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H (>r- 0 0 1 GHANA SCIENCE Oïv OF ÀBSTU/vCTO JOINT 15TH Bii{NNIAL C KS71 AF1UCAN SCIENCE AllSOCîtUïiw AND 19TH S5IENMÏAL GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCï/% TION ïitëLD AT UNIVERSITY oy c<u<£ (;<)A>s'i\ <:.\IJÎ MONDAY i8'HI - ! RH)AV 22Ni> Si THEME: Enhancinj, R^ioaul ïîcoitoiaic Through Scicu»w:e :*fid Tccïns«îo>;y. THEME: Proinouvora* L>iiitc^raj.iua Rïïgionaîe Au Moyen De Lu KJHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION BOOK OF ABSTRACTS JOINT 15TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF THE WEST AFRICAN SCIENCE ASSOCIATION AND 19TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE OF GHANA SCIENCE ASSOCIATION HELD AT UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST, CAPR COAST - GHANA MONDAY 18TH - FRIDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER, 1995 THEME: Enhancing Regional Economic Through Science and Technology THEME: Promouvoir L'Intégration Régionale Au Moyen De La Et Technologie. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thank the Government of Ghana for the major financial support that enabled us to organise this joint Ghana Science Association(GSA) and West African Science Association(WASA) Conference. The GHACEM Ltd also donated and Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA) towards the holding of the conference for which we express our unreserved gratitude to them. Mr. Jerry John Owu donated C100,000.00 whilst Prof. E.A.Kwei gave us C200,000.00. We express our deep appreciation for their kind gestures. The ASTEK Industries Ghana Limited donated logistic materials in Kind. Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) donated name tags and 200 Conference bags to us. West African Mills Co. Ltd. gave us Cl,000.00 whilst GHAMOT Company Ltd. and Ghana Rubber Estate Ltd. donated C300,000.00 and G50,000.00 respectively. Tema Lube Oil Company also donated G200,000.00. We express our deep appreciation for their kind gestures. For the rest of the many people who assisted us in one way or the other we express our sincere appreciation for your untiring efforts to keep the Science Association of West Africa in track. 1 The Joint 15th WASA and 19th GSA Biennial Conference - GHANA SPECIAL SESSION SCIENCE EDUCATION, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND POLICY RESEARCH THE IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON MARITAL SEPARATION BETWEEN PARENTS OR SURROGATE PARENTS OF PSYCHOTICS IN A REHABILITATION HOME BY FELIX KOJO SAPONG Mind Healing Clinic P. O. Box M.1203, Suamc, Kumasi - GHAÎN'A ABSTRACT: NAME OF HOME OR INSTITUTION WHERE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED Kumasi Cheshire Home for the Rehabilitation of Psychotics Summary of Study: Objective: The major objective of the study is to investigate by statistical means the significance of the impact of separation or divorce of parents and surrogate parents on the rate of relapse to psychotic state of Rehabilitees. Other Minor Objective are:- i. to develop :• programme of family support and integration based on the results of the investigations as a preventative intervention for social environmental cues precipitating relapse. ii. Methodology (2) Data Gathering : Present marital status ol parents was obtained through interviews with relations including siblings and others. And observations from the care staff and the out reach services, (ii) Rate of Relapse : Data were collected through interviews with Rehabilitees and their supporting relations. Validation of Data : Data for Present Mental Status of Parents and Surrogated Parents were checked with other formal and informal relations. Data for Rates of relapse were checked with Hospital reports and from supporting relations. Reliability : Data were reconciled with social practices customs and patterns of marital separation and marriage customary rites. Reliability of Relapse were reconciled with formal and informal treatment programmes. Results : Revealed that co-relution between relupse and marital status was insignificant variance. Analysis was also insignificant. Conclusion : With a negative result there is no need to develop that family programme as a prevention against relapse. There is also the need for further investigations in the nome in order to eliminate the problem of variation. FROM GROUP LEARNING TO COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN MATHEMATICS I. BY I. K. DONTWI Department of Mathematics University of Science & Technology Kumasi - GHANA ABSTRACT; A small group of students in the Mathematics Department reading the Introductory Algebra Course has been assembled. The information collected includes data on Ordinary and Advanced Level results, family, educational and social backgrounds, responses to questionnaire regarding attitudes and expectations, extracurricular activities and involvement in group learning. Student performance was correlated with the assessment data. Our findings gave a lot of insight into some indicators of course improvement in the Introductory Algebra Course. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION : THE CASE OF THE WEST AFRICA SUBREGION BY J. A. MICAH Centre For Development Studies University of Cape Coast Cape Coast - GHANA ABSTRACT: The paper explores the feasibility of explicitly introducing Science and Technology policy as one of the essential components of the integration process of the countries of the West Africa subregion. It is recognised that science and technology and their development are determining conditions for economic and social advancement. And that this approach of integration among developing countries links directly the issues of science and technology and their policy components to specific economic and social objectives. Drawing on data and information from technology policy research in Sub-Saharan Africa; reported research on Andean Past Technology Policies and Science and Technology Policy Instrument (STPI) project as well as the analysis of science and technology policy content of development plans and investment codes, and using policy analytic framework and scenario building, the paper examines the feasibility of applying the Andean Pact model of integration in the West African context. The paper demonstrates the potential effectiveness of key science and technology policy instruments of the integration process such as i. joint industrial programmes; ii. planning and programming of joint research and development programmes; Hi. a common treatment of direct foreign investments iv. harmonisation of certain economic and social policies; and v. internal trade liberalisation and a common external tariff. [ABSTRAT] - PHYSIQUE ET INTEGRATION AFRICAINE/PHYSICS AND AFRICAN INTEGRATION. BY - CHRISTIAN-SINA DIALTA FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF PRELIMINARY YEAR STUDENTS AT FOURAH BAY COLLEGE : IMPLICATIONS AND SOLUTIONS BY M.E. SESSE KOKER,1 ALEX M. BOCKARIE,2 and HAZELL S.S. THOMPSON3 1. Department of Chemistry Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone 2. Department of Mathematics Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone 3. Department of Zoology Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone ABSTRACT: Factors contributing to the poor performance and unacceptably high drop out rate of Preliminary Year Students were determined from, analysis of examination results over a ten-year period (1985-1994) and interview with students. Work overload, less than adequate guidance, social problems and poor preparation from secondary schools are inhibiting factors. Solutions to these problems are discussed. ENHANCING COLLABORATIVE RESEARCHES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WITHIN THE WEST AFRICAN REGION : A TRICONTEXTUAL PERSPECTIVE. BY OKPONGETE ESSIEN AKPAN Department of Education Usmanu Danfodiyo University P.M.B.2346, Sokoto - Nigeria. ABSTRACT: One of the most promising and fast growing avenues to regional and international integration is via the collaboration of scientists industrialists and educators in relevant researches globally. This type of research effort demands that such actors (Researchers, Research Institutions, Universities, Businesses etc.) get into meaningful partnership on ways of solving pressing S & T problems of common interest. The teaching/learning of S & T in Africa has been plagued by a number of factors ranging from paucity of scientific materials and equipment, low calibre and poorly trained teachers, and lack of well-equipped and standard laboratories and workshops, to strong religious and superstitious beliefs which tend to hamper effective S & T learning in our children. Evidences abound that religious and native beliefs affect serious and meaningful science learning in African children (Akpan, 1991; 1992; 1993a; 1993b; 1994a; 1994b; 1994c; 1994d; 1995). Some of these studies have even gone to the extent of predicting the interplay of the tncontextual, milieux to science content acquisition, language development, technical skills development and career choices of our children. In this paper, attempt is made at featuring the researches so far carried out in support of our tricontextual environments as far as S & T learning and development in Africa is concerned. Also effort will be geared towards making a case for the sieve process developed to circumvent tricontextual science and technology (Akpan & Anamuah-Mensah, 1992; Akpan, 1993). Finally, we feature the potentials of the tricontextual, sieve process oriented science traching/lcarning in our West African Schools and then call for collaborative researches from within and outside the Region in the same vein. [ABSTRACT] RESEAUX SCIENTIFIQUES ET INTEGRATION AFKICAINE/SCIENTIFIC NETWORKS AND AFRICAN INTEGRATION. BY CHRISTIANnSINA DIALTA 6 DESCRIPTION SOMMAIRE DES TRAVAUX DE RECHERCHE PAR KUAKUVI KUAMVI MAWULE RESUME: Après un doctorat de troisième cycle qui a porté sur la Nature humaine. Nous essayons de voir ce qui a empêché l'Afrique de commencer à se développer dans le sens humain du terme : un