Browsing by Author "Allan Muganga"

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Is Everywhere I Go Home? Reflections on the Acculturation Journey Of African International Students in China
(International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2026-02-02) Allan Muganga; Yohana Kifle Mekonen; Michael Agyemang Adarkwah; Oluwasegun A. Oladipo; Chiamaka Nneoma Nweze; , Saira Bibi
This qualitative study explores the acculturation journey of African international students in China, focusing on the evolution of their experiences. While previous research has often overlooked the progressive nature of international students, particularly from Africa, this study addresses this gap by examining how these students navigate academic, cultural, and psychological challenges over time. Using a conceptual framework informed by existing acculturation theories, the study identified six key dimensions shaping the acculturation process. Fifteen African international students, aged 25–36 years, with lengths of stay ranging from 4 to 7 years, were selected from three research-intensive universities in China. The findings reveal that early acculturation stress, including challenges like language barriers and culture shock, significantly impacts these students’ psychological well-being and makes securing internships more difficult. However, students who accessed strong peer networks and received supervisor support demonstrated better coping strategies and higher satisfaction by their final year. This study shows that acculturation is a dynamic process and suggests that educational institutions should improve support systems to better support the well-being and academic success of international students.
Students’ Perceptions of Project-based Learning in K-12 Education: A Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence
(International Journal of Instruction, 2026-02-02) Frederick Oduro; Allan Muganga; Deborah Parker; Guoyuan Sang
As an engaging instructional approach, project-based learning has gained prominence as a means of adapting K-12 education to a changing world. However, research assessing the effectiveness of project-based learning has primarily focused on teachers, whereas studies on students' perceptions of project-based learning have been limited to isolated cases. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive synthesis of qualitative and mixed-approach studies that investigated K-12 students’ perceptions of project-based learning. A meta-ethnography approach was employed to identify, evaluate, and combine the findings of the 14 peer-reviewed studies. These studies were selected based on an extensive search of databases such as Web of Science, ERIC, and ScienceDirect. Six themes were identified to reflect K-12 students’ perceptions of project-based learning: enhancing 21st-century skills, enhancing enthusiastic engagement, fostering interdisciplinary integration, time consumption, evoking initial jitter, and content insufficiency. Additionally, two research gaps were identified, with the majority of studies conducted among senior high school students in Europe and Asia. In conclusion, this synthesis highlights the effectiveness of project-based learning in promoting essential contemporary skills. However, caution is advised regarding challenges, such as content insufficiency. Stakeholders should consider targeted support and resource adequacy to optimize project-based learning benefits for diverse students.
Uganda’s Post‐colonial Privatisation Policy in Higher Education: An Integrative Literature Review and Case Study Analysis
(Discover Education, 2026-02-02) Allan Muganga; Oluwasegun Adesola Oladipo; Michael Agyemang Adarkwah
Globally, the trend toward privatizing higher education has been accelerating, driven by economic and policy shifts. Uganda has aligned with this movement, becoming one of the African countries implementing privatization to enhance accessibility and efficiency in its universities. However, the benefits and challenges of higher education privatization in Uganda remain underexplored. This study assesses them through two private universities as case studies. An integrative literature review identified challenges in Uganda’s privatization policy. This was followed by qualitative interviews with sixteen (16) stakeholders (students, n=10; parents, n=3; employers, n=3) to assess its impact on accessibility, quality, funding, and employment. Semi-structured interviews involving students, parents, and employers revealed that although the policy led to the massification of higher education, it also led to the commodification and academisation of education, whereby business principles have been imported into the country’s higher education sector, thus focusing more on profit maximisation other than quality education delivery. The study recommends that the Ugandan government and policymakers, such as the Ministry of Education and Sports and the National Council for Higher Education, do more to safeguard the education system from being too commercialised, commodified, and over-marketised.