IS PREVIOUS STUDENT COMPUTER EXPERIENCE RELATED TO THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS INTERNET USE?

In the recent past, university students were confined to traditional educational technologies such as chalkboards, papers and textbooks for pedagogical purposes. Institutions of higher learning in Uganda have provided Internet services to students, increasing their access to global resources through surfing, downloading and obtaining electronic materials. Students’ use of technology as a university provision should be explored in order to establish and meet their needs more effectively. This study was conducted in Kyambogo University in Uganda, to explore the impact of students’ previous computer experience on use of the Internet. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select a sample of 280 university students. The quantitative data, collected using a questionnaire, was analyzed descriptively using SPSS for frequencies, means standard deviation and cross tabulation. The qualitative data, collected using interviews, was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results corroborated each other, indicating a significant relationship between previous computer experience and students’ use of Internet. It was recommended that students be incentivized in order to develop positive attitudes towards use of e-technology; and learners be introduced to use of ICT at both primary and secondary levels of education.  Article visualizations

On-Line Quality Management a Precursor for Improving E-Learning Adoption in Midwifery Schools in Uganda

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;E-learning pedagogy is used in many health training institutions in Uganda, However, despite the high investment, e-learning adoption is still low. This study aimed at ascertaining the relevance of on-line quality management in improve e-learning adoption in midwifery schools in Uganda. It used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to ascertain if on-line quality management was significant at improving e-learning adoption and the on-line quality traits which would be implemented by midwifery schools to improve e-learning adoption. Data collection was conducted in two phases, the first entailed quantitative data collection and analysis to determine if on-line quality management was significant to e-learning adoption. The second embraced a qualitative data collection and analysis to ascertain the detailed traits of on-line quality management relevant to e-learning adoption. Linear regression analysis established on-line quality management had influence on e-learning adoption (p=0.000). On-line quality management accounted for 55.5% of the variance in e-learning adoption with a strong positive statistically significant relationship, and its salient traits included; Compact Disc, Read-Only-Memory materials meets the expectation of users, collaborative improvement of on-line quality, Learning Management System meets expectations of users, providing the best on-line experience, e-learning program being described as an excellent on-line learning experience, and guidelines for improving on-line quality. Midwifery schools therefore have to focus on the six most relevant traits of on-line quality management if they are to improve e-learning adoption.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p

Technology Leadership Practices of End Users and the Adoption of E-Learning in Midwifery Institutions in Uganda

E-learning has gained popularity in Uganda. Midwifery institutions have invested in it to manage the increasing demand for education. However, its adoption is low, which is likely to hinder the enhancement of numbers, competencies, and skill mix of midwives. The study intended to ascertain if technology leadership practices were significant to e-learning adoption and sketch core practices. Ten midwifery institutions and 167 end users participated in the study. Two phases of data collection and analysis were executed. Technology leadership practices had substantial effect on adoption of e-learning (n = 167, r = 0.691, &amp; p = 0.000), and was responsible for 47.5% of the change. Core technology leadership practices were; commitment to provide e-learning facilities; encouragement of learners to use e-learning facilities; appreciating those who excel at using e-learning facilities; grooming of e-learning champions; supportive environment for technological use; and institutionalising technological use in school activities. Midwifery institutions can focus on technology leadership core practices to improve e-learning adoption.</jats:p

E-learning adoption: Does the instructional design model matter? An explanatory sequential study on midwifery schools in Uganda

E-learning has become an integral part of mainstream society and hence revolutionizing distance education endeavours. A number of change agents and bureaucrats in Uganda have embraced this pedagogy constructing it as an alternative to the traditional brick and mortar educational systems, which have become difficult to develop and maintain. However, despite the high level of investment on e-learning programs, there is a slow adoption of this new pedagogy amongst students and faculty, and those who do start to use the system opt out later. This trend of slow adoption is likely to constrain government’s efforts of improving the skill mix, competencies and numbers of midwives in the country. This research intended to ascertain whether instructional design was an influencer of e-learning adoption and profile the salient instructional design traits relevant to e-learning adoption in midwifery schools in Uganda. Ten schools were sampled with 224 participants. Data collection was conducted in two phases, the first entailed quantitative data collection and analysis to ascertain whether instructional design played a significant role in e-learning adoption and the second embraced a qualitative data collection and analysis to ascertain the salient traits of instructional design to be relied on by midwifery schools. Simple linear regression analysis established that instructional design had a significant influence on e-learning adoption with p value of (p = 0.016), and it accounted for 38.7% of the variance in e-learning adoption, with a moderate positive relationship and its key salient traits includes: choosing an appropriate instructional design model to guide the entire e-learning process, interactivity of e-learning materials, collaborative working in developing and updating e-learning materials, eliciting feedback on instructional materials, and engaging in more than one e-learning activity. Midwifery schools therefore have to focus on these six traits if they are to improve e-learning adoption.</jats:p

Airway microbiome signature accurately discriminates Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection status

Summary: Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains one of the deadliest infectious agents globally. Amidst efforts to control TB, long treatment duration, drug toxicity, and resistance underscore the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Despite advances in understanding the interplay between microbiome and disease in humans, the specific role of the microbiome in predicting disease susceptibility and discriminating infection status in tuberculosis still needs to be fully investigated. We investigated the impact of M.tb infection and M.tb-specific IFNγ immune responses on airway microbiome diversity by performing TB GeneXpert and QuantiFERON-GOLD assays during the follow-up phase of a longitudinal HIV-Lung Microbiome cohort of individuals recruited from two large independent cohorts in rural Uganda. M.tb rather than IFNγ immune response mainly drove a significant reduction in airway microbiome diversity. A microbiome signature comprising Streptococcus, Neisseria, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Schaalia, Actinomyces, Cutibacterium, Brevibacillus, Microbacterium, and Beijerinckiacea accurately discriminated active TB from Latent TB and M.tb-uninfected individuals