Structured Interview Protocol Research Articles

A Web-Based Tool to Report Adverse Drug Reactions by Community Pharmacists in Australia: Usability Testing Study.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are unintended and harmful events associated with medication use. Despite their significance in postmarketing surveillance, quality improvement, and drug safety research, ADRs are vastly underreported. Enhanced digital-based communication of ADR information to regulators and among care providers could significantly improve patient safety. This paper presents a usability evaluation of the commercially available GuildCare Adverse Event Recording system, a web-based ADR reporting system widely used by community pharmacists (CPs) in Australia. We developed a structured interview protocol encompassing remote observation, think-aloud moderating techniques, and retrospective questioning to gauge the overall user experience, complemented by the System Usability Scale (SUS) assessment. Thematic analysis was used to analyze field notes from the interviews. A total of 7 CPs participated in the study, who perceived the system to have above-average usability (SUS score of 68.57). Nonetheless, the structured approach to usability testing unveiled specific functional and user interpretation issues, such as unnecessary information, lack of system clarity, and redundant data fields-critical insights not captured by the SUS results. Design elements like drop-down menus, free-text entry, checkboxes, and prefilled or auto-populated data fields were perceived as useful for enhancing system navigation and facilitating ADR reporting. The user-centric design of technology solutions, like the one discussed herein, is crucial to meeting CPs' information needs and ensuring effective ADR reporting. Developers should adopt a structured approach to usability testing during the developmental phase to address identified issues comprehensively. Such a methodological approach may promote the adoption of ADR reporting systems by CPs and ultimately enhance patient safety.

PRIMARY SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT IN PAKISTAN: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTUREPRIMARY SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH VISION IMPAIRMENT IN PAKISTAN: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Present study is an effort to draw a picture of the past, present and future of primary special education for children with vision impairment in Pakistan in views of institutional heads. It is a qualitative research by nature and structured interview protocol was administered for it. The sample consisted of 27 heads of special education institutions including 16 males and 11females working in the field of vision impairment selected randomly from four zones of the Punjab province. A validated self -developed interview guide was applied for structured interviews. Some interviews were conducted in person but many interviews were taken by phone calls due to COVID-19 lockdown. Data were analyzed by percentages of responses and using thematic analysis technique. Data revealed that most of the objectives behind the start of primary special education for children with vision impairment (CWVI) were realistic and achievable. However, objectives were achieved partially according to the majority of heads prevailing instructional practices were unsatisfactory. Implemented curriculum neither meets the unique learning needs of students nor curricular standards. Its basic reason was the shortage of desired resources and poor take care of available resources. Study recommended that sufficient financial, human and material resources should be provided to all special education institutions. Proper take care and utilization of existing resources should be assured. Instructional practices and implemented curriculum should be improved by effective teacher training programs and proper implementation of Early Childhood Curriculum (ECC).

Public management reform under the dome of accruals (Presidential Decree 54/2018): Investigation of the effects on the financial information and the audit of the General Government entities

Presidential Decree 54/2018 legislated the introduction of accrual basis accounting from 1/1/2023 to all entities of the General Government of Greece in accordance with the European System of Accounts 2010. We study the effect of accrual basis accounting under the 54/2018 on financial information and audit of entities, as well as the transition process. The research was conducted using the qualitative method, the structured interview protocol was the data collection tool and the participants were the employees of the Third Department of the General Government Accounting Plan. We find that there will be objective information of the entity's financial position and performance, depreciation, provisions, impairments and fair value of assets. Transparency and accountability are strengthened, audits are facilitated to establish useful sound financial management, there is a central control of public finances and the phenomena of corruption and financing of public officials will be reduced. The job of the audit mechanisms is strengthened, audits become more effective and the way available resources are managed is more precisely controlled. Major difficulties during the transition are the lack of personnel and an appropriate accounting information system, and in combination with the covid-19 pandemic, it was noted that the transition cannot be implemented on 1/1/2023 and for that reason our results suggest an extension to 2025 for the transition, proposal which was implemented on July 30, 2022 with Law 4964/2022.
 
 EL Classifications: H83, P41, M48.
 Key words: Accrual Accounting, Accounting Reform, General Government, Accountability, Audit.

Embedding components of entrepreneurship and creativity skills into construction technology education curriculum in Nigeria

Construction Technology Education (CTE) students in tertiary institutions of Nigeria have been criticised of their inability to demonstrate entrepreneurship and creativity skills after graduation. As such wood and building construction industries in Nigeria could not employ CTE graduates. Therefore, this study aims to determine entrepreneurship and creativity skills components appropriate for embedding into the curriculum of CTE program in Nigerian tertiary institutions. A qualitative research method involving intrinsic case study design was employed for the study. The population for the study comprised 16 CTE experts purposively selected from the tertiary institutions in the north western states of Nigeria. The study utilised a semi structured interview protocol as the instrument for qualitative data collection. 3 CTE experts from Nigerian tertiary institutions validated the protocol. Data from the interview responses were manually transcribed coded and interpreted. Findings from the responses of the participants revealed marketing skills, ICT skills, management skills as part of the entrepreneurship skills components appropriate to embedded into the curriculum of CTE program. The finding further revealed that critical thinking skills, innovative skills, and self-evaluation skills formed part of the creativity skills components appropriate for embedding into the curriculum of CTE program. The study concludes by recommending to the agencies responsible with running tertiary institutions in Nigeria to do the needful in restructuring the CTE curriculum at the undergraduate level to incorporate entrepreneurship and creativity skills components for employment sustainability of CTE students after graduation. Embedding Components of Entrepreneurship and Creativity Skills into Construction Technology Education Curriculum in Nigeria

Exploring the Views of EFL Students on Taking TOEFL: Lessons Learnt from an Indonesian University

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is one of the standardized competence examinations. Before taking the thesis examination, undergraduates at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, in particular, are mandated to take the TOEFL. This research intends to examine how English majors in the English Department perceive the TOEFL exam. To collect data, semi structured interview protocols were done, and data were analysed qualitatively. Findings suggest that while it poses some challenges, TOEFL helps students in applying for jobs. This study implies that it is necessary to ensure that improvement in teaching the test in the classroom setting remains available.

Analysis of Pakistan Studies Curriculum for Secondary Classes in the Context of Civic Education

The present study is aimed at exploring the content about civic education in the enacted curriculum of Pakistan studies for secondary classes in the province of Punjab Pakistan. The objectives of the study are to examine the content about civic education in the curriculum of Pakistan studies at secondary school level and to explore the content about political dimension of civic education in the curriculum of Pakistan Studies for secondary classes. Civic education is backbone of a societal life. There are very few studies available to determine the extent of civic education in the curriculum, In Pakistan there is compulsory or separate subject to instill civic education in the young generation. CE is imparted through the curriculum of Pakistan studies therefore content analysis of Pakistan studies textbooks for grades IX-X, and structured interview protocol was used to collect data from curriculum experts. Pakistan studies curriculum provides multidimensional civic education to the learners.

Assessment Practices for Teaching and Learning of Mathematics: The Perception of Pre-service Teachers in District Khairpur, Sindh Pakistan

Mathematics plays a vital role in academics as well as in the everyday lives of individuals. Moreover, it is considered the most complicated and tough academic subject among students due to its complexity. Whereas, in terms of teaching and assessment strategies, mathematical conceptualization is also one of the most challenging aspects among teachers. In the classroom, mostly pedagogical and traditional assessment practices develop students' negative attitudes towards mathematics. Similarly, assessment in mathematics is an integral part of teaching and learning, but it is usually viewed as a problematic part of the instructional task. There is considerable evidence that teachers' beliefs about mathematics assessment impact their teaching of mathematics. This study aims to identify the perceived approaches to assessment in the mathematics classroom and analyze the effective domains of assessment in the mathematics classroom by pre-service teachers in Khairpur. Therefore, to explore this perspective, this study has been conducted with pre-service teachers to analyze their perceptions regarding assessment practices for mathematics. The qualitative research methods employed in this study and the qualitative data collected through a structured interview protocol. The sample of study comprises five pre-service teachers from district Sukkur, Sindh. In an effort to address the research questions, thematic analysis has been used. Furthermore, the findings of this study indicated that the different perceptions of pre-service teachers about assessment in mathematics range from traditional to constructive, which highlights the importance of teaching approaches that focus on formative assessment in the math classroom along with summative assessment in a constructive way. It is recommended that formative assessment be used during the teaching and learning process of mathematics because formative assessment is more effective than summative assessment.Moreover, the study suggests that teachers should adopt some effective strategies for assessment of mathematics.

Linking Activity Theory Within User-Centered Design: Novel Framework to Inform Design and Evaluation of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems in Pharmacy.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) may cause serious injuries including death. Timely reporting of ADRs may play a significant role in patient safety; however, underreporting exists. Enhancing the electronic communication of ADR information to regulators and between health care providers has the potential to reduce recurrent ADRs and improve patient safety. The main objectives were to explore the low rate of ADR reporting by community pharmacists (CPs) in Australia, evaluate the usability of an existing reporting system, and how this knowledge may influence the design of subsequent electronic ADR reporting systems. The study was carried out in 2 stages. Stage 1 involved qualitative semistructured interviews to identify CPs' perceived barriers and facilitators to ADR reporting. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis, and identified themes were subsequently aligned to the task-technology fit (TTF) framework. The second stage involved a usability evaluation of a commercial web-based ADR reporting system. A structured interview protocol that combined virtual observation, think-aloud moderating techniques, retrospective questioning of the overall user experience, and a System Usability Scale (SUS). The field notes from the interviews were subjected to thematic analysis. In total, 12 CPs were interviewed in stage 1, and 7 CPs participated in stage 2. The interview findings show that CPs are willing to report ADRs but face barriers from environmental, organizational, and IT infrastructures. Increasing ADR awareness, improving workplace practices, and implementing user-focused electronic reporting systems were seen as facilitators of ADR reporting. User testing of an existing system resulted in above average usability (SUS 68.57); however, functional and user interpretation issues were identified. Design elements such as a drop-down menu, free-text entry, checkbox, and prefilled data fields were perceived to be extremely useful for navigating the system and facilitating ADR reporting. Existing reporting systems are not suited to report ADRs, or adapted to workflow, and are rarely used by CPs. Our study uncovered important contextual information for the design of future ADR reporting interventions. Based on our study, a multifaceted, theory-guided, user-centered, and best practice approach to design, implementation, and evaluation may be critical for the successful adoption of ADR reporting electronic interventions and patient safety. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of theory-driven frameworks used in the design and implementation of ADR reporting systems.

An Evaluation of a Teacher's Guidance Services in Secondary Schools in Karachi

Today, the educational process is characterized by many features, but it also suffers from many problems, especially in developing countries. The process of mentoring can be traced back to when man began to exist, Kochhar (2011). Systematic career guidance was started between 1890 and 1905 by Frank Parsons, who is known as the father of career guidance. Most of the students in secondary level schools face such problems so these problems can be solved easily with the guidance of teachers. The purpose of this research is to identify the main issue teacher training needs in secondary schools and the role of management in this. The study was limited by limited time, expertise, resources and respondents. This research is inspired by developmental theory and the design we have used in our research is descriptive with qualitative paradigm. Data were collected through a structured interview protocol of a prescribed questionnaire. A face-to-face interview protocol was used as a data collection tool. Data were analyzed through a thematic approach. Findings from this study suggested that since the teacher is in direct and omnidirectional contact with the students, if he is used directly for the purpose of guidance, it will be better for the students.

Keeping our wits about us: introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactions

ABSTRACT The covert use of civilian informants leaves law enforcement agencies open to accusations of unethical conduct. The use of a structured interview protocol is a recognised method of promoting ethical interactions between police and public citizens, however, there is no known interview model specifically designed to meet informant handler objectives. The current study adopts a holistic view of the interaction between ‘informant’ and ‘handler’ to develop a bespoke informant interview model (RWITS-US: Review and Research, Welfare, Information, Tasking, Security, Understanding Context, Sharing). This model is compared to the PEACE model of interviewing as part of a novel experimental paradigm using mock-informants (N = 19), measuring levels of motivation, rapport, cooperation and intelligence gain. Results indicate that the RWITS-US model generated significantly greater levels of self-reported rapport without having any detrimental effect on the other measured variables. Whilst the results are encouraging, we suggest that the RWITS-US model should be tested in handler training environments before being recommended for widespread use in the field.

Reflections on Power from Feminist Women Counselor Educators

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how feminist-identified counselor educators understand and experience power in counselor education. Thirteen feminist women were interviewed. We utilized a loosely structured interview protocol to elicit participant experiences with the phenomenon of power in the context of counselor education. From these data, we identified an essential theme of analysis of power. Within this theme, we identified five categories: (a) definitions and descriptions of power, (b) higher education context and culture, (c) uses and misuses of power, (d) personal development around power, and (e) considerations of potential backlash. These categories and their subcategories are illustrated through narrative synthesis and participant quotations. Findings point to a pressing need for more rigorous self-reflection among counselor educators and counseling leadership, as well as greater accountability for using power ethically.

PENEROKAAN PENGETAHUAN, PERSEPSI, DAN KESAN PENYEBARAN BERITA PALSU DI ‘N.E.W.S.E.E.D’ DALAM KALANGAN MAHASISWA UNIVERSITI UTARA MALAYSIA

The phenomenon of fake news is becomes a negative environment in the sharing of facts or vice versa. The development of communication platforms, namely social media, has become a medium for fake news creators or fake news presenters to be active in this activity. Society is usually exposed to the spread of fake news in the use of social media whether it is related to the country or abroad. Audiences such as students are not immune to the effects of the spread of fake news. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the knowledge and perception of students related to the spread of fake news in N.E.W.S.E.E.D, and also explore the effects of the spread of fake news in N.E.W.S.E.E.D to students. This study uses a qualitative method through in-depth interviews using a structured interview protocol. A total of eight informants were identified through purposive sampling from various program’ backgrounds. Responses were recorded electronically and transcribed back by the researcher. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis through NVIVO software. From the transcription analysis of the research data, it shows the perception of students towards the spread of fake news at N.E.W.S.E.E.D shows a negative and unfavorable view towards the spread of fake news. Next, for the effect of the spread of fake news at N.E.W.S.E.E.D, it is a change in students' thinking patterns. The change in thinking patterns is aimed at easily believing and being influenced by fake news. The results of the study show that fake news has a bad effect on the students of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).

Pro-lactation cesarean section: Immediate skin-to-skin contact and its influence on prolonged breastfeeding.

Mexico has a high rate of cesarean sections and one of the lowest prevalences of exclusive breastfeeding in all of Latin America. There are known factors that can compensate for the disadvantages and drawbacks of cesarean delivery over breastfeeding. In terms of studying the variations of breastfeeding experiences, this work specifically concentrates on exploring different changes in the technique of cesarean section, related to immediate Skin-to-Skin Contact for women with high and low risk pregnancies, which may in turn influence Maternal Satisfaction and the choice of Prolonged Breastfeeding. A convenience sample of (n = 150) women who underwent cesarean section in a private hospital in Mexico between the years 2015–2020 participated in this study, the participants answered a structured interview protocol designed for the specific purposes of this study. The analysis was guided grounded theory. The majority of these participants (n = 121, 82.3%) were in labor before entering a cesarean section. The most common indications for cesarean section were those of active-phase arrest and regarding maternal complications, previous cesarean sections (n = 59) and hypertensive complications (n = 15) were the most frequent. For fetal complications, non-cephalic fetal positions (n = 12) were reported as the most common. Despite the different conditions of their cesarean sections, almost all the women experienced Skin-to-Skin Contact during the cesarean section. Almost all of them managed to breastfeed for more than 6 months and many of them breastfed their babies for up to 2 years. The main factors associated to prolonged breastfeeding and satisfaction were higher education degrees, immediate skin-to-skin contact during surgery and counseling on breastfeeding after the baby was born. Our findings highlight the importance of considering adjustments during and after a cesarean section, making it more focused on women and toward better probabilities of achieving prolonged breastfeeding in Mexican women. This being a first step for future studies of direct interventions in the breastfeeding process, such as the management of skin-to-skin contact and professional support after birth for guided breastfeeding.

Perspectives of Special Education Senior Assistant Teachers on Policies of Inclusive Education Programs in Schools

This study aims to explore the perspectives of Special Education Senior Assistant Teachers in terms of their knowledge, perceptions and challenges on the implementation policies of the Inclusive Education Programs (IEP) in schools. This is a case study that uses a qualitative approach involving 3 study participants who are Senior Assistant Teachers of Special Education in primary schools in Kapit, Sarawak. A set of structured interview protocol was used as the research instrument. Data from the interview was analysed verbatim. The findings show that Special Education Senior Assistant Teachers positively perceive implementing IEP's policies. This is because they feel there is not much workload support from the school community, especially school administrators and students with special needs who can learn with mainstream students. The study also found that Special Education Senior Assistant Teachers have good knowledge in the implementation of IEP's policies in schools. However, they have challenges implementing IEP policies in schools, such as lack of infrastructure facilities, teaching staff and the covid-19 pandemic. This study gives the impression that the existing IEP's policies in Malaysia have positive impact in providing quality educational opportunities, inclusive and fair to all children, especially children with disabilities.

Teachers’ Pedagogical Competence as a Determinant of Students’ Motivation Towards Business Education in Federal College of Education (Technical) Gombe in North-East Nigeria

The aim of this study was to determine teachers’ pedagogical competence as a determinant of students’ motivation towards business education, the study adopted qualitative research and the design used for the study was instrumental case study. The participants were final year undergraduate business education students. The sampling technique used was purposeful sampling in selecting six (6) participants, three from the students and three from the academic staff. The researcher with the help of one (1) research assistant conducted face to face interview using semi structured interview protocol, with few open-ended questions. Data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis for interview. The results revealed that teacher’ pedagogical competences as a determinant of students’ motivation towards business education required possession of knowledge of the subject matter, use of appropriate teaching methods and using of instructional materials in teaching and learning process. The results also revealed that teachers’ pedagogical competence as a determinant of students’ motivation towards business education required teacher-student positive relationship, use of positive reinforcement and incentives, and teacher personality to motivate students towards business education. Based on the findings, it was recommended that Government, National Commission for Colleges of education, and other stakeholders should consider professional teaching qualification as pre-requisite for the recruitment of teachers and to provide in-service training, seminars, and conferences, workshops for the teachers, to improve in student-teacher relationship, and use of positive reinforcement/incentives in order to motivate students toward business education.

Ethnobotanical and conservation studies of tree flora of Shiwalik mountainous range of District Bhimber Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

The present study was carried out to explore and document traditional ethnobotanical knowledge of indigenous rural communities of Shiwalik mountainous range regarding tree flora of the area, District Bhimber of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The local people of the area primarily depend on wild flora for life sustenance and cure of different infirmities. In this research, data was collected through visual appraisal and participatory rural approach using questionnaire method by applying semi-structured and structured-interview protocols (S4 Table). To validate and explore novelty of research work, various quantitative ethnobotanical indices like informant consensus factor, use value index, fidelity level, relative frequency of citation, relative importance of plants, rank order of priority, Jaccard index and priority ranking were used. The highest ICF was found for jaundice with 0.91 value followed by ICF values of 0.89, 0.86 and 0.85 for wounds, skin diseases and stomach pains, respectively. Fidelity level predicted that Azadirachta indica (Indian lilac tree) ranked first (100%) for its prevalent use in ethnomedicines. Highest use value index (0.61) was found for Azadirachta indica while the highest relative frequency of citation (55) was measured for Melia azedarach. The relative order of priority index was the highest for Azadirachta indica and Acacia arabica L. (ROP = 100) depicting their prevalent use in ethnomedicines. For EB study, the highest relative importance (50.8) was found for Azadirachta indica with good number of agro-uses and its seeds and bark are sold or marketed in local markets to prepare herbal therapeutics by indigenous practioners. The Jaccard index depicted that many traditional ethnomedicinal uses of prescribed trees were novel in recipe form or first time reported such as Senegalia modesta (Phulai) resin was used to prepare ‘Panjoori’ a local tonic prepared from cow or buffalo butter mixing with seeds of Papaver somnifera (Kashkhash) and Prunus amygdalus (Badaam). The wood of many trees like Pinus roxburghii (pine), Dalbergia sissoo (rosewood), Senegalia modesta (Phulai), Acacia. Arabica (kikar), Bombax cieba (cotton tree) is commercially sold as timber in markets (S3 Table). The research proved that population explosion and climate changes have triggered severe biotic and abiotic pressure on tree flora of the study area of Bhimber, AJK. The research describes that plants like Terminalia belerica (belerica), Terminalia arjuna (arjun tree), Cassia fistula (Indian laburnum), Butea monosperma (bastard teak), Phyllanthus emblica (Indian gooseberry), Morus laevigata (Shah toot), Bauhinia variegata (orchid tree) and Flacourtia indica (Indian plum/ kakoo) are threatened species and their population is highly reduced and if reclamation measures for their conservation are not taken, it may lead towards their complete loss from the area. This research recommends sustainable ethnobotanical use of tree flora, their growth and conservation for green and ecofriendly environment for safe and secure future of human generation.

Factors influencing adoption of improved bread wheat technologies in Ethiopia: empirical evidence from Meket district

This study was conducted in Meket district of Amhara National Regional State in northern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data was used for the study, which was collected from 214 randomly selected agricultural households using a structured interview protocol. With the help of the double hurdle model, factors were identified that influence the probability of adoption and the intensity of use of improved bread wheat varieties and associated technologies in the study area. The first hurdle of the model suggests that the number of oxen in the household, cell phone ownership, the level of education of the head of the household, and access to extension services significantly influenced the likelihood of improved adoption of bread wheat varieties. The intensity of the improved adoption of bread wheat varieties was significantly linked to ownership of the main plots, participation in farm demonstrations, awareness of the shattering problems of local bread wheat varieties, and the annual income of the household. The results of this study highlight the importance of economic (such as the number of oxen) and institutional (such as access to advice) factors in relation to agricultural advice and communication, participation of farmers in farm demonstrations, wealth creation and the recognition of the farmers' perception of improved attributes of bread wheat varieties. Development interventions should aim to target such economic, institutional and psychological factors in order to promote wider adoption of improved bread wheat technologies.

Wildlife–Human Survey: a rapid appraisal tool to assess mammal diversity and human–wildlife interactions in rural settings

Context Scarcity of standardised data is one of the main obstacles in understanding the responses of wildlife to anthropogenic pressures. By assessing local people’s knowledge, it is possible to generate valuable social-ecological data to fill this gap cost-effectively. Aims We present the Wildlife–Human Survey (WHS), a protocol for rapidly assessing information on medium and large-sized mammals, rural people, and the latter’s interactions with these species. In a pilot study, we investigate the effectiveness of our tool to generate valuable information for wildlife research and management. Methods The survey consists of a structured interview protocol that can be used as a tool to generate information on (i) the occurrence and assemblage composition of medium and large mammalian species, (ii) the socioeconomic profile of rural populations and farming activities in the area, and (iii) people’s perception of human–wildlife interactions (e.g. benefits, economic losses). To test the effectiveness of our tool, we conducted a total of 300 face-to-face interviews using this protocol in 30 rural landscapes (1250 ha each) in the Paraiba Valley region, São Paulo State, Brazil. We analysed the resulting data using descriptive statistics, random curves of species accumulation and maps of species distribution and richness. Key results We generated data on the occurrence and distribution of 32 species of medium and large mammals and on socioeconomic profile of the 300 surveyed households. We found that 95% of the species could be determined to occur in the region, with an effort ranging from 66 to 266 h; up to 611 h were necessary to find evidence of all species. Conclusions Our protocol can be an effective, fast and low-cost tool for appraising the occurrence of medium and large-sized mammals, the socioeconomic profile of people sharing rural landscapes with them and their interactions. Implications The WHS can generate information for mammal management by highlighting hotspot areas of human–wildlife interactions. This protocol can be especially useful when and where other methods are inadequate/unviable, and create the opportunity for rural people to contribute to wildlife management by allowing them to share their knowledge and concerns about their interactions with the local fauna.

Embracing Internationalization in Gearing Malaysian Higher Education Towards Global Education

Abstract: Embracing internationalization is the reality in Malaysian tertiary education in this century. Various endeavors and research collaborations have been and are still carried out to achieve the government’s vision to position Malaysia as a tertiary education hub in the region. Using phenomenological approach, this study attempts to highlight challenges and strategies towards achieving internationalization of Malaysian higher education. Twelve lecturers from public and private universities were purposively sampled to discuss issues on internationalization of Malaysian tertiary education. Focus Group Discussions using semi structured interview protocol were undertaken. Data analysis and interpretation were carried out through thematic development. The findings revealed all participants are aware of the pedagogical approaches to be in practice to embrace the dynamics of global cultures convening in Malaysian lecture rooms. They highlighted the advantages of having international students from academic and social perspectives. Also included are ways how local students benefit with the presence of international students. These benefits emerged as participants discussed the consequences of Malaysian campus bereft of international students. In-class challenges and strategies to overcome them were deliberated. The findings also informed lecturers, administrators, and policy makers of relevant aspects to consider when dealing with international students at the tertiary level in Malaysia.
 
 Keywords: global education, internationalization, international students, tertiary education, phenomenology

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on indigenous contractors in a developing economy

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on indigenous contractors in a developing economy with a view to enhancing their performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a purposive sampling technique to select 37 indigenous contractors with ongoing construction contracts in Osun State, Nigeria who provided data for the study. A structured interview protocol was used to elicit the required information from the interviewees and frequency, percentage and content analysis were used for data analysis.FindingsThe results showed that the critical impact of COVID-19 on indigenous contractors in a developing economy is: time overrun, loss of profit and creation of dispute. Further results showed that other impacts are a disruption in supply of labour, locally sourced materials are with additional cost, the additional cost of implementing COVID-19 protocols, difficulty in sourcing imported materials and absence of new jobs with the corresponding retrenchment of workers.Practical implicationsThe study recommended special palliatives for the indigenous contractors from the government so as to cushion the impact of the pandemic on them, thereby enhance their survival and performance. A special arbitration panel is set up in each state of the federation to look at disputes arising from the aftermath of the pandemic, this is with a view to adequately compensate indigenous contractors with genuine and properly compiled claims. inferring from the findings of the study, it suffices to say that the severity of the impact of the pandemic is very high on indigenous contractors in developing economies, as such a better preparedness strategy could lessen the impact of such pandemic in the future.Originality/valueThe study is an attempt to unearth the impact of COVID-19 on indigenous contractors with ongoing construction contracts in a developing economy. The study will be of value to construction stakeholders in providing the information needed to devise strategies to minimise the impact of a pandemic on indigenous contractors in future projects thereby enhance their performance.