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Browsing Research Articles (DLLCE) by Author "Shihomeka, Sadrag P."
Item A reflection on constructively aligned remote assessment for quality learning beyond COVID-19 pandemic: A case of University of Namibia(Creative Education, 2022) Neshila, Kashinauua Faustina; Joshua, Lukas Matati; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.To take a critical reflection on quality assessment used beyond remote teaching, learning and assessment at the University of Namibia. Objectives: 1) To encourage assessment tasks that promote critical thinking beyond remote learning period. 2) To promote constructively aligned assessment that enhances quality student learning. 3) To fulfill various purposes of assessment in higher education setting. Method: The paper adopted Donald Schön’s Reflection-in-Action as method to critique constructive aligned assessment for quality learning beyond COVID-19 era. Findings: The main findings revealed that for quality post-remote assessment to take place it should be aligned to curriculum, teaching and learning activities. Quality assessment promotes student lifelong learning and the assessment criteria should be explicit. Conclusion: The paper concluded that assessment is the heart of education and should be well understood by both lecturers and students. Effort should be made to ensure that culture does not constraint quality remote assessment. Recommendations: It is recommended that the university should organize capacity building training for lecturers in the ever-changing assessment practice. Finally, it is recommended that attention should be placed on demystifying remote assessment which enhances teaching and lifelong learningItem Assessing staff digital literacy level vs attitude toward online teaching and learning quadrant(NAWA Journal of Language and Communication (NJLM), 2023) Shihomeka, Sadrag P.This paper aimed at positioning a staff digital literacy level versus attitude toward online teaching and learning quadrant in the curriculum transformation interventions of various institutions to ensure that their policy intervention with regard to online learning remains user-friendly and sector appropriate. Using a critical autobiographical narrative inquiry, this quadrant was developed to assist educational institutions, personnel, and other stakeholders with a unique tool to assess their staff digital literacy level and the position of their attitude toward online teaching and learning. The quadrants consist of 4 sections: High Digital Literacy Level-Low Attitude Toward e-Teaching & Learning; High Digital Literacy Level-High Attitude Toward e-Teaching & Learning; Low Digital Literacy Level-Low Attitude Toward e-Teaching & Learning; Low Digital Literacy Level-High Attitude Toward e-Teaching & Learning. The quadrant used staff attitude as a yardstick to effectively implementing online learning initiatives in the education sector. The quadrants also serve as an educational re-engineering intervention strategy for the society 4.0/5.0 curriculum professionalsItem Exploring grade 11-12 teachers’ use of instructional videos in natural science subjects at Ponhofi Secondary School(International Journal of Arts and Social Science, 2023) Nghuumbwa, Malakia; Shaimemanya, Cornelia Ndahambelela S.; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.; Kapolo, PaulusThis study explored Grade 11-12 teachers’ use of instructional videos in Natural Science subjects at Ponhofi Secondary School in Namibia. To explore the attitudes, perceptions and experiences of teachers’ use of instructional videos, 8 semi-structured interviews (pre and post) were conducted. The pre-semi structured interviews were about the teachers’ attitudes, perceptions and experiences and were held with individual teachers before the teaching intervention using instructional videos. After the intervention, the post semi-structured interviews were conducted with the same individual teachers to assess their attitudes, perceptions and experiences after the use of instructional videos. The findings revealed that most of the teachers perceive instructional videos as powerful tools to teach Natural Science subjects and good for the learners’ subject mastery. The results further showed that most of the teachers lack self-confidence and have a high level of technophobia. It also emerged that there are a lot of barriers that affect teachers’ ability to use instructional videos such as technology resources, technology support, knowledge and skills and these barriers negatively affect the use of technology in schools and prevent teachers from becoming frequent technology-users. Finally, the findings revealed that, most of the teachers use free downloadable videos from various websites such as Eureka, Make Me Genius, Smart Learning for All and YouTube. The study concluded that teachers should adopt the culture of using instructional videos in their lessons to make their lessons informative, interesting, and resourceful and enhance understanding, and knowledge retentionItem Facebook usage as a community engagement tool by residents in the Sauyemwa location, Kavango East region, during COVID-19 lockdown(NAWA Journal of Language and Communication, 2023) Leevi, Peter Ihalo; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.The purpose of this study was to investigate and explore how residents in Kavango east used Facebook as a community engagement tool during the pandemic in Kavango East region, being the region with the lowest percentage of people with access to cellphones and internet. The study also aimed at assisting different communities to create new alternative ways on how to engage with each other using social media platforms like Facebook during the pandemic. The author used a qualitative method to randomly select 10 participants (8 males and 2 females) that were interviewed using a semi-structures interview. The findings reveal that, Sauyemwa residents used Facebook to communicate with others, to share and receive trending information around the world. Moreover, residents used Facebook Messenger for commenting on posts, liking and possibly sharing, to stream and share live videos and events. This study suggests that, Sauyemwa residents should use Facebook as an alternative mode of communication during the pandemic as it allows people to connect remotelyItem Investigating the factors influencing patient satisfaction at a Private Medical Centre in northern Namibia(2018) Moyo, Enos; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.; Chirimbana, MosesThe aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting patient satisfaction at a private medical centre in Northern Namibia. The study was guided by the following objectives: to explore the factors affecting patients’ satisfaction at the private medical centre; to investigate factors that can improve patient satisfaction at the centre and to suggest recommendations to management on how they can increase patients’ satisfaction. A quantitative research design was adopted in the study through the use of a closed-ended questionnaire which was on a five point Likert scale. Expectation Confirmation Theory was the underlying theoretical framework for this study. Data was gathered from 50 participants above the age of 18 years selected by systematic random sampling from all the patients above the age of 18 years who were attended to at the practice over ten working days. The findings showed that factors that affected patient satisfaction to a greater extent were waiting period before seeing a doctor, availability of doctor during and after working hours and thoroughness of doctor’s examination and care. The study concluded that further studies should be done using a larger sample across many organisations. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that an electronic filing system be used at the practice and practice cell phones should be available to doctors so that patients can be able to reach them for emergencies after working hours.Item Learning from students’ experiences of microteaching for numeracy education and learning support: A case study at University of Namibia, Southern campus(2017) Albin, Simon; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.The purpose of this study was to investigate, reflect and learn from experiences of undertaking microteaching in a Numeracy Education and Learning Support class of 153 students studying Diploma in Junior Primary Education Year 3 (DJPE3) at University of Namibia, Southern Campus. Microteaching is a platform for beginner teachers to improve teaching competencies, and this took place prior to students’ placement and evaluation of School Based Studies for 4 weeks (June/July 2017) in any Namibia’s primary schools of their choice offering class teaching from Grade 0 to Grade 3. Prior to microteaching, student teachers demonstrated nervousness and were scared to present a lesson before their peers. Literatures on microteaching were synthesized before data were analyzed by summarizing 91 written reflections of 91 student teachers who unanimously took part in a survey after completing and returning a questionnaire with four open-ended questions. Analysis of the data revealed that, microteaching is a learning platform for teaching practice, positive and negative factors influence student’ microteaching scores, and most students were satisfied with microteaching scores. The results of this study suggest that microteaching lecturers at the University level should be trained and equipped with student-engagement skills to be highly effective and supportive toward students.Item Leveraging social inclusion through the impact of customer services quality on organizational performance at a selected Commercial Bank in Namibia(2018) Uahengo, Simeon Panduleni; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.This paper investigated the impact of customer services quality on the organizational performance at a selected commercial Bank in Namibia as a social inclusion driver for economic growth within the banking sector. The objectives for the study were: to establish the relationship between quality customer service and organizational performance; to establish the impact of quality customer service on the overall organizational performance and to offer recommendations to the management and relevant stakeholders. A quantitative research approach was used with a simple random probability sampling. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to collect data to leverage social inclusion through the impact of customer services quality on the overall organizational performance. 57 Closed ended-questionnaires were used to collect the data. By using descriptive statistics, data were recorded on excel spreadsheets. The results of the study were presented by using graphs and converting the data into percentage, mean values and percentages. The finding reveals that quality customer service contributes mostly towards an improved organisational performance. The results further established that majority of the clients including the customer service consultants’ staff strongly agreed that, quality customer service contributes to the sustainable organizational performance. The study recommends to the top management of a selected commercial bank to keep on investing in the customer service quality by increasing the numbers of ATMs at every business centre in the area as it provides convenient alternatives to the customers. Furthermore, investments in technological innovations and customer service help commercial banks to sustainably retain and attract more customers yielding much-needed profitability for the bank. The study recommends that future researchers should investigate the inclusive sustainability of customer services quality and how they affect the overall organizational performance at different commercial banks.