Browsing by Author "Matingwina, Thomas"

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    Open Access
    A phenomenological study of experiences in blended librarianship among academic librarians in Zimbabwe with special reference to selected higher education institutions
    (2018) Dabengwa, Israel Mbekezeli; Raju, Jayarani; Matingwina, Thomas
    This exploratory phenomenological study served the purpose of investigating the phenomenon of the Zimbabwean academic librarian whose professional identity has been evolving into Bell and Shank's (2007) blended librarianship over the past decade. The primary objective of this study was to explore the shared experiences of blended librarianship to find out how effectively Zimbabwean academic librarians adhere to their dynamic roles and functions, and how they are perceived in the university. To achieve the primary goal, the study was framed using the theoretical constructs from Lave and Wenger's (1991) Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) and Communities of Practice (CoP), to understand how academic librarians learnt in the workplace through involvement in authentic work tasks. The research methodology relied on Heidegger’s Interpretive Phenomenology Analysis and the philosophy of interpretivism. The researcher looked for the academic librarian’s experiences of blended librarianship and then made sense of the academic librarian’s interpretation, to draw out a common meaning of blended librarianship. The researcher collected data from a calculated sample of 101 academic librarians from non-professional roles to Library Board level. Data collected was triangulated using multiple methods of data collection that included a semi-structured questionnaire, document research and semi-structured interviews. Data was collected from academic librarians from the Bindura State University of Education, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Lupane State University, Midlands State University, the National University of Science and Technology, and PHSBL80 University which was anonymised. Though blended librarianship had been adopted in different academic libraries through various ways that account for the sociocultural and historical issues in each academic library, it can be concluded that blended librarianship may bridge the theory-practice divide. The study recommends academic libraries to move towards integrating the teaching of Information Literacy Skills (ILS) and Low Threshold Technologies Applications (LTAs) into the courses that are taught by lecturers. This is set to place academic librarians within the context of their community, where they can contribute “legitimately” as equals, rather than working at the periphery of the classroom where they have a subservient role as seen in the study.
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    Open Access
    Academic librarian's transition to blended librarianship: a phenomenology of selected academic librarians in Zimbabwe
    (2019-05-13) Dabengwa, Israel Mbekezeli; Raju, Jaya; Matingwina, Thomas
    This paper explores the shared experiences of practices of blended librarianship among Zimbabwean academic librarians to identify how adequately they comply with their dynamic roles and functions. The paper relies on the theoretical constructs from Bell and Shank's (2004, 2007) blended librarianship and Lave and Wenger's (1991) Legitimate Peripheral Participation (LPP) to understand how Zimbabwean academic librarians practice blended librarianship in the workplace through engagement in legitimate work tasks. The investigators used phenomenology to explore academic librarians' experiences of blended librarianship. They selected a sample of 101 academic librarians and delivered a semi-structured questionnaire to the sample, conducted document research and interviewed key informants from the sample. The researchers collected data from the Bindura University of Science Education, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Lupane State University, Midlands State University, the National University of Science and Technology, and PHSBL80 Library which chose to be undisclosed. Each institution adopted blended librarianship in its way. Four (4) different categories of blended librarianship emerged from the experiences; that is “transcending blended librarians”, “partially blended librarians”, “intermittent blended librarians” and “aspiring blended librarians”, displaying each institution's level of instructional technology and instructional design roles. The study proposes that the “Academic librarian's transition to blended librarianship” two-by-two matrix that developed was in this inquiry needs further refinement. Further enquiries may test the matrix within the same sites or other locales altogether to corroborate if the results are replicable.
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    Open Access
    Health information dissemination among undergraduate students in Zimbabwe with particular reference to the National University of Science and Technology : a study in developing an integrated framework for health information dissemination
    (2015) Matingwina, Thomas; Raju, Jaya
    University students in Zimbabwe lack immediate access to accurate health information. There is lack of explicit and integrated structures for disseminating health information to students in Zimbabwe. This inductive study proposes a needs-based, integrated information dissemination framework for promoting health amongst students at the National University and Science and Technology (NUST). The study assessed the health information needs of students and evaluated existing health information dissemination methods at NUST in developing a framework for disseminating health information. The study is informed by the Salutogenetic Theory of health which culminated into an integrated theoretical framework that combines information dissemination and behaviour change theories. A case study strategy was used to gather data within the pragmatic paradigm of grounded constructivism. The population comprised of undergraduate students, the Dean of Students, the Student Counsellor, and the Nursing Sister. Within-method triangulation with complementary data gathering instruments was used to improve reliability of data. Questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions were used to gather data. A sample of 426 students and 3 members of staff participated in the study. Qualitative and quantitative content analysis was used to determine the confounding factors that informed the design of the framework. The data was supplemented with health information dissemination principles and procedures drawn from literature. The findings reveal that students need health information on a wide range of health topics. Students prefer mobile electronic media, workshops, qualified health professionals, and peers for their health needs. There are significant gaps between the strategies that are being used by NUST to disseminate health information and the health information needs of the students. The university is using traditional information dissemination media and channels that are not in line with the needs of the students. NUST needs to use more interactive and ICT based information dissemination methods. There is also a need for staff recruitment, training and infrastructural development. The proposed framework emphasizes the need for integration of activities, a viable policy, health information literacy training and the use of a mix of persuasion techniques.
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    Knowledge translation of health research findings at the University of Malawi and its relevance in health policy formulation in Malawi: a study in developing a communication and dissemination strategy to facilitate the use of health research evidence
    (2018) Mapulanga, Patrick Makono; Raju, Jayarani; Matingwina, Thomas
    Findings from health research ought to play a role in informing health policy formulation. Over the years much health research has been conducted both in developing and developed countries. However, little is known on how health research has informed health policy formulation. The study sought to review health research findings at the University of Malawi’s College of Medicine and Kamuzu College of Nursing and health policies of the Ministry of Health in Malawi, and based on the results, develop a communication and dissemination strategy as indicated by the study objectives. The study focused on exploring the extent of research use in policy formulation by evaluating sampled policies. It established from both researchers and policy makers their views regarding communication of research findings to policy makers, and how the two work together during conceptualisation, carrying out research and disseminating the findings. It sought to identify ways that the translation of research findings into policy formulation could be facilitated. The study is informed by the Knowledge Translation theoretical framework. It adopted the pragmatism philosophical paradigm which advocates for 'what works’. The convergent parallel mixed method strategy was used to gather both qualitative and quantitative data for the study. The population of the study comprised of researchers and academics at the University of Malawi, health research partners in Malawi and directors at the Ministry of Health in Malawi. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through self-administered questionnaires (246 academics and researchers), semi-structured interviews (17 directors from the Ministry of Health and relevant research institutes), a self-administered self-assessment tool (10 purposively selected directors from the Ministry of Health and from research institutes) and a health policy assessment tool. Qualitative data was analysed through content analysis while quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for both descriptive and inferential analysis. The data were supplemented with a search strategy through Scopus. The findings revealed that health researchers rarely interact with policy makers. Health researchers prefer publishing in journals, attending conferences and informally interacting with policy and decision makers. Policy makers rely on the use of Internet, reviews of previous policies, internal evaluations, data from the national statistical office, registries and information centres at the ministries for policy information. However, the study revealed in designing the communication and dissemination strategy based on 'what works’, that researchers work in research groups while policy makers work in technical work groups. The interaction between researchers and policy makers in the technical working groups informs the transfer of health research into policy-making. The study makes contributions to theory, practice and policy formulation. In terms of contribution towards the KTA framework, the study examined forms of formal interaction that may result in the transfer of health research information into policy and practice. The study indicates that formal interaction in the technical expert groups is one of such interactions that would facilitate the use of health research evidence in policy formulation. In terms of practice, the study recommends that there should be deliberate efforts by researchers in the research groups and policy makers at the technical working groups to formally engage each other. In terms of policy formulation, the study recommends that a proper interaction framework needs to be put in place for formal interactions between health researchers working in their research work groups and policy makers in the technical working groups.
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    Open Access
    Levels of research evidence in health policy assessment in Malawi
    (2019) Mapulanga, Patrick; Raju, Jaya; Matingwina, Thomas
    Purpose – The paper examines levels of health research evidence in health policies in Malawi. Design/Methodology/Approach – The study selected a typology of health policies in Malawi from 2002 to 2017. The study adopted the SPIRIT conceptual framework and assessed the levels of research evidence in health policy, systems and services research using the revised SAGE policy assessment tool. Documentary analysis was used to assess levels of health research evidence in health policies in Malawi. Findings – In 29 (96.7%) of the health policies, policy formulators including healthcare directors and managers used generic search engines such as Google or Google Scholar to look for heath research evidence. In 28 (93.3%) of the health policies they searched for grey literature and other government documents. In only 6 (20%) of the heath policy documents, they used academic literature in a form of journal articles and randomised controlled trials. No systematic reviews or policy briefs were consulted. Overall, in 23 (76.7%) of the health policy documents research evidence played a minimal role and had very little influence on the policy documents. Research limitations/implications – The empirical evidence in the health policy documents are limited due to insufficient research citation, low retrievability of health research evidence in the policy documents and biased selectivity of what constitutes health research evidence. Practical implications – The paper indicates that unfiltered information (data from policy evaluations and registries) constitutes majority of the research evidence in health policies both in health policy, systems and services research. The paper seeks to advocate for the use of filtered information (peer reviewed, clinical trials and data from systematic reviews) in formulating health policies. Originality/value – There is dearth of literature on the levels of health research evidence in health policy-making both in health policy, systems and services research. This study seeks to bridge the gap with empirical evidence from a developing country perspective.