CEES | Makerere Univsity

PhD Candidate due for viva defense
2023-10-02 10:00 - 17:00 UTC | East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, Curriculum Building, Kampala, Wandegeya, Uganda
Monday 2nd October at 10 am in Room 126 Curriculum Building (East African School for Higher Education Studies and Development)
Candidate for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management of Makerere University
Thesis Title: Predictors of student engagement in the online component of Blended distance learning programs at Makerere University
Name of Candidate: Tumwesigye Tibs Jimmy
Reg. No.: 2015/HD04/1737U
Supervisors:
1. Assoc. Prof. Paul Muyinda Birevu
2. Prof. Anthony Muwagga Muggaga
Abstract
Student engagement is an antecedent of a successful learning process and educational outcomes. Student engagement enhances student learning motivation, reduces the sense of isolation and dropout rates, and enhances student cognitive development. This study investigated the predictors of student engagement in the online component of blended distance learning programs at Makerere University. The study particularly investigated whether teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence significantly predicted student engagement. The study was prompted by raising worries about the low levels of student engagement especially in the online component of blended distance learning programs in higher education institutions (HEIs) and Makerere University in particular, which is a threat to students’ attainment of educational outcomes. The study was underpinned by the Community of Inquiry theoretical framework and used the positivist paradigm with survey-based predictive correlational and cross-sectional research designs. Data were collected using a Self-administered Questionnaire (SAQ) from 283 students drawn from the College of Education and External Studies (CEES) and the College of Health Sciences (CHS) and analysis was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). Multiple regression analysis revealed that jointly; teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence were significant predictors of student engagement in the online component of blended distance learning programs at Makerere University (F=213.885, = .000, p<0.05). The three variables collectively explained 69.4% of the variance in student engagement. Social presence was observed to have the strongest predictive effect on student engagement (β = .382, sig. .000), followed by the cognitive presence (β = .288, sig. .000), and teaching presence (β = .228, sig. .000). The study concluded that teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence together influence student engagement in the online component of blended distance learning programs at Makerere University. The study recommends that online course instructors need to promote strategies focused on motivating group unity amongst learners through ensuring meaningful social interactions and group cohesion; implement online course activities that stimulate deep thinking and reflection in learning among students to achieve high levels of knowledge construction; design course activities that stimulate teaching presence through ensuring a simple and consistent course design that is easily accessed by students, a detailed syllabus with clear expectations and assignment guidelines, appropriate rubric, timelines and rules of engagement, provide orientation to learners, feedback and learner support.
Keywords:
Community of Inquiry, Teaching presence, Social Presence, Cognitive presence, Behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, Cognitive engagement.

ChatGPT and Its Implications on Teaching and Learning
2023-07-31 14:00 - 17:00 | Online Event

Omissions in Sloane's Jamaican collections: African slave trade and modern slavery building shared futures
2023-07-28 14:30 - 17:00 | Online Event

The Distance Education and Teacher Training In Africa (DETA) Conference
2023-07-24 08:00 - 2023-07-27 17:00 | Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium, Makerere University
The College of Education and External Studies invites you to the Distance Education and Teacher Training In Africa (DETA) Conference organized in collaboration with the University of Pretoria.
This international Conference will take place on Monday July 24th to July 27th in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium. The opening Ceremony will be held on July 24th at 2pm.
You are all invited to the opening ceremony.

Bi-Annual National Science Workshop
2023-05-12 08:00 - 2023-05-20 17:00 | School of Education Main Block, Lecturer Room 4, School of Education main Block, Wandegeya, Uganda
Download Letter here :NATIONAL SCIENCE WORKSHOP

PhD Public Defense of Sr. Bernadette Lutaaya
2023-01-24 10:00 - 17:00 | East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, Curriculum Building, Kampala, Wandegeya, Uganda
The Dean, East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, invites you to the PhD defence for Sr. Bernadette Lutaaya, scheduled to take place in Curriculum Building – Room 126 on Tuesday, 24th January 2023, starting at 10:00 AM. I’ve attached hereon the student’s abstract.

Supervisors:
Assoc.Prof. Ronald Bisaso
Dr: Florence Nakamanya

Download Abstract: Click here

PhD Public defense of Lukwago Rashid
2023-01-23 10:00 - 17:00 | East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, Curriculum Building, Kampala, Wandegeya, Uganda
The Dean, East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, invites you to the PhD Public defense of Lukwago Rashid scheduled for Monday, 23 January 2023, in Curriculum Building Room 126, starting at 10 AM.

PhD Public Defense of Mr Enock Kibuuka
2023-01-17 10:00 - 17:00 | East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, Curriculum Building, Kampala, Wandegeya, Uganda
The Dean, East African School of Higher Education Studies and Development, invites you to the PhD Public Defense of Mr Enock Kibuuka, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 17th January 2023, in the Curriculum Building starting at 10 AM.
Supervisors: Associate Professor Joseph Kimoga
Associate Professor Ronald Bisaso
Opponent: Larazus Nabaho
The abstract is herein attached. Click here

Mr. Opul Joseph's thesis defense
2023-01-12 11:00 - 17:00 | School of Education Main Block, Lecturer Room 4, School of Education main Block, Wandegeya, Uganda
ABSTRACT
Title: Contribution of Education to Building Resilience of Regugee Learners: A case of Primary Schools in Nakivale Settlement, Isingiro District, Western Uganda
Education contributes to resilience of refugee learners as emphasized by Uganda Education Refugee Response Plan (2018). However, current education provided to refugee learners appears inadequately contributing to resilience Nanyunja et al (2021).This is evidenced by 90% of refugee learners dropping out of school (UNHCR Reports, 2016,2019 and 2020).
The purpose of this study was to improve on the contribution of education to building resilience of refugee learners by focusing on primary schools in Nakivale settlement, Isingiro District in Western Uganda. The study was guided by three specific objectives: To assess the contribution of the curriculum to building resilience of refugee learners; To examine the role of teachers in building resilience of refugee learners and; To examine the role of the school leadership in building resilience of refugee learners. The study adopted a single case study design and used a qualitative approach to collect data from thirty-five purposively sampled participants (refugee learners, teachers, head teachers, School Management Committees, Parents Teachers Associations, the District Education Officer and development partners) in three primary schools of Kashojwa, Nyarugugu and Nakivale in Nakivale refugee settlement, Isingiro District – Western Uganda.
Findings of the study revealed that the curriculum was not adequately contributing to the resilience of refugee learners since its objectives not well defined, content was inappropriate, and evaluation was ineffective; furthermore, the study findings revealed that the teachers did not adequately contribute to the resilience of refugee learners as they largely focused on teaching for grades, made limited efforts in creative arts/extracurricular activities and psycho-social support; and lastly it was revealed that that the role of the school leadership was ineffective as none of the schools made policy towards learners’ progress, prepared school improvement plans (SIPs), 5 year strategic plans and all only scantly monitored the school operations. It was therefore concluded that if the curriculum objectives are well defined, its content responsive to the needs of refugee learners and effective curriculum evaluation, its contribution to the resilience of refugee learners will be higher; if teachers focus on creative arts /extracurricular activities and psycho-social support, resilience of refugee learners will largely improve and; as long as the school leadership plays its policy roles, develop SIPs, and provide oversight role, resilience of refugee learners will be built. Given the above conclusions, the researcher recommended that the Ministry of Education and Sports should spearhead the development of a Significant Blended Curriculum that will provide significant education for refugee learners to build resilience; a teacher-management framework be designed by the MoES to enhance teachers’ roles in the building of resilience of refugee learners; and the MoES should develop an integrated refugee school leadership framework that will promote and ensure cohesion and collaboration between the three structures of PTA, SMC and school administration. A conceptual model for building resilience of primary school refugee learners was developed by the researcher based on this study’s findings.
Supervisors:
Dr. Nicholas Itaaga
Dr. Wycliffe Scot Wafula

PhD defence by Luyima Jimmy
2022-12-16 10:00 - 17:00 | School of Education Main Block, Lecturer Room 4, School of Education main Block, Wandegeya, Uganda
MOBILE PHONE APPS SUPPORTED INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND LEARNING OF CHEMISTRY: A CASE OF RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN WAKISO DISTRICT-UGANDA
By: Luyima Jimmy
Supervisors:
Dr. Walimbwa Michael
Dr. Sentongo John
Abstract
This study focused on mobile phone application tools (Apps) and learning of chemistry in resource-constrained privately owned secondary schools, in Wakiso district. With a growing number of students facing the challenge of access to physical science instructional resources from their respective schools, this study attempted to explore one of the possible alternatives to address the challenge, by particularly investigating the effect of integrating WhatsApp-supported chemistry instructional resources in out-of-classroom teaching and learning.
Informed by the social learning theory and the community of inquiry model, and using lenses of the pragmatic philosophical orientation, this study adopted a mixed methods approach, taking on a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent group design. Solomon’s four-group design was particularly employed because of its high internal and external reliability and validity. Quantitative data was collected using a SAQ and a chemistry process skills test on a sample of 240 students from four different schools. The data were analyzed using the independent and paired samples t-test, to establish whether there was a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups. Qualitative data was collected using an interview and observation guide, from 12 students and four teachers, which was analyzed thematically. This was used to supplement the quantitative findings.
The study findings revealed that the integration of the WhatsApp-supported chemistry instructional resources in form of videos, photos, audio, and text outside the classroom setting improved the teacher-student interactions outside the classroom, the students’ chemistry process skills and attitude towards chemistry, and students were positive about using mobile phones for learning. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the integration of WhatsApp-supported chemistry instructional resources in out-of-classroom setting improves learning, as well as students’ willingness to use mobile phones for learning in resource-constrained schools. The study recommends that the different education stakeholders at different levels of education need embrace the use of mobile phones to support teaching and learning, particularly in science instructional resource-constrained schools. Therefore, the policy implication for this study points to the need by the Government to expedite the formulation of a policy on using the various ICTs, such as mobile phones for teaching and learning in schools.

Launching the school of Education scholarship Programme for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Vulnerable female students
2022-12-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility (CTF 1), Makerere University, Wandegeya, Uganda
The college is set to sign an MOU with the Jesuit Refugee Services. The MOU will see the actualization of a scholarship program for refugee students and vulnerable female students.

Launching the school of Education scholarship Programme for Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Vulnerable female students
2022-12-01 10:00 - 17:00 | Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility (CTF 1), Makerere University, Wandegeya, Uganda
The college is set to sign an MOU with the Jesuit Refugee Services. The MOU will see the actualization of a scholarship program for refugee students and vulnerable female students.f

Prof. Senteza Kajubi, Fulbright Memorial Lecture
2022-11-02 00:00 - 23:59 | Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility Auditorium, Makerere University
