NRU :: Browsing by Author "Oyo, Benedict"

Browsing by Author "Oyo, Benedict"

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A Bird’s Eye View of a Sustainable Learning Game Design
(Springer, Cham., 2021) Boogere, James; Oyo, Benedict; Eilu, Emmanuel; Birevu Muyinda, Paul
We empirically explore learning games with an aim of empowering learners’ lifelong learning skills to enable them deal with complex situations sustainably. Learning is better by doing and the relation between learning and fun in games is essentially much deeper. It is also important for the players to clearly know the game system, which involves goals, entities and rules, in order to improve the vital individual social skills required to succeed. This chapter presents learning designs as a major determinant of motivation towards meaningful learning and challenge learners through continual provision of new aspects to learn, discover and develop oneself. Prior consequences designate that holistic learning game practices are more intense in a home compared to a school context. Moreover, the overall influence of context on perceived learning is significantly smaller than that of other experimental factors such as identification and enjoyment.
A Conceptual Framework for IT Governance Mechanisms in Uganda’s Higher Institutions of Learning
(International Journal of Digital Strategy, Governance, and Business Transformation, 2021) Ndagire, Lillian; Maiga, Gilbert; Oyo, Benedict
Poor implementation of information technology governance (ITG) leads to several IT systems performing poorly, resulting in discontinuity of services, user frustration, loss of IT investment, increased redundancy, duplication of efforts, poor decision making, and reputation loss. In Uganda, implementation of ITG is low as many public sector organizations are yet to streamline. Yet, for higher institutions of learning (HILs), the implementation of ITG is unexplored. Therefore, this study sought to determine the required mechanisms to design an ITG framework for HILs in Uganda (IGHU). A descriptive field study was conducted, and the data were analyzed using SmartPLS 2.3.9 software. The causal relationships and validity of the constructs of IGHU were tested using partial least square path modeling. The coefficient of determination was 0.35; the path coefficient indicated both positive and negative relationships of independent to dependent constructs, and hypotheses such as accountability of IT projects and awareness campaigns were statistically significant.
Conceptual Modeling of Nodding Syndrome: A System Dynamics and Sequence Approaches
(Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 2018) Ongaya, Kizito; Ssemaluulu, Paul; Oyo, Benedict; Bongomin, Pido
Conceptual modelling of nodding syndrome (NS) has hardly been considered in most scientific literature although symptoms of the disease have been widely studied. A conceptual model is a representation of hypothesis about a system under investigation and enables a comparison between hypothesis and data. Since nodding syndrome is an unexplained neurological illness that mainly affects children aged between 5 to 15 years, without specific diagnosis and treatment, the aetiology remains unknown and under investigation, conceptual modelling may be a crucial ingredient in understanding the disease. The purpose of the study is therefore, to represent nodding syndrome occurrence and immune-pathogenic pathways in the causation of nodding syndrome using system dynamics approaches. We have used systematic review method to filter literature on nodding syndrome from the year. We also used Systems Dynamic Approach and we emphasized confirmed scientific investigation to enable the relationships conform to reality. Vensim software was preferred for implementation of the casual-loop diagrams. Microsoft Office Visio 2007 was identified as suitable for implementation of the sequence conceptual model of nodding syndrome for its ability to show interactions between electrolytes and other actors. Our findings were that system dynamics approach has not been used research of nodding syndrome. More so, conceptual modeling was not considered by most articles.
Household Food Security Policy Analysis: A System Dynamics Perspective
(International Journal of Scientific & Technology Research, 2016) Guma, Isdore Paterson; Semwanga Rwashana, Agnes; Oyo, Benedict
Household food security (FS) is complex and requires multiple stakeholder intervention. Systemic approach aids st akeholders to understand the mechanisms and feedback between complexities in food security providing effective decision making as global resource cons umption continues to grow. The study investigated food security challenges and a system dynamics model was developed for evaluating policies and intervention strategies for better livelihood at household level. Dynamic synthesis methodology, questionnaires and interview guide were used to unea rth food security challenges faced by households. A causal loop diag ram was drawn. The model demonstrates a balance between food stock, seeds preserved, seeds for sale and consumption from crop harvest throughout the food cycles. This research makes contribution to the literature by evaluating dynamic synthesis methodology and FS policy discussions from a feedback point of view.
Integrating Action Research and System Dynamics: Towards a Generic Process Design for Participative Modelling
(IEE, 2009) Oyo, Benedict; Williams, Ddembe; Barendsen, Erik
The process of building system dynamics models ranges from linear iterative phases to the circular iterative phases. However, while all these process designs are well known and explicit to system dynamics modellers, they are not comprehensive for participative modelling involving clients/participants without prior modelling knowledge. This paper presents a detailed modelling process design of six phases from the prevalent system dynamics modelling literature. By clearly showing activities and outcomes of each phase, the paper posits that the purpose and benefits of participative modelling are entailed within the phases and not necessarily by the outcomes only. A new phase called action planning, derived from action research process is used to emphasise clients’ contribution in participative modelling. The interplay of the six phases during modelling results into three cycles namely; problem articulation cycle, modelling proficiency cycle, and solution refinement cycle, all of which address the diversity and legitimacy of contributions by all parties.
Mapping of Prevalence of Nodding Syndrome and Associated Epilepsy Reporting in Uganda: Spatial – Temporal Approach
(AGILE, 2018) Ongaya, Kizito; Oyo, Benedict; Ssemaluulu, Paul; Maiga, Gilbert
In recent years, transmission of diseases has exhibited new spatial and temporal patterns. Emerging diseases are being discovered more often. Some have unknown transmission patterns and mechanisms for diagnosis. This results to numerous hypothetical postulations just as in the case of nodding syndrome which has affected thousands of children in Uganda. Spatial-temporal analysis may provide a quick mechanism to establish comparative understanding of the various hypotheses ascribed to an emerging disease. This situation, is particularly seen in nodding syndrome where there is considerable suspicion that nodding syndrome is a form of epilepsy. Little literature is available on spatial-temporal comparison between incidences of these two ailments. The aim of this paper is to establish spatial-temporal relationships between ailments diagnosed as nodding syndrome and ailments diagnosed as epilepsy. We carried out an exploratory survey in three districts of Northern Uganda. Spatial data of health centres were recorded and ArcGIS was used for display. Our findings established that, there was significant spatial-temporal relationship of diagnosis reporting of nodding syndrome and epilepsy. The study concludes that the surveillance mechanisms for nodding syndrome established in 2012 are effective. At the same time, the study affirms that in the event of occurrence of an emerging disease, when there is no established clinical diagnosis, geographical info
Massive Open Online Courses for Africa by Africa
(International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 2014) Oyo, Benedict; Kalema, Billy Mathias
Africa is known for inadequate access to all sorts of human needs including health, education, food, shelter, transport, security, and energy. Before the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs), open access to higher education (HE) was exclusive of Africa. However, as a generally affordable method of post-secondary education delivery, MOOCs place the developing countries at the centre of universal access to HE. This paper provides the strategy for MOOC implementation in the context of limited resources in Africa. The strategy is clustered under five baseline requirements: national accredited MOOC curriculum, electronic content development, development of an online and offline eLearning platform, establishment and funding of MOOC coordination units at public HEIs, and establishment of MOOC access hubs at strategic locations. Emerging from this paper is the insight that a new era of universal access to HE in Africa is achievable through MOOCs only if initial requirements are met by the respective governments.
MOOCs for in-service teachers: The case of Uganda and lessons for Africa
(Revista de pedagogia, 2017) Oyo, Benedict; Kalema, Billy Mathias; Byabazaire, John
In recent times, computers and internet have penetrated secondary schools in Africa but with greater attention to students’ computer literacy than teachers. At the same time, previous studies on digital literacy of teachers are unsustainable and mainly skewed on pre-service teachers than in-service teachers. These realities point to the need to investigate and implement effective and sustainable initiatives for improving digital literacy and online life-long learning for in-service teachers in Africa. This paper therefore presents a specialised MOOC platform known as TEP (Teachers’ E-learning Portal) for digital literacy and online life-long learning for in-service teachers in Uganda. TEP is built for environments with inadequate access to computers, internet and technical assistance. As such, TEP is accessible online or offline, managed by accredited local universities in collaboration with beneficiary secondary schools, and runs on existing resources in schools (technical personnel, computers and internet). Results from initial implementation of a computer literacy MOOC through TEP indicate that irrespective of age, when teachers are adequately supported internally by their schools and externally by a university, can improve their digital literacy and subsequently engage in online life-long learning. In addition, the results both in terms of high percentage of teacher participants’ completions (89%) and high volume of educational e-content generated, confirm TEP as an effective, attractive, and self-sustainable MOOC platform for in-service teachers’ in resource constraint environments. The paper finishes with an analysis of the relevance of TEP to Africa.
Online Agriculture Information System for Uganda
(ISTAfrica, 2012) Oyo, Benedict; Magara, Stephen; Andogah, Geoffrey
Over the last decade, agricultural output in Uganda has generally been declining yet the population is rapidly growing. This implies that interventions by government and other development partners through: improved seeds, advisory services, loans, animal grants and agro-processing services, have had negligible impact. In addition, information about performance of individual farmers is not known, making it difficult to implement initiatives that leverage their potential. This paper presents an information system for managing agricultural output data of individual farmers for effective decision making. As part of the information system, a novel “seed banking” idea is implemented, whereby farmers deposit harvested seeds in the seed bank and in return withdraw improved seeds for planting. The paper maintains that as seed banking is adopted, farmers will be assured of improved seeds for planting in all seasons, thereby empowering them to make realistic plans for future expansion without regard to uncertain interventions from government or other development partners.
Online Courseware Development in Public Universities in Uganda: The Precepts of Active, Passive and Exclusive Participation
(Springer, Cham, 2018) Oyo, Benedict; Maiga, Gilbert; Birevu Muyinda, Paul
Irrespective of the maturity or infancy of e-learning adoption in a university, the academic staff always have varying levels of commitment to online courseware development and delivery. Some will be actively engaged, some will be passively involved while others will remain ignorant about online courses’ issues. This paper investigates trends in online courseware development in Uganda and classifies emerging participation levels into three, namely active, passive and exclusive engagement. The latter clustering followed a survey of 120 academic staff from six public universities in Uganda, with general findings indicating low participation of instructors in courseware development. For instance, whereas 60% of the respondents had been trained in the use of authoring tools, only about a half of them had continued to use these tools for courseware development. Essentially, the survey revealed that the variation in courseware development engagement is caused by both the individual and institutional strengths (active case) and weaknesses (passive and exclusive scenarios). As such, institutional support strategies for improvement in courseware development for each of these three categories are explored and discussed. Future researchers are encouraged to test the developed institutional support strategies in their e-learning or blended learning practice.
A Preliminary Speech Learning Tool for Improvement of African English Accents
(IEEE, 2014) Oyo, Benedict; Kalema, Billy Mathias
Speech recognition systems emphasise: accent recognition, recognition system performance through calculation of word error rate (WER), pronunciation modelling, speech-based interactions (tone, pitch, volume, background noise, speaker’s gender and age, speaking speed and quality of recording equipment) and speech database solutions. However, research into the use of speech recognition systems for improvement accents is scarcely available. In this paper, we focus on development of an speech recognition system for recognizing African English accents and enabling the speakers improve their English accents. This is achieved by using a dual speech recognition engine: the first, a multiple accent recogniser receives African English speech input, classifies it and sends to the second recogniser that evaluates the speech against standard English pronunciations. Speech deviations from standard English pronunciations are captured and read by the system as a way of supporting the learner to improve his/her reading proficiency. Preliminary tests indicate that terminologies that are rarely used in ordinary conversations (e.g. enthusiasm, exuberant, vague, etc) are most poorly pronounced irrespective of the educational level of the reader.
Re-Conceptualisation of Agriculture Information System for Uganda
(TSEST Transaction on Electrical and Electronic Circuits and Systems, 2014) Oyo, Benedict; Kaye, Milton; Nkalubo, Lenard
Researchers and practitioners have over and again advocated for more funding to stimulate growth in the agricultural sector, but none provide more than anecdotal coverage of how increased funding translates into better livelohoods for the smallholder farmers. Based on experience with the earlier version of agriculture information system for Uganda, this paper identifies two performance gaps, namely, productivity and profitability gaps, and knowledge and skills gaps, as key to individual and hollistic empowerment of smallholder farmers. Mitigation measures for these gaps are explored through iterative agriculture information system architecture. The paper concludes that the impact of agriculture information system rests on its technical efficiency as informed by the architecture and its operational effectiveness arising from situational adoption strategies.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda 1990-2014
(Scientific Research Publishing, 2020) Ongaya, Kizito; Aturinde, Augustus; Farnaghi, Mahdi; Mansourian, Ali; Maiga, Gilbert; Oyo, Benedict; Bagarukayo, Emily
The emergence of nodding syndrome (NS) in Northern Uganda has generated controversial views with respect to patterns, natural history, and aetiology of the disease which is yet unknown. This study explored spatial patterns of NS using spatial-temporal methods to establish its clustering patterns across both space and time. Village and year of NS onset for individual patients between the years 1990 and 2014 were entered as input for spatial and temporal analysis in the 6 districts in northern Uganda where it is prevalent. Our temporal results showed that NS onset started before the population was moved in Internally Displaced People’s (IDPs) camps. It also shows that NS continued to be reported during the IDPs and after people had left the IDPs. Our spatial and spatiotemporal analysis showed that two periods had persistent NS clusters. These were 2000-2004 and 2010-2014, coinciding with the period when the population was in the IDP camps and when the population was already out of the camps, respectively. Our conclusion is that the view of associating NS outbreak with living conditions in IDP camps is thus coincidental. We, therefore, contend that the actual aetiological factor of NS is still at large.
Student Centered Learning in Uganda: The Mwalimu Online Study Tool
(Computer Science for High School initiative, 2013) Byabazaire, John; Oyo, Benedict; Mijumbi, Rashid
Education in high schools and colleges is changing rapidly. Student-centered learning (SCL) has shifted the focus from teachers to students. The idea of SCL is to encourage students to actively participate in their learning by providing them with an environment and resources that allow them to discover new knowledge and skills. In this paper, we present a design, implementation and evaluation of a student-centered learning tool - The Mwalimu – which is aimed at helping disadvantaged students in some high schools in Uganda. The objective is to bridge the ever widening gap in academic performance of students from the rich families and the low income ones, and/or that between rural and urban schools. To this end, we have developed an open courseware platform called Mwalimu Online Study Tool, from which students and/or teachers from any school can access subject specific content, examinations, learning video tutorials and a discussion forum which are moderated by carefully chosen teachers (Mwalimu subject consultants). The platform also accepts content from the crowd, verifies it using the subject consultants and adds it to the content repository if it is of acceptable quality. Even more, students can send feedback or seek for guidance with respect to specific content. Owing to the solid architecture on which it is developed, and the preliminary evaluations, Mwalimu promises to boost academic performance across all schools irrespective of their geographic location.
A System Dynamics Model for Subsistence Farmers’ Food Security Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa
(International Journal of System Dynamics Applications, 2016) Oyo, Benedict; Kalema, Billy Mathias
Food security at subsistence farmers’ level in sub-Saharan Africa has become an issue of concern due to increasing vulnerability caused by a number of factors such as: changing climate, resource scarcity (e.g. land and inputs), environmental degradation (e.g. declining soil fertility, deforestation, and surface water eutrophication), market failures and weak public/donor support initiatives. In light of these challenges, farmers must be prepared to survive by self-provisioning. To pursue the fastest and most practical route to improved food security, focus should be on resilience based initiatives at household and community levels. In this paper, the authors investigate the factors that have enabled subsistence farmers to succeed despite the previous shocks and stresses, and develop a system dynamics model for sustainable food security based on initiatives exclusive to the farmers. The model is used to examine the question: how can innovative subsistence farmers engage in better livelihood and market orientated production irrespective of external public or donor support?
A System Dynamics Model of Land-use Change for Climate Change Adaptation: The Case of Uganda
(Scitepress science and technology publications, 2021) Guma, Isdore Paterson; Semwanga Rwashana, Agnes; Oyo, Benedict
System dynamics models in land use change are useful tools for understanding the cause and effect of land use changes, assessing the impacts of land use systems on the environment, and supports land use planning and policy dimensions. Several studies have used different methods to examine the drivers of land-use change in understanding the interactions of land-use change as a result of human activities. However, much less work has been undertaken to model the future of a suite of ecosystem services in a holistic way. These studies have been conducted with minimum emphasis on the systemic structures or feedback processes of land-use decisions. A system dynamics model will be used to model ecosystem services to understand complex interactions using dynamic synthesis methodology. Questionnaires and interviews will be used for data collection. The study will explore viable policies for optimal land use to mitigate the degree of future climate change and risks. Projections of future resource requirements and environmental stress are alarming as a result of poorly planned economic development. Unless significant measures are taken to incorporate environmental concerns, the situation is likely to worsen in the future. Modeling complex natural-human systems remains an important research area.
A System Dynamics Tool for Higher Education Funding and Quality Policy Analysis
(International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, 2008) Oyo, Benedict; Williams, Ddembe; Barendsen, Erik
Conceptually, the level of funding of higher education activities is directly proportional to its strategic directions/implementations and hence quality. In developing countries, these dependencies are far from straightforward due to ad-hoc reactions to reduced funding. This paper contributes to the development of tools for this management challenge. We investigate the dynamics of higher education funding and ensuing impact on part-time teaching, staff to student ratios, staff development, research productivity, and hence the perceived quality, using a system dynamics simulation model. The model developed is based on higher education literature in the developing world in general and Uganda in particular. We use the resulting model to review policies on funding and quality in higher education, and ultimately envisage that the model can easily be adapted to higher education in other environments.
A Teaching and Learning Softboard Application
(ResearchGate, 2010) Andresile, Peter; Oyo, Benedict
A soft-board application allows users to write, draw, and manipulate graphics just like they would do with physical aids such as chalk/white boards or pen and paper. These applications have over the years advanced from basic shapes and colouring to merged shapes, rotating shapes, patterns, and web themes. At the same time, existing tools on soft-board applications are limited to texts, selections, arrows, pencil, connectors, basic shapes, stars, and flowcharts, hence less appropriate for teaching and learning. This paper investigates tools needed in teaching and learning and develops an extended soft-board application with most tools for physical and biological sciences. A comparative analysis with related applications is made, scoring our application highest on easy of use, learnability, and usability features of effective user interface design.
Widely Acclaimed but Lowly Utilized: Congruencing ODL Utilization with its Wide Acclaim
(Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2019) Birevu Muyinda, Paul; Mayende, Godfrey; Maiga, Gilbert; Oyo, Benedict
World over, open distance learning (ODL) is widely articulated and vouchered as a panacea pedagogy for increased access and flexibility to higher education. In reality, however, the actual use of ODL approaches in higher institutions of learning in developing regions is unexpectedly low and not in tandem with its wide favorable regional and international vouchering. This paper has the goal to suggest a framework for congruencing the low utilization levels of ODL approaches with their wide acclaim. Using a cross sectional survey, an inquiry was conducted among faculty across institutions of higher learning in Uganda to establish: i)the factors explaining the wide acclaim for ODL; ii) theutilization level of ODL; iii) the factors that explain the present utilization levels of ODL; and iv) a framework for congruencing low ODL utilization with the hype surrounding it. The study revealed that being an ICT-driven pedagogy, ODL has the potential to transform higher education since ICTs are transforming other sectors. Further, the majority of institutions have put in place policies to spur ODL, but even then, ODL utilization has largely remained voluntary, implying lack of policy enforcement. This has left about 50% of the faculty with no presence whatsoever on their universities’ LMSs. Low utilization was explained by factors personal or institutional in nature. Personal factors related to lack of will by faculty to get out of their perceived comfort zones and limited ODL pedagogy capacity. Institutional factors related to limited connectivity and access to ICT systems. Others were defective LMSs and lack of ODL pedagogy support. Institutions wishing to spur ODL utilization must first address people issues (soft dimensions) as they address the technological issues (hard dimensions). This way the hype will match the reality.

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