MR DUMSO

Yesterday, I was on my way to dreamland. I was exhausted but with a smile on my face, I walked briskly so that I could catch the bus to dreamland because I couldn't risk walking on foot since I was exhausted. Whilst on my way to the bus station, I bumped into a man. The whole place was dark and he was also in black attire so I could hardly see he was coming.

I apologized for bumping into him but he responded, “No problem actually, I was on my way to see you”. At that instant, I puzzled over this stranger’s comments so I asked for his name but he replied, “I will discuss my mission with you if you return to your house”. Painfully, I sacrificed my desire of going to dreamland for the message this tall stranger has for me.

When we got home, the lights suddenly went off. I offered him a glass of water but he declined. I proceeded to ask his name and the purpose of his visit, even before I could speak the lights came back but started blinking like a siren and went off. Two minutes later, the lights were back but with low current which if I had not switched off my electrical appliances it would have been destroyed by the low current.

I tried to have a look at my visitor’s face but all I could see was darkness. Two minutes later, the lights finally went off and there was total darkness. Just then did my visitor start talking. As he spoke I could only hear a voice but couldn't see his face. He told me he was the cause of what was happening to my light. That comment even confused me so I asked him, “What makes you think that”? He replied, “I have a proclivity for turning lights on and off and also disrupting power supply because my name is Mr Dumso”. “Why do you act like that, you make life expensive and uncomfortable”? I asked. He responded, “There is a conflict between my Great Grand Father, my Grand Father and my Father. There seems to be no solution to this conflict even my Great Grand Father whom we all look up to cannot resolve his conflict. My Abusua Panin is befuddled by all the stories the parties involved in the conflict have been telling him. He’s clueless. Therefore, my brothers and I have become pawns in their hands and thus they treat us anyhow. Sometimes, we are starved, abused and stereotyped. My brothers have fallen sick recently and I’m left to my fate”.

Hmmmmmm was what I could say Mr. Dumso finished his speaking. I asked him what I could do to help and he responded, “I need a place to live, I need someone who would treat me like a human being”. After pondering over Mr Dumso’s request, I decided to allow him stay in my house. Just then, the lights came back and I had to go and switch my electrical appliances on. After, I returned to the hall to communicate my decision to the visitor but to my shock, Mr Dumso was no longer available, he was gone and had left a note. Just then the lights went off again. I picked the note and it read, “I have to go but I would be visiting you every night when the lights go off”.

BRAZUKA

The Zurich bell started the sound,

The Samba drums continued the sound,

The sound of fascinating skills,

Wonderful goals and colourful celebrations.

The sound soon turned into musical notes,

Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez & Claudia Leitte gave us a song,

Ole Ola we lifted our flags.

From South Africa, we exchanged the baton,

For 4 years we could only reminisce,

Patiently we endured the qualifiers,

Curiously we observed the happenings in Brazil,

Sadly we counted the missing stars,

Protests affected our concentration.

But slowly, our hopes were restored,

Victorious Spain released the trophy.

32 Nations touched the trophy,

1 nation to take the trophy,

1 country the centre of attraction,

BRAZUKA the common activity.

WHAT IS THEORY

“No word that is more misused and misunderstood in education than the word theory”-Saunders et al (2009).

                   The above statement is synonymous with students in tertiary institutions the world over. It is common to hear these comments on universities campuses among students. Tertiary students complain that they are not given the practical aspect of lessons and it is only the theoretical part that lecturers provide (I used to believe in this assertion when I was in the university). It’s my hope that after reading this article, students will no longer believe in that assertion and see the real picture as it is. My search for knowledge resulted in my discovery of the answer to the question regarding theory.

                     According to Saunders et al (2009), “It is thought that material included in textbooks is ‘theory’ where as what is happening in the ‘real world’ is practice.” Theory defined by Gill & Johnson (2002) cited in Saunders et al (2009) is a formulation regarding the cause and effect relationships between two or more variables which may or may not have been tested. Saunders et al (2009) explain theory as having a specific meaning and they refer to theory in situations where if A is introduced B will be the consequence. Furthermore, every purposive decision we take is based on theory; that certain consequences will flow from the decision. Therefore they add if theory is something that is rooted in our everyday lives it certainly is something that we need not be apprehensive about. Finally, they conclude, “If it is implicit in our decisions and actions then recognizing its importance means making it explicit”.

                   Let’s take balanced diet as an example. Research has revealed that the absence of balanced diet (A) will lead to kwashiorkor (B). That is, if a person does not eat a balanced diet, he/she will suffer from kwashiorkor. Therefore eating a balanced diet or conducting a research is making the implicit theory of balanced diet explicit. For point of emphasis, eating a balanced diet does not mean you are practising the theory but rather applying as Gill & Johnson (2002) cited in Saunders et al (2009) puts it, “theory is enmeshed in practise”.

                   Simply put, when students classify a course as being too theoretical, what they really mean is the course is too practical (how ironic!). So should it not be practical? In fact the subjects must remain theoretical and they must be because it is the only way to understanding. What is lacking is how to realizing this fact and applying the theory to gain understanding and this depends solely on the student but sadly, students have failed to realize this fact.

                   Therefore, the best way to apply a theory is to test (apply) it. In otherwords, the best way to know whether the theory on eating a balanced diet is true or not is to eat a non-balanced diet (that is apply) and observe the effects. It is only at that stage you would realize and appreciate the importance of theory because theory per its definition is either tested or untested.

                   In conclusion, I urge everyone who claims subjects are not practical to dispel that belief and realize the essence of the theory because in the words of Saunders et al (2009), “every purposive decision we take in life is based on theory”.

Reference: Saunders, M. Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for business students, 5^th ed. Pearson      Education Limited.

By: FRANCIS ASARE OWUSU

The writer is a blogger, researcher and consultant at FECOL SOLUTIONS. kofiwusu479@gmail.com