Ethiopian Public Universities Research Articles

ELT teachers’ curriculum implementation approaches in teaching freshman English at Ethiopian public universities’ context

ELT teachers’ curriculum implementation approaches in teaching freshman English at Ethiopian public universities’ context

The impact of educational service quality on student academic performance in Ethiopian public universities: a mediating role of students’ satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of educational service quality (ESQ) on student academic performance via the mediating role of student satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachTo serve the study’s purpose, the study adopted a quantitative research approach. Three public universities representing 30% of the ten public universities located in the Southern part of Ethiopia participated in the study. Questionnaires were the main tools for gathering data. The adapted questionnaire, consisting of 116 items was administered to 400 randomly selected regular undergraduate graduating class students. The quantitative data collected via questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and advanced inferential statistics.FindingsThe quantitative findings revealed that there is a statistically positive association between overall education service quality and students’ satisfaction (r = 0.712). The findings proved that the facets of education service quality accounted for 71.2% of the variations in students’ satisfaction in the universities. The quantitative findings further showed that the education service quality has a statistically indirect effect on students’ academic performance via the mediating role of students’ satisfaction (test statistic = 31.5311573, std. error = 0.00122536 and p-value = 0). The findings further confirmed that the overall education service quality accounted for 12.7% of the variations in students’ academic performance via student satisfaction in the universities.Research limitations/implicationsThe present study was conducted in public universities located in the Southern part of Ethiopia. The findings and conclusions of the study may not be generalizable to all Ethiopian public universities. Future researchers and scholars should conduct their study in all Ethiopian public universities by taking a representative sample from the Ethiopian public universities.Practical implicationsThe present finding suggests that an improvement in ESQ leads to students’ satisfaction and that could contribute to boosting their academic performance. The findings of the present may help the practitioners who measure higher education service quality by providing how the provision of ESQ indirectly influences the student’s academic performance in the universities.Social implicationsThe findings of this study confirmed that the facets of ESQ are associated with students’ satisfaction and this, in turn, indirectly influences their academic performance. Student academic performance is one of the key indicators of quality education, and it has its influences on the social, political and economic development of a country. The findings of the present research provide valuable insights to higher education management bodies, higher quality assurance agencies and the Federal Ministry of Education to learn the indirect effect of ESQ on students’ academic performance and take necessary measures to improve the Ethiopian higher education quality.Originality/valueThe contributions of ESQ in the higher education sector are enormous. However, the existing service quality literature in higher education mainly focuses on the interrelation among service quality, student satisfaction, loyalty and behavioral intentions. Little is known about the indirect influence of ESQ on student academic performance (one of the key indicators of quality education), principally in Ethiopian higher education, the place of current research. The present study showed the indirect impact of ESQ on student academic performance in Ethiopian public universities. The study, therefore, suggests that university management bodies should actively monitor the quality of their services and commit themselves to boosting students’ learning outcomes.

Practices of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia: student and faculty perceptions

ABSTRACT As it encourages students to solve problems on their own and guides them throughout the process, the importance of active learning has gained popularity in a growing body of scholarly literature. However, there is a paucity of research on the practice and challenges of active learning in public universities in Ethiopia. This study seeks to examine the attitudes of faculty members and students toward the practices of active learning. Data for the study were collected from randomly selected 1597 participants (404 faculty members and 1193 undergraduate students) in eight public universities. The findings revealed that most of the respondents perceived active learning positively. However, the practice of active learning was found to be low where lecture was the most frequently reported method of instruction. Faculty participants have identified factors that hinder their use of active learning methods. The study has practical implications and contributes to the literature on practices and challenges of active learning strategies in public universities.

Curriculum Fidelity of English Language Teaching Teachers and Factors Affecting Teachers’ Implementation at Ethiopian Public Universities’ Context

Curriculum Fidelity of English Language Teaching Teachers and Factors Affecting Teachers’ Implementation at Ethiopian Public Universities’ Context

Opportunities and Challenges of Qualitative Research in Academic Health Sciences in Ethiopia

Background. The goal of qualitative research is to learn more about the opinions and experiences of the subjects being studied in relation to a particular question. There is a paucity of information on opportunities and challenges encountered to conduct qualitative research among the academic staffs in the health sciences. The purpose of this study was to examine the opportunities and challenges of conducting qualitative research among academic staff of health sciences in Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive qualitative study design was conducted among health sciences academic staffs of selected public universities in Ethiopia. The study was conducted at three universities’ health sciences colleges, namely, Addis Ababa University, Dilla University, and Wolaita Sodo University. Data were collected using focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews. MAXQDA 2020 software was used for coding and data management. A thematic analysis approach was followed to present the results. Both inductive and deductive coding approaches were used. Results. Three main themes have been identified as follows: general research practice, opportunities for qualitative research, and challenges to conduct qualitative research. Participants indicated that the availability of research opportunities will have a good impact on qualitative research engagement. Availability of grants, funding, and other incentives and demand for qualitative research in healthcare were described as opportunities for qualitative research practice. Despite the available opportunities, study participants uncovered different challenges that encountered by health academic staffs in conducting qualitative research. Resource limitations, lack of knowledge, negative attitudes or beliefs, publication, and language issues were raised as main challenges. Conclusion. Qualitative research practices were found to be low among health sciences academics. Lack of resources, training, and expertise, problems associated with publication, a lack of funding, and a shortage of experts were the main challenges in conducting qualitative research in health sciences academic settings in Ethiopia.

Internationalisation of Higher Education in Ethiopia: A Strategic Process?

The internationalisation of higher education (IHE) has become a central agenda of Ethiopia's higher education institutions (HEIs). However, there is a dearth of information on whether IHE is an intentional and integrated endeavour. A framework is developed to investigate how strategic the internationalisation process is in public universities in Ethiopia, focusing on intentionality and integration. Data were collected using a survey from eleven public universities, semi-structured interviews with twenty-one key informants, as well as document analysis. The findings reveal striking similarities across universities in how IHE has been undertaken. Though there are promising indicators that IHE is becoming an intentional process, little attention is given to integrating IHE into institutions’ purpose, functions, and delivery. To maximise the benefits of IHE, universities need to establish educational systems aligned with their designations (research, applied science, comprehensive, and science and technology), integrate IHE into these systems, and continuously manage it across all HEIs.

The Influence of Conscientiousness, Sportsmanship, and Civic Virtue on Organizational Effectiveness in Public Universities of Ethiopia

The Influence of Conscientiousness, Sportsmanship, and Civic Virtue on Organizational Effectiveness in Public Universities of Ethiopia

Effects of employee engagement on organizational performance: case of public universities in Ethiopia

The objective of this research is to examine the impact of Employee Engagement on Organizational Performance within Public Universities in Ethiopia. It aims to explore the relationship between employee engagement and the overall performance of these institutions, specifically focusing on public universities. By providing significant insights and recommendations, this research will contribute towards the development of strategies that can enhance employee engagement and improve the overall performance of Ethiopian public universities. The study utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches, employing descriptive and explanatory research designs. To gather data, three Ethiopian universities were selected based on their establishment date, and a random selection technique was used to include 365 personnel in the sample. Descriptive statistical tools like mean and standard deviation were employed, while structural equation models were utilized for confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis. The study's findings indicate that vigor, dedication, and absorption all have a significant and favorable impact on organizational performance in higher education. The study findings also indicate that the performance of study institutions differs based on the extent of employee involvement. This research introduces a fresh perspective of the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance by concentrating specifically on the context of public universities in Ethiopia. This sheds light on the distinctive dynamics and obstacles encountered by these institutions. Furthermore, the study adds to the current body of knowledge by exploring the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance, offering valuable insights and suggestions to enhance performance in the setting of Ethiopian public universities.

The relationship between the psychometric and performance properties of teacher-made tests and students’ academic performance in Ethiopian public universities: a baseline survey study

The relationship between the psychometric and performance properties of teacher-made tests and students’ academic performance in Ethiopian public universities: a baseline survey study

Organizational justice, job satisfaction and academic rank: a moderating mediation study on employee commitment in Ethiopian public universities

PurposeOrganizational justice and its impact on employee commitment have received a lot of attention these days. The objective of this study is to see the effect of job satisfaction as a mediator in the relationship between organizational justice and employee commitment. Also, the role of academic rank as a moderator in the model is probed.Design/methodology/approachA moderating mediation structural equation model was used for randomly collected cross-section data on 285 employees from public universities in Ethiopia. Necessary condition analysis (NCA) was employed to check the importance of the variables. The Gaussian copula approach was used to check endogeneity in the structural model.FindingsNCA confirms the importance of organizational justice and employee satisfaction as the independent variables. The Gaussian copula approach reveals no endogeneity problems in the structural model. The results supported the partial mediating role of job satisfaction in organizational justice and academic staff’s commitment. Moreover, though staff rank is not a necessary condition, it plays the role of moderator in the relationship between academic staff’s job satisfaction and commitment.Practical implicationsThis paper affirms that public institutions must implement fair initiatives and procedures to promote academic staff satisfaction and commitment.Originality/valueThis is the first study to check the job rank as a moderator in the model comprising organization justice, employee commitment and satisfaction. Moreover, application of NCA and Gaussian copula adds to methodological innovation.

Emotional intelligence and effective communication as predictors of organizational commitment among Ethiopian public university instructors

Emotional intelligence and effective communication as predictors of organizational commitment among Ethiopian public university instructors

Exploring the opportunities and challenges of social media use in teaching and learning processes at public universities in Ethiopia

Exploring the opportunities and challenges of social media use in teaching and learning processes at public universities in Ethiopia

The effect of mathematics self-beliefs on mathematics achievement: the case of undergraduate university students in Ethiopia

Background: This study aimed at exploring the influence of mathematics self-beliefs on mathematics achievement. Methods: Data was obtained on a random sample of 400 undergraduate students (M=245 and F=155) from three Ethiopian public Universities by using self-reported questionnaire. The instrument, which was adapted from Butler (2016), consists of measures of self-beliefs, expectancy-value, and achievement goal-related motivation. In addition, a 25-item Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) was developed and validated to measure mathematics achievement. The internal consistency reliability of the MAT was found to be high (alpha =0.84). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were employed to assess systematic relationship between math self-beliefs and math achievement. Results: Results reveal that mathematics self-beliefs have a significant influence on mathematics achievement, whereas expectancy-value and achievement goal have no significant influence on mathematics achievement. Conclusions: Finally, the study outlines the implications for teaching and learning, and research.

Data‐Driven Decision‐Making Practice in Higher Education Institutions in Ethiopia

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the practice of data‐driven decision‐making in higher education institutions in Ethiopia. It presents the results of a mixed‐methods investigation that was conducted at two public universities in Ethiopia. Data was collected via a survey questionnaire from 91 faculty members, nine ICT experts, four higher education registrar experts, and 194 graduating undergraduate students. The study also involved interviews with two directors from the university's education program relevance and enhancement office and four senior officers from library departments. The findings revealed that the majority of the instructors used manual data analysis and basic software, such as MS Excel, to analyze student performance, achievement, and assessment data. Institutions use many disconnected in‐house systems for different activities without intelligent tools or data warehouses to support data analytics. The results indicate deficiency in activities that promote data analytics and data‐driven decision‐making, such as capacity‐building training and leadership support within institutions.

Students’ Perspective towards Educational Service Quality in Ethiopian Public University: A Triangulation Approach

In higher education, evaluating educational service quality from students’ perspective is vital to pinpoint institutional strengths and identify areas for improvement. The main purpose of this study was to examine students’ perspective towards education service quality of a public University in Ethiopia. Using qualitative case study design, the study employed purposive sampling technique to select participants including regular undergraduate students, student union representatives, teachers, department heads, college deans and student service directorate director. Semi-structured interview was conducted with twenty participants, consisting of six teachers, four student union representatives, five department heads, four college deans and one student service directorate director. Meanwhile, focus group discussion was conducted with twelve purposefully selected students. The thematic qualitative data revealed that students’ perception towards educational service quality of the University was found to be poor. This study further uncovered that poor provision of educational services affects students’ learning. Based on the findings, conclusions, recommendations and directions for further studies were forwarded.

Publication output of Bahir Dar university: A Scopus-based bibliometric overview

Bahir Dar University (BDU) is one of Ethiopia's oldest and leading universities and has recently been granted the status of a research university within the country's system of differentiation of higher education. Despite this, there has been a lack of systematic mapping of the research output of the university. To address this issue, this study takes a 22-year dataset of publications from Scopus to analyze publication output affiliated with the university as represented in the international domain. The analysis encompasses several dimensions, including overall productivity, collaboration patterns, dominant research areas, primary publication outlets, and languages of publication. The findings reveal a notable increase in research productivity at the university since 2010. The top five research areas impacting this productivity include medicine, agriculture, environmental science, social sciences, and engineering. In addition, the majority of publications are found to be published in biomedical science journals, English being the dominant language of publication. Though at the institutional level, the university’s collaborators are predominantly other Ethiopian public universities, at the country level, BDU’s top collaborators come from the USA, Germany, South Africa, the UK, Japan, and Belgium. Based on the results, we argue that the university still needs a robust research funding and incentivization system, though research productivity has considerably improved over the past two decades. Furthermore, we recommend that the university's journals, which the Ministry of Education has accredited, be indexed in reputable international journal databases to enhance their visibility.

Intercultural sensitivity of instructors in Ethiopian public universities

ABSTRACT Higher education institutions are a place where transformation is a guiding principle. Instructors, as major agents for change, are expected to have qualities that transcend the boundaries of one-size-fits-all. This study, therefore, examined the intercultural sensitivity of university instructors in Ethiopian public universities. It was primarily aimed at investigating their intercultural sensitivity across several major demographic and background variables. A quantitative research approach substantiated with qualitative data was employed for the study. Results show that instructors’ intercultural sensitivity in all universities regarding their demographic characteristics and background information, except academic status and gender, were not found to be determinants of sensitivity. Their intercultural sensitivity levels across the dimensions, however, were different among instructors in all universities. Recommendations are made, taking into account the findings and their implications underpinning intercultural sensitivity as the sine qua non for academic prowess.

Construction Project Delay Factors of Public Universities in Ethiopia: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Aims: This study aimed to identify causes of construction projects delay in Public Universities in Ethiopia.
 Study Design: This was a cross-sectional survey using quantitative method.
 Place and Duration of Study: Jigjiga, Haromaya, Dire Dewa and Kibrdhar universties between April and September 2022.
 Methodology: This study identified project delay factors and modelled the Partial Least Square Structural Equation (PLS-SEM) model. a structured questionnaire used to collect data from contractors, consultants and clients. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS4 software.
 Results: The findings show that Clients, Contractors, Consultants, Materials, and Labor related factors significantly affect delayed projects. Labour-related factors had the greatest impact on construction delay, while the external factor had an insignificant effect on project delay. The overall model had 73.1% explanatory power. These findings might support practitioners and decision-makers to focus on potential construction delay factors that might occur in their current or future projects.

Determinants of academic research quality: The case at three Ethiopian public universities

The study investigated determinants of academic research quality employing a mix of quantitative and qualitative approach. Data were collected from three Ethiopian public universities using a questionnaire and interview guide questions. The results have shown that research results’ quality, research process/researching quality, and research groundedness quality were highly valued as determinants of academic research quality. The results signify that proper interplay of the three guarantees rightfully situating research undertakings, and ascertaining pragmatic soundness of the process to produce quality results relevant to policies and practices. It is, therefore, desirable to put in place systemic installation of ensuring proper research planning, implementation, and reporting by guaranteeing all inclusive quality; going beyond the quantitative-driven research reports, publications, and citations; putting in place epistemic reflexivity, pragmatic soundness, research relevance and effectiveness; and guaranteeing usability and applicability of the study results in a real world setting.

The status of teachers’ collaboration in Ethiopian public universities found in the Amhara region

Research findings on the issue of teachers' collaboration in Ethiopian higher education institutions are limited. The main objective of this study was to examine the status of teachers' collaboration in Ethiopian public universities found in the Amhara region. In addition, this study also aimed at comparing the status of teachers' collaboration among the four generations of Ethiopian public universities found in the Amhara Region. Using a convergent parallel mixed design, data were collected from teachers, department heads, and academic deans through questionnaires and interviews using a multistage stratified sampling procedure. Four universities were selected from the ten public universities after stratifying them into four categories based on generations. From the sampled universities, 250 participants were selected randomly to complete a self-administered questionnaire. In addition, 8 teachers, 4 department heads, and 4 academic deans were selected using the purposive sampling technique for the interview. The quantitative data collected through a close-ended questionnaire were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, t-test, and one-way ANOVA, and the qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Finally, the qualitative and quantitative results were blended to compare or relate to each other. The findings of this study revealed that university teachers found in the Amhara region were moderately collaborative in information sharing and informal collaborations/collegial relationships. However, teachers’ collaboration in professional activities seems unsatisfactory. The result of this research also indicated that there is a significant difference across the four generations of universities. Hence, Ethiopian public universities found in the Amhara region should give adequate attention to strengthening collaboration among teachers in professional activities.