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International Journal of African Higher Education
Number of Followers: 2

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Online) 2313-5069
Published by U of KwaZulu-Natal

[2 journals]

The IJAHE’s Decade Long Successful Journey
- Authors: Damtew Teferra
  Pages: 1 - 10
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17953
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
The Nexus Between Higher Education Expansion and Economic Growth in
Ethiopia: An Empirical Examination
- Authors: Paulos C. Tsegaw
  Pages: 11 - 42
  Abstract: Over the past three decades, Ethiopia’s higher education system has undergone substantial expansion, marked by an increase in the number of universities from two to more than 100 and a surge in student enrollment from 48 000 to more than 400 000. Despite this growth, there is a paucity of research on the relationship between higher education expansion and economic growth, with the few quantitative studies that have been undertaken yielding inconsistent outcomes. This research study embraced endogenous economic growth theory, employed the Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) bound testing model, and used World Bank data from 1991 to 2021 to explore the relationship between economic growth (measured by GDP per capita) and the expansion of higher education (proxied by gross tertiary enrollment). Contrary to prevailing assumptions, the study uncovered an insignificant association between higher education expansion and economic growth. Unlike other studies, it used qualitative analysis to unearth the potential contributing factors and identified subpar educational quality, limited university autonomy, and constrained academic freedom as critical issues. It is recommended that policymakers in countries undergoing similar higher education expansion should not only focus on increasing the number of students, but also prioritise improving the quality of education, granting greater autonomy to universities, and ensuring academic freedom. These factors are crucial for higher education to effectively contribute to economic growth.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17955
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
A Solution or a Problem' The Bologna Process in West Africa: Views
from Local Scholars
- Authors: Solomon Gebreyohans Gebru, Jef C. Verhoeven, Kurt De Wit
  Pages: 43 - 72
  Abstract: In the wake of the Bologna Process, West Africa implemented the ‘Licence, Maîtrise, Doctorat’ (LMD) system. What views of LMD are held by West African scholars who studied the stakeholders of this process' This article analyses the relevant literature available on Google Scholar and Web of Science from a perspective of policy borrowing or appropriation. The analysis shows that all the authors report the transition to the formal LMD structure, but that not all expectations of this process (e.g., improvements in teaching or management) have been realised. Further research is suggested, including a longitudinal study involving different countries and universities to obtain a clearer picture of the level of adaptation/adoption and outcomes of LMD in West Africa.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17957
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
Academic Resilience and Academic Engagement as Predictors of Academic
Burnout among Postgraduate Students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana
- Authors: Mark Owusu Amponsah, Kyei Anane Ampofo, Ruth Keziah Annan-Brew, Justice Dadzie
  Pages: 73 - 98
  Abstract: This article investigates the predictive roles of academic resilience and academic engagement in academic burnout among postgraduate students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. Guided by seven objectives transformed into three research questions and four hypotheses, a descriptive survey design with a quantitative approach was employed. The population consisted of 847 postgraduate students, with 265 participants selected through stratified and simple random sampling. Questionnaires were adapted to measure the study objectives, and data were analysed using simple linear regression and multiple linear regression analyses. The findings revealed significant predictive relationships between academic resilience, academic engagement, and academic burnout. A positive relationship was also established between academic resilience and academic engagement. The study concluded that academic resilience and engagement play crucial roles in predicting and understanding academic burnout among postgraduate students. It recommended collaborative efforts between university management, lecturers, and counsellors to implement policies and measures to address this issue.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17959
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
Social Networks for Learning: Performance Expectancy Vs Social Influence
- Authors: Blaise Noël Boidou, Sylvain Luc Agbanglanon, Mélama Coulibaly, Jonas Alexandre Dominique Adjanohoun
  Pages: 99 - 120
  Abstract: This article examines the factors that determine students’ acceptance of social networks for learning at the Virtual University of Côte d’Ivoire. It investigates whether the expected added value in terms of performance was the primary factor motivating their adoption in learning or training activities. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model was adopted as the theoretical framework, with data gathered by means of an online survey, to which 315 students responded, and analysed using a partial least squares structural model. The study found that the intention to use social networks for learning is primarily determined by effort expectancy, while social influence is the second most important determinant. While performance expectancy was found to be the least important factor, the results show that it had a positive effect on men’s intention to use social networks for learning, but a negative effect for women.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17961
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
The Influence of Plagiarism Policy Implementation on the Quality of
Academic Writing Among Postgraduate Students at the University of Dar es
Salaam
- Authors: Moshi Amsi Mislay, Ahadi Mzumbwe Anania
  Pages: 121 - 151
  Abstract: Plagiarism policies have become an important feature of quality assurance practices in higher education institutions around the world, with a focus on improving the quality of academic writing and other research products. The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) purchased Turnitin software in 2015 to detect plagiarism in academic writing, including postgraduate theses, dissertations, term papers and assignments. This article examines the implementation of the university’s plagiarism policy using the case of postgraduate students’ theses and dissertations in selected academic unit (SAU). A sample of 556 postgraduate theses and dissertations submitted to SAU for plagiarism testing between January 2016 and December 2021 was collected, tested using Turnitin, and analysed to establish the trend and extent of plagiarism following policy adoption. Moreover, the study aimed to identify the limitations of using Turnitin to detect academic cheating among postgraduate students. The findings indicated that although the adoption of Turnitin software has reduced the trend in plagiarism in theses and dissertation writing, its effectiveness is limited because it fails to detect plagiarism levels within individual chapters of theses or dissertations. It is recommended that the plagiarism policy be reviewed to take into account new strategies that focus on individual chapters as well as the tolerance level of 30%, which seems high. Policies that address plagiarism content in postgraduate curricula should also be considered.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17965
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)
Personality Measurement of Students Using Item Response Theory Models:
Stability Responses from Nigerian Institutions
- Authors: Olawale Ayoola Ogunsanmi, Temitope Babatimehin, Yejide Adepeju Ibikunle
  Pages: 152 - 173
  Abstract: Item Response Theory (IRT) is utilised to detect bias in assessment tools and address issues such as faked or manipulated responses, enhancing the reliability and stability of conclusions in personality assessment. This article examines the item parameter estimates of a scale and the effectiveness of one-, two-, and three-parameter logistic models in analysing response stability in personality measurement from repeated administration. Three hundred undergraduate students at three tertiary institutions in Nigeria were sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data was collected using an adapted version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI) with a reliability coefficient of 0.85. The results showed that the item parameter estimates (mean threshold) are within the recommended benchmarks. A comparison of the three IRT models based on the Likelihood ratio (InL), Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) values revealed that the two-parameter logistic model best fit the personality data among undergraduates from repeated administration. It is recommended that, rather than relying solely on a statistical decision-making process, IRT fit and model comparison should be applied to gain insight into the functioning of items and tests.
  PubDate: 2024-07-02
  DOI: 10.6017/ijahe.v10i3.17967
  Issue No: Vol. 10, No. 3 (2024)

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