Research Articles (FSS-Edu)

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    Exploring students' perceptions of moodle as a tool for enhancing transformative learning in a rural university in Tanzania
    (International Journal of Distance Education and E-Learning (IJDEEL), 2025) Mustapha, Almasi; Machumu, Haruni; Kalimasi, Perpetua
    This study examines students’ perceptions of Moodle as a tool for enhancing transformative learning in a rural setting. Specifically, it aims to examine students' ability to access and utilise the platform, identify challenges they face when using the Moodle LMS, and quantify their perceptions of the features offered by the system. Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected from 1,412 rural university students in Tanzania. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Relative Importance Index (RII) to rank the challenges associated with using Moodle LMS. The study revealed that a vast majority of students (96.8%) at the rural university have used Moodle LMS, primarily via their smartphones. While students appreciated the platform's flexibility for learning anytime and anywhere, the unavailability of learning materials within the LMS was the most significant challenge, followed by issues with self-enrollment, as indicated by the RII. Despite these challenges, 63% of students perceived Moodle as user-friendly and reported positive experiences. Although Moodle facilitates easy access to learning resources and supports self-directed learning, instructors need to provide updated materials and engage students in collaborative activities to foster transformative learning.
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    From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
    (INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH, 2026) Nalailaa, Stephano; Massawe, Hanifa
    This study explored teenage mothers' narratives on challenges and resilience in alternative secondary education pathways (ASEP). ASEP refers to flexible secondary-level education arrangements delivered through dedicated centres that offer modular and non-formal pathways for learners who are unable to attend mainstream schools, including teenage mothers. The study employed a qualitative perspective, integrating attachment, identity, self-efficacy, and critical race theory. It involved seventy (70) teenage mothers from purposively selected ASEP centres in Morogoro, Mwanza, Mara and Singida, using interviews, questionnaires and documentary reviews. The study revealed that most teenage mothers felt that parenthood strengthened their schooling commitment but faced stigma and self-doubt due to parenting duties. Some legal and systemic barriers limit educational participation, predicting further exclusion from sustainable economic growth. Recommendations push for flexible schedules, modular curricula, and alternative learning pathways to accommodate teenage mothers' parenting responsibilities, and data-driven frameworks for monitoring ASEP's.
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    Social life cycle assessment in solar dryer house for postharvest loss management technology: Application of UNEP / SETAC in Tanzania
    (Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (Kuwait Chapter), 2024) Mwaijande, Francis; Mkuna, Eliaza; Abeid , Ashiraf; Lyakurwa, Felichesmi; Sungau, Joseph; Manouchehr, Shokri
    Social Life Cycle Assessment is inherently an extension of sustainability assessment that is limited to environmental and economic pillars. Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) on the other hand is a methodology used to cover the social aspects of sustainability. This article integrates three pillars of sustainability; economy, environment and society on Solar Dryer House technology for reduction of post-harvest losses. The purpose of the article is to examine the extent of sustainability of Solar Dryer House technology by exploring the environmental, economic and social pillars. A textual analysis was undertaken on United Nations Environment Program/Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP-SETAC) Life Cycle Initiative to examine the social life cycle assessment of SDH manufacturing technology on major categories of producers, workers, distributors, consumers. Analysis of social indicators were developed with the scoring system to describe the potential positive and negative social impacts on related stakeholders within life cycle stages. Lack of clarity in conceptualizing of UNEP-SETAC Life Cycle Initiative to examine the social life cycle assessment of SDH manufacturing technology limit the application of sustainability assessment on manufacturing technologies in Tanzania. Social Life Cycle Assessment supports social and labour policies as well as Sustainable Development Goal 8 which entails that people should have jobs that pay decently to support their livelihoods while other social welfare aspects and labour rights are considered. Manufacturing technologies that adhere to S-LCA principles guarantee sustainability.
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    Reflection on e-learning system of the Mzumbe University in Tanzania: Successes, challenges and way forward
    (International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 2020) Ghasia, Mohamed; Machumu, Haruni; Zhu, Chang; DePryck, Koen
    This paper explores the historical background of the Mzumbe University (MU)’s approach to e-learning since its inception in 2009. It reflects on the successes and challenges, lessons learnt from the MU experience and recommend a way forward. The paper is based on case study research, making the use of observation and secondary data generated from previous e-learning utilisation reports. It discusses trends in e-learning system adoption, deployment, implementation and utilisation at the MU. Findings indicate that awareness of the e-learning system, adoption rate and use have been increasing, leading to significant results such as receiving extensive coverage in the university agenda such that campaigns on its utilisation have been evident. Moreover, the results show the existence of some critical challenges including limited Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) infrastructure, inadequate ICTs didactical skills among students and teachers, lack of technical expertise in digital content design and production, as well as over-reliance on the traditional philosophy of teaching and learning. Based on the findings, it is recommended to encourage continuous user support, going beyond uploading and downloading the University’s strategic policies. Despite the observed e-learning successes, the MU is still in need of an adequate, advanced and quality range of 21st century teaching and learning skills among teachers and students.
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    University teachers' beliefs and constructivist teaching practices in blended learning courses in Tanzanian universities
    (International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 2018) Machumu, Harun; Zhu. Chang; DePryck, Koen
    The study examines the relationship between university teacher's beliefs and constructivist teaching practices (CTP) in blended learning environment (BLE) courses in Tanzanian universities. The study collects data from 211 teachers in BLE courses. The analyses involved descriptive statistics, correlational, the Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis H-test and multiple linear regression. The findings revealed threefold. First, explicit engagement, supportive teaching and interactions were important aspects of CTP in BLE courses. Second, there were no statistically significant differences in teachers' beliefs about gender, academic rank, educational level and teaching experiences in BLE courses. And, third, there was a significant relationship between teachers' beliefs and CTP in BLE courses. Moreover, the findings indicate that teachers' beliefs predict their explicit engagement and supportive teaching are predictors of the beliefs of teachers who teach BLE courses. This study provides important implications and empirical evidence about the beliefs of the university teachers who teach BLE courses and their CTP
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    Students' conceptions of learning approaches and their engagement in blended learning environments
    (International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning, 2019) Machumu, Haruni; Zhu Chang
    Students employ diverse learning approaches when they are engaged in learning activities. Their choices on the type of approach to use are affected by many factors, including learning environments, instructional design and types of learning activities assigned. This study examines students' conceptions of learning approaches and their engagement in blended learning environments (BLEs). The study involved students from two universities in Tanzania. The study used descriptive statistics, correlations and multiple linear regression analyses. The results indicate that students hold compelling conceptions of surface approach compared to deep and strategic approaches in BLEs with a high level of engagement in BLE learning activities. The results further reveal that there was a significant negative relationship between students' conceptions of learning approaches and their engagement in BLE learning activities. The deep approach was a significant negative predictor for BLE learning activities while the surface approach was an insignificant negative predictor for BLE learning activities. The study proposes an appropriate redesign of BLE learning activities to encourage a deep learning approach by students
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    Effects of contract farming on production and income of sunflower farmers in Kongwa district in central agricultural zone of Tanzania
    (Mzumbe University, 2015) Mpeta, Daniel Fabiano
    This thesis undertakes to explore the effects of farming contracts on technical efficiency of production and incomes of smallholders in Kongwa District. Of great interest in the study is fact that, farming contracts examined involve sunflower crop, a low value crop which does not belong to conventional crops considered to be ideal crops for contract farming. Most contract crops as described in Prowse (2012) are often those which exhibit higher net return per hectare of land than staples; have high degree of perishability and require product homogeneity in their production, high hygiene, and safety requirement at the end market. They are crops such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, ornamentals, condiments and spices whose transactions costs in spot market are usually high (Temu&Temu, 2005; Prowse, 2012). Sunflower does not have such characteristics. It is an easy to grow crop, an indispensable edible crop, with low perishability and with many buyers. Econometric modeling is used to determine the contract effects on productivity and income of sunflower farmers. Considering contract farming as a governance form between smallholders and agri-business firms, the study uses a value chain approach to examine the role of contracting firms in coordination of trade relationships. A cross-sectional data set of 400 small-scale sunflower farmers in Kongwa District and chain survey data covering 7 sunflower processing firms based in Dodoma and Singida practicing contract farming are used. Results show that participating in contract farming lead to an average increase in technical efficiency of a farmer by 4.5 - 7.4 percent. Contract participation also increases land productivity of a famer.The expected output per acre of contract farm is 24% higher than non-contact farm. Similarly, contract farmers realize positive income effects from sunflower production. Results also show that innovativeness of firms and collaborations with Local Government Authorities, are a key to contract farming success. Promotion of contract farming could be done by e.g. providing improved services to contract firms and farmers such as by supporting the availability of improved seeds, and creating conducive contract farming laws and regulations.
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    Economics of climate change adaptation in smallholder rice production systems in Wami-Ruvu basin, Tanzania
    (taccire, 2014) Mugula, Victoria Jovin
    The aim of this study was to assess the economics of climate change adaptation in smallholder rice production systems. The study covered three smallholder rice production systems including irrigation, rainwater harvesting system and upland rainfed rice systems in Mvomero and Morogoro rural Districts. The specific objectives were: (i) To assess the perceptions of farmers on climate change impacts in different rice production systems, (ii) To analyse the determinants of rice productivity and profitability on land; (iii) To estimate the impact of climate change on net revenue from rice enterprise under different emission scenarios and iv) To estimate the costs and benefits of adaptations strategies in different rice production systems. The data for this study were collected using a structured household questionnaire that was administered to a random sample of 150 households composed of equal sub-samples from the three rice production systems. Descriptive and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data. Likert scale, an average production function based on Ordinary Least Square (OLS) estimation approach, Regression-based prediction and cost-benefits analysis were used in data analysis. Results indicated that smallholder farmers were aware of the impact of climate change by contributing to crop infestation and diseases, higher food costs and low yields. Irrigation was identified as the most preferable adaptation having higher net present value of Tshs 12 491 951/ha followed by rainwater harvesting Tshs 2 665 769 /ha and rainfed Tshs 1 199 253/ha. The cost-benefit ratios were 1.22; 1.14 and 1.16 in irrigated, rainfed and rain water harvesting systems, respectively. Therefore, the government and other private institutions should invest more in irrigation as it tends to boost up production during drought period or when there is low rainfall.
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    The relationship between student conceptions of constructivist learning and their engagement in constructivist based blended learning environments
    (International Journal of Learning Technology, 2017) Machumu, Haruni; Zhu ,Chang
    Emerging methodological and technological systems designed to accommodate students’ unprecedented demand and needs, which incorporate both in-class learning methods and digital technologies learning environments, invite students to engage in the given learning activities. This study investigated the relationship between students' conceptions of constructivist learning and their engagement in constructivist based blended learning environment (CBLE). A mixed research methods design was used to collect data from 722 students at the Mzumbe University, Tanzania. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between students' conceptions of constructivist learning and their engagement in CBLE. The results showed that students had positive conceptions of constructivist learning. The results offer significant contributions to constructivist educators and education stakeholders about what should be considered while encouraging student engagement in CBLE. The study concludes that students' conceptions are essential to the success of their learning in CBLE since their active constructivist engagement in diverse learning activities depends on their constructivist conceptions.
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    Reflection on e-learning system of the Mzumbe University in Tanzania: Successes, challenges and way forward
    (International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology., 2020) Ghasia, Mohamed; Machumu, Haruni; Zhu, Chang; DePryck, Koen
    This paper explores the historical background of the Mzumbe University (MU)'s approach to e-learning since its inception in 2009. It reflects on the successes and challenges; lessons learnt from the MU experience and recommends a way forward. The paper is based on case study research, making the use of observation and secondary data generated from previous e-learning utilisation reports. It discusses trends in e-learning system adoption, deployment, implementation and utilisation at the MU. Findings indicate that awareness of the e-learning system, adoption rate and use have been increasing, leading to significant results such as receiving extensive coverage in the university agenda such that campaigns on its utilisation have been evident. Moreover, the results show the existence of some critical challenges including limited Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) infrastructure, inadequate ICTs didactical skills among students and teachers, lack of technical expertise in digital content design and production, as well as over-reliance on the traditional philosophy of teaching and learning. Based on the findings, it is recommended to encourage continuous user support, going beyond uploading and downloading the University's strategic policies. Despite the observed e-learning successes, the MU is still in need of an adequate, advanced and quality range of 21st century teaching and learning skills among teachers and students.