Presbyterian College of Education

Software vulnerability remains a serious problem among industry players in the world today because of the numerous security related challenges it possess to end-users and stakeholders. Although previous studies have proposed various methods and tools that can be used in reducing or eliminating software vulnerability, those studies, however, raised several additional questions that need be addressed: (1) Can all the tools be used in curbing software vulnerabilities.

Background: The indigenous beads-making industry in the Krobo communities in Ghana plays a significant role in improving the livelihood of rural dwellers and the national economy. However, studies have demonstrated that a host of indigenous industries in Ghana have been on the decline over the past century. Application of knowledge management (KM) methods to beads-making tacit indigenous knowledge (IK) can enhance the management and preservation of the industry in the same systematic manner as external knowledge. Objective: Being part of a PhD project, this study investigated how KM methods can be used to manage beads-making IK knowledge in the Krobo communities in eastern Ghana. Method: Qualitative data were collected using participant observation, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Data were analysed thematically, and extracted manually from the transcripts and summarised into various themes. Results: The findings of the study revealed that the socialisation process of the knowledge creation model was intensively practised in the beads-making communities to create and utilise knowledge, while the internalisation, combination and externalisation processes were practised at a low rate. On the contrary, organising ‘ba’ and dialoguing ‘ba’ were practised and found in the communities, while systematising ‘ba’ and exercising ‘ba’ were rarely practised. Conclusion: The study concludes that the knowledge creation model can be partially used to manage indigenous beads-making IK in the Krobo communities in Ghana. The study recommended, among other things, the need for officials of community radio stations, especially state-owned radio and the information centres in the local communities, to develop and broadcast programmes to disseminate information relevant to beads producers so that beads-making knowledge creation and development in the communities do not disappear, and that they should utilise storytelling, drama, traditional dance and singing competitions in the local languages to support the preservation of indigenous beads making.

Science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education, the current engine for this technological generation, has made its way into Ghana's education system and is progressively becoming autonomous, particularly at the senior high level. It depends extensively on student mathematics performance to progress into their various dream STEM career programs. It is worthwhile to study the relationships between STEM students' mathematics (perception, self-efficacy, and connection) and mathematics achievement with their study interest mediating between them. The researchers purposively and conveniently sampled 385 general science respondents from eight selected senior high schools in the Kumasi metropolis for this study. The study produces results by quantifying and analyzing the collected data by investigating the six distinct hypotheses with structural equation model (SEM) using SPSS (26) and AMOS (24) software to confirm or refute fundamental assumptions. The study suggests that general science students' mathematics self-efficacy and connection directly impact their mathematics performance and, at the same time, somewhat mediate their ability to perform well in mathematics through their study interest. Moreover, there was no relationship between mathematical perception and student interest or achievement. Students must continue to evaluate the efficacy of their learning tactics to achieve academic excellence, and they must make reliable and self-efficacious evaluations of their mathematical learning as well as their mathematics connections to other STEM subjects to improve their study interest and mathematics achievement. The study recommends that stakeholders, curriculum developers, and implementers of the new STEM curriculum try to connect mathematics to all aspects of STEM as much as possible to either directly improve their performance or increase their interest in improving their mathematics education.

This participatory action research project conducted through the USAID-funded Transforming Teacher Education activity examined how two pre-service teacher education programs in Zambia prepared teachers for primary reading instruction. College and university lecturers and in-service primary grade teachers participated in focus groups and interviews. We identified gaps between training and practice within the framework of Zambia’s language of instruction policy. We find that pre-service teacher preparation was generally theoretical and not practical. Opportunities for practice were limited, leading to teachers lacking required competencies and using outdated approaches in schools. We suggest strategies to improve the alignment of pre-service teacher education and classroom instruction.

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of employing automated static analysis tools (ASAT) and techniques to detect security bugs in software systems. However, these studies are usually focused on analyzing the effectiveness of the tools using open‐source tools based on C/C++ source code. The choice for making an appropriate decision on the most suitable tool for bug detection in Java code software remains a relatively unexplored domain. To address this deficiency, this study empirically evaluates eight widely used ASATs, namely, Findbug, PMD, YASCA, LAPSE+, JLint, Bandera, ESC/Java, and Java Pathfinder using the Juliet Test Suite (Test Suite v1.2). Additionally, we assessed the performance of the detection capabilities for the aforementioned bug detection tools using robust performance measures such as precision, recall, Youden index, and the OWASP web benchmark evaluation (WBE). The experimental results show that the tools obtain precision values ranging from 83% to 90.7% based on the studied datasets. Specifically, the Java Pathfinder achieves the best precision score of 90.7%, followed by YASCA and Bandera with a precision score of 88.7% and 83%, respectively. Similarly, Bandera, ESC/Java, and Java Pathfinder obtain a Youden index of 0.8, which indicates the effectiveness of the tools in detecting security bugs in Java source code.

This study investigated the use of collaborative instructional approaches on Form two science students’ performance in redox reactions. The sample for this study consisted of 106 science students from Winneba Senior High School in Ghana. The sample was selected from two intact classes in the school. After a pre-test organised for both classes, the class with the lower average score was assigned as the experimental group and the other class assigned the control group. Interviews, questionnaires, and tests were used as the main instruments to collect data for the study. The reliability of the questionnaire, pre-test, and post-test items which were determined using Cronbach-Alpha ranged from 0.76 to 0.80. A collaborative learning text-oriented instruction was applied in teaching the experimental group whereas conventional approach was used in teaching the control group. It was also found that a number of the students who took part in the study had wrong notions about redox reactions. The findings showed that there was a significant difference in performance between the experimental and control group. The experimental group performed better in the post-test than the control group. It is recommended that chemistry teachers in Ghana should employ the collaborative learning approach in teaching chemistry to enhance the students’ learning.

Purpose This study aimed to identify the link between the income levels of government workers and the prices of real estate houses in Ghana to identify the prevailing mortgage gaps and to stimulate both reactive and proactive government policies backed by continuous stakeholder engagements under the new normal. Design/methodology/approach The quantitative approach was used for this study. Two data collection methods were used to achieve the objectives of the study: the survey method, using a questionnaire to collect the primary data, and the use of documentary information as the source of secondary data. For the primary data, prices of two-bedroom and three-bedroom houses were collected. The secondary data collected were: (1) salary levels of government employees and (2) mortgage values prevailing. The three data sets were analysed and structured to identify the relationship between income levels and the prices of real estate houses within the prevailing mortgage system. Findings It will require a quadrupling of the salaries of only the highest income earners of government employees to afford the average price of a basic two-bedroom and three-bedroom housing in Ghana. Largely, government employees cannot afford these houses with the current price levels and the mortgage systems available. The real estate market in Ghana has not focused on lower-earning groups. The effects of the new normal resulting from the effects of Covid-19 require a paradigm change. Originality/value The paper established the relationship between salary levels of government employees and the process of basic accommodation types on offer in the Ghanaian market by the real estate industry: two- and three-bedroom houses. The findings will help real estate developers to consider their approach to housing designs and construction methods and the pricing to ensure that they meet the needs of the public sector workers who could form a large customer base.

The study investigated formative assessment conceptions and practices among the teachers of social studies in the Techiman Municipality of the Bono East Region of Ghana. The research was undertaken with the view of finding answers and making suggestions that could help improve the formative assessment practices specifically in social studies. A census was conducted in the eighty-four (84) public Junior High Schools in the Techiman Municipality in the Bono East Region. All the ninety-five (95) Social Studies teachers in the public Junior High Schools in the Municipality were selected for the study. A 50-item questionnaire including 2 open-ended questions was developed for the teachers. The data collected were analysed by using frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation. The study revealed that, the teachers had correct conception of formative assessment and saw its relevance in the classroom, however, their assessment practices were not formative enough. The teachers’ assessment practices were influenced by external factors. It is recommended that pressures such as demand for continuous assessment marks to grade students ought to be reduced to allow the teachers practice assessment as professionals.

The purpose of the study was to determine the competency level of senior high school (SHS) biology students in reasoning skills and see whether the type of school a student attends and gender has influence on the proficiency in demonstrating reasoning skills when SHS biology students are engaged in laboratory work. The study adopted the “Basic Skills Assessment” approach. The population for the study was 665 SHS 3 elective biology students offering General Science programme for the 2015/ 2016 academic year in the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana. The sample consisted of 114 students from both single sex and co-educational Senior High Schools (SHS) offering elective biology for the West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE). Purposive sampling was used to select the schools which participated in the study. One single-sex girls’ school, one single-sex boys’ school and one co-educational (mixed) school were selected. The findings from the study revealed that school type was found to be significantly related to the performance of students at reasoning skills. However, single-sex boys did not differ significantly from mixed schools. Gender was found not to be significantly related to the performance of the students at reasoning skills. However, greater proportion of males exhibited same levels of reasoning skills than their female counterparts. It was recommended that female biology students must be made to do more laboratory work that involves reasoning to improve their reasoning skills.

Software vulnerability detection is an active area of research in the software engineering domain. This is partly due to the continuous disclosure of security vulnerabilities. Although previous studies demonstrate the usefulness of employing several detection techniques, models, tools in detecting software vulnerabilities, the improvement of effectiveness of these detection models and tools is still a major challenge to researchers and practitioners. Cascaded Refinement Network (CRN) is novel model that has been successfully applied in several domains of studies such as image analysis, however its application to the field of vulnerability analysis has not been investigated. Motivated by the model effectiveness in these fields of studies, we investigate its feasibility within the domain of vulnerability detection using a theoretical framework. The analysis involves first presenting a general overview of the static analysis tools, and then an overview of the theoretical framework for vulnerability detection based on the CRN. The preliminary findings show that the concept is feasible within the domain of vulnerability detection.

Sorting is one of the most important task in many computer applications. Efficiency becomes a big problem when the sorting involves a large amounts of data. There are a lot of sorting algorithms with different implementations. Some of them sort data by comparison while others don't. The main aim of this thesis is to evaluate the comparison and noncomparison based algorithms in terms of execution time and memory consumption. Five main algorithms were selected for evaluation. Out of these five, three were comparison based algorithms (quick, bubble and merge) while the remaining two were non-comparison based (radix and counting). After conducting an experiment using array of different data sizes (ranging from 1000 to 35000), it was realized that the comparison based algorithms were less efficient than the noncomparison ones. Among the comparison algorithms, bubble sort had the highest time complexity due to the swapping nature of the algorithm. It never stops execution until the largest element is bubbled to the right of the array in every iteration. Despite this disadvantage, it was realized that it is memory efficient since it does not create new memory in every iteration. It relies on a single memory for the swapping array operation. The quick sort algorithm uses a reasonable amount of time to execute, but has a poor memory utilization due to the creation of numerous sub arrays to complete the sorting process. Among the comparison based algorithms, merge sort was far better than both quick and bubble. On the average, merge sort utilized 32.261 seconds to sort all the arrays used in the experiment while quick and bubble utilized 41.05 and 165.11 seconds respectively. The merge algorithm recorded an average memory consumption of 5.5MB for all the experiment while quick and bubble recorded 650.792MB and 4.54MB respectively. Even though the merge sort is better than both quick and bubble, it cannot be compared to the non-comparison based algorithms since they perform far better than the comparison based ones. When the two groups were evaluated against execution time, the comparison based algorithms recorded an average score of 476.757 seconds while the non-comparison obtained 17.849 seconds. With respect to the memory utilization, the non-comparison based algorithms obtained 27.12MB while the comparison ones obtained 1321.681MB. This clearly reveals the efficiency of the non-comparison based algorithms over the comparison ones in terms of execution time and memory utilization.

This study explores educational technology dynamics in a resource-constrained district in Ghana, focusing on student engagement and teacher empowerment. It addresses a gap in the literature by examining technology integration in basic education within this specific Ghanaian context, contrasting the predominant focus on developed countries. Using a phenomenological design, the research captures lived experiences. The population includes teachers and students, with a focus on ICT teachers. Through purposive sampling, 21 teachers and 35 students from seven zones were selected, ensuring diverse perspectives. Semi-structured interviews and observations were employed to gather comprehensive data, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the findings. Students showed enthusiasm for technology-based learning, positively influencing engagement, though some expressed concerns about limited access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers highlighted the need for ongoing professional development, quality tools, technical support, collaboration, planning time, and research access. The study contributes theoretically by expanding the application of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework to the Ghanaian context, illustrating how it can be adapted to address the unique challenges of resource-limited environments. Policy implications suggest tailored professional development, infrastructure enhancements, and diversified technology options, emphasising the need for a multifaceted, context-specific approach to successful technology integration.

Academic libraries over the years have adopted proven business management and marketing strategies that have enhanced service delivery and attainment of objectives. Consumer engagement activities such as online communities of library users have become an emerging trend. This chapter uses an integrative literature review to identify consumer engagement practices that libraries can adopt. The consumer engagement activities identified are enthusiasm, enjoyment, attention, absorption, sharing, learning, and endorsing. In the library context, the main consumer engagement practices relate to user engagement, a form of interaction using technologies. It is expected that the adoption of these consumer engagement activities will enhance the cognitive, affective, and behavioural engagement of library users. Consumer engagement activities have implications for promoting library value perception, benevolence perception, future patronage intention, and affective commitment.

Many instances have presented mathematics as a difficult subject for students, and some of these difficulties have been perceived as an injustice to those who suffer from it. Meanwhile, no child is to be left behind in building a just society if all were to experience the collective good of mathematics. For this reason, it became necessary to explore pre-service teachers’ perceptions of mathematics as social justice in their lived experiences. In doing this, the qualitative interpretive approach was adopted, where qualitative data was collected, transcribed, and analysed using the case study design. A sample of eleven pre-service teachers were involved in the study. The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers had experienced severe issues of mathematics as social justice in their previous schooling that were unfair to them. However, they now felt mathematics could be interesting if delivered in a manner that let their voices be heard in the delivery process.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), students’ interest and motivation in the history of mathematical (HoM) concepts, and students’ cognitive understanding (SCU) of mathematics. A five-level Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 232 junior high school mathematics teachers. It was found that, on average, students have higher levels of interest, motivation, and cognitive understanding when they are taught utilizing HoM concepts as a pedagogy. The correlation analysis reveals that there is a positive relationship between each of the independent variables and the dependent variable. The regression analysis also shows that teachers’ PCK and students’ interest were strong predictors of SCU, while students’ motivation was a weaker predictor. Hence, it can be said that teachers’ PCK and students’ interest play crucial roles in promoting SCU of using HoM concepts. Further studies are recommended to explore how historical context impacts students’ confidence, enjoyment, and aspirations in mathematics-related fields, which would contribute to understanding the broader implications of incorporating history in mathematics instruction.

The study sought to examine how knowledge and skill in ICT of Social Studies teachers influence their teaching of the subject to students who are deaf in schools in Ghana. The study was hinged on the Social Cognitive Theory and Human Capital Theory and used convergent parallel design with the mixed methods approach. The population for the study comprised all JHS Social Studies teachers and headteachers numbering 42 in the 14 public schools for the deaf in Ghana. Census sampling was used to select all the 28 respondents (teachers) for the quantitative phase while convenience sampling technique was also used to sample 14 participants for the qualitative aspects of the study. Data was gathered through questionnaire for the quantitative data and analysed using descriptive measures (frequencies and percentages, means and standard deviations) while the qualitative data was accessed through semi-structured interviews and textually analyzed. The findings showed that the majority of Social Studies teachers handling deaf students possessed requisite knowledge and skills in ICT and showed interest in teaching the subject, nevertheless, only few of them employed ICT in teaching Social Studies. It is recommended that Social Studies teachers to students who are deaf be provided with computers and taken through regular in-service training to help them meet their special needs and other ICT tools.

The research was conducted at the project site of the University of Educatoion, Winneba - Mampong campus between mid - November 2007 and Mid-April 2008. The main objective of the study was to compare the relative suitability of three soils in supporting lettuce production in the dry season. The treatments were Calcic Vertisol (Akuse scries), Rodic Nitisol (Ejura sesries) and Chromic Luvisol (Bediest series). The randomized complete block design was used in a pot experience with the three treatments and each replicated three times. Plant height, fresh leaf mass, leaf dry matter yield, fresh root mass, gravimetric moisture content, total porosity, drainability and bulk density were the parameters considered. From the result Bediesi Series recorded the highest growth rate as measured by plant height (266.5mm), fresh leaf weight (30.6g), leaf dry matter weight (4.9g) at 7 weeks after transplanting as well as been the most succulent with 84% succulent. Fresh root weight however, was highest with Akuse Series followed by Bediesi Series and Ejura Series in that decreasing order. Ejura Series recorded the least value for all growth and yield parameters measured. For soil parameters, Akuse Series recorded the highest value for porosity (43.0%) and gravimetric moisture of 6.43 throughout the period of field drying for 8weeks. Ejura Series Bediesi Series also recorded the highest value for drainability after 25 minutes of drainage, followed by Bediesi Series and then Akuse Series. The result of this work indicated that the Bediesi Series is the best soil type among the soils evaluated for lettuce production in the dry season in Ghana.

This study presents a significant enhancement to the analytical capabilities of an existing X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer by integrating an Am-241 excitation-based system. The modification enables precise and cost-effective analysis of rare-earth elements (REEs), expanding the spectrometer’s utility. Successful identification and quantification of Scandium (8.1 ± 1.3 mg\kg), Ytterium (7.9 ± 2.0 mg\kg), Lanthanum (27.5 ± 2.1 mg\kg), Cerium (60.4 ± 2.5 mg\kg), Neodymium (29.7 ± 1.2 mg\kg), Samarium (4.6 ± 2.0 mg\kg), Europium (0.8 ± 0.4 mg\kg), Gadolinium (2.6 ± 0.6 mg\kg), and Erbium (3.5 ± 1.2 mg\kg) were achieved using their K-X-rays. The quantitative analysis employed the "Elemental Sensitivities Method" and was validated against established methods like Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The modified system demonstrated an accuracy of approximately 80% in analyzing REEs in the IAEA-Soil 7 reference material.

This paper focuses on Buchi Emecheta’s depiction of the female character in her novel, The Joys of Motherhood. In particular, this paper examines how Emecheta directs attention at restoring the image of the “fallen” woman in the novel where the patriarchs dominate affairs. The novel achieves this aim through the narrative technique employed in the complex role of the woman figure who defiles all odds to achieve her heart desires at the end of the story. The findings reveal that Emecheta presents both positive and negative archetypal images of the African woman in the novel. It is however worthy of note that Emecheta’s negative depiction of the African woman far outweighs the positive ones. To an extent, Emecheta’s portrayal of the figure of a woman is an affront to the way a female writer ought to present the woman with exalting images rather than images of disgust.

The study objective was to assess the perceptions of Junior High School (JHS) Social Studies teachers in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana on teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The study adopted Shulman's theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) as its theoretical framework. The philosophical approach upon which the study is hinged on is the ideology of interpretivism and positivism, in other words, pragmatism. The study used a mixed methodological approach as well as a descriptive survey design. A random sampling technique was used for the study. The study participants were JHS social studies teachers in Yilo-Krobo Municipality, Ghana. Eighty (80) out of the one hundred and two (102) representing 78.43% JHS Social Studies teachers were selected from the fifty-four JHSs in the Municipality. Both Questionnaire and interview guide were used for data collection. The survey data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the interview data was analyzed using content analysis. The study indicated that at the heart of the PCK concept is the idea that 'deep knowledge' of content is essential for effective teaching and cannot be taken for granted; that it has a significant bearing on teaching and student learning, and that it is used as a cadre to define professional teaching knowledge. PCK also provides the uniquely necessary knowledge for the transformation of the different types of knowledge required for Social Studies teaching and evolves over time due to the progressive awareness of students' needs, while a wealth of content knowledge is imperative for the development of a comprehensive pedagogical content knowledge. The paper recommends that the Ghana Education Service (GES) should conduct regular in-service training for teachers on the enhancement of their PCK, to enable them select appropriate TLMs and pedagogical approaches that foster meaningful learning for students.