suitable for LLM training, were found.
Abstract: The formation of an ensemble of key concepts in relation to texts with highlighted semantic parts (text with a table of contents) is reduced to the stratification process from three procedures - the procedure of text preparation, the procedure of extracting key concepts from semantic parts and dividing the entire text into fragments related to the ...Show More