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Item Research Software: A Key (Neglected) Component of the Digital Research Infrastructure Ecosystem(Preprint, 2025-03-04) van der Walt, Anelda; Martin, Kim; Panji, Sumir; Trusler, Angelique; Vaccari, Mattia; Van Heusden, PeterTechnological advances have elevated the importance of digital research infrastructure across the research lifecycle. The growing complexity of the digital research infrastructure ecosystem gave rise to new standards, practices, and job roles requiring unique and specialised skill sets. Research software is a critical component of this ecosystem. Despite the proliferation of research software initiatives across all disciplines in South Africa, a decade-old global movement to study and advocate for research software and its developers has largely been overlooked locally, resulting in missed opportunities. By actively engaging in international research software efforts, South Africa can benefit significantly and contribute meaningfully.Publication Analyse qualitative des conséquences inattendues d'une intervention de transfert monétaire conditionnel basé sur l'argent mobile pour encourager l'utilisation des soins de santé dans le sud de Madagascar(BMC Health Services, 2025-02-09) Franke, Mara AnnaIntroduction : Les interventions de transfert d'argent, y compris celles utilisant l'argent mobile, sont de plus en plus répandues, en particulier en Afrique subsaharienne. Comme ces interventions peuvent avoir des conséquences inattendues positives et négatives importantes, des analyses supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour identifier ces conséquences. Méthodes : Nous avons étudié les conséquences inattendues d'une intervention de transfert monétaire conditionnel basé sur l'argent mobile mise en œuvre dans quinze établissements de santé du sud de Madagascar. L'intervention a offert une couverture partielle des coûts pour les patients cherchant des soins pour des conditions potentiellement mortelles, des accidents et des blessures, des soins maternels ou pédiatriques entre février 2021 et juin 2022. Nous avons effectué une analyse qualitative des entretiens approfondis avec les prestataires de soins de santé, les bénéficiaires de l'intervention et le personnel chargé de la mise en œuvre du projet en utilisant une analyse thématique réflexive. Résultats : Nous avons identifié trois conséquences inattendues positives et trois conséquences inattendues négatives de l'intervention. Les principales conséquences positives inattendues sont : i) l'amélioration de la qualité des soins, ii) l'amélioration des relations interpersonnelles, y compris entre les patients et les prestataires et entre les prestataires de soins, et iii) le développement des compétences numériques des prestataires de soins et l'augmentation de la confiance dans l'argent mobile. Les trois principales conséquences négatives que nous avons identifiées sont : i) la surpopulation des établissements, ii) l'augmentation du coût des soins et iii) les cas d'emprisonnement à l'hôpital. Conclusions : Les concepteurs et les responsables de la mise en œuvre des futures interventions de transfert d'argent mobile devraient examiner attentivement et chercher de manière proactive à tirer parti des conséquences positives et à atténuer les conséquences négatives inattendues des interventions de transfert monétaire conditionnel basé sur l'argent mobile pour les soins de santé, telles que celles mises en évidence dans notre travail.Publication Seroconversion of Hepatitis B Vaccine in Young Children in Kwadaso District of Ghana.(Prof. Samuel Sakyi., 2023-07-15) Nathaniel Afriyie; Lucas A. Visser; Kwabena O. Boateng; Anthony A. A. Awuah; Francis A. Yeboah; Joseph Tetteh1.1. Background Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is an important public health problem that requires high priority efforts towards prevention and control. Active immunization is the single most important and effective preventive measure against HBV infection. As a protective measure, Ghana—after introducing the mass immunization program against hepatitis B infection in children in 2002—continued her Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 2019. This study evaluated seroconversion (the point in time when the amount of antibody in the blood becomes detectable) and seroprotection (the point in time when the amount of antibody in the blood is enough to confer protection from the antigen that induced it production) status of children under this mass immunization program and measured their antibody levels four years after immunization. 1.2. Materials and Method 220 archived plasma samples of children between the ages of 1–10 years were retrieved from a previous cross-sectional study by researchers from KCCR between 2010 and 2014. Of these, 105 have completed the EPI and were screened for HBsAg. Those found to be HBsAg-seronegative were stratified into three groups according to their age at which the last vaccine was administered. Their anti-HBsAg titer levels were estimated by enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). 1.3. Results Four (1.9%) samples were HBsAg seropositive and were excluded from further analyses. 9 more samples were excluded from analyses because they were insufficient. The anti-HBs titers recorded ranged from 1.021 IU/L to 751.64 IU/L indicating a 100% seroconversion rate. In group one (0–6 months), 87.9% were seroprotected. Group two (2-3yrs) had 78.3% seroprotection and group three (3-5yrs) had 41.7% seroprotection. There was no significant difference between group 1 and 2. However, there was a significant difference between group 1 and 3 (p = 0.0137) and between group 2 and 3 (p = 0.0390) respectively. There was no significant difference between male and female children. 1.4. Conclusion All the children who received doses of hepatitis B vaccine at 6, 10 and 14 weeks in the immunization program seroconverted, but their levels of protection waned with increasing years. Booster doses are therefore recommended after 5 years.Publication The use of mobile phones by secondary school teachers and students in Cameroon: m-learning as a possible educational strategy(N/A, 2024-09-10) LOMINE, LOYKIE; CELESTINE, ATANGCHO FUBEThis research paper examines the extent to which m-learning (the use of mobile phones for pedagogical purposes) can be implemented in secondary education in Cameroon – not on its own, and not to replace face-to-face teaching, but as part of a repertoire of educational strategies. Secondary research (about m-learning and about Cameroon) and primary research (carried out in Yaoundé in June 2022 to collect data from 140 students and 42 teachers about their access to technological devices, especially mobile phones) show that m-learning can be put in place in Cameroon without too many difficulties. It needs, however, to be a version of m-learning that is conceptually different from the one common in countries where access to the internet is illimited, uninterrupted and stable: that “Western” form of m-learning is no suitable for Cameroon, neither technologically nor economically. This research paper concludes that m-learning is possible and even desirable in Cameroon, but it must be contextualized.Publication Navigating Edtech Evaluation: Lessons From Online Testing In Low-Fee Control Schools In South Africa(2023-12-08) Schaefer, Maxine; Urquhart, RobIn this blog we outline the key learnings from our recent baseline assessments of learners in control schools using online assessments administered individually on tablets. We found that: 1. Using standardized digital assessment tools is possible, efficient, scalable, and removes variability associated with face-to-face assessments 2. Staffing doesn’t need to be complicated to deliver edtech evaluations 3. Think ahead and plan for the worst - systems integration and power interruptions 4. Potential digital skills gaps can be addressed using the language children know best 5. Support - from the provincial to the school level - is an important enablerPublication An Inclusive Approach to Hands-on STEM Programs in Underserved Secondary Schools: An Epistemological STEAM Model(2023-10-30) Alade, Martha Omoekpen; Sadiq, Fatai; Ikpotokin, FestusUnderserved schools globally do not usually have sufficient resources and requisite models to run inclusive and sustainable hands-on STEM programs. This often lead to exclusion of more students from opportunities in STEM, especially those with disabilities and learning difficulties. The marginalization of disadvantaged learners and exclusion of majority of students in resource-poor schools creates an internal STEM gap. Some schools having resources but lacking skilled instructors also face the same challenges. After more than a decade of casual observations, these problems have remained consistent, persistent and widespread; especially in developing countries. This mixed and longitudinal study therefore proposes an inclusive framework to address these inequities in STEM. Our model comprises seven components, after inductive analysis of empirical observations. A survey of 214 participants comprising 36 teachers and 178 students, who have participated in hands-on STEM programs was analyzed using simple statistical method to evaluate their perceptions on our hypothesized propositions. Our findings reveal that teachers' and students' responses validate our proposed framework; which informs the development of our Epistemological STEAM Model. This framework would serve as an effective guide for underserved secondary schools to implement sustainable hands-on programs with limited resources. It would also help policy makers enforce inclusion in the selection of students who participate annually in sponsored STEM programs and competitions; as well as drive optimal utilization of public STEM infrastructures.