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Item 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 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 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.Item 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 Managing equitable assessment practices in Distance Education: Implications for higher education institutions in Namibia(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2011) Beukes, FloridaLecturers tend to assume that their carefully crafted resources will guide student learning and that students will work through our materials more or less in the manner directed. However, research into distance students’ use of study materials (Merland et al, 1990) and the use of formative activities (Lockwood,1995) suggests that there are far more complex behaviours at work. The amount of support services an institution can off er largely depends on that particular institution’s capacity and resources at its disposal. For ODL to be effective, effective management and administration systems need to be put in place. It is particularly important to make sure that ODL students are not isolated though they may be at a distance. An effective system of two-way communication between student and institution is therefore an important element of good management and administration.Item Physical activity and self-esteem: A Namibian youth perspective(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2008) Zealand, DonovanYoungsters who feel inferior, deprived, shamed, and frustrated express those feelings through various antisocial behaviours, ranging from delinquency to suicidal tendencies. Youth from dysfunctional families often have low academic skills, vague or totally missing career goals, a poor or complete lack of work history, abuse drugs and, or alcohol, and have been involved with the juvenile justice system. Our society still emphasizes punishment before rehabilitation for crimes, which occur because children lack socialization. Children who have had drug or alcohol problems as early as the age of six or seven become involved in substance abuse-related crimes before the teenage years and continue to have conduct disorders well after adolescence. The current situation in Namibia suggests that there is need for concern about youth in an at-risk context. Research has shown that the enhancement of self-esteem and self-efficacy can be an important contributing factor to both the prevention of psychological and physical illness and the maintenance of health. Exercise is in the position of being able to contribute to the prevention of illness or the reduction of its effects through the process of improving self-esteem. Reviews of the literature illustrate clearly that exercise contributes to improvements in self-esteem. A lack of quality education, unemployment and poverty have always been inter-related and a contributing factor towards low self-esteem, and in this regard Namibia has experienced an alarming increase in youth suicide over the past few years.Item Sexuality, HIV/AIDS and contraception. A Namibian youth perspective(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2008) Zealand, DonovanThe current situation in Namibia suggests that there is need for concern about youth in an at-risk context. Education, unemployment and poverty have always been inter-related and Namibia has experienced an alarming increase in youth unemployment over the past few years. Poverty exacerbates the crises and also constraints individual’s choices about issues relating to sexual behaviour, which makes especially the youth vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection. According to the Department of Health Services, 37% of Namibian women had experienced sexual intercourse by the age of 18, rising to 61% by the age of 20. Knowledge of modern contraceptive methods was high (more that 80%) among female adolescents, but practice was very low. Only 11% of sexually active females aged 15 to 19 reported using modern contraceptives. The first of the study aim was to gain practical insight about perceptions amongst the youth about sexuality and HIV/AIDS and contraceptive use, which can assist in the formulation of a strategy towards HIV/AIDS education for Namibian youth in an at-risk context. The second aim was to gather descriptive data from Namibian youth about a number of personal issues, with special emphasis on those issues related to the creation of an “at-risk” environment. The participants in this study were youth living in an at-risk context (Katutura and Khomasdal) in Namibia (N= 305). For the purpose of data collection, it was decided to use a quantitative approach, through the administration of a questionnaire. The research evidence suggests that access to a full range of sexual and reproductive health education services is inadequate, despite the fact that many young Namibians are already sexually active and in need of information and healthcare. There is a need to empower marginalized youth, provide good leadership and establish support. All stakeholders have a responsibility to help the youth develop practical psychological and social skills to equip them for positive social behaviour and for coping with negative pressures. There is a need to create educational programmes that responds imaginatively to the crises. Skilled-based intervention strategies can also promote numerous positive attitudes and behaviours, including healthy decision-making, improved communication, and effective situational analysis.Item Conceptualizing the benefits of adult literacy education in Namibia: A case of the Caprivi Region(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2011) Likando, Gilbert N.This article aims to examine how adult literacy learners and policy makers conceptualise the benefits derived from adult literacy leaning in Namibia, using the Caprivi region as a case study to understand how community’s needs can be addressed through adult literacy. Both qualitative and quantitative designs were used in the process of data collection and analysis. A stratified sample of 100 adult literacy learners and purposive sample of five policy makers participated in the study. The findings revealed that there is a narrow conception of the benefits derived from adult literacy as participants conceived literacy as a neutral skill, other than a social practice embedded in socially constructed epistemological principles. The article concludes by making recommendation that due to this narrow conception of the benefits derived from adult literacy learning, there is a need to revisit the relationship between policy, practice and outcomes in the exiting National Literacy Programme in Namibia (NLPN).Item Perceptions of professional educators on parental involvement in the education of lower primary learners in rural Namibia(Namibian Educational Research Association (NERA), 2008) Hamunyela, Miriam N.; Bender, Gerda C.; Fraser, W.J.Many research articles reported about the consistent findings that the involvement of parents in education of learners is more likely to take root in urban than in rural schools. Moreover, most schools where parental involvement is functional, parents are more involved in non-academic than academic activities. In this article a survey of whether and how professional educators (N=146) of rural lower primary schools in northern Namibia (purposive sampling) perceive and practice parental involvement in the academic education of learners (Grade 1-3) was done. The current trend exposed by this study demonstrates the potential of rural lower primary schools in practising parental involvement. Therefore, strengthening rural schools’ initiatives to network with parents and other potential stakeholders for learners’ education seems to be a sensible recommendation.