Zimbabwean Students Research Articles

The Influence of Chinese Culture on Learning Chinese as a Second Language: A Case Study of Zimbabwean Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language

Learning Chinese as a second language is a hot and rising issue all around the world. Although the teaching and learning of Chinese as a second language is getting a lot of support from the Chinese government， through the establishment of Confucius Institutes which are aimed at the spreading and the promotion of Chinese language and culture. The spreading of Chinese language and culture is still facing a lot of challenges due to cultural differences. If the teaching and learning of Chinese language is to going develop, there is need to establish new teaching frameworks, teaching methods and approaches which can accommodate and promote culture learning in the Chinese language classes. This paper is aimed at exploring the importance of culture in second language learning, drawing examples from the teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture in Zimbabwe. Language and culture are inseparable, language is the carrier of culture and a mirror to reflect the culture. It is through language that culture is passed from the generation to generation. Without culture, language is like a tree without roots, it cannot stand, the same is with culture without language, It cannot survive. In second language learning and teaching it is important for the language teachers to understand the culture of the students and it’s more important for the students to understand the culture of their target language. Chinese language is rich with culture, the expressions, grammar, characters, idioms and everything in Chinese language has a cultural connotation and meaning which if not taught well, it brings misunderstandings and a lot of problems. New teaching frameworks and approaches should be established basing on the differences that exist between the two cultures.

The Role of Motivation in Learning Chinese as a Second Language: A Case study of Zimbabwean Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language

Motivation in second language learning is an important factor that should be never ignored, it requires much attention for second language learning and teaching to be successful, the students should be motivated and the teacher needs to employ teaching methods that motivate the students in acquiring their target language. This research was conducted at the University of Zimbabwe Confucius Institute which is the main center for teaching and learning of Chinese language and culture in Zimbabwe and concluded that students who are motivated are easy to teach and can perform better without much assistance from the instructor. The paper discusses the role played by motivation in the acquiring of second language, which is Chinese language, and the impact it has in improving the target language by students. Usually the teaching methods and criteria used by the teachers to reward or motivate the students are the ones which determine the students’ performance in the second language learning. Without motivation students easily quit or lose interest in the target language. However, although motivation plays a pivotal and unreplaceable role in the second language learning and teaching, it is easily forgotten and not given much attention. This paper will also focus on showing the impact motivation has in the second language learning and teaching, and how the University of Zimbabwe students are being motivated to acquire Chinese as a second language. Most teachers know and are aware of the importance of motivation in second language learning, but easily neglected in the actual teaching and learning process. Motivation provides the primary impetus to initiate learning the L2 and the driving force to sustain the long and often tedious learning process. The University of Zimbabwe students who are learning Chinese are motivated well but there is still need for review of the teaching methods and the frameworks being used, since the majority of the students complained about the methods used in class.

Network Analysis of Immigrants’ Social Interaction in Diaspora. A Case Study of Zimbabweans at University of Fort Hare Alice Campus South Africa

Zimbabwean students ‘populace at the University of Fort Hare consists of the Shona, Ndebele, Kalanga, Nambya, Tonga, Shangani and Venda. However, Shona speaking students are the majority. The Ndebele- Shona relations are cordial due to the factors such as academic interactions, church relations, drinking and partying relations and some other factors related to the University context of communication. Ndebele- Shona trouble relations are minimised by academics, hostel relations, church relations found at University of Fort Hare. The fact that many Zimbabweans are sponsored by one sponsor (the Zimbabwean Presidential Scholarship) means that, they share common financial and academic challenges. However some of the Ndebele- Shona differences remain buried and unattended. Some of the Ndebele associate better with South Africans rather than their fellow Zimbabwean- Shona speaking people. The cause being that communication between a Shona and Ndebele is still problematic because most of the Shona cannot speak Ndebele, yet the Ndebele can speak Shona. Some of the Ndebele mentioned that Shona people do not want to learn the Ndebele language yet they (the Shona) want the Ndebele to speak their language. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p1541

Visual Participatory Approach to Violent Behaviour amongst Zimbabwean Students: Forms and Prevalence

This study investigated the perceptions of students on forms and prevalence of violent behavior in Gweru urban district of Zimbabwe. Visual participatory methodology premised on both qualitative and quantitative paradigms was used. Drawings with focus group discussions were the main data collecting instruments. Participants were fifteen conveniently selected students attending a typical urban high school (females = 7, age range 15-17, males = 8, age range 14-18). Data on forms and prevalence of violence were collected from the students. The majority of the participants portrayed physical violence, vandalism and sexual harassment. It was recommended that schools must develop clear policies in an endeavor to reduce or eliminate violence. Schools Psychological Services must provide psychotherapy to individuals concerned. Visual participatory methodology, a new body of knowledge in Zimbabwe, is a vital tool for future researchers.

Geographic Literacy and World Knowledge amongst Open Distance Learning Students in Zimbabwe

In order to succeed in a globally competitive world, it is imperative to acquire knowledge and an understanding of the places and cultures outside the boarders of one’s country. Zimbabwe has one of the highest literacy rates in Sub-Saharan Africa but despite this, large gaps exist in the knowledge about the levels of geographic literacy among Zimbabwean students. A survey, adapted from the National Geographic –Roper Global Geographic Literacy Survey, was administered to 103 students (11%) in the Diploma in Science Education programme at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE). The survey assessed knowledge of geography and world events as well as information about various factors that may influence the participants’ geographic literacy. The data were statistically analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS 17.0. Research findings revealed that the participants had high levels of geographic literacy with a mean score of 82 percent. Some of the factors found to influence the scores were sex, frequency of news media access and type of news accessed. While students majoring in the Agriculture, Biology and Geography Option had higher mean scores than other students, having passed Geography at O' Level and age has insignificant influence on the mean score.

A cost benefits analysis of international education: A case of Zimbabwean students in South Africa

The study investigated the costs and benefits of international education to Zimbabwean students studying in South African Universities. The objectives of the study were to investigate the actual and perceived benefits of international education to students. The study also investigated the impact of international education on the lives of students, their societies and the development of their country. Challenges faced by Zimbabwean students studying in South Africa were also identified and discussed. A combination of qualitative and quantitative (triangular) research methods was used to collect primary data. A questionnaire with both open ended and closed questions was used. Zimbabwean students studying at Universities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa were the target population and a sample of a hundred was selected to complete the questionnaires. The results showed that the benefits of studying in South Africa outweigh the costs to Zimbabwean students. Recommendations are given to Zimbabwean students, governments and the universities.

Analogical reconstruction of the probability knowledge of Zimbabwean female secondary school students

Abstract Analogies were used to facilitate reconstructing the probability knowledge of 54 culturally diverse, female, Zimbabwean secondary school students in cases where there were misconceptions in their comprehension of probability. Ten contextually appropriate misconception‐prone target situations were generated, together with their conceptually analogous counterparts, known as source or anchoring situations. The source analogues were designed to draw out those areas where student beliefs agreed with accepted mathematical theory. Students’ responses to the target situations indicated that probability misconceptions were common and that the source analogues were effective in providing anchors for mathematically correct ideas. The participants were interviewed and knowledge reconstruction was attempted using the source analogues. A success rate of 0.88 was achieved. Testing after one month indicated a stability rate of 0.82 for the reconstructed probability knowledge.

Factors influencing Zimbabwean physiotherapy students in choosing physiotherapy as a career

People join professions for different reasons and the same applies to physiotherapists. The aim of the study was to identify the reasons for choosing physiotherapy as a career by Zimbabwean physiotherapy students. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design where a questionnaire was administered to 60 students. Data were collected on the demographics of the students and also on their rating on the importance of 12 factors for their influence in them choosing physiotherapy as a career.Three factors, which were, “the results I obtained at ‘A’Level” (68%), “job availability”(67%) and “desire to help others”(60%), were rated by more than 60% of the students as factors that had been “very important” in their decision to pursue physiotherapy as a career. Two factors, “I always wanted to be a physiotherapist” and “I worked with or received treatment from a physiotherapist”, were the only factors, which were rated by more than 70% of the students as no important in the students’ decision. Using the paired t-test, no significant statistical differences were found between male and female students, in their rating of importance of all twelve factors, (p-value=0.01).

Hostile Sexism, Type of Rape, and Self-Reported Rape Proclivity Within a Sample of Zimbabwean Males

The role of hostile sexism in accounting for rape proclivity among men was investigated using a sample of Zimbabwean students. Participants were presented with either an acquaintance rape or a stranger rape scenario and asked to respond to five questions about the scenario designed to assess rape proclivity. As expected, a significant relationship between hostile sexism and rape proclivity was obtained in the acquaintance rape but not the stranger rape condition. These results replicate previous research and suggest that hostile sexists are more likely to express their hostility toward women in situations where such behavior might be perceived as acceptable.

Stress and coping strategies among Zimbabwean adolescents

Stress and social support influence adolescents' coping strategies. Adolescents need to acquire a large repertoire of coping strategies in light of a rapidly changing socio-economic and political situation. This study reports on the coping strategies of Zimbabwean adolescents and highlights some major stressors they face. The interplay among stress, social support and the coping strategies of Zimbabwean adolescents are also reported. A sample of 101 Zimbabwean students (ages 17-19) participated in this study. Participants completed three instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale, the Social Provision Scale and the Ways of Coping Scale. Zimbabwean adolescents experienced slight stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale. Major stressors included schoolwork, relationships, social life and financial hardship. Females reported a higher level of perceived stress than males. Zimbabwean adolescents reported having fewer social provisions than the norm group. Results from the Ways of Coping Scale indicated that Zimbabwean adolescents use emotion-focused strategies more frequently than problem-solving strategies. The implications of the study are that Zimbabwean adolescents may need to acquire a larger repertoire of coping skills adding to what they may already have. Problem-solving skills need to be employed in face of today's challenging situations.

Social competence in Zimbabwean multicultural schools: Effects of ethnic and gender differences

Students' social competence was investigated in relation to race/ethnicity and gender for a sample of 371 Zimbabwean students attending racially/ethnically integrated schools. About 42% of the students were black, and 58% white (mean age 12 years; SD=9 months). Peer and teacher sociometric ratings of children's social behaviour, social responsibility, and friendliness comprised the social competence measures. Tests of empirical independence among these social competence measures supported their uniqueness in reliably assessing components of the general construct of social competence among Zimbabwean students. Multiple analysis of variance procedures were used to examine the relationship between social competence statuses and group membership (i.e., race/ethnicity, gender) while controlling for aggregate scores and classroom racial proportions. Superior academic achievement and racial/ehnic propinquity are social status levelling factors in multiracial school settings. Teachers rated white students higher on social responsibility and social behaviour. Students rated white students higher on social responsibility only. Comparisons of social competence by ethnicity and gender revealed that white and female students were rated significantly higher on social behaviour and social responsibility than their black and male classmates. Female students were perceived as more socially competent or better adjusted to school than males. Reliable differences in social competence in race/ethnicity and gender groups were concentrated in peer ratings of social responsibility and in teacher ratings of social behaviour and social responsibility. In postcolonial settings or settings with a history of race/ethnicity and gender‐based privilege, minorities from a dominant culture may have higher social status than peers from a majority culture. Superior social competence in females is a resource for school adaptation and social climate. Students have perceptions of social competence in peers that only partially overlap with those of teachers and contribute uniquely to their experience of school. Social competence in students is multifaceted, gendered, and differently perceived by teachers and peers.

Zimbabwean Students' Conceptions of Selected Ecological Concepts

The study was aimed at identifying the conceptions held by ‘O’ Level students who were studying the Zimbabwe Integrated Science syllabus in Mutare urban high schools. The study was conducted with 409 students. The conceptions were established by administering a multiple-choice test on ecological concepts followed by face-to-face interviews with 27 respondents.The study established that students held erroneous conceptions in varying degrees in the following aspects of ecology: food chains and webs, populations, inverted pyramid of numbers, nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle and energy flow in ecosystems. However, students had a clear understanding of the source of energy for plants and some food web dynamics.The results of this study suggest that students are likely to hold erroneous views of the topic under study. It is suggested in this study that teachers should endeavour to identify students' misconceptions on a given topic, and then use them as a basis for instruction. Curriculum developers should design science curricula that build on students' conceptions, and to that effect the Zimbabwe Integrated Science syllabus needs revision so that students' misconceptions of certain ecological concepts can be addressed.

Reading Bessie head's “life” reception by German and Zimbabwean students

Reading Bessie head's “life” reception by German and Zimbabwean students

Factors Predicting Zimbabwean Students' Intentions To Use Condoms

Abstract It is important to develop and apply AIDS prevention models. The capacity of the theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour to predict intended condom use was tested, using self-administered questionnaires. among 179 male and 123 female Zimbabwean teacher-trainees. Over 93% of males and 72% of females were sexually experienced. Scale reliabilities, which ranged from 0.46-0.90, were reasonable. Data were analyzed using multiple regression with hierarchical entry, first of the Theory of Reasoned Action dimensions, then the additional Theory of Planned Behaviour components. The additional elements of the Theory of Planned Action contributed little to the Theory of Reasoned Action, whose predictive capacity was itself largely accounted for by attitude towards behaviour. Concerns about the measurement of subjective norm are considered. With this proviso, results support the use of skills-based, cognitive-behavioural modification techniques to alter underlying beliefs and expectations respecting...

Psychological Predictors of Condom Use to Prevent HIV Transmission Among Zimbabwean Students

Psychologists have much to contribute to HIV prevention. It is important to identify predictors of HIV preventive behaviour and to incorporate this information in AIDS education. The Health Belief Model is an established model of health behaviour that has recently been applied to AIDS prevention. It originally posited that perceptions of susceptibility to, severity of, and solutions to, illness predicted health behaviour. It thus emphasized “disease” dimensions of illness. It was expanded to include barriers to, cues to, and social support for, health behaviour. The enlarged model thus incorporated “social” dimensions of health behaviour. Because preventing AIDS involves a partner and considerable social risks and skills, inclusion of social components may improve the capacity of the Health Belief Model to predict HIV preventive behaviour. An inventory measuring condom use and the enlarged Health Belief Model was completed by 181 male and 171 female teacher‐trainees. Data were analysed using multiple regression with hierarchical entry, first of disease dimensions (susceptibility, severity, solution), then social dimensions (barriers, cues, social support). Addition of social dimensions to the disease dimension equation yielded a significant F‐change among both sexes and increased the variance explained from 16% to 30% among males, and from 4% to 14% among females. The full regression was significant only among males. The implications of these results for intervention goals, messages and strategies among both sexes are elucidated.

Values of Zimbabwean and United States Students

Values of Zimbabwean and United States Students

Psychological Predictors of HIV-Preventive Behavior Among Zimbabwean Students

This report is based on a study of 852 sexually active volunteer student teachers in Zimbabwe who were assessed on their AIDS risk reduction behavior and the Health Belief Model of Janz and Becker. The model posits that behavior modification occurs if there is knowledge of the disease and its severity, susceptibility, effective prevention, self- efficacy for prevention, accessible health care and advice, normative support for behavior change, and few barriers to action. Behavior change is measured by reduced numbers of sexual partners, increased condom use, and decreased prostitute contact. The 404 women showed no sex differences from the 448 men, except that men reported lower self- efficacy. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that for men the Health Belief Model was significant and explained 15% of the variance (F=7.50, p.0001). Behavior risk reduction was predicted by self-efficacy (B=.10, p.0001), perceived barriers to action (B=-.19, p.01), and belief in the effectiveness of preventive practices (B-.10, p.001). The women's model was also significant and explained 12% of the variance (F=4.06, p.001). Preventive behavior was predicted by perceived susceptibility to infection (B=.19, p.01), access to health care and advice (B=.09, p.05), and belief in the efficacy of preventive measures (B=.06, p.05). Future research in planned to try to augment the Health Belief Model results by including the following variables: contact with AIDS-affected persons and specific barriers to action such as dependence on paid sex, the breakdown in traditional values, familial separation, and attitudes toward monogamy. Also, the role of alcohol and drugs in the context of sexual behavior will be considered. Other alternative models will also be examined, such as Bandura's social learning theory and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action. New theories which are uniquely applied to AIDS may need to be formulated.

Loneliness and General Psychological Distress among Zimbabwean Students

(1990). Loneliness and General Psychological Distress among Zimbabwean Students. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 130, No. 2, pp. 273-275.

A CROSS‐CULTURAL VALIDATION OF THE PERSONALITY RESEARCH FORM IN ZIMBABWE

The cross‐cultural validity of the Personality Research Form was investigated among 156 Zimbabwean students. Scale reliabilities ranged from 0.47 to 0.86 (mean = 0.68). Many trait‐description and adjective self‐rating validity coefficients were moderate. Zimbabwean respondents obtained elevated scores on the Infrequency scale — a scale designed to detect invalid responding — of the Personality Research Form. Trait‐description and adjective self‐rating validity coefficients rose slightly when the analysis was confined to participants with low Infrequency scores (i.e. valid responses). Peer‐rating validity coefficients were low and changed little when validities were calculated separately for individuals with low and high Infrequency scores. Correlations of content scales with social desirability were generally comparable to those reported among North American students. It is concluded that further research on the Personality Research Form in Zimbabwe should (a) include more detailed administrative instructions to improve understanding and motivation, and (b) use further peer‐rating and other validity criteria.