Research Article
Gaffar B. Syamsul, Wasir Thalib, Hamzah Nur
MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 67-73
ABSTRACT
Education is a shared responsibility between the government, society, and parents. The involvement of Bajo Community parents in the provision of education is expected to improve the quality of education and human resources. This study aims to reveal: (1) the participation of the Bajo community in education and (2) the form of participation of the Bajo community in education in South Sulawesi. The approach used in this study is a quantitative approach with descriptive exploratory research. This research was conducted in two regencies in South Sulawesi Province, namely Bone Regency and Luwu Regency. The population is all parents of the Bajo community in Bone Regency and Luwu Regency who have children attending elementary, junior high, high school and college as many as 325, with a research sample of 50 people. Data collection techniques used questionnaires and documentation. The data analysis technique used is quantitative analysis technique using descriptive statistical analysis with the percentage formula. The results showed that (1) the participation of the Bajo community in the field of education was still low. Generally, most respondents stated that they did not participate, and only a small number stated that they always and sometimes participated in education; (2) the forms of participation of the Bajo community in education include dedicating their energy, time, ideas, and materials.
Keywords: participation, Bajo community, education
Research Article
Olaronke O. Fagbola, Adebayo A. Olajide, Aluko Ahmad
MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 75-83
ABSTRACT
Online access of information and other purposes through social networking sites are becoming more easier day by day due to increased penetration of internet and affordability ubiquitous nature of computer devices and platforms. What is the pattern and trend of social networking sites addiction (SNA) among female undergraduate students. This study employs descriptive research design using survey method. Sampling was by simple random among female undergraduate students in two selected universities in Kwara state of Nigeria. This study engages four objectives to guide the research. Findings revealed the most popular social networking sites, factors responsible for SN usage, different causes for SN addiction and solutions to SN addiction. There was no significant relationship between age and SN addiction, while there is a strong positive significant relationship between course of study and SNA and a positive significant relationship between institutions and factors affecting SNA. It was concluded that certain factors and causes were responsible SNA among female undergraduate students. Recommendations on how to avoid SNA were provided.
Keywords: social networking sites, social networking addiction, private universities, female undergraduate students, software, online social networks
Research Article
Simon Ntumi, Sheilla Agbenyo, Tapela Bulala
MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 85-91
ABSTRACT
Background: Test score pollution explains how multifaceted factors affect the truthfulness of a test score interpretation. The pressure to raise test scores has resulted in practices which pollute the inferences we make from these scores. Issues of accurate testing remains relevant in the space of any testing environment in Ghana and beyond. This study explored the different sources of test score pollution considered test preparation practices (teacher factor), test administration situations (testing environment), and external factors (parents and community pressure).
Methods: The study was nested into the quantitative approach using descriptive survey. Basic school teachers (n=353) and parents (n=123) were selected from three districts (South, North and Central Tongu) in the Volta region using G*Power software. A validated and standardized instrument (with alpha coefficient of .783 and correlation coefficient of .823) was used to obtain the data. The obtained data was analyzed using SPSS v.25 and interpreted with linear multiple regression after the data had met all the required assumptions.
Findings: The results revealed that all the predictive factors that is test preparation practices (t=4.73, Sig.=.007, CI95%), test administration situations (t=4.20, Sig.=.006, CI95%) and parents and community pressure (t=2.69, Sig.=.000, CI95%) predicted test score pollution in the selected districts. However, among all the predictor variables, test administration situations (testing environment or conditions) were identified as having much influence on test score pollutions in the districts (R2 =.652, 65.2%, Sig.=.000, ꞵ=.616, CI95%).
Conclusion: The study concluded that due to test score pollution, most test practices in Ghana are not at its optimal best. Clearly, the demand and the pressure to raise test scores results pollute and contaminate the interpretations, inferences and decisions that are made from these test scores.
Keywords: scores, test, practices, pollution, test administration
Research Article
Kelvin Inobemhe, Tsegyu Santas, Nick-Tansi Saint Udeh
MEDITERR J SOC BEH RES, Volume 6, Issue 3, pp. 93-100
ABSTRACT
Communication is a necessity for the survival of society. In the face of so much misinformation or fake news in public domain, threatening public health, it has become even more important and needed. Whereas health communication is important in the fight against diseases especially those that have assumed the pandemic status, effective health communication is needed mostly, if the desired result and set objectives must be realized in record time. One important role communication plays in fighting diseases is that it helps eliminate misinformation as well as disinformation. COVID-19 came with all forms of conspiracy theories and fake news across various social media platforms, breeding some form of danger on public health. Such requires effective health communication. Health belief model is the theoretical framework for this paper. Through the use of summative evaluation design by consulting existing research documents in book chapters, journal article and online materials, the paper established that health communication possesses the required powers to quench all forms of infodemic and conspiracies regarding coronavirus. The paper emphasizes that in the face of infodemic and conspiracy theories regarding COVID-19, effective health communication becomes important and can be relied upon to help in quality communication to vulnerable groups on the risk and dangers associated with misinformation. The paper suggests that best ways government and other stakeholders can sustain efforts at stemming the tide with regards to misinformation in public domain without infringing on personal liberties of citizens is to improve efforts aimed at countering fake news across same platforms where fake news thrives.
Keywords: health communication, pandemic, COVID-19, infodemic, conspiracy