NRU :: Browsing by Author "Onen, David"

Browsing by Author "Onen, David"

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Assessing the Effect of Rewards on Academic Staff Performance in Uganda's Public Universities
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2024) Injikuru, Justine; Etomaru, Irene; Onen, David
The persistent decline in academic staff performance at Uganda's public universities prompted this study to investigate the effect of rewards on their performance. Using an exploratory sequential research design, data were collected from 350 academic staff through self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression, alongside interviews with 13 academic staff, which were analyzed using content analysis. The findings reveal that while rewards are a statistically significant predictor of performance, their influence is modest, accounting for 7.6% of the variation in teaching performance, 12.5% in research performance, and 9.6% in community service performance. These results suggest that while rewards positively impact academic performance, their limited predictive power indicates that other factors play a more significant role. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative data, highlighting the importance of additional influences such as professional development, workplace environment, and institutional support. As a result, it is recommended that public universities not only strengthen reward systems but also adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses these other factors. This holistic strategy will help create a more conducive academic environment and ultimately enhance the overall performance of academic staff
Assessing the Effects of Autocratic Decision-Making by Academic Unit Managers on Work Performance of Ugandan Academic Staff
(East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2019) Okongo, Wilberforce; Onen, David; Okaka, Wilson
This paper presents the key issues and the effects of an autocratic decision-making approach by the unit managers on the work performance of the academic staff in three typical Ugandan public universities. The research was prompted by persistent complaints and reports from different key stakeholders regarding the deteriorating quality of teaching, research, and community engagement in public universities in Uganda. The objectives of this paper are to explain the issues, processes, and consequences of an autocratic approach to decision making by academic unit managers on the regular work performance of academic staff in the public universities; examine the role of academics’ in promoting the competitiveness of universities for better ranking at national, regional, or global levels, and establish the incentives for different types of academics’ work performance. A cross-section survey with mixed quantitative and qualitative methods in addition to the in-depth interviews and self-administered were used to collect data. The study findings revealed low work performance levels as a consequence of the practice of an autocratic decision making employed by the academic unit managers in Uganda. The study concluded that autocratic academic unit managers are instrumental in demoralising academic staff hence resulting in low-performance levels. Academics’ work performance is vital for university competitiveness for high institutional ranking. This is because Universities have a critical role to play for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four for national progress towards education for sustainable development in Uganda.
Challenges in Reforming University Curricula for Graduate Employability: Head of Academic Departments Perspective
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2023) Geera, Sophia; Onen, David
This paper delves into the multifaceted roles of Heads of Academic Departments (HoDs) and their intricate challenges in overhauling their units' curricula to enhance graduate employability within a university college in Uganda. Originating from persistent complaints by employers and stakeholders regarding the perceived deficiency in employable skills among university graduates despite multiple curricular revisions, the study employed a qualitative methodology, gathering data from four purposefully selected HoDs through in-depth interviews. The study's findings revealed divergent interpretations of graduate employability among participants, ranging from possessing employable skills to a student's ability to complete their study programme and secure gainful employment. Additionally, participants disclosed strategies for enabling curriculum revisions, involving, and motivating stakeholders, providing effective leadership, and offering essential information and support to their staff during the curriculum review and development process. However, the study identifies several challenges participants face in revising their units' curricula, including limited stakeholder cooperation, rapidly changing societal needs, and a shortage of funds for the curriculum review and development process. Consequently, the study concludes that while HoDs are committed to reforming university curricula to promote graduate employability, their efforts are hampered by various challenges, necessitating increased institutional support to enhance their capacity to improve graduate employability effectively
Curriculum Alignment and Graduate Employability: A Comprehensive Exploration at Makerere University
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2024) Geera, Sophia; Onen, David
This study aimed to investigate the alignment of Makerere University's curriculum with the explicit objective of improving graduate employability, prompted by stakeholders' concerns regarding the perceived lack of employable skills in many Ugandan university graduates. Using a multiple-case study design, the research focused on four out of 107 undergraduate programs at the University. Data were collected through document analysis and individual interviews with thirteen key informants purposefully selected for their insights. The findings indicate that the University's programs primarily emphasize career development, subject-specific skills, and understanding, incorporating essential workplace skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information, media, technology, flexibility, leadership, initiative, productivity, and social skills. Moreover, science disciplines prioritize experiential elements, including work and life experiences. While the study underscores the alignment of Makerere University's curricula to enhance graduate employability, it highlights the neglect of vital components such as emotional intelligence and work experience. The conclusion emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach involving stakeholders to develop a well-rounded curriculum and recommends continuous efforts to integrate diverse learning methods for holistic development and increased readiness for the dynamic professional landscape
Effectiveness of Decision-Making Approaches by Academic Unit Managers on Academics Performance in Public Universities in Uganda
(East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2019) Okongo, Wilberforce; Onen, David; Okaka, Wilson
This paper presents the key issues and the effects of an autocratic decision-making approach by the unit managers on the work performance of the academic staff in three typical Ugandan public universities. The research was prompted by persistent complaints and reports from different key stakeholders regarding the deteriorating quality of teaching, research, and community engagement in public universities in Uganda. The objectives of this paper are to explain the issues, processes, and consequences of an autocratic approach to decision making by academic unit managers on the regular work performance of academic staff in the public universities; examine the role of academics’ in promoting the competitiveness of universities for better ranking at national, regional, or global levels, and establish the incentives for different types of academics’ work performance. A cross-section survey with mixed quantitative and qualitative methods in addition to the in-depth interviews and self-administered were used to collect data. The study findings revealed low work performance levels as a consequence of the practice of an autocratic decision making employed by the academic unit managers in Uganda. The study concluded that autocratic academic unit managers are instrumental in demoralising academic staff hence resulting in low-performance levels. Academics’ work performance is vital for university competitiveness for high institutional ranking. This is because Universities have a critical role to play for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four for national progress towards education for sustainable development in Uganda.
Enhancing The Work Performance of University Academic Staff by Delegated Decision-Making Approach for Good Governance in Ugandan Public Universities
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2019) Okongo, Wilberforce; Onen, David; Okaka, Wilson
This study focused on the decision-making approaches (DMA) of the academic deans and departmental heads in tandem with the work performance of the academics in the Ugandan public universities. The research was prompted by persistent cases of complaints and reports from different key stakeholders regarding the deteriorating quality of teaching, research, and community engagement in public universities in Uganda. The researcher hypothesized that the problem could have been gaps emerging from the types of decision-making approaches used by the academic deans and departmental heads. As a result, the research was approached from the positivist research paradigm with a focus on the pragmatic philosophical approach in which both the quantitative and qualitative data were triangulated from 325 respondents with the use of questionnaire survey and in-depth interview methods. The study examined the effects of the delegated decision-making approach of the academic deans and departmental heads on the work performance of the academics in selected public universities in Uganda. A systematic random sampling strategy was used to administer the questionnaires to the target respondents. The data obtained was analyzed and presented with the aid of descriptive statistical techniques (tables, percentages & histograms), inferential statistical techniques (Student T-test, Pearson’s correlation, ANOVA & regression), and content analysis methods. The study findings revealed that low and high work performance had a direct bearing on the type of DMA used by academic deans and departmental heads in Uganda. The study concluded that the kind of DMA academic units managers employ when interacting with their institutional academic staff has a direct effect on how the academics perform their routine work. Thus, the study recommended that academic deans and departmental heads who are concerned with the decision-making process should employ more often delegated decision-making approaches at the workplace because it has a significant positive correlation with the work performance of the academic staff.
Entry Grades and the Academic Performance of University Students: A Review of Literature
(Education Quarterly Reviews, 2021) Aciro, Rosalba; Onen, David; Malinga, Geoffrey M.; Ezati, Betty A.; Openjuru, George L.
Universities world over mostly base their decisions to admit their new students on the applicant’s pre-university academic results. However, there is yet no concrete evidence that the students’ pre-university academic accolades determine their performances at university level. In this article, we explored the findings of earlier studies that examined the relationships between entry grades and the academic performance of university students. The study was undertaken to collate the literature on the relationships between the students’ entry grades and their university academic performance in order to validate earlier assertions, if any, as well as to identify opportunities for further research in this field. During the study, we carried out a systematic review of 59 articles that we drew from different online electronic databases including, among others, the Free Scientific Publication, the Worldwide Science.org, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The majority of these reviewed studies were drawn from America and Europe. Only a few of them were conducted in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Of the 59 reviewed articles, only 53 of them met our inclusion criteria and our key findings showed, among others, that out of the 53 reviewed articles, 26, 4 and 13 of them revealed the existence of positive, negative, and mixed correlations respectively between the entry grades and the academic performance of university students. The remaining 10 articles, however, did not reveal any significant correlations between the two variables; instead, they alluded to the existence of difference in these relationships between male and female students; thus, suggesting for the need for affirmative action schemes. Overall, the study revealed that there is yet no consensus over whether preuniversity academic performances of students predict their performances at university level; thus, indicating the need for further research in this field.
Factors Influencing Student Choice of the Research Supervisor: A Study of Doctoral Students
(African Academic Research Forum, 2016) Onen, David
This study delved into the factors that influence choices of the research supervisors; and the kind of support, guidance, and information that doctoral students are provided before making their choices at Makerere University. It was prompted by the persistent complaints doctoral students have been raising against some of their supervisors whom sometimes they have out-rightly labelled as being incompetent or uncooperative. The study, approached from the positivist paradigm, was conducted using a descriptive cross-sectional sample survey design where both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 48 Ph.2.96 students using an adapted semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed with the use of descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and content analysis techniques. Study findings revealed that: first, the supervisor’ specialisation is the most important variable that influences choices of doctoral research supervisors at Makerere University (Mean=4.58; SD=.821), while the supervisor’s tribe is the least considered variable (Mean=1.25; SD=.565). Second, three latent factors were found to significantly influence the student choice of the research supervisor at the University, starting with “expected supervisor-student relationships” (32.96%), followed by “supervisor competence” (17.78%), and finally, where the “supervisor is assigned to the supervisee by the institution or recommended by parents (or guardians)” (12.14%). Finally, it was established that the doctoral students were receiving inadequate support, guidance, and information before choosing or being assigned their research supervisors. Therefore, it was concluded that the factors that influence student choice of the doctoral research supervisor were multifaceted and desegregated. Second, doctoral students would prefer to work with supervisors that they have voluntarily chosen rather than those assigned to them by the institution or recommended for them by their parents (or guardians).The researcher thus recommends that Makerere University administrators should consider assigning doctoral students the supervisors that they have voluntarily chosen in order to ease tension between supervisors and supervisees; and improve the study climate for both existing and prospective doctoral students. Second, the University should empower coordinators (or deans) of school to address, on-the-spot basis, the supervisory problems that doctoral students may experience.
Head Teacher’s Leadership Styles and the Quality of Teacher Support Supervision
(International Journal of Education and Research, 2016) Tibagwa, Kate Norah; Onen, David; Oonyu, Joseph
This paper examines the relationship between head teacher’s leadership styles and the quality of support supervision offered to teachers in primary schools in Mid-western Uganda. The study was driven by the need to establish the largely and widely held belief that school heads make a difference on instructional effectiveness of teachers through effective leadership and the kind of support supervision they provide teachers in their schools. The researchers employed a correlational cross-sectional survey design in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a study sample of 320 teachers and 20 educational administrators using questionnaire survey and interview methods. The data were analysed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques as well as content analysis method. Study results revealed that both people-oriented, and task-oriented styles of leadership have statistically significant correlation (r = .566, p = .000) and (r = .536, p = .000) respectively, with the quality of teacher support supervision. But laissez-faire style of leadership has a statistically weak correlation (r = .117, p = .057) with the quality of teacher support supervision. The researchers thus concluded that the type of leadership styles that school heads use have a bearing on the quality of teacher support supervision. Consequently, it was recommended that school heads should make use of appropriate leadership styles to suit situations, needs and developmental aspirations of teachers as well as the needs of the primary schools they serve.
Institutional Planning in the Context of Higher Education: Challenges and Prospects
(International Journal of Education and Research, 2016) Onen, David
This study delved into the challenges and prospects of institutional planning at Makerere University in Uganda with the aim of identifying the major challenges and prospects of planning at the institution. It was prompted by the persistent complaints from stakeholders over the Institution’s failure to meet its set goals and objectives despite the numerous attempts to plan its growth and development. The study took the interpretive and narrative design in which data were collected through literature search and desk study methods. Study results revealed: first that the challenges facing institutional planning at Makerere University emanate from both within and without the Institution. Second, due to the developments within and outside the University, the future prospects for undertaking effective planning in the University are high. It was thus concluded that despite the myriads of challenges that the University faces, it will still be possible to effectively plan for the Institution since there are means for circumventing more or less all the hurdles to institutional planning at the University Therefore, the author recommends that University managers and planners must remain prudent and innovative in formulating and implementing the Institution’ strategic plans.
Instructional Supervision and the Pedagogical Practices of Secondary School Teachers in Uganda
(Journal of Education and Practice, 2016) Malunda, Paul; Onen, David; Musaazi, John C. S.; Oonyu, Joseph
This paper looks at the effect of instructional supervision by school authorities on the pedagogical practices of teachers in public secondary schools in Uganda. To date, research into this field in the country has focused more on the technicalities of supervision rather than on how the teachers have been responding to it. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, in which both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were applied. Study respondents included 934 teachers randomly selected from 95 public secondary schools, 76 head teachers, and two officials from the Directorate of Education Standards of the Ministry of Education and Sports. Ordered logistic regression technique was used to establish the effect of instructional supervision on the pedagogical practices of teachers. Findings of the study revealed that both classroom observation (odd ratio=4.1; p=0.000<0.05) and portfolio supervision (odd ratio=2.3; p=0.000<0.05) have statistically significant effect on the pedagogical practices of teachers in public secondary schools in Uganda. Furthermore, the study established that school authorities were inadequately carrying out instructional supervision, thereby leaving teachers to employ ineffective pedagogical practices. The study concluded that teachers’ pedagogical practices are dependent on the manner in which they are supervised, other factor notwithstanding. Therefore, in order to augment the pedagogical practices of teachers, school inspection by the Directorate of Education Standards should be increased and regular in-service training needs to be provided to head teachers as well as subject heads on how to conduct classroom observations and portfolio supervision in schools.
Job Security as a Determinant of Academic Staff Performance: Evidence from Public Universities in Uganda
(East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2024) Injikuru, Justine; Onen, David; Etomaru, Irene
In today’s competitive higher education landscape, improving academic staff performance is essential for institutional success. This study investigated the relationship between employee job security and academic staff performance in three key areas: teaching, research, and community engagement at four public universities in Uganda. To understand how job security influences these domains, a cross-sectional survey design was utilised, with a sample of 350 participants selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using structured, close-ended questionnaires and analysed with IBM SPSS, employing both descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings indicated that job security has a statistically significant positive effect on academic staff performance across all three areas, with teaching (R = 0.260, R² = 0.067), research (R = 0.312, R² = 0.097), and community engagement (R = 0.278, R² = 0.077) demonstrating modest correlations. As a result, the study rejected the null hypotheses, confirming that improved job security can enhance academic staff performance in these critical domains. However, the modest effect size suggests that job security alone may not lead to substantial performance improvements. Therefore, it is recommended that universities prioritise enhancing job security through clear policies and institutional support measures, including competitive remuneration, comprehensive health insurance, and opportunities for career advancement, while also implementing innovative strategies to foster a stable and supportive working environment that boosts productivity and overall outcomes
The Mediating Effect of Affective Commitment on the Relationship between Human Resource Management Practices and Turnover Intentions of University Employees
(Education Quarterly Reviews, 2020) Tumwesigye, Godfrey; Onen, David; Oonyu, Joseph; Musaazi, John C. S.
In this study, we explored the mediating effect of affective commitment on the relationship between human resource management practices (HRMPs) and the turnover intentions of university employees in Uganda using the theoretical lens of social exchange theory. The study was instigated by reportedly persistent increase in the cases of employee attrition in higher education institutions in Uganda in spite of Government’s attempts to improve the working conditions of the university employees. Using the cross-sectional survey research design, data were collected with the use of an adapted self-administered questionnaire from a sample of 722 academic and non-academic employees of three public and three private universities in Uganda. The results of structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated that HRMPs were significant positive predictors of affective commitment (rewards: β =.225; p<.001), promotions: β =.228; p<.001; and job security: β = .141; p<.001). However, HRM practices were negative predictors of turnover intentions (rewards: β = -.228; p<.001; promotion, β = -.215; p<.001; job security, β = -.138; p<.001). Furthermore, affective commitment was indeed a significant mediator of the relationship between HRMPs and turnover intentions of university employees. These findings made us draw the conclusion that when university employees perceive the institution’s HRMPs to be favourable, they will not only become committed to the organisation but also desire to remain working longer for it. Therefore, we recommend that the university managers in Uganda and similar countries should formulate and practise human resource management styles that do not only spur employee commitment but also enhance staff retention.
Models for Assessing Higher Education Quality: The Most Suitable for Developing Countries - A Literature Review
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2023) Abukar, Mukhtar Omar; Onen, David; Etomaru, Irene
This literature review addresses the absence of consolidated documentation on quality assessment models in higher education, aiming to provide a unified and accessible resource. It responds to three key research questions: detailing the originators, purposes, features, and distinctions of identified models, conducting comparative analyses to discern differences and similarities, and determining the most suitable model for measuring higher education quality in developing countries. The study illuminates the intricate landscape of quality assessment models, revealing shared emphases on service quality, survey instrument utilisation, a multidimensional approach, and commitment to continuous improvement. A notable student-centric approach permeates various models. The study found the HEQAM model by Noaman et al. most suitable for developing countries due to its streamlined and adaptable nature, focusing on administrative, physical, and support systems. The study emphasises the urgent need for a consolidated overview of these models, underscoring their collective contribution to student-centred frameworks. It recommends the HEQAM model for adoption in resource-constrained environments. It suggests further research to explore its implementation in diverse contexts. This review contributes valuable insights, fostering informed decision-making and excellence in educational institutions
Organisational Factors as Antecedents of University Academic Staff Research Productivity
(Journal of Education and Practice, 2020) Hiire, Geoffrey Boaz; Oonyu, Joseph; Kyaligonza, Robert; Onen, David
This study explored whetherorganisational factors such as technological progress, computer skills, research funding, and human resourceswere significant antecedents of academic staff research productivity in chartered private universities in Uganda. The study stemmed from reportedly low levels of research productivity of the academic staff in private universities in the country in spite of the numerousinterventionsby the Government of Uganda to spur research in both public and private higher education institutions.Using the quantitative approach anddescriptive cross-sectional survey research design, the researchers collected data using a pre-testedselfadministered questionnaire from a sample of 210 academic staff drawn from four out of nine chartered private universities in the country. The data were analysed with the use of appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study findings showed, among others, that while technological progress (β = 0.425, p = 0.000 < 0.05) and possession of computer skills (β = 0.329, p = 0.000 < 0.05) were positive and significant antecedents of research productivity, research funding (β = -0.003, p = 0.965 < 0.05)and human resources (β = 0.073, p = 0.186 < 0.05) were respectively negative and positive but non-significant antecedents of academic staff’s research productivity in the universities studied. Therefore, it was concluded that although organisational factors, overall, were significant antecedents of university academic staff’s research productivity, some of its elements such as technological progress and possession of computer skills were more significant antecedents than others – implying that in order to boost the research productivity of the academic staff, university managers need to place proportionate emphasis on these factors if they are to create an enabling research environment in their institutions.
Organisational Factors as Predictors of Research Productivity: Evidence from Selected Universities in Uganda
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2023) Muteesasira, Christopher; Bakkabulindi, Fredrick Edward K.; Onen, David
The pivotal role that research play in knowledge generation within higher education institutions has attracted the attention of many scholars. These have mainly looked at ways of improving research productivity in such institutions. In this study, the aim was to examine whether organisational variables in Bean’s model jointly predict research productivity of a PhD-holding academic staff member in a university in Uganda. The organisational variables were university research emphasis, university reputation, university size, university affluence, and university autonomy. Employing a positivist approach and using a predictive, cross-sectional survey design, 217 PhD-holding academic staff members from three universities in Uganda, namely, Bishop Stuart University, Makerere University, and Uganda Christian University provided data by completing SAQs. We tested the study hypotheses using both Pearson’s linear correlation and standard multiple linear regression. Both bivariate and multivariate results indicated that there was no significant prediction between research productivity and the organisational variables. We concluded that the organisational variables in Bean’s model do not jointly significantly positively predict research productivity of a PhD-holding academic staff. Because the prediction of research productivity by most of the organisational variables individually were not statistically significant, we recommend that university administrators address these factors in unison to enhance research productivity of their PhD-holding academic staff
Promoting Democratic Decision-Making for Academics’ Work Performance in Ugandan Public Universities
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2019) Okongo, Wilberforce; Onen, David; Okaka, Wilson
he use of democratic decision-making approaches (DMA) by university academic unit managers is vital for improved scholarly productivity and regular work performance of academic staff’s in Ugandan public universities. The study examined the democratic decision-making approaches of the academic unit managers in tandem with the work performance of the academics’ in the Ugandan public universities. The research objectives were to examine the effects of democratic decision-making approaches as used by the various academic unit managers in the Ugandan public universities on the work performance of the various categories of university academics, examine the benefits of democratic decision making and explain its implications of academic productivity on education for sustainable development. The cross-sectional survey study employed mixed quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments that involved all categories of academics from assistant lecturers to professors in three selected public universities in Uganda. 325 respondents participated in the survey that was backed by in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed by the use of appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics as well as the thematic content analysis method. Preliminary findings indicated that among others, the high work performance of the academics was directly related to the democratic decision-making style which the decision-makers at various university academic units practiced. The use of democratic decision-making approach had a more significant positive effect on the work performance (WP) of the academic staff. The results showed that a unit increase in the use of DMA yields 19.1% increases in the WP of academic staff. We concluded that democratic decision-making approach promotes academic freedom, openness, incentives or motivations, and high academics’ productivity in regular work. Therefore, it is recommended that academic unit managers who aim to achieve better staff work performance for university competitiveness should adopt the democratic decision-making model for enhanced academics’ work performance output. The unit managers should also be trained and made skillful in the use of DMA because it is consultative, collective, and participative in nature.
Roles and Challenges faced by Heads of Academic Department in Reforming University Curricula to Promote Graduate Employability
(Soc. Pediatr. Surg, 2019) Geera, Sophia; Onen, David
This paper examines the roles played by heads of academic department (HODs) and the challenges they face in reforming their units’ curricula to promote graduate employability in a university college in Uganda. The study arose as a result of the persistent complaints raised by employers and other stakeholders about the lack of employable skills among university graduates in the country in spite of the several curricular reviews taking place in the institution. Using the qualitative approach, data were collected from four purposively selected HODs through in-depth interviews. Study results showed, among others, that: first, the participants had different understanding of what graduate employability is: while some conceptualised it as the possession of employable skills by the graduates, others viewed it as the ability of a university student to complete his/her study programme and obtain gainful employment. Second, the participants revealed that they often enable the reforming of the curricula to promote graduate employability by: involving and motivating stakeholders in curricular reviews; offering effective leadership; and by providing requisite information and support to their staff during curriculum reviews and development, among others. Finally, the study participants reported facing several challenges in reforming the curricula of their units - including: limited co-operation by stakeholders, rapidly changing societal needs, and shortage of funds to aid the process of curriculum reviews and development. Therefore, we concluded that while HODs seemed committed to reforming university curricula to promote graduate employability, their efforts are fraught by a repertoire of challenges; thus, we recommend for increased institutional support to enable HODs effectively play their roles in promoting graduate employability.
Scientific Collaboration and Research Productivity: Evidence from One College in Makerere University
(East African Journal of Education Studies, 2024) Muteesasira, Christopher; Bakkabulindi, Fredrick Edward K.; Onen, David
In academia, the many benefits of publishing make continuous publication a cardinal duty of faculty members. Some members work as lone writers and others work collaboratively to come up with scholarly works. Benefits of collaboration come in form of filling gaps between the haves and the have not by academic staff. In this study, the aim was to establish whether research collaboration among academic staff was related to research productivity. More specifically, we examined whether collaboration in publication of edited books, chapters in edited books, journal articles, and conference papers by members of academic staff was related to their research productivity. Using collaboration and publication data on 41 academic staff members in the College of Education and External Studies, Makerere University, we analysed the relationship between the two. Results of the Karl Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient indicated that the academic staff who collaborated were more research productive. This was true for all the four forms, individually namely; edited books, chapters in edited books, journal articles, and conference papers and in terms of aggregated four forms. This study underscores the importance of cultivating collaborative environments in academia to bolster scholarly output, which is not only to the benefit of academic staff but also to university administrators and policymakers when endorsing collaborative research initiatives and interdisciplinary cooperation. Thus, it contributes to the theoretical understanding of the subject by furnishing empirical evidence on the relationship between scientific collaboration and RP by members of academic staff
Staffing and the Quality of Teaching in Universities
(European Journal of Educational Studies, 2017) Ezati Azikuru, Luija Marie; Onen, David; Ezati, Betty A.
This study sought to establish the influence of staffing on the quality of teaching in Uganda’s public universities. It was undertaken in the face of persistent stakeholder concerns regarding the declining quality of teaching and learning in these institutions that have occasionally culminated into student strikes and different kinds of protests. Basing on a mixed-methods approach, the study employed the descriptive cross-sectional survey design where both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 14 academic managers, 111 academic staff, and 285 undergraduate university students of Kyambogo University using survey and interview methods. The collected data from staff and students were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression techniques while content analysis technique was used to analyze qualitative data collected by interviewing purposively selected university managers. The study findings revealed that: first, staff recruitment (B=.182; p=.040), staff training (B=.340; p=.000), and development (B=.327; p=.000) have statistically significant influence on the quality of teaching. Meanwhile, staff deployment (B=.010; p=.914) has statistically insignificant influence on the quality of teaching. However, overall, the study revealed that staffing (R=.683; R2=.467; p=.000) significantly influences the quality of teaching in public universities in Uganda. Therefore, it was concluded that effective staffing would raise the quality of teaching in universities, other factors held constant. The study thus recommends that university managers and staff should stick to the prescribed recruitment policy, invest more resources in training and developing staff, and ensure that existing staff are generally well-managed.

Browsing by Author "Onen, David"

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