Learning In Zimbabwe Research Articles

Productive Innovation or Disruptive Irritation: An Exploration of Stakeholder Perspective on Remote Work in the Institutes of Higher learning in Zimbabwe (A Case of Midlands State University)

Objective: The major objective of this study was to establish whether remote work was yielding positive results in the Institutions of higher learning. In order to achieve the major objective, the study explored the advantages of remote work and the challenges that are associated with remote work. Furthermore, the study explored some intervention mechanisms that may be can be implemented to support remote work. Method: In order to achieve the research objectives, the study adopted the qualitative study, using a case study design. Convenience sampling methods was adopted to come up with a sample of 45 participants that would be interviewed. Face to face interviews were conducted using semi-structured interviews. Result: After data collection and analysis, the study results showed that remote work enables employee flexibility, employee autonomy, increased employee productivity as well as cost savings. The results of the study also showed that remote work also comes with its own challenges such as isolation, role conflict and technological challenges. Furthermore, the study found that there are some intervention mechanisms that can be employed to support remote working in the institutions of higher learning. The intervention mechanisms include training, technological infrastructure, data access and mental health care. Conclusion: Conclusions from the study indicate that remote work is viable and beneficial at MSU. However, the study also established that remote work has its own challenges. The study concluded that the challenges can be mitigated by some intervention mechanisms.

Impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the Growth of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Zimbabwe

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of Information and Communication Technology on the growth of Microfinance Institutions in Zimbabwe. The study used a sample of thirty (30) MFIs registered with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, with operations in Harare Central Business District. A sequential explanatory research design was adopted with the view of adopting a mixed research approach. Purposive sampling technique was adopted. Data was gathered through interviews which were administered to branch managers of MFIs and questionnaires which were administered to MFI employees. The study revealed that most of the MFIs have partially adopted ICT. The study found out that customers’ lack of knowledge in the use of ICT, higher costs of setting up ICT, customers’ lack of ICT resources, poor network connectivity and ICT related complaints raised by MFI clients are the challenges faced by MFIs in adopting and using technology. The study revealed that adoption and usage of ICT has positively affected the operational growth of MFIs through improving revenue base, customers’ touch points, market share, and outreach to previously inaccessible customers, debt recovery and customers’ contact points. The study revealed that adoption and usage of ICT has positively affected the business efficiencies of MFIs through improvement in speed of execution of transactions, loan processing, communication with clients and business acumen of MFI employees. The study recommends that MFIs should advocate the institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe to introduce banking and finance programmes linked with technology. The study also recommended that there should be collaboration between MFIs, technology companies and higher learning institutions to come up with technology driven products that are accessible and affordable to MFI clients.

Flexible work arrangements and gender differences in research during the COVID-19 period in Zimbabwean higher learning institutions

This study sought to investigate the impact of COVID-19-induced flexible work arrangements (FWAs) on gender differences in research outputs during COVID-19. A mixed research methodology was used, focusing on higher learning institutions in Zimbabwe. Purposive sampling was applied to select 250 researchers from the 21 registered universities in Zimbabwe. The study’s findings revealed that institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe did not provide the necessary affordances to enable both male and female academics to work from home effectively. The study also established that FWAs were preferred and appreciated by both male and female academics. However, whilst both male and female academics performed their teaching responsibilities without incident, unlike males, females struggled to find time for research, thus affecting professional growth and development negatively for female academics. Cultural traditions were found to subordinate females to domestic and caregiving responsibilities unrelated to their professions. The findings raise questions on the feasibility of the much-recommended FWAs for future work on female academics’ research careers. Thus, without the necessary systems and processes to support female researchers, FWAs can only widen the gender gap in research outputs. This study contributes to the Zimbabwean higher learning institutions’ perspective on how FWAs’ policies and practices could be re-configured to assist female researchers in enhancing their research outputs as well as their career growth.

Online learning experiences of learners with special education needs in Institutes of Higher Education.

This study was focused on assessing the online learning experiences for learners with special education needs in Institutes of Higher Education. The study was motivated by the effect of the adoption of online learning by Institutes of Higher Education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Student disabilities ranges from hearing impairment, visual impairment, and low concentration span. In Institutes of Higher Education there is unplanned inclusive education hence need to understand the experiences of these learners. The objectives of the study were to assess the perceived ease of use of Google classroom by leaners, the perceived usefulness of Google classroom, the perceived usefulness of screen casts and the perceived ease of online assessments by students. An exploratory research design was adopted for the study and a case study of one tertiary institution in Zimbabwe was considered for analysis. Key informant sampling technique was adopted in selecting lecturers for the study. These were the key informants since the lecturers are members of the faculty disability committee. Snowball random sampling technique was adopted for selecting students. A sample size of 4 lecturers and 50 students was used. The data was collected using focus group with the students and interviews were conducted with lecturers. The findings were that most lecturers were not aware that they had learners with special education needs in their classes. It was also found out that Google classroom was seen as a very useful and easy to use platform for online learning. It was also noted that screencasts and online assessments were very effective for online learning. Students also highlighted that they had data and gadgets challenging for online learning. An area for further study suggested was on inclusive education and attainment of Education 5.0 in institutions of Higher learning in Zimbabwe

Campus and Classroom Based Higher Education: The Effects of Covid-19 on Teaching and Learning in Zimbabwe

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected the mode of delivery in higher education worldwide, with Zimbabwe not being an exception. The goal of this study was to understand how the coronavirus pandemic positively and negatively affected teaching and learning in higher education in Zimbabwe. Literature on how higher education in Zimbabwe has been operating before the pandemic was reviewed. A further attempt was made to understand how COVID-19 changed teaching and learning in higher education institutions in Zimbabwe. In order to understand this, firstly an effort was made to appreciate how the Government reacted in a bid to control the spread of the pandemic. Secondly, the effects of the actions of the government on teaching and learning in higher education institutions were assessed. Thirdly, adaptation techniques adopted by higher learning institutions in order to survive in the new normal situation were probed. The inevitable, new strategies, which include an increase in the use of distance education, e-learning, online teaching, were appraised in order to realize their positive and negative effects on the achieving of student outcomes. The study concluded that the most significant effects of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in higher education in Zimbabwe are delayed syllabus coverage by instructors, compromisation of students’ right to quality education, lack of sufficient resources for standardised learning of students, level of literacy in the computer technology on both instructors and learners and additional costs in learning such as acquiring e-learning gadgets, WIFI and internet accessibility. However, higher education benefited from the emergence of COVID-19 in advanced use of ICT, globalisation in networking by students in various Institutions through online learning and innovation by students through opening of learning forums such as Google classroom and student mobile libraries. The study advocates for continued use of E-learning methods in teaching and learning to counter COVID -19 consequences, adoption of all teaching strategies in Higher and tertiary education and maximum use of ICT in teaching and learning for sustainability. The findings will benefit Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Universities and other institutions of higher learning and research boards in Academic Institutions. Being only based on the review of literature carried out as a snapshot of an ongoing situation, the study recommends an empirical inquiry for further research, to potentially more deeply interrogate the effects of COVID-19 on both students and educators.

Academic leadership and decision-making in institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe: Trends and tribulations

Orientation: The global technological and sociopolitical transformations sweeping across tertiary institutions demand dynamic, proactive and creative leaders who are capable of harnessing the various leadership and decisional skills the diversified experts possess through shared governance. Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that academic leaders are endowed with leadership and decision-making skills and use a preferred situational style or model to attain organisational goals. Motivation for the study: Tertiary institutions demand transformational leaders endowed with appropriate decisional skills and a participative culture for the attainment of organisational goals with the ultimate aim of achieving world-class standards in their volatile environments. Research approach/design and method: Pragmatism informed the mixed methods approach (MMA) utilised. Qualitative data was generated from 10 purposely selected participants using open-ended questions of a case study design, while quantitative data was gathered from 58 systematically sampled respondents using a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Samples were limited by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Main findings: The study revealed that the institutional leaders investigated preferred the transformational leadership style used in conjunction with the rational and creative decision-making models because they were found to be participative, innovative and compatible with the Ministry’s Education 5.0 policy. An eclectic approach was equally suggested. Practical/managerial implications: Shared governance and collective responsibility were suggested in conceiving strategic plans as effective leadership and decision-making skills are not confined to a single individual. Contribution/value-add: Managerial leadership in tertiary institutions must devolve power and flatten the organogram if leadership and decisional skills possessed by followers are to be tapped.

Knowledge and skills for managing digital records at selected state universities in Zimbabwe

This study analyses the knowledge and skills for managing digital records at selected state universities in Zimbabwe. State universities are becoming centres of digital records creation facilitated by the advent of ICTs. However, records management personnel remain a marginal community with some noticeable knowledge and skills gaps in managing such records in their institutions. These gaps resulted in records management personnel being excluded from matters concerning digital technology as state universities in Zimbabwe drive towards innovation and industrialisation to achieve Education 5.0 and the government’s Vision 2030. Lack of knowledge and skills among records management personnel at state universities is worrisome, even though there are records and archives management training programmes in various institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe. The primary purpose of this article is to explore the implication of lack of knowledge and skills, with an intention to bridge this gap among records and archives management personnel in state universities. Data were collected from the Zimbabwe Open University and Harare Institute of Technology. A mixed methods research design was used to ascertain the knowledge and skills for managing digital records at the selected state universities. The study found that state universities still employed records and archives personnel who were not trained, although institutions of higher learning, including polytechnics and universities, are offering records and archives training programmes and churned out hundreds of records and archives professionals each year. Therefore, the study recommends that state universities should change their recruitment policy and employ qualified records and archives management personnel to manage records in this digital era.

Fight or flight? Understanding female students’ response to sexist humour at an institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT Student protests of 2015–2016 in South African higher education institutions calling for the decolonisation of higher education spaces and equal access to these spaces have necessitated and led to increased scrutiny around the lived experiences, particularly of female students in university spaces. Critical attention has been paid to how hegemonic structures of power embedded in higher education spaces continue to exclude and marginalise female students through gendered, sexualised and other forms of social identity and difference which are often taken for granted. As such, the study explores how female students at a university in Zimbabwe process, react and respond to this collective expression of male hegemony through sexist humour. The study further explores how these enactments may be constrained and therefore serve to re/produce, legitimise and instil gendered norms of violence. Findings from this study reveal how women respond to, resist and affirm their position in higher education.

The uptake and impact of social media sites (SMS) on open and distance teaching and learning in Zimbabwe: A case study of the Midlands regional campus of Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU)

The uptake and impact of social media sites (SMS) on open and distance teaching and learning in Zimbabwe: A case study of the Midlands regional campus of Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU)

Under‐reportage of “sex‐for‐marks” cases within public universities in Zimbabwe

AbstractWomen around the globe have suffered and still suffer from sexual harassment within their homes, workplaces, and even in schools. Despite the trending of a new form of sexual harassment termed “sex‐for‐marks” within university settings, there is evidence of under‐reporting of these cases. Against this background, the paper sought to investigate factors that may be causing under‐reporting of such cases in order to make practical recommendations that can strengthen the reporting mechanism for sexual harassment within institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe. Underpinned by a qualitative paradigm, the paper shows that under‐reporting of “sex‐for‐marks” cases is influenced by fear of failure, unclear reporting systems, the laxity from authorities in dealing with the cases, and the stigma and shame that is transferred on to the victims. Through the advocacy role of social work practice, the paper calls for the desensitization of sexuality and sexual behavior in order to challenge the culture of silence, which has proved to be the breeding ground for under‐reportage of sex‐for‐marks cases. The paper further encourages universities to consider partnering with theater and music departments to offer edutainment—a way of promoting awareness on sexual harassment and the “sex‐for‐marks” phenomenon.

University Lecturers and Students Preparedness for Online Teaching and Learning in Zimbabwe

The outbreak of COVID 19, which disrupted the normal lecture delivery system in universities, profoundly impacted Zimbabwe as a nation. This study investigated on university lecturers and students’ preparedness to online teaching and learning at the outbreak of COVID 19 in the country. The study also looked at how these two groups adjusted and what still need to be done to effect e-learning. The researcher carried out massive interviews to both lecturers and students. The study employed the thematic data processing approach. Findings showed that university lecturers and students were caught unaware and unprepared for alternative learning modes though they did their best to rise above the challenges. Lecturers from very few well-to-do universities got either or both data bundles and gadgets. Universities experienced the following challenges: limited accessibility to internet, limited mobile networks, unreliable electricity supply, lack of appropriate technological gadgets, lack of technical know-how, high levels of stress and low performance level for both lecturers and students. The study concluded that the e-learning that was introduced as a mitigating measure, left a lot to be desired and this needs to be ‘fixed’ in preparation for future similar calamities and general technological advancement. The study recommended national and university funding of necessary electronic gadgets, e-learning infrastructure and data bundles for smooth running of e-learning programs.

Integration of Gender Equality and Language Diversity in Zimbabwe Teacher Education Curriculum

This article explored the perceptions of lecturers on integration of gender equality and language diversity in Zimbabwe University teacher education curricula through the qualitative phenomenological design. Out of the population of forty lecturers from one State University and one church owned university in Masvingo Province, nine lecturers from the Department s of Educational Psychology, Educational Sociology and Special Needs Education were picked to participate in this study through Focus Group Discussion which was analyzed through the thematic approach. The study concluded that the challenges that face gender equality include lack of qualified lecturers to teach gender studies in universities, gender studies being elective at universities and lack of scholarly materials that deal with gender issues. These challenges negatively affect the goals of gender equality. The use of a variety of languages helps students and lecturers to socialize. However, some of the challenges that affect the effective use of a variety of languages as instruments of teaching and learning include inability of teachers to master and use all students’ languages, the lack of university course textbooks in various languages and lack of reading materials that are in vernacular languages. The study recommends that lecturers should be trained in gender equality issues through staff development programs periodically. The compulsory teaching and learning of gender studies will equip students with relevant knowledge of gender equality. Institutions of higher learning should have clear and deliberate policies of promoting women to positions of authority as a way for women empowerment. Finally, scholars should write literature in vernacular languages to enhance the use of multiple languages in teaching and learning in Zimbabwe.

Environmental and Sustainability Literacy among Students at a Selected Institution of Higher Learning in Zimbabwe

The study was carried to assess students’ environmental and sustainability literacy at a selected institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. The questionnaire used was validated, and the Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine reliability (α = 0.767). Purposive, stratified and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 70 respondents for the study from a population of 1352. The study revealed that the level of knowledge was mediocre, and one-way ANOVA showed no statistically significant difference in the level of knowledge among the groups (F (3,66) =2.376, p=0.078). Results also showed a positive attitude towards environment and sustainability issues; and identified the need to train every student about environment and sustainability (83%), with government support (93%) to achieve an environmentally sustainable world (96%). It was concluded that although the attitude among students was positive, the current syllabi are not explicit about environmental and sustainability issues which bear negatively on their environmental knowledge. The study recommends the introduction of a compulsory environmental education course in Higher and Tertiary Education in order to raise the environmental and sustainability literacy.

Taboos and Storytelling for Teaching and Learning in Zimbabwe

This paper explores how taboos and storytelling could be applied in the curriculum decolonization agenda of Africa through the Zimbabwe's Curriculum Framework for Primary Education adopted in 2015. The main question that underpinned the discussion was, What role could taboos and storytelling play towards a framework design for education decolonization at primary and high school levels in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa? The theories that guided the reflective analysis and arguments advanced in the paper are Postcolonial theory and Afrocentric theory because of their complementary nature for the subject matter studied. The study found that taboos have a fear-deterrence effect to teaching and learning discourse while storytelling promotes ‘peership' and social equality among the learners. The study concluded that taboos and storytelling are just a few of the many possible African indigenous knowledge resources that could be considered towards curriculum decolonization framework at primary and high school levels in the continent.

Training for English language or indigenous language media journalism: A decolonial critique of Zimbabwean journalism and media training institutions’ training practices

There is growing academic scholarship on indigenous language media in Africa. The scholarship has mostly tended to focus on the content and political economy of indigenous language newspapers. The scholarship also suggests that much needs to be done in inculcating indigenous languages and indigenous language journalism in journalism education. Grounded in decoloniality, this article explores journalism training practices in selected institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe. The intention is to unravel the absence or existence of training for indigenous journalism and perceptions of lecturers and attitudes of students towards indigenous language media and journalism. The article also seeks to establish whether there are any attempts to de-westernize journalism, media and communication studies. Methodologically, in-depth interviews were used to gather data from lecturers and students of journalism and media studies at colleges and universities in Zimbabwe. Findings show that the colleges surveyed do not offer any indigenous media journalism-specific modules or subjects. The lecturers, who include programme designers in some cases, have a low regard for indigenous language media. This, the article concludes, will have a knock-on effect on journalism students’ and journalists’ misgivings towards a career in indigenous language media.

Challenges and Prospects for Teaching Practice in the Zimbabwe Open University: Learning from Experiences in the First Semester 2016 Teaching Practice Supervision Exercise in Masvingo, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South

In this qualitative study, we examine the experiences of the Zimbabwe Open University Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (ZOU PGDE) in-service student teachers, their academic supervisors and host schools supervisors in Masvingo, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces. The major aim of the study is to establish challenges and prospects for the teaching practice programme to map up the way forward for teaching professionalization through distance and open learning in Zimbabwe. Teaching practice simply repre­sents the range of experiences to which student teachers are exposed when they work in classrooms and schools. All over the world, teaching practice has been made an integral part of teacher training as it gives student teachers hands on experience in the actual teaching and learning environment. Guided by this background knowledge and Adult Learning theories, we explore the experiences of Intake 14 Masvingo Region ZOU PGDE student teachers through primary observations, teaching practice supervision reports and impressions of academic supervisors from the January – March 2016 teaching practice supervision session. The paper reaffirms Marais and Meier’s (2004) observation that teaching practice is a challenging but important part of teacher training. We established that in the current Zimbabwe Open University context, teaching practice effectiveness could easily be diminished or eroded by a range of challenges. Some of such challenges include geographical distance, uneven levels of supervisors and mentors expertise, a wide-ranging lack of resources as well as a lack of discipline among a wide cross-section of learners and educators. Keywords: Teaching practice, mentor, challenges, prospects, experiences, supervision, student teacher, professional development. DOI : 10.7176/JEP/10-7-09 Publication date :March 31 st 2019

Opportunities and Challenges of Academic Librarians in Teaching Information Literacy in Institutions of Higher Learning in Zimbabwe

A study was undertaken to analyse the opportunities and challenges that are faced in institutions of higher learning in Zimbabwe when offering information literacy. Institutions of higher learning were purposively selected. Open ended questions were sent to 20 librarians and 13 responded. It was discovered that all the institutions of higher learning which participated in the study teach IL to the students and the librarians are responsible. Librarians teach IL to ensure that the students know how to search, evaluate and use information ethically and legally. This was necessitated by the information explosion leading to the availability of various information sources. The role of the librarian is to design the curriculum, teach IL and monitor and evaluate the course as a way of improving it. It was discovered that librarians face some challenges because of the negative attitudes by students and academic staff. The author recommends that librarians should continuously upgrade themselves and library administrators should provide resources needed to offer IL.

ICTs in teacher education: enhancing quality language teaching and learning in Zimbabwe

113 Rapid advances in the development of ICT have been seen to offer new opportunities for enhancing the quality and effectiveness of language teaching and learning. The computer offers educators immense possibilities, and has been widely used, in computer assisted language learning (CALL). CALL has made significant advances towards finding a solution to and changing the way that language courses are conceived and taught. Although CALL developments tended to follow behaviouristic pedagogies that produced electronic imitations of drill and practice, for example, CALL now provides endless opportunities for interaction with a rich set of media types, characters and cultural information. However, educational institutions have lagged behind in fully recognising such opportunities. This prompts a call for re-orientation of education and training of language teachers. The paper therefore intends to guide teachers’ colleges on integrating ICT into their language learning and teaching activities. The guide is specifically aimed at language lecturers, lecturers-in-charge (LICs), heads of departments (HODs) and administrators in Zimbabwean teachers’ colleges while exploring the challenges of introducing ICT driven language education in traditionally face-to-face tertiary institutions in developing African countries.

A sociolinguistic exploration of sexual harassment at an institution of higher education in Zimbabwe

The aim of this study is to explore some of the main linguistic features that characterize the discourse of sexual harassment of peers at an institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe. One hundred undergraduate female students aged between 19 and 24 were asked to respond to a questionnaire on sexual harassment and describe what they recalled the harassers said to them. The results reveal that the discourse of sexual harassment is characterized by (a) the use of monologic utterances, (b) extensive use of code-mixing and, most importantly, (c) the use of excessively impolite utterances that are couched in hostile jokes.

Gender, Disability and Empowerment In Institutions of Higher Learning in Zimbabwe

Abstract,This paper examines how gender relates to disability and empowerment. Throughout the world regardless of culture, disabled people have generally been seen as incapable of taking control of their own lives. There are three broad attitudes towards them among able bodied people, they may be regarded as lesser beings to be rejected, may be seen as objects of charity and they can be viewed with benevolent neutrality .This has led to a crude and overt rejection of disabled people. It is even worse for disabled women who face double discrimination, as women and as disabled women. In institutions of higher learning students with disabilities face challenges in their academic, welfare and financial matters. The argument in this paper is that every person operates more effectively when he/she feels valued and is able to value others. In the effort of society and individuals to empower people there is need to see themselves and the roles of disabled people positively so that disabled people can be given power to do so if other people relate to them positively .The paper puts more emphasis on the interrelationship of the law, gender and disability in all empowerment endeavors by governments and institutions of higher learning. Institutions need to ensure maximum responsiveness to gender and disability for the empowerment of all. The study concludes by recommending a social and political will to change negative attitudes to disability through a comprehensive gender analysis of various disability laws.