Journal of Humanities, Social Science and Creative Arts

IMPERATIVENESS OF HUMANISING THE SCIENCES IN THE QUEST FOR GLOBAL PEACE, SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY

2024-11-06T11:14:55+01:00

This article provides a rational justification for the need to humanize the sciences in the quest for peace, security and sustainable development in a technology-based global society. The article explores the significant contributions of great philosophers to the interconnectedness and interdependence of the Humanities and Sciences in the history of Western thought. It further discusses the role of 18th Century Industrial Revolution in the radical shift of attention from the humanities to technological innovations and the reason for the erroneous assumption and gross misconception that humanistic disciplines are aesthetic luxury. Arising from the linkage between the sciences and the global challenge of insecurity, this paper emphasizes the relevance of humanistic approach and methods to sciences in the light of the skills and invaluable insights of the humanities, which can help to proffer both ethical and value-laden creative solutions to myriad of problems facing humanity in a globalized world. This paper considers the importance of humanizing the sciences not only for the survival and good of humanity, but also for the establishment of a viable relationship between science and society. The paper further argues that a synergy between the sciences and humanities and the integrated efforts of the two fields would help in addressing global challenges posing threats to human existence and total well-being. It concludes that the pursuit of human moral refinement, which is the preoccupation of humanities, must be the central focus of our education with a view to achieving a realistic sustainable development in this age of globalizati

TEXTUAL CUES AND CHARACTERISATION IN CHILDREN’S FICTION

2024-11-06T11:28:28+01:00

Studies on language as a tool for fictional characterisation have hardly focused on children’s fiction, which motivated this study to fill this knowledge gap. Culpeper’s (2001) model of characterisation, complemented by Halliday’s transitivity processes, served as the framework. Four children’s fictional texts were purposively selected: two human stories (Aisha Nelson and Idowu Oluwasegun’s Aku the Sun Maker and Mimi Werna and Edwin Irabor’s Magical Rainbow River); and two personified animal stories (Chinua Achebe and John Iroaganachi’s How the Leopard Got His Claws and Fary Silate and Awwalu Sakiwa’s Drought and the River of Blessings). The study identified situational cues like folk ontological beliefs and the allocation of weighted roles to animals by their physiological/physical attributes. Both explicit and implicit textual cues aided character reading in the data. The explicit textual cues are the narrator’s presentation, self-presentation and other-presentation, with seven representational modes/strategies: description, introspection, collectivisation, individualisation, identification, exclusion and nomination. The implicit textual cues are lexical/syntactic like conditional modals and imperative sentences; and paralinguistic/visual features like kinesics. The study concludes that the interpretation of characters in children’s fiction is supported by situational, explicit and implicit textual features that index their representation to align with children’s worldviews.

ASSESSING THE RELEVANCE AND EFFICACY OF TRADITIONAL MODELS OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN MODERN AFRICAN STATES

2024-11-06T11:35:55+01:00

The perception of pessimism arising from a sceptical gesture regarding the possibility of traditional models of conflict management attaining a prominent place in modern African societies has been a major concern for those who uphold that the indigenous model is still potent and relevant in contemporary times. Despite several efforts and application of diverse foreign strategies for conflict management and social control, most of the independent African states are far from witnessing durable peace. This article adopted a critical-analytical method to examine the dynamics of conflict management in pre-colonial days in Africa vis-a vis current trends in modern African states and the impacts of colonialism and foreign religions on African traditional methods of resolving conflicts. Relying on empirical evidence, this article argued that socio-economic and political factors such as family structure, poor economy, poverty, institutionalized corruption, disappointments in the modern model of conflict management and social control among others constitute the rationale for the relevance and sustainability of traditional models across the continent. This paper further accentuated the efficacy of traditional mechanisms in this present age and concluded by projecting a fusion of both indigenous and modern models of managing conflicts as a way of attaining socio-political stability, development and peacebuilding in modern African states.

QUALITY ASSURANCE IN NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA: CASE STUDY OF THE SOUTH WEST CENTRES

2024-11-06T11:54:08+01:00

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) was established with the aim of ameliorating the problem of deprivation of university admission being experienced by many candidates. The objective of giving wider access to university education will be an exercise in futility if the quality of education provided in NOUN is below standard, hence the paper explored quality assurance in National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) using the South West centres as case study. The study adopted descriptive survey design of ex-post facto type. From the selected States, 31Pprincipals, 62 Conventional University Graduate Teachers (CUGTs), 62 NOUN Graduate Teachers (NGTs) were sampled. Three validated instruments, Principals’ rating scale (r=0.87); Graduate Teachers’ Questionnaire(r=0.89); Graduate Teaching Quality Observation Scale (r=0.85); were used to gather information. Three research questions were raised and answered. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics, t-test and multiple regression at 0.05 level of significance. Observation of teacher-students classroom interactions showed that CUGTs were significantly better than NGTs in communication skills (t = 2.15%, df = 122). There were no significant differences in lesson preparation, introduction, presentation, delivery method and classroom management between CUGTs and NGTs. Employment status ( β = .08), availability of resources (β = .34), functionality of resources (β = .89), adequacy of resources ( β = .40), facilitator online interaction ( β = .94), students’ online interaction (β = .76) and access to open education resources (β = .04) had significant relative predictions on NOUN graduates’ job performance; with a joint significant prediction of F(7,1149)=549.03. NOUN impacted positively on graduates’ job performance. The study recommends that the Federal Government should make acquisition of NCE, a prerequisite for admission for a degree programme in education; Communication skills should be included in courses offered by NOUN undergraduates.

INFLUENCE OF MOBILE PHONE USAGE ON INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS AMONGST RESIDENTS OF IKORODU LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

2024-11-06T12:18:52+01:00

The study was carried out to assess the influence of mobile phone usage on interpersonal communications amongst residents of Ikorodu Local Government, Lagos State, Nigeria. The simple random sampling technique was used to select 400 respondents from the study area. Primary data were also obtained through a structured questionnaire administered to 400 residents of Ikorodu Local Government, Lagos. Data were analysed using frequency counts, percentages and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. All the respondents have access to mobile phones. About 45.3% use 1hour or less less on mobile phones on a daily basis. About 55.3% of the respondents strongly agreed that mobile phones are used to relate with other people and it can take place in verbal as well as written communication form. About 80.2% use mobile phones for interpersonal communication in achieving transmission of ideas, information, messages, news and opinions. Major challenges involved in using mobile phones for interpersonal communication were: lack of social presence from another person and reduced identification which indicated that ‘stereotyped and exaggerated partner impressions’ occur in mobile phones (97.7% respectively). There exists a significant relationship (p<0.01) between respondents’ frequency of mobile phone usage on interpersonal communication in the study area (r=0.704**), purpose of choosing mobile phone for interpersonal communication (r=0.273*) and the influence of mobile phone usage on interpersonal communication. The study concluded that the use of mobile phones had both positive and negative influences on interpersonal communication. The study therefore recommend that the use of mobile phones for interpersonal communication should be regulated to reduce the negative influence attached to it.

UNRAVELLING DEMOGRAPHIC INFLUENCES AND READERSHIP FACTORS ON NEWSPAPER CONSUMPTION IN NIGERIA

2024-11-06T12:27:15+01:00

As the internet continues to expand and transforms Nigeria, users are increasingly exploring its diverse aspects and discovering novel means of obtaining information. It remains uncertain whether newspaper companies have effectively met the information needs of the populace based on their demographic characteristics by disseminating content through both traditional print and online platforms. This study determined the demographic influences and readership factors that affect newspaper consumption in Lagos State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 1,113 newspaper readers from four Local Government Areas of Lagos State. Data were collected from newspaper readers through the distribution of physical questionnaires. Frequency counts, percentages, mean, Chi-square, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to analyse the data. Results revealed that 65.1% of the respondents were male, 50.3% were graduates, and 23.9% were self-employed, with a mean age of 34 years ± 10.15. Chi-square revealed a significant relationship (p<0.05) between respondents’ occupation (χ²=9.94, df=4) and newspaper readership pattern. PCA revealed that the continuous update of news for the newspaper edition (0.61) was the key factor affecting readership of newspapers. The study concluded that it is important to consider demographic characteristics and the timely delivery of news updates in understanding and predicting newspaper readership behaviours. This study recommended that publishers and advertisers should understand readers’ demographics to tailor newspaper contents to achieve maximum subscriptions with minimal cost.

ASSESSMENT OF ERRORS IN THE WRITINGS OF SELECTED UNDERGRADUATES

2024-11-06T12:44:32+01:00

Writing is a skill that is highly relevant to every aspect of scholarship. Despite its importance, students rarely accord it its due. The study set out to find out the effects of two years’ teaching of Communication Skill in a Nigerian university. An assessment in a formal letter of application was given to the students. Twenty students were randomly selected from each of the six Departments that took the course. Qualitative research method was used to analyse the findings of the study. The result indicates that the students committed a total of 980 errors in the essay, with orthographic errors being 522, followed by 233syntax errors. These show that the students have not sufficiently mastered the rules governing the syntax and general rules of the English language. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that university undergraduates should take communication skills in writing throughout their course of study in the university.

GUIDE TO AUTHORS

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2024-11-06T13:07:59+01:00