Group Discussion Participants Research Articles

Determinants of land management technology adoptions by rural households in the Goyrie watershed of southern Ethiopia: Multivariate probit modeling estimation

Land management technology (LMT) adoption is one of Ethiopia's crucial strategies to combat soil depletion and promote agricultural production. However, there is scant information concerning the intensity, interdependent nature, and households' decision to adopt multiple LMTs. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify factors influencing households' decisions to adopt multiple LMTs and the intensity and interdependency of the technologies in the Goyrie watershed of southern Ethiopia. The data was collected from 291 randomly selected household heads, focus group discussion participants, and key informant interview respondents. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric methods like multivariate probit and ordered probit modeling, while the qualitative data was presented through content analysis. The result indicated that more than half of respondents (67 %) applied one or two LMTs. The highest complementary effects were observed in mixed soil bunds with desho grasses and manure applications. However, soil bunds and fanya-juu, manure application and agroforestry showed interchangeability with one another. Sex, education, family size, landholding size, access to development agents and credit institutions, training, and village membership increased the probability of adopting multiple LMTs, whereas age, land rent, and crop sharing discouraged the likelihood of households' decisions to adopt LMT. The results of the ordered probit model revealed that village membership and contact with extension agents highly encouraged the intensity of LMT adoptions. Thus, policymakers and planners should consider social, institutional, human asset, and technological related factors to increase adoption rates and intensity of land management technologies.

Diskusi Kelompok Bernilai: Kunci Keaktifan dan Kemampuan Menulis Teks Tanggapan Siswa VII SMP

The ability to write response texts is an important skill for junior high school students. This ability can help students to understand and communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. However, based on observations and data obtained from teachers, many junior high school students experience difficulty in writing response texts. This can be seen from the low scores of students in the response text material. This research aims to increase the activeness and ability to write response texts of class VII students at SMPN 24 Makassar through value-added group discussion methods. This research uses a classroom action research design with 4 cycles. The research subjects were students. Data was collected through observation, rubric assessment, and interviews. The research results show that the value-added group discussion method can increase students' activeness and ability to write response texts. This increase can be seen from the increase in student participation in group discussions, the frequency of expressing opinions and ideas, the frequency of asking questions, student focus and attention, the quality of the response text framework, the quality of paragraph development, and the quality of language use. The findings of this research indicate that the value-added group discussion method can be an effective alternative learning method to increase students' activeness and learning ability in Indonesian language subjects, especially response text material.

Prevalence, perceptions and associated factors of health insurance enrollment among older persons in selected cash grant communities in Ghana: a cross-sectional mixed method

BackgroundUniversal Health Coverage has been openly recognized in the United Nations health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, though missing under the Millennium Development Goals. Ghana implemented the National Health Insurance Scheme programme in 2004 to improve financial access to healthcare for its citizens. This programme targeting low-income individuals and households includes an Exempt policy for older persons and indigents. Despite population ageing, evidence of the participation and perceptions of older persons in the scheme in cash grant communities is unknown. Hence, this paper examined the prevalence, perceptions and factors associated with health insurance enrollment among older persons in cash grant communities in Ghana.MethodsData were from a cross-sectional household survey of 400 older persons(60 + years) and eight FGDs between 2017 and 2018. For the survey, stratified and simple random sampling techniques were utilised in selecting participants. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques were employed in selecting the focus group discussion participants. Data analyses included descriptive, modified Poisson regression approach tested at a p-value of 0.05 and thematic analysis. Stata and Atlas-ti software were used in data management and analyses.ResultsThe mean age was 73.7 years. 59.3% were females, 56.5% resided in rural communities, while 34.5% had no formal education. Two-thirds were into agriculture. Three-fourth had non-communicable diseases. Health insurance coverage was 60%, and mainly achieved as Exempt by age. Being a female [Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (APR) 1.29, 95%CI:1.00–1.67], having self-rated health status as bad [APR = 1.34, 95%CI:1.09–1.64] and hospital healthcare utilisation [APR = 1.49, 95%CI:1.28–1.75] were positively significantly associated with health insurance enrollment respectively. Occupation in Agriculture reduced insurance enrollment by 20.0%. Cited reasons for poor perceptions of the scheme included technological challenges and unsatisfactory services.ConclusionHealth insurance enrollment among older persons in cash grant communities is still not universal. Addressing identified challenges and integrating the views of older persons into the programme have positive implications for securing universal health coverage by 2030.

Analysis of student responses toward activities using e-learning in higher education

The aim of this study is to investigate how students respond to learning activities using e-learning. Researchers analyzed students' responses based on four aspects of activity, including attendance discipline, assignment collection accuracy, enthusiastic use of e-learning teaching materials, and participation in group discussions. The research method used in this study is a quantitative descriptive method and usability testing method. The data analysis technique used is descriptive percentage. The sample for this study consisted of 100 students from the informatics education study program, including the batches of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The results showed that the average response rate of students towards e-learning activities was 67.19% for the year 2019, 81.32% for the year 2020, and 78.59% for the year 2021. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that students from all three batches responded positively to the e-learning activities.

Influence of economic factors on feacal emptying, conveyance and disposal:

Safe management of faecal waste is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which envisions safe sanitation for all. However, although efforts to improve sanitation conditions in slums have been made, faecal emptying, conveyance and disposal still remain a challenge endangering the health of the public. The study examined the influence of economic factors on faecal emptying, conveyance and disposal in on-site sanitation facilities in Meru slums. A convergent design with a mixed methods approach was adopted. Quantitative data was collected using structured questionnaires from a sample of 228 household heads selected using cluster and proportionate simple random sampling techniques. Correlation and regression analysis was carried out to ascertain the association between emptying, conveyance and disposal of faecal waste and the economic factors. Qualitative data was gathered using focus group discussion participants with eight (8) who included four (4) pit operators, 3 household heads and 1 Public Health Officer (PHO) and results analyzed thematically. Findings showed that only 31% of slum dwellers emptied latrine pits and that manual emptying was more common (84%) than mechanical emptying because of its cost efficiency, reliability and the effectiveness in handling plastics, glasses, metal pieces, diapers and sanitary pads contained in pits. Increased cost constrained faecal emptying, conveyance, and disposal (r=0.499, p-value=0.000). Residents who were able to pay for faecal handling services were more likely to practice hygienic faecal emptying, conveyance, and disposal (r=0.524, p-value=0.000). Low level of income for majority of slum dwellers influenced the design of the latrines adopted. Emptying faeces from poorly designed pit latrines was more expensive due to operators’ safety concerns. The study concluded that the inability to meet the costs associated with faecal emptying, conveyance and disposal services facilitated poor sanitation status in slums. There is need to sensitize the slum community on the benefits of practicing safe management of faecal waste. The study recommended development of government policies to regulate mechanical emptying conveyance and disposal of faecal matter.

Coping with Academic Work and Nursing Motherhood: The Case of Akenten Appiah Minkah University of Skills, Training and Entrepreneurial Development (Aamusted), Kumasi

The study explored how student nursing mothers cope with academic work at AAMUSTED. An interpretive philosophical paradigm, qualitative research approach and exploratory case study design were used to guide the study. The study was grounded in Role Conflict and self-determination theories. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques was used to select 15 nursing mothers for the study. The data were gathered through interviews and a detailed observation of the nursing students using an observation guide. The data collected from the interview was analysed using an inductive analysis approach while the observation was analysed using content analysis. The results revealed that student nursing mothers face numerous challenges in their pursuit of academic achievement but they adopt several ways to cope with them. Combining childcare, post-maternity complications and family demands makes it very difficult for student nursing mothers to focus on their academic work. To deal with these challenges, students nursing mothers relied on their husbands, hiring a babysitter, participation in group discussion, developing a good relationship with lecturers and using other psychological tactics to enhance learning. Also, most students, breastfeeding were interrupted by “lecture calls” and had to run back to lectures to avoid missing out. It is recommended that universities should consider instituting policies that can offer student nursing mothers’ academic leverage and infrastructure support. Women must also be encouraged to have stable sources of income before pursing further studies to help them financially. Husbands are encouraged to support their wives and partners to further their education and provide them with necessary support they need at early stages of childcare

Can an advanced practice nursing framework address workforce shortages? A case study of a regional health service

Background Across the globe, shortages of nurses and midwives in rural regions persist. Advanced practice nursing has been found to address workforce shortages through career progression aimed at retention. A regional health service sought to consult with staff about developing an advanced practice nursing framework. Aims This study aimed to explore the perspectives of nurses and midwives at a regional health service on (i) how their roles aligned with the modified Advanced Practice Role Delineation (APRD) tool and (ii) the potential for implementation of such a framework at their service. Design A case study conducted at Goulburn Valley Health (GVH) in southeast Australia used a mixed method design with a survey of all nursing and midwifery staff and focus groups with senior staff. Methods All nurses and midwives were asked to complete a validated modified ARPD questionnaire and those in Grades 3–6 were asked to participate in a focus group. Results From 183 questionnaires and 38 participants in the focus group discussions, findings concurred that nurses and midwives at GVH reported spending most time on direct patient care and minimal time on research activities, publication and/or leadership. While education was strongly embraced and advanced practice usually supported, senior staff cited the lack of resources, the culture and staff shortages as restricting opportunities for education, career development and implementation of an advanced practice framework. Conclusions While an advanced practice framework could address staff shortages at this health service, implementation of such a framework is constrained by the lack of resources and workforce shortages common in rural health services. A national strategy that embeds advanced practice roles and resources implementation of advanced practice nursing and midwifery frameworks in areas of need is recommended.

Running Toward Equity: Socioeconomic Diversity and Parental Perception of a Physical Activity-Based Positive Youth Development Program for Girls

The Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a national positive youth development program to promote self-confidence, resilience, and self-esteem for girls through physical activity. It also includes an opportunity for parent involvement in a 5K event at the end of the program. Given the evidence on the importance of family support and parent role modeling for children’s physical activity, the purpose of this study was to explore how parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds view their daughters’ participation in GOTR and their own attitudes toward physical activity. Parents were recruited from high and low resource sites for participation in online focus group discussions. Questions included perspective on their daughter’s participation in GOTR, their own physical activity, and participation in the GOTR 5K event. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed from two focus groups with parents from low resource sites (N=10) and two with parents from high resource sites (N= 15). A common theme across resource groups was that GOTR enhances self-confidence, communication skills, and physical activity. More parents from the high resource sites reported being physically active and having supportive environments than low resource site parents. While some parents noted intention to participate in the 5K with their daughter, more parents in the low resource group reported barriers to physical activity and participating in the 5K event. There is an opportunity to encourage and facilitate parental 5K participation to create a ripple effect for benefits of the GOTR program.

Factors influencing the uptake and utilization of cervical cancer screening services among women attending public health centers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: mixed methods study

BackgroundCervical cancer is the second cause of cancer deaths among Ethiopian women. Despite multifaceted government efforts, the uptake and utilization of cervical cancer screening remain very low. This study aimed to assess factors influencing the uptake and utilization of cervical cancer screening at public health centers in Addis Ababa.MethodsA convergent parallel mixed-method study was employed to collect data through eight focus group discussions with 66 women purposively recruited from outpatient clinics, and cross-sectional face-to-face exit interviews with 80 women attending cervical cancer clinics in four high-patient volume health centers. The group interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed in Amharic, translated into English, and a thematic analysis approach was used in the analysis. Exit interview data were collected using a structured questionnaire in the Open Data Kit tool on an android tablet. STATA version 17 was used for descriptive and inferential data analyses. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe majority of focus group discussion participants had lack of knowledge of cervical cancer and its screening services. The major barriers to the uptake of screening were inadequate public awareness, fear of the procedure, embarrassment, provider’s gender, lack of male partner support, and childcare. Women aged 40 years and above were 13.9 times more likely to utilize cervical cancer screening than those under 30 years (AOR = 13.85; 95% CI: 1.40, 136.74). There was a strong preference for a female provider (AOR = 7.07; 95% CI: 1.53, 32.75) among women screened after attending antiretroviral therapy clinics and those screened due to abnormal vaginal bleeding than women referred from family planning clinics (AOR = 6.87; 95% CI: 1.02, 46.44). Safety of screening was negatively associated with women aged 30–39 (AOR = 0.045; 95% CI: 0.003, 0.696), and those who attended primary education, and secondary education and above, (AOR = 0.016; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.262), and (AOR = 0.054; 95% CI: 0.004, 0.724), respectively.ConclusionsThe study identified low public awareness, inadequate provider preference, safety concerns, and poor male partner support for cervical cancer screening. We recommend the decision-makers enhance public messages, maintain provider choices, ensure safety, and engage males to improve the uptake and utilization of cervical cancer screening.

Reviving BaTonga culture to support community development: A case of Zambezi Valley communities, Zimbabwe

The Tonga culture in the Zambezi Valley has lost some value due to various driving factors which speeded the atomisation of culture amongst BaTonga people in North-Western Zimbabwe. The main thrust of the paper is to identify major causes of cultural decay in the Zambezi Valley communities, assess the impact of cultural decay and suggest solutions that are aimed at preservation of BaTonga culture in ways that promote community development This study was carried out in the Zambezi Valley communities of Binga, Nyaminyami, and Hwange with a sample size of 30 people targeting Tonga people. Mixed methods and simple statistics were used to quantify the data collected during the research. Ethically, local leadership (chiefs and village heads), heads of departments in the districts were consulted to seek permission to carry out the research. The key informants and focussed group discussion participants were carefully selected to include old men and women who were displaced from Zambezi River during the construction of the Kariba dam in 1950’s as well as group of able-bodied men, women and youth to obtain detailed information on the phenomenon which is under review. The need for this research therefore arose due to unbridled increase in disappearance of cultural values and norms among BaTonga people along Zambezi Valley in Zimbabwe. How to cite this article using ASWNet style Muntanga W. (2023). Reviving BaTonga culture to support community development. A case of Zambezi Valley communities, Zimbabwe. People centred – The Journal of Development Administration (JDA), 8(4), 121-126. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jda.v8i4.4 Visit journal website: https://jda.africasocialwork.net

Inovasi Sosial di Yogyakarta: Pengabdian Masyarakat dalam Membangun Harmoni Keagamaan

The aim of carrying out this service is to carry out social innovation in Yogyakarta in community service in building religious harmony. The community service initiative in Yogyakarta uses the ABCD approach to strengthen religious harmony by identifying and exploiting local potential, involving the community in training, cross-institutional collaboration, and implementing small programs. Through active participation and dissemination of results to stakeholders, this initiative aims to build mutual understanding and interfaith cooperation amidst the diversity of Yogyakarta society. The results of community service in Yogyakarta by identifying local potential, such as stories, religious figures, places of worship, festivals and traditions, as resources for building religious harmony. Next steps involve establishing working groups, training, and inter-agency collaboration to implement small programs with active community participation, evaluated periodically. Community participation in small group discussions is key in understanding religious needs and expectations, embracing diversity of views, and creating local solutions. Training and the formation of working groups succeeded in strengthening individual skills and the collective capacity of society, creating positive changes in both the short and long term. Dissemination of results through social media and community meetings ensures that inspiration and learning from this social innovation can reach communities in various regions.

Gender mainstreaming campaign as a casualty of the online gender-based humor: A discourse analysis

Cultivation of gender-based humor in social media encourages contrarian language to gender mainstreaming. Gender-based humor posed threat on how to deliver equitable gender mainstreaming campaigns through online. The goal of this study was to determine how gender-based humor impact gender mainstreaming campaign in sociolinguistic sense. There were 14 participants in the focus group discussion providing collective narratives on proliferation of gender-based humors in social media. The participants were language teachers, Gender and Development (GAD) coordinators, and GAD advocates. Discourse analysis indicated that language use in social media hampers the delivery of gender mainstreaming campaigns. Social characterization and social distinctions were prominent components of the humor language, which then cultivated gender normativity. Gender-based humor perpetuate stereotypes, promote discriminatory practices, and reinforce power imbalances through linguistic means. In larger scale, humor language influences the reproduction of humor culture in social media. Gender mainstreaming slows down because of massive cultivation of social belief systems. The problem lies on how gender stereotypes are normalized in society through language use.

Case-Based Immigrant Health Ethics Curriculum: A Pathway to Improve Care and Advocacy.

Introduction Immigrants comprised a significant portion of the total population in the United States (US), and a considerable number of children in the US live with at least one immigrant parent, which has continued to increase over the past decades. However, healthcare providers (HPs) in the US report lack of comfort in interacting with immigrant and refugee populations. Methods The authors, in partnership with the Midwest Consortium of Global Health Educators, developed an innovative,interactive ethics curriculum within the Immigrant Partnership Advocacy and Curricular Kit (I-PACK). They sought to increase HPs' confidence in navigating complex encounters with immigrant families by teaching a relevant ethical framework, highlighting the importance of cultural humility, and equipping learners with an ethics tool (five-box Method) for use in clinical encounters. They piloted the curriculum during threeworkshop sessions in 2020-2021, and this curriculum continues to be used nationally as a part of I-PACK. Results Pre- and post-session surveys indicated thatall participants (100%, n=22) reported acquisition of new skills/knowledge and 19 (86%) felt confident applying this to their clinical practice. The participants reported appreciation for an ethical framework with which to analyze cases, enjoyment of active participation in small group discussions, and utility of the five-box method tool. Some areas of improvement offered were to have more cases and more time dedicated to small-group discussions. Conclusions Given the success of the I-PACK ethics curriculum pilot, the authors plan to incorporate immigrant health cases in the general ethics training in medical school classes and pediatric residency training. Furthermore, they will advocate for the importance of including immigrant health ethics across graduate medical education, as fluency and competence in navigating the ethics of immigrant health are required to provide patient-centered, culturally informed care to all populations.

Climatic extremes’ resilient livelihoods of rural households in the Eastern Ethiopia

Climate change is affirmed as a major challenge to global food security in the twenty-first century and a threat to availability of adequate food for the population. This study was conducted to analyze rural households’ vulnerability to climatic extremes, and their resilience capacities in the eastern Ethiopia. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of data, and analysis to achieve the objectives. While 397 sample households were randomly selected for household survey, key informants and focus group discussion participants were purposively selected. To analyze the quantitative data, both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed while thematic content analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data. Rainfall variability, increase in local temperature, frequent drought, irregularity in rainfall, and pest infestation were identified as the key climatic extremes in the study area. The findings of the study asserted that rural local households in the study area have very high vulnerability to climatic extremes underpinned by their dependence on rain-fed farming. Reduction in crop yield (93%), and decline in production and productivity of livestock (91%) were confirmed as the major impacts of climatic extremes in the study area. Contrary to very high vulnerability to climatic vulnerability, local farming households’ resilience capacities were confirmed to be very poor. Moreover, the overall resilience capacity index was 0.44, which is below the minimum threshold and underpinned by low absorptive (0.45), low adaptive (0.47), and low transformative (0.4) capacity of farmers. Furthermore, the indexes derived from the five resilience building blocks imply that the level of household resilience is still poor (0.47). The very high vulnerability to extreme climate conditions and the very low livelihood resilience of rural farmers requires integrated strategies to reduce vulnerability and enhance livelihood resilience by governmental and non-governmental organizations. More importantly, it is worth to initiate rural livelihoods diversification and sustainable natural resource conservation, and management strategies. Above all, it is worth to integrate climate-resilient social protection programs into rural poverty reduction policies at national, regional, and local levels to reduce vulnerability, and enhance resilience of rural households in the study area.

Revitalisasi Kecakapan Literasi Informasi Pustakawan Sekolah Melalui Pelatihan Operator GScholar Advanced Search

Purpose: School librarians, although proficient in various search engines, often face challenges in effectively accessing and utilizing resources, particularly the members of the Lampung Province Indonesian School Library Staff Association (Asosiasi Tenaga Perpustakaan Sekolah Indonesia/ATPUSI). The core aim of this project is to enhance the efficient and productive use of global technology. Methodology: Google Scholar (GScholar) Advanced Search Operators Technology Training was introduced as a community service activity to boost ATPUSI members’ information literacy skills. This involved active participation in Focus Group Discussions and offering instructional resources on how to use Google Scholar technology effectively. The service was executed in July 2023, incorporating teaching methods, such as lectures, question-response interactions, and specific evaluation methodologies. To gauge the comprehension level, an evaluation was conducted using pre-set questionnaires in both pre-test and post-test formats. Results: The outcome of this service shows an improvement in the perception and efficiency of school librarians regarding the use of advanced search operators for information retrieval. In addition, there seems to be increased awareness and understanding of the significance of precise information in promoting the growth of information literacy skills among beneficiaries. Limitations: The training was tailored for ATPUSI members; therefore, generalizing the results to other school librarians or regions requires caution. Additionally, unmentioned factors such as librarians' technological infrastructure, prior experience with similar tools, and ongoing professional development could have affected the outcomes. Contributions: Community services improved the information literacy skills of ATPUSI members. This outcome is important because it shows the progress in information literacy in education. The training program equips librarians with access to and leverage reliable information sources effectively.

Smallholder Orange Farmers’ Access to Market Information in Muheza District, Tanzania

This study has investigated market information access by smallholder orange farmers in Muheza District, Tanga Region. Specifically, the study sought to examine the extent to which farmers access market information, their sources of information, and whether their age, gender, and level of education influence them. The study used a descriptive research design and a mixed-methods research approach. It involved 103 randomly selected respondents, four key informants and26 focus group discussion participants divided into two groups, each consisting of 13 participants. To analyze quantitative data, SPSS version 21 was used, and chi-square and logistic regression were run to determine the relationship between variables. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings suggest that the majority of the respondents, access limited market information mainly through relatives and friends, meetings, traders, and radio. Also, at a 5percent confidence level, there is a statistically significant association between preferred information sources, gender, and level of education. Furthermore, the findings suggest that respondents with primary education and below are 91.8 percent less likely to have access to market information. Based on these findings, the study recommends that smallholder orange farmers be encouraged to form or join farmers’ associations to enhance their access to market information.

Other Self-Efficacy in Teaching of Out-of-Field English Teachers: A Parallel Convergent Approach

The purpose of this study is to highlight the experiences and challenges of out-of-field teachers within the Municipality of Kapalong and identify their teaching efficacy. The study employed a mixed method in a convergent parallel design. In the quantitative phase, an adopted survey questionnaire was used. Different statistical tools were used such as Mean; Standard Deviation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that the status of self-efficacy of those teachers was high. The result of the significant difference in the level of self-efficacy in terms of years in service and subject-handled revealed that the number of years in service had no significant difference in terms of the self-efficacy of the out-of-field teachers while on the subject-handled it shows that there is a significant difference in terms of their self-efficacy. In the qualitative phase, there were 7 participants in the in-depth interview and 10 participants in the focus group discussion. Five themes were extracted based on the responses of the participants: a physically and mentally demanding job, being professional and competent, innovating teaching strategies, personality and professional growth, and devotion and versatility. Also, in terms of the beliefs, attitudes, commitment, and aspirations of out-of-field English teachers, four themes were extracted which are: work with so much expectation, positive minded, resiliency, and productivity of students and teachers. Keywords: English,Self-Efficacy, Out-of-Field Teachers, Parallel Convergent Mixed Method, Philippines

A pragmatic approach to the limitations of safety management systems in aviation

Commercial aviation systems are increasingly stretched to their capacity while existing Safety Management Systems (SMS) do not live up to our expectations as higher efficiency standards are taxing human resources, higher competition levels are reducing the potential for collaboration and the sharing of risk data, and technological advances are making systems difficult to operate and re-design. Aviation systems become intractable, defying SMSs that could support prediction and control, and hence, are not amenable to compliance models of regulation. Instead, it is argued here that this ability can be developed by applying a pragmatic safety approach based on the identification of sixteen limitations of SMSs across aviation systems, regardless of the theoretical perspectives and safety techniques adopted. A variety of data collection methods have been employed such as, analysis of incidents, interviews with safety practitioners, participation in group discussions and consideration of safety training. The proposed sixteen limitations of SMS can be useful in addressing these new challenges in the aviation environment by stressing the need for a new perspective in aviation risk governance.

Livelihoods and survival strategies pursued by international return migrants in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia as far as the livelihood and survival strategies pursued by international returnees is concerned, such scientific study is scanty or non-existent. The study was devoted to explore the livelihoods and survival strategies chased among the returnees in Addis Ababa to provide scientific evidences and insights for decision making and future intervention efforts. Data were collected from 402 randomly drawn sample returnees via a cross-sectional survey. The supplementary data were collected from purposively selected focus group discussion and semi-structured interview participants. Descriptive statistics and Ordinal Logistic Regression Model (OLRM) were employed to analyze the data. The study revealed that while unemployment was found to be the most categorized livelihood strategy by which returnees were hallmarked and rated above the scale mean on the three-point likert scale (mean = 2.18, Standard Deviation/SD = 0.91); wage-employment and self-employment were rated below the scale mean (mean = 1.41, SD = 0.61; and mean = 1.39, SD = 0.56) respectively, which reflects that majority of the study population weren’t involved in livelihood strategies common in urban settings. OLRM results confirmed that educational attainment and age of the returnees made the first and the second largest contributions in predicting wage-employment in the positive and negative directions with beta coefficients (β = 0.985; and β = |-0.611| respectively at (p ≤ 0.000) level of significance. A notable proportion of Ethiopian returnees deemed to be unemployed and not engaged in any urban livelihood activities and deprived of enjoying the potential benefits obtained from self-employment and wage-employment activities in the study area.

Analysis of student responses toward activities using e-learning in higher education

The aim of this study is to investigate how students respond to learning activities using e-learning. Researchers analyzed students' responses based on four aspects of activity, including attendance discipline, assignment collection accuracy, enthusiastic use of e-learning teaching materials, and participation in group discussions. The research method used in this study is a quantitative descriptive method and usability testing method. The data analysis technique used is descriptive percentage. The sample for this study consisted of 100 students from the informatics education study program, including the batches of 2019, 2020, and 2021. The results showed that the average response rate of students towards e-learning activities was 67.19% for the year 2019, 81.32% for the year 2020, and 78.59% for the year 2021. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that students from all three batches responded positively to the e-learning activities.