Browsing by Author "Tandika, Pambas"

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    Instructional materials and the development of young children’s 21st century skills: perspectives from early educators in Ukerewe, Tanzania
    (Taylor & Francis Online, 2020) Tandika, Pambas
    The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how pre-primary teachers use instructional materials to equip children with skills requisite for surviving and competing in the 21st century, particularly in the developing world’s context. The phenomenography study design used purposive sampling to select 24 pre-primary teachers in six selected schools in the Ukerewe district of Mwanza region, Tanzania. It deployed Moustakas’ (1994) six steps of phenomenological reduction technique to analyze data. The study findings indicate that teachers prioritized children’s emergent literacy skills of reading, writing, and numeracy although neglecting crucial critical thinking and technological literacy skills. The study also found that the shortage of qualified teachers in pre-primary education affected efficiency in equipping children with 21st century skills. In fact, the study found pre-primary educators in this study used strategies that barely meet national expectations of equipping children with 21st century skills in an increasingly globalized world. The study, therefore, concludes that the empowerment of teachers to use instructional materials effectively could contribute significantly to young children developing these 21st century skills from a young age.
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    Leveraging intelligent decision support system to promote inclusive remote teaching and learning in institutions of higher education in East Africa: Prototype development
    (Elsevier, 2023) Muchungi, Kendi; Mukami, Victoria; Mongi, Hector; Fabian, Flora; Ombui, Edward; Kiguru, Mary; Tandika, Pambas; Moshi, Fabiola; Ombeni, Joram
    The need for an intelligent system to support the decision-making process on remote teaching and learning during pandemics was realized during Covid-19. It was learned that during the pandemic most higher learning institutions could not respond as rapidly as the situation manifests to protect academic activities from disruptions. The objective of this paper is to describe the proposed prototype of an intelligent decision support system (IDSS) to inform the current and future remote teaching and learning in East African Higher Education in response to pandemics such as COVID-19. The research adopted the design science research approach to analysis, design, and development of the prototype. The development was preceded by understanding the situation where Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Challenges (SWOCs) were analyzed. From the analysis, the requirements for the system were identified. Three stages were followed to develop the prototype. First, the development of a web interface or landing website, then designing the prototype framework with stakeholders' evaluation and actual development of the prototype. The SWOC analyses showed varying enabling environments within institutions in a country and between institutions in East Africa. Inadequate policy and legal and regulatory provisions for a rapid switch to remote teaching and learning during the pandemic were compounded by inadequate infrastructure, trained human resources, and organized rapid decision-making. Based on these findings, a prototype framework was then designed to support the decision-making on remote teaching and learning amid the pandemic in East Africa. The preliminary evaluation of the framework suggests that the system has great prospects to inform the decision-making process in the wake of pandemics thereby achieving the rapidity and efficiency of decisions. Further development and evaluation are ongoing.
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    Pre-primary school teachers’ perspectives on the characteristics and quality of materials for teaching literacy and numeracy in Tanzania preschools
    (University of Dar es Salaam School of Education, 2018) Tandika, Pambas
    Characteristics and quality of teaching and learning materials facilitating early literacy and numeracy skills acquisition has had hardly attracted focused research in Tanzania. Yet it is recognised that the success young children’s learning is engendered by their access to high quality materials, which are essential for active learning and serve as a prerequisite for successful teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy in early childhood settings. It is against this backdrop that this study was conducted by involving four experienced female teachers as key informants to share their rich experiences in establishing characteristics and quality of literacy and numeracy materials. These key informants engaged through face-to face semi-structured interviews were purposively sampled using homogenous sampling. Although quality in education is not a cross-border concept, quality materials for teaching and learning literacy and numeracy skills should generally be safe, clean, age-appropriate, engaging for the learners, complete and meaningful, locally available, and culturally sensitive. Therefore, Early Childhood Practitioners (ECP), education planners and decision makers should ensure that materials are properly selected, are readily available, accessible and utilised for the best results in learning to be attained.
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    The question of university graduates' employability: Are the students aware of the employers' preferences
    (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2022) Tandika, Pambas; Ndijuye, Laurent Gabriel
    Purpose The purpose of this paper is to university students' awareness of the employers preferred competencies and the educational level capable of readying them satisfactory for the demands of the world of work. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach exploratory research design, data were gathered in an informal and unstructured manner, researchers identified undergraduate students' awareness of employers' preferred competencies of the graduates. Findings Undergraduate students overestimated academic credentials while ignoring soft skills as employers' preferences. Nevertheless, they were worried about their capability to compete adequately when seeking employment despite identifying university level of education as the most appropriate for developing and enhancing their employability. Research limitations/implications The study involved mostly second-year students from one college of the seven colleges constituting the University of Dodoma. Practical implications There is a need for university education to integrate and emphasize the non-cognitive skills for adequately and holistically preparing future employees with adequate knowledge and skills to thrive in the world of work demands. Social implications There likelihood that a lack of confidence would impact their participation in academia and work/job. Hence, lower down their productivity and inadequately contribute to social and national economic growth. Originality/value The value of these findings is that they identify, inform and can be used to enhance university education programming for improved graduate's employability.
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    Stakeholders’ construction of the quality of the preprimary education in Tanzania: focus on policy discourse
    (The University of Dodoma, 2014) Tandika, Pambas
    The discourse of quality in pre-primary education (PPE) programmes has gained prominence across the world and resulted into search for what it means as well as constituted from the stakeholders‟ understanding. This study explored the stakeholders‟ construction of quality of the PPE in Tanzania with special attention to policy as a discourse. The study was conducted in 15 public pre-primary schools of the Dodoma Urban District involving 21(two male and 19 female) PPE teachers, 101 parents (71 female and 30 male) and five primary school supervisors (two male and three female). It further involved one curriculum developer from Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) and one educational policymaker from the ministry of education and vocational training (MOEVT). The study sampled parents through convenience sampling technique, and teachers and experts were purposively selected through maximum variation sampling technique. The study used descriptive cross-sectional study design through a qualitative approach. Study findings were generated through semi-structured interviews, FGDs and documentary analysis. The findings suggested that, the quality of public PPE in Tanzania is poor and Stakeholders viewed it in three perspectives: i) quality as expectations; ii) quality as process or practice; and iii) quality as programme structure. Overall, stakeholders viewed PPE as an important early childhood provision for the future school life and participation in all walks of life. Additionally, stakeholders identified important indicators constituting the quality of the PPE to include: safe learning environment; well- qualified and committed teachers; small class-size; nutritional services; and good relationship between teachers and parents and the head teacher. Based on the study findings, it was concluded that physical visits by primary school supervisors, formal employment of teachers, and capacity building (pre and in-service training) are crucial to the provision of high quality PPE services. Furthermore, some recommendations were made by the study for improved practice, policy development and future studies.
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    Stakeholders’ construction on the quality of pre-primary education in Tanzania
    (Australian International Academic Centre PTY. LTD, 2015) Tandika, Pambas
    This study explored the stakeholders’ construction of quality of Pre-primary Education (PPE) based on the various dimensions of PPE in Tanzania with special attention being paid to policy as discourse. The study involved a total of 129 informants sampled differently. The study sampled parents through convenience sampling technique, while teachers and experts were sampled through maximum variation technique. The study used descriptive cross-sectional design underpinned by interpretive paradigm. It generated data through semi-structured interviews employed to primary school inspectors, public PPE teachers, curriculum developer and policymakers. Meanwhile, FGDs were conducted to parents on the quality of PPE. Furthermore, documentary analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which stakeholders’ construction on the quality of PPE was reflected in the TETP of 1995 as well as other related curricular documents. The findings indicate that stakeholders viewed the quality of PPE in three perspectives: i) quality as expectations; ii) quality as process or practice; and iii) quality as programme structure. Overall, stakeholders viewed PPE as an important early childhood provision for the future school life and participation in all walks of life. Although PPE seemed to be important, the study findings suggest that, the quality of public PPE in Tanzania is poor. Specifically, stakeholders identified important indicators constituting the quality of PPE as: i) furnished and safe learning environment; ii) well-qualified, committed and loving teachers; iii) smaller class-size; iv) provision of nutrition services; and v) good relationship among teachers, the teacher and parents, and with the head teacher. The study concluded that physical visits by primary school supervisors and making PPE independent are essential for quick and close monitoring for solving problems hindering provision of quality services in PPE in Tanzania.