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Papers by Nana Afua Owusu-Ansah
African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences
To ensure that the global sustainable development goal on education is achieved, the implementati... more To ensure that the global sustainable development goal on education is achieved, the implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) is beginning to gain attention in the Ghanaian education system. But is Ghana embracing and implementing DI effectively in the mathematics classroom? This paper investigated two junior high school (JHS) mathematics teachers’ views and use of DI in their mathematics classrooms. Qualitative data obtained through observations and semi-structured interviews in an embedded mixed methods study that employed the Solomon four group quasi-experiment design were analyzed and in this report. The results show that teachers used flexible grouping, tiered assignment, end of unit assignments, worksheets and ICT tools (though extremely challenging) as the convenient DI strategies. The interview data after the experiment disclosed that, DI impacted students’ performance positively. However, the data showed that DI is time consuming, extremely challenging, expensive a...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 18, 2020
Ghana's Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) are established to reduce biodiversity degra... more Ghana's Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) are established to reduce biodiversity degradation through the promotion of communal responsibility to conserve resources for sustainable benefits. This study was conducted to assess vegetation dynamics in three CREMAs in the northern savanna zone of Ghana through the application of remote sensing techniques and field observation. The findings showed the vegetation cover of all the three study areas improved over the period between 1990 and 2010. There were indications of successions from lower tier vegetation classes to higher ones. The riparian vegetation of the study sites changed from open savanna woodland to closed savanna woodland mainly through the grazing activities of the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) and management practices that restrict farming, livestock grazing, charcoal production and suppress wildfires. The suppression of wildfires has resulted in considerable amount of fuel load which must be managed to prevent severe-intensive-fires in the future. Notwithstanding the general improvement in vegetation cover, there were also considerable increased coverage of bare surface/built up areas indicating economic activities also moved up over the period.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 18, 2020
Fruit bats survey and interviews were conducted to collect data on bat roosting sites and gathere... more Fruit bats survey and interviews were conducted to collect data on bat roosting sites and gatherers' motivation for collecting nuts respectively. Three different fruit bat species were identified from four different roosting sites. Income was identified to be the major motivating factor among the five factors that urged the gatherers to collect Shea nuts. Gatherers mentioned more often that bat discarded nuts have short shelf life than any other demotivating factor. There was a statistically significant relationship between demotivating factors and gatherers' discriminatory tendencies against bat discarded nuts (X 2 =31.536, Df=5, P=7.342e-6). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between demotivating and motivating factors (X 2 = 26.592, Df=20, P=0.1471). Gatherers without formal education made the largest sales from Shea nuts than the educated. There was statistically significant relationship between educational background and income generated from Shea nuts (X 2 = 47.303, Df=27, P= 9.175e-3). The widowed had the highest median income values from Shea nuts although there was no statistically significant relationship between marital status and income generated. All age groups were involved in Shea nuts gathering and the general trend suggested the levels of incomes generated increase with age. There was a statistically significant relationship between gatherers' age and number of children whereas there was no statistically significant relationship between the number of children and income generated.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 28, 2009
I would also like to thank the staff of the Digya National Park, especially Mr. Bernard Asamoah-B... more I would also like to thank the staff of the Digya National Park, especially Mr. Bernard Asamoah-Boateng for giving me the opportunity to undertake this course. I cannot forget my field team members who facilitated the data collection for the study. I am equally indebted to all the respondents for accepting to offer information for the study. To all my EMP course mates especially members of my study group,
Journal of Natural Resources and Development, Nov 1, 2018
Collaborative resource management has been touted as one of the ways conservation of wildlife res... more Collaborative resource management has been touted as one of the ways conservation of wildlife resources can be improved, especially in off-protected areas. Three indicators were used to test whether collaboration between the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana and local communities has any impact on farmers' perspectives on crop raiding. The indicators were: (1) methods used by farmers to reduce raiding, (2) institutions to which farmers report raids, and (3) the kind of assistance needed to reduce raiding. The findings suggest there were no differences between the collaborative indicators and the two chosen study locations. However, on the question of institutions where raiding incidences were reported and location, the difference was significant (X 2 =14.523; DoF= 5; P=0.01261). In addition, there was a statistically significant relation between location and participants' responses to species that raided their crops (X 2 =16.988; DoF=4; p= 1.943e-3). Participants from the two locations did not show differences in their responses to preventive methods. Male respondents mentioned the use of traps as their major preventive method, although this is against wildlife hunting regulations in Ghana. Educating and supporting farmers with appropriate preventive methods that reduce their losses to wildlife crop raiding is recommended to improve conservation.
Social Science Research Network, 2019
Electronic Green Journal, Dec 6, 2022
The study was designed to understand how the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) scores... more The study was designed to understand how the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) scores in a Protected Area (PA) were influenced by conservation activities. Data was collected from documents on major conservation activities of the PA. Conservation outputs indicators of annual numbers of patrols organized, mammal and Roan Antelope observed, illegal activities recorded, offenders arrested, and livelihood beneficiaries were related to the METT scores in Spearman correlation tests. There were no statistically significant relationships between each of the METT elements and number of patrols, mammals and Roan Antelope observations. However, illegal activities, offenders arrested, and livelihood beneficiaries strongly correlated positively with all the elements. Again, Pearson correlation tests among patrols, illegal activities and mammals observed were not statistically significant. The findings indicate the PA socioeconomic benefits to communities was positive. However, management must eliminate illegal logging that suggestively caused decline in mammal observations (=2895.6, Std.=867.7, Range=2507).
The qualitative report, Jul 6, 2020
Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) establishment strategy in Ghana aims at putting som... more Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) establishment strategy in Ghana aims at putting some biodiversity rich communal lands belonging to families and traditional rulers under conservation. Community leaders play important roles in the success of the CREMAs conservation programmes to achieving the desired sustainability in the rural areas. This study applied phenomenological approach to collect qualitative data from community conservation leaders from three CREMA sites in northern Ghana. The major findings of the study showed CREMAs establishment origins vary from community initiated projects through interest group initiatives to cooperation between central government and community enterprises. Leadership emergence was found to be influenced by personal experiences, expected personal benefits and nominations from community members. Emerged leaders engaged state agencies and other external partners for technical and financial assistance in facilitating the establishment of CREMAs. Findings on decision making processes in the CREMAs suggested they were based on consultations. It is recommended that tailor made training programmes on leadership that emphasizes individual agency of responsibility to the CREMAs and their communities should be designed for those who emerge to lead.
Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, 2021
This study was set on the premise of a research question that sought to identify the dominant eco... more This study was set on the premise of a research question that sought to identify the dominant ecological worldviews of Community Resources Management Area (CREMA) leaders and the influences these have on the management prescriptions of their conservation areas. The relevance of the question was to identify whether the CREMA leaders subscribed to an ecocentric or an anthropocentric worldview which could have direct consequences for the control of resource levels of utilization after the devolution of authority. A phenomenological approach was thus applied to collect data from nine selected conservation leaders from three different CREMAs. Their ecological worldviews were found to be mixed-depending on the ecological worldview domain, the CREMA leaders showed leanings toward stances ranging from complete eco-centrism to ambivalent eco-centrism and ambivalent anthropocentrism. The findings, however, mostly suggested that the dominant ecological worldviews of the CREMA leaders were eco-centric and not anthropocentric. They exercised the middle ground, i.e., ambivalent ecological worldviews stances, to influence sustainable natural resource utilization while complete eco-centric worldviews were applied to protect balances in ecological functions. The leaders applied these determinations to promote the dual purposes of the CREMAs as they were set up for nature conservation and socioeconomic development in Ghana. The study also recommends that the findings should be explored further to develop adaptable criteria that include ecological worldviews in the selection of CREMA leaders.
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2018
The aim of this study was to examine the working processes employed by Ghanaian senior high schoo... more The aim of this study was to examine the working processes employed by Ghanaian senior high school students when dealing with tiling pool problem algebraically. The study employed survey design, with a total sample of 304 Senior High School Form 1 students from three Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. Data were collected through Super Item test based on Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Qualitative data were coded and analysed into themes. The results showed that most of the students surveyed were unfamiliar with the tiling pool problem and could not find a link between the algebraic concepts learnt and non-routine problems. It is recommended that high school teachers should consider students' working processes as integral part of their instructions and assessments.
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, 2020
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, 2019
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 2011
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2015
African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences
To ensure that the global sustainable development goal on education is achieved, the implementati... more To ensure that the global sustainable development goal on education is achieved, the implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) is beginning to gain attention in the Ghanaian education system. But is Ghana embracing and implementing DI effectively in the mathematics classroom? This paper investigated two junior high school (JHS) mathematics teachers’ views and use of DI in their mathematics classrooms. Qualitative data obtained through observations and semi-structured interviews in an embedded mixed methods study that employed the Solomon four group quasi-experiment design were analyzed and in this report. The results show that teachers used flexible grouping, tiered assignment, end of unit assignments, worksheets and ICT tools (though extremely challenging) as the convenient DI strategies. The interview data after the experiment disclosed that, DI impacted students’ performance positively. However, the data showed that DI is time consuming, extremely challenging, expensive a...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 18, 2020
Ghana's Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) are established to reduce biodiversity degra... more Ghana's Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) are established to reduce biodiversity degradation through the promotion of communal responsibility to conserve resources for sustainable benefits. This study was conducted to assess vegetation dynamics in three CREMAs in the northern savanna zone of Ghana through the application of remote sensing techniques and field observation. The findings showed the vegetation cover of all the three study areas improved over the period between 1990 and 2010. There were indications of successions from lower tier vegetation classes to higher ones. The riparian vegetation of the study sites changed from open savanna woodland to closed savanna woodland mainly through the grazing activities of the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) and management practices that restrict farming, livestock grazing, charcoal production and suppress wildfires. The suppression of wildfires has resulted in considerable amount of fuel load which must be managed to prevent severe-intensive-fires in the future. Notwithstanding the general improvement in vegetation cover, there were also considerable increased coverage of bare surface/built up areas indicating economic activities also moved up over the period.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jul 18, 2020
Fruit bats survey and interviews were conducted to collect data on bat roosting sites and gathere... more Fruit bats survey and interviews were conducted to collect data on bat roosting sites and gatherers' motivation for collecting nuts respectively. Three different fruit bat species were identified from four different roosting sites. Income was identified to be the major motivating factor among the five factors that urged the gatherers to collect Shea nuts. Gatherers mentioned more often that bat discarded nuts have short shelf life than any other demotivating factor. There was a statistically significant relationship between demotivating factors and gatherers' discriminatory tendencies against bat discarded nuts (X 2 =31.536, Df=5, P=7.342e-6). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between demotivating and motivating factors (X 2 = 26.592, Df=20, P=0.1471). Gatherers without formal education made the largest sales from Shea nuts than the educated. There was statistically significant relationship between educational background and income generated from Shea nuts (X 2 = 47.303, Df=27, P= 9.175e-3). The widowed had the highest median income values from Shea nuts although there was no statistically significant relationship between marital status and income generated. All age groups were involved in Shea nuts gathering and the general trend suggested the levels of incomes generated increase with age. There was a statistically significant relationship between gatherers' age and number of children whereas there was no statistically significant relationship between the number of children and income generated.
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Sep 28, 2009
I would also like to thank the staff of the Digya National Park, especially Mr. Bernard Asamoah-B... more I would also like to thank the staff of the Digya National Park, especially Mr. Bernard Asamoah-Boateng for giving me the opportunity to undertake this course. I cannot forget my field team members who facilitated the data collection for the study. I am equally indebted to all the respondents for accepting to offer information for the study. To all my EMP course mates especially members of my study group,
Journal of Natural Resources and Development, Nov 1, 2018
Collaborative resource management has been touted as one of the ways conservation of wildlife res... more Collaborative resource management has been touted as one of the ways conservation of wildlife resources can be improved, especially in off-protected areas. Three indicators were used to test whether collaboration between the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission of Ghana and local communities has any impact on farmers' perspectives on crop raiding. The indicators were: (1) methods used by farmers to reduce raiding, (2) institutions to which farmers report raids, and (3) the kind of assistance needed to reduce raiding. The findings suggest there were no differences between the collaborative indicators and the two chosen study locations. However, on the question of institutions where raiding incidences were reported and location, the difference was significant (X 2 =14.523; DoF= 5; P=0.01261). In addition, there was a statistically significant relation between location and participants' responses to species that raided their crops (X 2 =16.988; DoF=4; p= 1.943e-3). Participants from the two locations did not show differences in their responses to preventive methods. Male respondents mentioned the use of traps as their major preventive method, although this is against wildlife hunting regulations in Ghana. Educating and supporting farmers with appropriate preventive methods that reduce their losses to wildlife crop raiding is recommended to improve conservation.
Social Science Research Network, 2019
Electronic Green Journal, Dec 6, 2022
The study was designed to understand how the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) scores... more The study was designed to understand how the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) scores in a Protected Area (PA) were influenced by conservation activities. Data was collected from documents on major conservation activities of the PA. Conservation outputs indicators of annual numbers of patrols organized, mammal and Roan Antelope observed, illegal activities recorded, offenders arrested, and livelihood beneficiaries were related to the METT scores in Spearman correlation tests. There were no statistically significant relationships between each of the METT elements and number of patrols, mammals and Roan Antelope observations. However, illegal activities, offenders arrested, and livelihood beneficiaries strongly correlated positively with all the elements. Again, Pearson correlation tests among patrols, illegal activities and mammals observed were not statistically significant. The findings indicate the PA socioeconomic benefits to communities was positive. However, management must eliminate illegal logging that suggestively caused decline in mammal observations (=2895.6, Std.=867.7, Range=2507).
The qualitative report, Jul 6, 2020
Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) establishment strategy in Ghana aims at putting som... more Community Resources Management Areas (CREMAs) establishment strategy in Ghana aims at putting some biodiversity rich communal lands belonging to families and traditional rulers under conservation. Community leaders play important roles in the success of the CREMAs conservation programmes to achieving the desired sustainability in the rural areas. This study applied phenomenological approach to collect qualitative data from community conservation leaders from three CREMA sites in northern Ghana. The major findings of the study showed CREMAs establishment origins vary from community initiated projects through interest group initiatives to cooperation between central government and community enterprises. Leadership emergence was found to be influenced by personal experiences, expected personal benefits and nominations from community members. Emerged leaders engaged state agencies and other external partners for technical and financial assistance in facilitating the establishment of CREMAs. Findings on decision making processes in the CREMAs suggested they were based on consultations. It is recommended that tailor made training programmes on leadership that emphasizes individual agency of responsibility to the CREMAs and their communities should be designed for those who emerge to lead.
Journal of Management for Global Sustainability, 2021
This study was set on the premise of a research question that sought to identify the dominant eco... more This study was set on the premise of a research question that sought to identify the dominant ecological worldviews of Community Resources Management Area (CREMA) leaders and the influences these have on the management prescriptions of their conservation areas. The relevance of the question was to identify whether the CREMA leaders subscribed to an ecocentric or an anthropocentric worldview which could have direct consequences for the control of resource levels of utilization after the devolution of authority. A phenomenological approach was thus applied to collect data from nine selected conservation leaders from three different CREMAs. Their ecological worldviews were found to be mixed-depending on the ecological worldview domain, the CREMA leaders showed leanings toward stances ranging from complete eco-centrism to ambivalent eco-centrism and ambivalent anthropocentrism. The findings, however, mostly suggested that the dominant ecological worldviews of the CREMA leaders were eco-centric and not anthropocentric. They exercised the middle ground, i.e., ambivalent ecological worldviews stances, to influence sustainable natural resource utilization while complete eco-centric worldviews were applied to protect balances in ecological functions. The leaders applied these determinations to promote the dual purposes of the CREMAs as they were set up for nature conservation and socioeconomic development in Ghana. The study also recommends that the findings should be explored further to develop adaptable criteria that include ecological worldviews in the selection of CREMA leaders.
European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 2018
The aim of this study was to examine the working processes employed by Ghanaian senior high schoo... more The aim of this study was to examine the working processes employed by Ghanaian senior high school students when dealing with tiling pool problem algebraically. The study employed survey design, with a total sample of 304 Senior High School Form 1 students from three Senior High Schools in the Central Region of Ghana. Data were collected through Super Item test based on Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Qualitative data were coded and analysed into themes. The results showed that most of the students surveyed were unfamiliar with the tiling pool problem and could not find a link between the algebraic concepts learnt and non-routine problems. It is recommended that high school teachers should consider students' working processes as integral part of their instructions and assessments.
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, 2020
Natural Resources and Sustainable Development, 2019
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 2011
SSRN Electronic Journal, 2015