Mozambican University Research Articles

Understanding student participation in a Mozambican university: the student perspective

ABSTRACT Student participation in university classrooms plays a pivotal role in student learning and success in higher education. We conducted a qualitative study to comprehend how students navigate complex classroom environments. Our aim is to understand how students perceive class participation and interactions with teachers and how they interpret teaching practices vis-à-vis their participation. Data from 23 undergraduate students at one university in Mozambique were collected and analysed. The findings indicate nuanced views and experiences regarding student participation and interactions with faculty. Deterrents to classroom participation and interactions were identified. Contextual and cultural factors were paramount in revealing the types and qualities of interactions and classroom participation reported in this study. Furthermore, innovative teaching practices and faculty’s caring attitude and behaviour were linked to more active participation and positive feelings about learning.

Highlighting the Need for MD-PhD Programs in Developing Countries

In certain developing countries, research output in the medical field has been rising rapidly in the last few decades due to an increased focus on medical research development through different avenues.[1] These indicated an increase in the expenses on research projects, the launch of more research centers, and others.[1] [2] However, this is not the case for most developing countries. Compared with developing countries, developed countries have contributed a lot more to scientific publications in health research.[3] [4] Furthermore, the health research productivity of postgraduate students in low- and middle-income countries was found to be low.[5] In detail, the majority of students infrequently publish their theses. In addition, most published studies are cross-sectional in design, with hardly any clinical trials.[5] The reasons behind that vary, but many of them are common, including limited funding and resources, weak linkage between universities and stakeholders, limited facilities for research training and education, and limited access to health information and literature sources.[3] [6] Such problems have affected medical education in developing countries negatively. For example, in one of the low-income countries, Mozambique, for the period between 2004 and 2010, only 11% of Mozambican University faculty members had a PhD degree, and the shortage of human resources for teaching and mentoring in that country is still an ongoing problem.[7] It has also become clear that developing nations' clinical research needs to be improved if important issues are to be resolved and effective pandemic management tactics are to be selected. As an illustration, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which started in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019 and is brought on by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus that mostly affects the respiratory tract,[8] has had a major impact on public health in India. Following the second wave of COVID-19 in India, it has been argued that conducting research is essential for low- and middle-income countries so that resources can be allocated properly where they are needed and health systems can develop a greater understanding of what causes good and bad outcomes.[9]

Internationalisation of the curriculum in higher education: A case from a Mozambican university

Internationalisation of the curriculum in higher education: A case from a Mozambican university

Methodological options for the use of grammar learning strategies by Mozambican university students

Methodological options for the use of grammar learning strategies by Mozambican university students

Learning Self-Assessment: Perceptions of Students and Teachers

The article arises as a consequence of a thesis developed within the ambit of a doctorate. The main objective of this paper is to question the use of self-evaluation as a tool for the development of metacognition and the improvement of the teaching and learning process. We opted for a case study focused on a class of first year undergraduates at a Mozambican university, in the context of the subject of Mathematics. A total of 40 students studying two courses (Human Resources Management, and Marketing and Public Relations), and 10 teachers participated in the study. Data collection instruments consisted of self-assessment forms (completed in sessions), non-participant observation and semi-structured interview surveys were used in the study. Also analyzed were some normative and academic documents of the institution. The results allow us to conclude that students resort to self-evaluation of their learning in an implicit manner and as a reaction to the content learned, but not as an intentional learning strategy. Students use metacognitive strategies, and metacognitive judgment was the most used modality. There was also the use of metacognitive decision in a small number of students who came to express some individual and particular dynamics considered necessary for learning. No gender differences were found regarding the use of metacognition. Overall, there was a significant positive relationship between metacognitive strategies and academic achievement, as students who used metacognition in its most elaborate form performed better.

Pedagogical Training of Higher Education Teachers and their Implications in the Teaching

The present study seeks to address the pedagogical training of higher education teachers and the implications for the ways of teaching. The study was conducted at a faculty of a Mozambican university, hereinafter referred to by the pseudonym João Luís Cabral University. Thus, our research seeks to understand how the pedagogical training practices of higher education teachers are characterized and what implications are recognized and can be observed in the way they teach. In order to answer our starting question, we chose to conduct our research by means of a case study, since the phenomenon occurs in a context of its own specificity. We also chose to approach the study in light of the interpretative paradigm. This option is due to the fact that it fits in with our concern of seeking to understand the pedagogical training practices of teachers. Given the nature of our study, we selected the following data collection techniques, namely: semi-structured interviews, focus group and classroom observation. Next, in order to answer our questions, we selected not only a number of subjects directly involved in pedagogical training, but also some direct beneficiaries of this training, ie students, teachers, trainers and the director of the University. Pedagogical training was perceived by our interviewees as an essential and indispensable tool to be able to properly guide the teaching-learning process, although their practices express a contrary tendency, as there was a poor application of the feedback method and an excessive predominance of the expository method, making evident the use of a transmissive didactic model more focused on the fulfillment of the teaching program than on learning.

English language: the subtle force behind the demise of Mozambican higher education academic’s aspirations.

ABSTRACT It is contended that Lusophone universities are to a certain degree deprived access to American and European scholarships in the 21st century. We examine the validity of this statement, focusing on the barriers scholars often face when accessing scholarships using English. To explore the constraints English language imposes on Mozambican lecturers pursuing international scholarships, the study employed qualitative research methods using structured interviews. The sample of interviewees included university lecturers from Eduardo Mondlane University. The discussions of the study were guided by two dominant themes: language coloniality and academic oppression (Lack of accessibility). Participants had their unique experiences while attempting scholarship applications and this study also captured their challenges. Eighty percent of participants could not express themselves fluently in English and the researcher had to switch to Portuguese to get quality responses. The study contributes to International comparative higher education language policy development by presenting the impediments posed by the English language to Mozambican universities seeking European and American scholarships. Keywords: English language barrier, coloniality, oppression, European university, American university, scholarship, Mozambique

Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions in Mozambique: Exploring the Rationales, Strategies and Challenges

Internationalisation is transforming higher education institutions worldwide. However, the understanding of internationalisation, the rationales presented, the strategies applied and the challenges encountered differ between contexts. One challenge, especially for universities in the Global South, is how to consider internationalisation with a decolonised approach. This study explores internationalisation in two major universities in Mozambique through documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews with academics and managers. The study was guided by two questions: (1) How have Mozambican universities undertaken internationalisation in terms of understanding, rationales, strategies and challenges? (2) How are global ideas of internationalisation interpreted and translated into local practices? The results are interpreted with a theoretical lens combining neo-institutionalism and decolonisation theory, both providing arguments for translation and adaptation of ideas and practices to the local context. The findings suggest that the approaches to internationalisation emphasise the adoption of Western templates and values and can be more deliberately decolonised.

SAÚDE MENTAL DOS PROFESSORES EM TEMPOS DA PANDEMIA DA COVID-19: entrevista aos professores das escolas primárias da cidade de Nampula-Moçambique

This is a cross-sectional qualitative research using a semi-structured interview whose objective was to assess the impacts of the pandemic on the mental health of primary school teachers in the city of Nampula, Mozambique. All participants were contacted in advance (with the help of a collaborator) and presented with the free and informed consent form. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and processed under the content analysis of Saldaña (2013). The results indicate that the Covid-19 pandemic has greatly affected the mental health of teachers and the entire school community. Respondents reported experiences of anxiety and fear among students, teachers and other users when returning to face-to-face classes during the pandemic. However, despite the fact that many psychology professionals (school psychology, educational psychology, social and organizational psychology, clinical psychology and related areas) that many Mozambican universities have trained annually, schools do not enjoy their services and many of them are allocated as professors in different classes and sometimes, outside its scope of action. Due to the complexity of the emotional and affective problems that have been registered in schools, it is suggested that the education system together with schools implement psychological support services to promote the well-being and mental health of the school community and the population in general.

The influence of family on academic performance of Mozambican university students

Past research indicates that the family plays an important role in academic outcomes. This is an important topic for unequal family contexts such as those in Mozambique. The objective of this study is to explore the influence of family on academic performance and to determine whether self-efficacy and perceived progression mediate this relationship among university students in Mozambique. Testing these influences was proposed to be done through path analysis. The study involved 202 Mozambican university students aged 18 and 58 years (M = 28.36, SD = 8.16, Mdn = 26). Participants were measured on socio-demographic family characteristics, family values and beliefs, family expectations and family support, self-efficacy, goal progress, and academic performance. Overall, the results show that the family did indeed influence academic performance through academic self-efficacy and perception of progress toward academic goals. However, self-efficacy was less influenced by the information provided but more associated with support from material resources. Implications for practice involve interventions aimed to improving family support, which can act as a filter against negative contextual influences. Future research would benefit from exploring other contextual influences, such as those of colleagues and teachers, and their effect on self-efficacy.

An Analysis of the Use of English Language for Career Development in African Higher Education

Abstract Although the internationalization of higher education through the standardization of English language is considered progressive, unfortunately, for Lusophone universities it remains a deterrent for scholars’ career progression. The evidence of lived experiences in Mozambican universities suggests that the relationship between English language competence and professional status remains inconclusive. The study explores the impact of English language for career development in two Portuguese language-speaking universities, namely Eduardo Mondlane and Catholic universities in Mozambique. Case study design, purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews with scholars, documents reviews and content analysis approach will be employed. Career construction theory and practice (Savickas, 2013), is considered ideal based on its fundamental premise of individual and social constructivism of knowledge through which individuals construct themselves. The study contributes to a comparative higher education career research by guiding the formulation of language policy for career development in Lusophone countries.

USANDO ANALOGIAS PARA LECIONAR SOBRE O ÁTOMO NAS AULAS DE QUIMICA GERAL NO ENSINO SUPERIOR

USING ANALOGIES TO TEACH ABOUT THE ATOM IN HIGHER EDUCATION GENERAL CHEMISTRY CLASSES. Chemistry deals with concepts associated with non-observable entities. Using analogies may facilitate the learning of such concepts, including the atom. In this study, we investigated the analogies that two chemistry teachers used when teaching about the atom at two Mozambican universities. These analogies were characterized and the reasons that led teachers to use analogies were analyzed. Teachers were observed when teaching about the atom and they were interviewed afterwards. Both teachers used different amounts of analogies, which focused on the Thomson and the Rutherford models. Almost all the analogies, that were created and used spontaneously, showed a lack of internal consistency, which may reduce their didactical value and even make them inducing incorrect deas in the students. Teachers stated that they would start planning the use of analogies in their classes. If they are to do this properly, they need training that integrates two components: analogies and chemistry.

Performance Management System in Mozambican Universities: A Literature Review of Theories, Origin and Evolution

From the end of the 1970s up to the 2000s, governments in the developed and developing countries were involved in implementing economic, social, political, cultural and legal reform programs. The first wave of public sector reforms came under the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) which were implemented in most of the developing countries from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. The second wave, which started in the early 1990s, was propelled by influence generated by proponents of the New Public Management (NPM) school of thought. The major objective of reforms was to enhance performance and productivity in public sector organizations including higher education institutions. This practice was grounded on certain theories and models, mainly public-choice theory and goal-setting theory under the New Public Management (NPM) model. The Government of Mozambique has adopted a performance-based approach to implementing public sector reforms. This study, which employs a qualitative literature survey with secondary data as its primary research source, discusses and analyzes literature on the design and implementation of a Performance Management System (PMS) in the public sector including public universities of Mozambique. The study also discusses the origins and evolution of the theories which are linked to PMS and their applicability to the public universities of Mozambique as they started embracing PMS as a tool for improving performance of individuals and the organization as a whole.

Faecal colonization of E. coli and Klebsiella spp. producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and plasmid-mediated AmpC in Mozambican university students

BackgroundIn recent years, the world has seen a surge in Enterobacteriaceae resistant to broad-spectrum beta-lactam antibiotics due to the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) or plasmid-mediated AmpC (pAmpC) enzymes. Data on the epidemiology of cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in Sub-Saharan Africa are still limited.MethodsTwo hundred seventy-five non-repetitive stool samples were collected from Mozambican university students of both sexes. Samples were cultured on MacConkey agar with and without ceftriaxone (1 mg/L) for selection of third-generation cephalosporin-resistant isolates, which were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by disc diffusion, characterization of resistance genes by PCR and ERIC-PCR analysis for strain clonality.ResultsAmong the 275 students, 55 (20%) carried a total of 56 E. coli (n = 35) and Klebsiella spp. (n = 21) isolates resistant to ceftriaxone and phenotypically positive for ESBL- and/or pAmpC-production. Forty-three percent of the isolates (24/56) contained only ESBL genes, 11% (6/56) only pAmpC genes, and 36% (20/56) both ESBL and pAmpC genes. The remaining six isolates were negative for the CTX-M/pAmpC genes included in the test panel. E. coli and Klebsiella spp. combined demonstrated 70% resistance to tetracycline and co-trimoxazole, 63% to ceftazidime and 34% to ciprofloxacin. In total, 89% of ESBL/pAmpC-positive isolates were defined as multi-resistant by being resistant to three or more antibiotic classes. ERIC-PCR fingerprinting demonstrated low similarity among isolates. None of the participants reported recent hospitalization and just 12.5% had taken antibiotics 3 months prior to the study.ConclusionThis study demonstrated 20% colonization with multi-resistant E. coli and Klebsiella spp. among Mozambican students with a diversity of ESBL and pAmpC genes. Colonization was not related to prior hospitalization or antimicrobial consumption.

A idiomaticidade e a formulaicidade no discurso escrito em português produzido por alunos universitários moçambicanos

A observação de textos redigidos em Português por alunos universitários moçambicanos revela dificuldades de escrita que vão para além do domínio das regras da gramática. As línguas maternas da maioria destes alunos são de raíz Bantu e utilizadas, sobretudo, em ambientes restritos ou familiares. Diferentemente das línguas bantu, o Português, língua segunda da maioria desses alunos, goza do estatuto de língua oficial, do ensino, da administração pública, do contacto com o mundo, sendo também a língua que confere prestígio social em Moçambique. Este quadro propicia transferências linguístico-discursivas, retóricas, culturais e idiomáticas que se manifestam numa variedade de formas de expressão peculiares às línguas e culturas em contacto, na comunicação oral ou escrita, e para o caso da presente pesquisa, enfaticamente na escrita. Neste artigo exploramos até que ponto estes alunos desenvolvem a fluência e a proficiência na língua-alvo, através do modo como organizam as unidades linguístico-discursivas para expressarem a sua visão do mundo, no contexto interlingue e intercultural em que vivem. Selecionamos trechos de 4 composições por eles produzidas e fizemos incidir a análise na forma como acomodam aspectos da idiomaticidade e da formulaicidade em textos do género opinativo e no âmbito da tipologia argumentativa.

Enhancing academic reading skills through extensive reading

The current study explores the feasibility of an extensive reading programme in the context of a low-income country (Mozambique), as well as the influence of extensive reading on academic reading. The programme took over 4 months and was conducted among 30 students majoring in Journalism at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique in 2013. The study applied a reading comprehension pre-test and post-test design, as well as three-minute reading speed pre- and post-tests. Using SPSS statistical analysis, three paired-samples t-tests were administered and the progress from the reading speed pre-test to the post-test was found to be significant. Study results indicate that reading speed and reading comprehension are complementary abilities, since students who achieved higher reading speed also scored higher marks in the academic reading comprehension tests. Moreover, the reading comprehension results showed that extensive general reading transfers to academic reading skills. However, students’ motivation to read did not show a considerable improvement. It can be concluded that an extensive reading programme is indeed feasible and desirable among Mozambican university students, but that there are still problems concerning requirements for the implementation of such extensive reading programmes.

Editorial

The Africa Platform of the Ghent University Association and its journal Afrika Focus have always tried to focus on academic expertise in Africa and on academic north-south collaboration. Through its annual conference and its journal the Africa Platform offers a forum in which African academics and northern scholars working on Africa can forge new and often interdisciplinary collaboration. Most of this research on Africa is highly relevant to the development of African societies, as became clear at the last symposium of 1 This editorial was written just a few days before Nelson Mandela passed away on 5 December 2013. We have lost a great man. Hamba Kahle Madiba. [5 ] the Africa Platform, entitled ‘Africa: (post-development)?’ This special issue of Afrika Focus contains a number of articles that were presented at that symposium, which took place on 7 December 2012. In his article ‘Performance, poverty and urban development: Kigali’s motari and the special city’ Rollason describes the con ict between motorcycle taxis in Kigali and the city authorities. Urban development of Kigali is at stake here as these motari do not seem to match the image of the city the government wants to present. The article by Debusscher ‘Gender equality in European Union development policy: incorporating women’s voices or con rming hierarchies?’ is highly critical of the gender mainstreaming approach of the EU in its development aid towards sub-Saharan Africa. The EU seems to be more con- cerned with reaching its policy goals rather than challenging existing power structures in Africa. Both of these articles raise awareness on the level of a particular development-re- lated issue, and they have the potential to lead to concrete recommendations for national or EU development policies. The three remaining articles in this issue do not t in with the development-topic. Mulamba’s article ‘Luba folklore and women’s ethno-gendered discourse of wifehood in “Cintu Wa Bujitu”’, throws light on the socialization function of the Lubà folk song, a folkloric tradition that seems to perpetuate gender inequalities. Naphulo’s linguistic article (‘Teacher and learner beliefs and expectations about English language teaching at a Mozambican university’) critically analyses English language teaching in tertiary in- stitutions. The conclusion is that cultural backgrounds and beliefs need to be considered in order to enable effective teaching. The nal article of this issue (‘Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with shade trees and Coffea arabica L. in a coffee-based agroforestry system in Bonga, Southwestern Ethiopia’) examines coffee production and describes how a certain type of fungi could be used as a (natural) alternative to chemical fertilizers, so as to enhance coffee production in the forest areas of Ethiopia. All three of these articles indicate that traditional knowledge – be it linguistic, cultural or botanic – always plays an important role when trying to gain insight into African societies or when trying to improve practices and policies related to education, health care or agriculture. This is an idea that should as a mat- ter of course be a consideration when designing research in an African context. We like to remind the reader that in addition to fully- edged articles, Afrika Focus also publishes reports of doctoral research or eld work. In this issue we offer you four reports of PhDs defended at Ghent University. All four of these PhD degress were ob- tained by African scholars, thus testifying to the vibrant research collaboration that exists between African institutions and this Western European university. These current reports belong to the domains of Biology and Marine Biology, Linguistics and Health Care.

Teacher and learner beliefs and expectations about English language teaching and learning at a Mozambican university

Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction have a significant influence on language teaching and learning process and, consequently, on students’ achievements. However, in the Mozambican context, we still do not have studies focusing on learner and teacher beliefs about students and language proficiency, about teaching materials, about individual and cultural variations and beliefs about the learning process itself. Using ques- tionnaires and a focus group report, we look at the Mozambican linguistic profile, the learner and teacher beliefs and their influence in tertiary English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning. The results show that there is a need for creating an environment in which teachers’ and learners’ cultural background, beliefs and needs are considered so as to enable teachers to teach effectively, as well as enabling learners to achieve positive learning outcomes. Key words: beliefs, expectations, English Language Teaching, Mozambican students, Mozambique, second language learning

Teacher and learner beliefs and expectations about English language teaching and learning at a Mozambican university

Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction have a significant influence on language teaching and learning process and, consequently, on students’ achievements. However, in the Mozambican context, we still do not have studies focusing on learner and teacher beliefs about students and language proficiency, about teaching materials, about individual and cultural variations and beliefs about the learning process itself. Using questionnaires and a focus group report, we look at the Mozambican linguistic profile, the learner and teacher beliefs and their influence in tertiary English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning. The results show that there is a need for creating an environment in which teachers’ and learners’ cultural background, beliefs and needs are considered so as to enable teachers to teach effectively, as well as enabling learners to achieve positive learning outcomes.

The Legitimacy of Humanitarian Military Interventions: A Preliminary Study of Angolan and Mozambican University Students' Views

The study examined (a) the extent to which educated people living in two African countries agree with the idea that humanitarian military interventions by United Nations (UN) forces can be legitimate, and (b) the contextual factors that may impact on their level of acceptance of these interventions. Concrete cases depicting an emergency situation were presented to university students from Angola and Mozambique. For a large majority of participants, UN interventions can, at least under certain circumstances, be considered as legitimate. Qualitatively different views were found. The most common one was to consider that, in most cases where a government (or a majority group) threatens the minorities in the country, humanitarian interventions are legitimate, even in relatively benign cases such as forced acculturation. The second most common view was to consider that legitimacy strictly depends on the government's political project: when there was a serious threat of massacre or genocide, support for humanitarian interventions was high, irrespective of the other circumstances.