PT-School of Education
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Item Adoption of information and communication technology in the management of public primary teacher training colleges in Meru county(Kenyatta University, 2014-10-31) Nkonge, Janet KathureICT has contributed greatly to educational management in teacher training colleges globally. However, in Kenya teacher training colleges minimally use rcr- to manage the quality of output or to raise tutor productivity, to reduce the costs through analyzing spending, or to analyze student's assessment. This is attributed to a myriad of challenges facing most TTCs in Kenya with regard to adoption of ICTs in management. This has resulted to a slow rate of adoption of technology despite its promise and potential for use in educational management in TTCs. The purpose of this study therefore is to investigate the challenges facing the principals in the adoption of ICT in primary teacher training colleges in Meru County. Specific objectives of the study will be: To investigate the influence of availability of equipment on adaptation of ICT in primary TTC, to determine the influence of institutional support on the adoption of ICT, to find out the perception of the tutors on the adoption of ICT in primary TTCs and finally to investigate the application of computers in the management of public primary TTC's. The study will adopt a descriptive survey design which will be a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis techniques. The target population will be 2362 respondents consisting of; 2 principals, 90 tutors and top administrators from Egoj i TTC, 70 tutors and top administrators from Meru TTC, 1200 student teachers from Egoji TTC and 1000 student teachers from Meru TTC. Stratified random sampling will be used to select the tutors and the student teachers to be included in the study and the 2 principals picked from the two colleges. The sample size will be 710 respondents which is 30% of the total population. This comprises; 28 tutors and top managers from Egoji TTC, 22 tutors and top managers from Meru TTC, 360 student teachers from Egoji TTC and 300 student teachers from Meru TTC. This translates to 48 tutors and top managers and 660 student teachers from both the institutions. Questionnaires will be used as instrument for collecting data from the tutors and the student teachers while interview schedule will be administered to the principals. To ascertain reliability, test-retest technique will be used and then correlated using the Spearman's rank order, so as to obtain reliability. Content validity will be used employing expert review of the research instruments. Data analysis will be done using descriptive statistics after data cleaning and coding. Quantitative data will be analyzed using frequency counts, means and percentages while' qualitative data will be analyzed by tallying the numbers of similar response. Results of data analysis will be presented using frequency distribution tables and bar graphsItem Alcohol related parental behaviour disorders and their effects on learner’s academic achievement in public primary schools in Marmanet, Laikipia County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2016-02) Kamau, Anne N.The purpose of the study was to establish alcohol related parental behavior disorders and their effects on children’s academic achievement. Alcoholism has been a major challenge not only in our country but globally. No matter the type of alcohol consumed, when taken excessively, the user and the significant others get affected. This study investigated the effects of alcohol related parental behavior disorders on academic achievement among learners in public primary schools. The study was guided by the social learning theory (SLT) and parental acceptance and rejection (PAR) theory. The target population was 1376 persons consisting of head teachers, teachers and learners in class 6 and 7 in the nine public primary schools in Marmanet zone. This is because pre-adolescent and adolescent children are the most prone as they go through the physical, emotional and psychological changes of this stage. They are also maturing up and become aware of the happenings at home. In each school, the study sampled 10% of the population in each class using stratified and systematic random sampling. The researcher purposively selected two class teachers in each school. All the head teachers in the schools selected participated in the study. The data was collected using questionnaires which were later coded and analyzed with the aid of SPSS computer program. The quantitative data was organized in frequency tables, graphs and pie charts. The study established that most of the parents in Marmanet zone take alcohol. It is readily accessible in homes, shopping centers and in rare cases has been brought to school .Due to this rampant parental alcoholic disorder, the parents have neglected their children hence denying them the much needed support for achievement of academic grades. This neglect was manifested in children lacking basic needs, being unkept, carelessness in their academic assignments, lack of concentration in class, chronic absenteeism, truancy, deviancy and antisocial behavior. The effects of this neglect cause the children to perceive rejection and therefore, are unable to achieve their full potential in academic work. The study recommended that there was need to enforce the liquor laws as given out in the Kenyan law. The fight against illegal ‘second generation’ alcohol should be maintained until it is fully eradicated .Also the learners, teachers and parents should be counseled and be made fully aware of the effects of alcohol and coping skills for alcoholics. Children of alcoholics (COAs) should also be empowered on coping mechanisms.Item An analysis of practical approach of teaching geometry in public primary schools in Thogoto zone, Kiambu county, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2014-10-03) Mwangi, Peter GachokaOver the years poor performance by KCPE candidates has consistently been observed in geometry items. Geometry has an important place in primary school mathematics curricula. This study will aim at analyzing the effects of practical approach to teaching geometry in public primary schools in Thogoto zone, Kiambu County. The main objectives of the study will be to determine the extent to which primary mathematics teachers use the practical method in teaching geometry, establish effects of practical teaching in performance in geometry questions in primary schools and establish pupils' most common spatial reasoning errors made in primary schools in Thogoto Zone. This study will be carried out in public primary schools in Thogoto educational zone in Kiambu County. Target population will be 1035 standard seven pupils in 12 public primary schools and 24 mathematics teachers. The categories of schools will be public day and boarding. In standard seven 343 pupils will be randomly sampled representing 33.14 %. This will be made of 180 boys and 163 girls. The sample will be from four purposively sampled schools for the main research and one school for the pilot study. Eight mathematics teachers will be randomly sampled from the four purposively sampled schools. Experimental survey design and causal comparative design will be used. Questionnaire on geometry and geometry standard tests will be used to obtain data. Geometry achievement test will be administered to all standard seven pupils in two phases. Data on teaching /leaming materials used will be gathered using classroom practices and teachers and pupils questionnaires. Quantitative data analysis will consist of measuring numerical values from each description such as mean and standard deviation. Frequency tables, graphs and pie charts will be used to represent data. Data will be analyzed using statistical and descriptive survey method together with statistical package for social sciences (SPSSItem Anti-jiggers sensitization campaigns on school attendance: a case study of selected primary schools in Mathioya sub-county, Murang' a county, Kenya(2014-07-30) Githinji, Susan Wanjiku; Otiende, J.E.Jigger infestation among school going children has affected school attendance among primary school pupils especially those in jigger prone areas. Despite many efforts to fight the menace by different organizations, many pupils are still affected with many dropping out of school. The purpose of this study is to establish the impact of anti-jiggers sensitization on school attendance in primary schools in Mathioya Sub-county in Murang'a County. The study will be guided by the following specific objectives: to find out the prevalence of jiggers infection in primary schools in Mathioya Sub-county, to establish the effect of anti-jiggers campaigns on the affected pupils, to assess the impact of sensitization campaigns on reduction of infestation rates and to determine the effect of anti-jigger sensitization campaigns on attendance in primary schools in Mathioya Sub-county in Murang'a County with a view to recommend ways of improving the effectiveness of anti-jiggers campaigns in the County. The descriptive research design will be used in the study. The study will be carried out in selected primary schools in Mathioya Sub-county with a specific focus on schools with infested pupils. Primary schools in the sub-county have been chosen for the study due to high prevalence of jigger infestation in the schools. The target population for the study will be pupils, class teachers and the Sub-county Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. There are 58 primary schools in Mathioya Sub-county. The study will employ the purposive sampling method .Questionnaires, an interview schedule, documentary analysis guide and observation will be used as the tools of data collection. Questionnaires will be used to collect data from teachers and pupils and the interview schedule from the Sub-county Quality Assurance and Standards Officer. Piloting will be done to test the validity and reliability of the data collection instruments. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics which entail means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages. Inferential statistics whereby the researcher will employ Chi-square tests, Spearman rank: correlation order test and Anova test will be used. Content analysis techniques will be used to analyze qualitative data collected using interview schedules. The analyzed data will be presented in the form of frequency tables and percentages.Item Appraisal of the adequacy and implementation process of the English language curriculum in state primary schools in Burundi(2014-08-12) Ndayimirije, Marie- Immaculee; Bwire, A. M.; Ndethiu, Sophia M.Burundi's admission into the East African Community in 2005 led the then new government to introduce learning of English and Kiswahili in state primary schools in the same year. The innovation faced numerous challenges that the authorities are still trying to address. Whereas poor preparation of teachers and provision of resources have been partly addressed, very little has been done to investigate 'the curriculum and its implementation. The proposed research sets out to appraise the English curriculum with a view to assessing its adequacy and the effectiveness of its implementation. The study objectives are: to analyze the course books used to teach English, to examine the methods and resources used in teaching English, to find out the challenges faced in the teaching of English, to establish the level of teacher preparedness to teach English, and to establish the effectiveness of teacher support services in implementing the Primary English curriculum. Data will be collected using questionnaires, classroom observation, and a content analysis guide. The questionnaires will be administered to a population sample of 371 teachers of English, 80 school principals, and 8 curriculum designers. Classroom observation will involve 8 teachers of Grade 5 and Grade 6 classes. The teachers and principals will be sampled from 2 provinces, respectively urban and rural. The information sought will seek their perceptions on aspects of the curriculum content, guidance in the Teacher's Manual, and supervisory support provided to facilitate the implementation process. Classroom observation will focus on the teachers' ability to implement the curriculum methods and to communicate with the pupils. Content analysis will be done on all 6 textbooks - and their Teachers' Manuals - which make up the curriculum. Qualitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics. Quantitative data will be processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), then analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. A check will also be done for correlations between measures of groups of teachers or principals. It is hoped that the findings will provide education authorities with useful insights about the adequacy of the curriculum content and the needs for its effective implementation. The study will also offer itself as an opportunity for the Quality Assurance Board to gain deeper understanding of the benefits of appraisal as a tool for monitoring the efficiency of educational innovations in Burundi.Item Assistive technology as a factor of improving education achievement for students with visual impairment at Kibos secondary school Kisumu county, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2014-10-03) Oira, MaagaThe purpose of the study is to encourage teachers and students to shift from over relying on old technology to new technology that is quick and efficient in acquisition of education. Also to analyze the contribution and role of assistive technology in improving education achievement for students with visual impairment at Kibos special secondary school. The objectives of the study include; to establish the access technology engaged in the teaching of students with visual impairment at secondary school level, identify the kind of technology used in Kenyan secondary schools, examine the criteria used in selecting the best media that suits the student's individual needs, to find out the challenges faced by teachers and students using access technology, determine ways teachers and students with visual impairment cope with the various types of assistive technology and finally, the impact of assistive technology on the education achievement of students with visual impairment. Students in United States and countries like Canada and Australia work independently as they use modem technology to complement them in their academic activities in revision, socialization and sharing in many areas of education. In Kenya, the curriculum and policies guiding technology utilization among students and teachers are lacking. It is even worse among students with visual impairment whose education has been emancipated by technology. Technology used by these students is manual braille through use of bailers, slate and stylus which require to be replaced with efficient technological innovations such as Smart Bailers; computers fitted with assistive technology such as large print access, speech access, Braille access, and scanned material access. Modem technology has a high ability to unlock learning and expand possibilities of students. Assistive technology can be a great equalizer in the sense that for the Braille user, it allows students to provide feedback by producing materials in Braille for personal use and then in print for the teacher, classmates, parents and others who may not be conversant with Braille. The technology gives students with visual impairment the power of storing, retrieving and disseminating information. The study methodology employed is case study and the design is descriptive. The sample size is 40 respondents, comprising 30 form two and three students, eight teachers, a transcriber and a librarian. Methods of data analysis will be Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and will be presented in percentages, graphs, charts, and tables to reflect the findings ofthe studyItem Barriers to effective adoption of ICT in educational• management in public primary schools in Westlands district; Nairobi county, Kenya(2014-07-25) Kimotho, Elizabeth Wairimu; Nderitu, J.ICT refers to a range of technological tools and resources used to communicate, create, disseminate, store and manage information. Technologies include com-puters; internet and broadcasting technologies such as a radio, television set, telephones, CDs and DVDs. The test of an Education system is whether it fulfils its core purpose of equipping young people with the skills they need to develop and secure a livelihood and participate in social, economic and political life.ICT use in education impacts on curriculum development, assessment and in the teacher training sector so that they can respond to an ever-changing technological and digital landscape.ICT should be used to support and enhance the attainment of curriculum objectives and engage pupils in meaningful learning using new tools to help them master key concepts and skills emended in science, social studies, art and other curriculum activities.ICT promotes learner centered learning, maintains the quality of teaching while cutting down on teaching time and makes learning more interesting. It also enhances quick, safe and effective ways of storing and managing data by the administrators and class teachers in relation to enrolments, finances as well as other educational assets. The purpose of the study is to establish the barriers to effective adoption of ICT in educational management in primary schools. In Westlands District, the objectives of the study are to establish the teacher's training levels in ICT, infrastructure and facilities available for ICT application in education, the Head teachers and teacher's attitude towards ICT adoption in education and to establish whether schools have put up measures to address issues related to security and maintenance of infrastructure. The study is based on the constructivist theory which states that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. The study reviews as literature in ICT adoption in Educational Management globally, in Africa, regionally and in Kenya .The study will adopt a descriptive survey design. It will be carried out in Westland's District in Nairobi County. The study population comprises of 27 primary schools. The sample size will comprise of 15 selected schools. The researcher will use stratified and purposive sampling to select five teachers in each of the selected schools giving a total of 75 class teachers and 15 head teachers to participate in the study. The researcher will use an observation checklist as well as administer questionnaires to head teachers and class teachers to collect data on the sampled respondents. The data collected will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science.Item Barriers to parents’ involvement in preschool activities in nyali constituency, Mombasa County, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2016-02) Nyamori, Peninah YvonneParent involvement in education of children leads to higher academic outcomes. It leads to positive effects on children, families and school when schools and parents continuously support and encourage a child’s learning and development. Some parents are often passive participants and rarely take part in making decisions about school programs. The purpose of this study is to establish barriers hindering parents’ involvement in preschool activities. The study will be carried out in Nyali constituency, Mombasa County. The rationale of choosing Nyali constituency is because its residents are of varied cultural backgrounds. In the constituency we find the high and low socioeconomic status groups. The target population is 70 preschools. Stratified random sampling will be used to select 14 preschools. Participants will be a sample size of 90 parents and 20 purposively selected teachers from the 14 preschools. The sample was taken based on a formula. The research study will employ qualitative method. Descriptive research design will be used. Data will be collected by the use of two different Questionnaires. One for the teachers and the other for literate parents. Structured interview guide will be administered on non-literate parents. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) will be utilized to prepare and organize data for analysis. Descriptive analysis will be used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data will be analyzed according to similarities and common themes. The study seeks to establish barriers hindering parents’ participation in preschools.Item Capacity building for teacher effectiveness and students’ performance in public secondary schools in Embu and Tharaka Nithi Counties, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2016) Munyi, Monica WerimbaThe purpose of this study is to assess and critically examine capacity building in relation to teacher effectiveness and students’ performance in public secondary schools in Embu, and Tharaka-Nithi Counties. Capacity building is about complex learning, adaptation and attitudinal change at the individual, group, organizational and even societal levels. People at these levels have to assume new responsibilities and slowly devise new collective solutions to common problems. The review of literature will be done as per objectives and will be based on the concept of capacity building and education, challenges facing capacity building in schools, capacity building and teacher effectiveness, impact of capacity building in secondary schools’ improvement, internal capacity building in sub-saharan Africa. The location of the study will Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties. The study will find out the types of capacity building and teacher effectiveness, determine the challenges faced in capacity building, establish the impact of capacity building to teacher effectiveness in relation to students’ performance and identify the strategies used for improving capacity building for teacher effectiveness and students’ performance. The research will employ a descriptive survey study design. The study will adopt the theory of the Latent Capacity Release Model by Taylor (1995) which influences the activities in an organization like a school. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) will also be used. These are theories of human motivation in the ‘organismic’ or humanistic tradition. A pilot study will be carried out before the actual study. The population will consist of 304 public secondary schools in Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties of which Tharaka Nithi has 134 schools, 134 principals and 2400 teachers while Embu has 170 schools, 170 principals and 1484 teachers making a target population of 4188. The sampling method will be simple random sampling and purposive sampling. The sample size will be 152 principals and 1942 teachers making a total of 2094 respondents. Each category comprises of not less than 30% of the target population. Data collection will be done in phases. The reliability of the instruments will be sought. Data will be obtained and analyzed by use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer package. This will be done as per the objectives. The logistical and ethical consideration, human relations and legal issues will be strictly adhered to. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis will be used to analyze the data collected. Responses from questionnaire will be organized according to pertinent aspects of the study. The findings will be presented through descriptive statistics by use of frequencies, tables, graphs and pie-charts. Further research will be recommended upon finishing this study on capacity building for teacher effectiveness and students’ performance.Item Causes of school dropout among male students in public secondary schools of Embu County Kenya.(Kenyatta University, 2016) Njeri, Ireri DaisyEducation is a very important aspect in the development of a complete human being. This is due to its whole process of empowering individuals in the improvement of their well being. Addi-tionally, it enables them to participate in national building of the country. However, student drop out is a great threat to the benefits of education in the country regardless of the government’s stress on basic education for all the children in the country. In Embu County, the problem is more pronounced among the boys than girls in secondary schools. In the County not all the boys who enroll at form one in secondary school complete this level of education. Hence this study focuses on the factors that are affecting the boy child’s secondary education completion. The objectives of this study are as follows: to interrogate the school based factors that cause boys to drop out of school in Embu County; to examine the family based factors that cause boys to drop out of school in Embu County; to examine the community based factors that cause boys to drop out of school in Embu County; to examine the student issues that cause the boys to drop out of school in Embu County and to examine the strategies used to combat the issue of dropout among boys in secondary schools of Embu County. The study adopted a descriptive survey design to collect the data from a varied range of respondents on the causes of dropout among the boys in secondary schools of Embu County. The target population for this study was the boys and girls attending public secondary schools in Embu County because the girls interact with the boys have the information on the reasons why boys drop out of school. Students who have dropped out, the parents of the students who have dropped out, teachers, head teachers and education standards and quality assurance officers in Embu County were also targeted. The target population was sampled using simple random sampling, purposive sampling and convenient sampling. Random sampling was used to Select 350 students who are in school, 27 teachers and 20 parents of the students in school. Purposive sampling was used to select 19 head teachers and 5 ESQAS and convenient sampling for the15 drop outs and their respective parents. The study employed questionnaires, interview schedule as the research instruments. The collected data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics and organized using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The analyzed data is presented in frequency distribution tables, pie charts, bar graphs and percentages. The study found that the boys were more affected by dropout in the county than the girls. The major causes of dropout were; drug and substances abuse, negative attitude to education by the parents, indiscipline among the students, the socioeconomic activities in the county, peer influence and poverty. As a strategy to curb dropout, the government, parents, the learners and key education stakeholders should all work together in or-der to ensure that the learners complete their education. The study recommends that the govern-ment comes up with policies to ensure that all the school going boys are in school, the govern-ment should increase its funding to secondary schools and ensure that there is equality and fair-ness in terms of the fees that is charged to the students, the education stakeholders, the parents and the religious community should embrace guidance and causing of the boys in and out of school and act as good role models to be emulated by the learnersItem Challenges faced by Teachers in Providing Pre-School Education in Non-formal Pre-Schools in Kibera Slums Nairobi County(2013-12-23) Wairimu, W. B.Pre-school education is significant for successful completion of primary school education and also increases participation. Provision of early cognitive and non-cognitive stimulation to children is therefore essential as it enhances school readiness and improves physical and healthy growth. It reduces engagement in high risk behaviors. Quality of pre-school education especially from demographic groups thatare socially and economically disadvantaged is therefore crucial. The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges experienced by teachers and parents in providing non-formal pre-school education in Kibera slums. The objectives of this study are: to find out the possible challenges faced by pre-school teachers in non-formal pre-school centres in Kibera slums and to find out the ways in which the challenges faced by pre-school teachers in non-formal pre-school centres would be averted. The study will be guided by human capital development theory of Becker (1994). The study will adopt an exploratory research design that will utilize qualitative technique to enable the researcher obtain relevant data from sampled centres and respondents. Thirty non-formal pre-schools will be sampled using purposive technique. This will be 50% of the targeted population of sixty non-formal pre-schools. From each sampled pre-school, one teacher will be purposefully sampled. One non-formal pre-school will be randomly sampled from-the selected pre-schools for focus group discussion. Nine parents will be purposefully sampled from the sampled pre-schooL The instruments to be used in data collection will be questionnaires for teachers and focus group discussion for parents. Classroom observation schedule will also be used. Piloting will be done in one non-formal pre-school that will be randomly sampled within Kibera slums. Data collected by questionnaires, Focus group discussions and observation schedule will be analyzed qualitatively using themes. rItem Challenges in teaching and learning of learners with hearing impairment in an integrated education programme in public schools. a case study of Joseph Kang'ethe primary school in Nairobi county, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2014-10-30) Murunga, Evelyn YabungaIncluding children with hearing impairment in mainstream schools has generated a lot of debate across the globe with many campaigning for the rights of these children to be educated separately in special schools in which they can access information through their most natural first language; Sign Language. The study is necessitated by the fact that pupils with hearing impairment lag behind in academics as compared to their counterparts with visual impairment and physical disabilities on account of their problems in communication, socialization, curriculum adaptations and modifications and above all sign language interpretation. These problems take a more severe form when these students with hearing impairment join higher education. The aim of this study will be to investigate on challenges in teaching of the hearing impaired learners in regular public in Nairobi County, Kenya. The research objectives will be to establish challenges in relation to instruction strategies used to teach learners with hearing impairment, challenges in relation to teacher qualifications, challenges in relation to provision of teaching and learning resources and challenges in relation to the curriculum content for learners with hearing impairment in integrated education programme. This study will adopt a case study design and will target 97 teachers and 167 pupils with hearing impairment in Joseph Kang'ethe, Aga Khan and Race Course public primary schools in Nairobi County. The purposive sampling method under probability sampling will be used to select respondents. The sample size will comprise of the entire population of the school under the study. The main tools of data collection for this study will be questionnaires, interview schedules and observation guide. The researcher will conduct a pilot study from 3 teachers and 2 students who will not be included in the study. The purpose of the pilot study will be to enable the researcher to ascertain the reliability and validity of the instruments. A research permit will be obtained from the school administrator. Thereafter, the office of the District Education Officer will be contacted before the start of the study. After data cleaning, the data will be coded and entered in the computer for analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0. The statistics used will include frequency counts, means and percentages. The results of data analysis will then be presented using frequency distribution tables and bar graphs. Logistical considerations will include pre-field activities, field logistics and post field activities. The ethical considerations will take into account in this study in ensuring that the study remains original in content and design.Item Cognitive characteristics of gifted and talented preschool children in Machakos county, Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2014) Karuri, AliceThe gifted and talented children are characterized by high performance abilities in many fields. Globally, these people have the potential for showing an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression, as noted by United States National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC, 2007: 40). Subsequently, educational systems in any given country, have a duty to find and help in the identification of these gifted and talented children. However, in Kenya, the gifted pre-scholars are normally treated like the average child and often their unique potential, hardly nurtured, and end up as underachievers. This study aims to examine whether giftedness and talentedness can be identified at the pre-school level and develop indicators to help identify cognitive characteristics. The findings are expected to enhance understanding on giftedness among pre-school children and inform educational policies. The study will adopt Dabrowski's Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) which emphasizes emotion and the role emotion plays in personality, intelligence, and behaviour. The review of the related literature clearly establishes major research inadequacy on giftedness in general and limited tools to explain how to identify children who are gifted and talented. This study will employ a descriptive survey design. This study will be done in the pre-schools in Machakos County in Kenya. The area consists of both urban and rural schools, and is a cosmopolitan area. The study will target the gifted and talented pre-school children and teachers. The total number of children and pre-school teachers in the whole division is 21850 and 392 respectively. A combination of sampling frameworks will be used. Stratified sampling will be used. The target schools will be clustered according to rural or urban basis. Purposive sampling procedure to gather information particularly from preschools in Machakos County, an area familiar to the researcher. Simple random sampling will be used to select the actual number of responds, from both girls and boys. A sample size of 30% ofthe schools which will comprise a sample size of 10 schools (5 urban and 5 rural schools) and consequently, 30% of pupils in the 10 schools will be considered. A total of 236 pre-schools from the urban and rural setup will be selected. This will constitute a sample of 279 children and an average of 2 teachers per school adding up to 20 teachers who will participate in the study. The sample population will thus comprise 93 children per school and 2 teachers per school, giving a total of 20 teachers in 10 schools. The study will use two tools namely: questionnaire and observations chart. The research instruments for the primary data will comprise semi-structured standard questionnaires. The instruments will be pre-tested in two schools selected using simple random sampling. Data analysis will be done mainly using descriptive statistics with qualitative methods to address the cognitive components. Findings will be reported in tables and pie charts. The data gathered in this study will be summarized so as to establish the fundamental results.Item Comparison of computer assisted and conventional instruction in secondary school physics in Meru central district-Meru county Kenya(2014-07-30) Kaigai, Joseph Mwangi; Waweru G.; Khatete, D. W.This study will be undertaken to compare computer assisted learning and conventional teaching methods in teaching physics in Kenyan secondary schools. The aim of the research will be to compare the effect of computer assisted learning and conventional teaching strategies on performance in physics and the effect of computer assisted learning on gender achievement in physics. The study will use an experimental design. Secondary school in Meru Central District will constitute the population of the study. The study sample will be made of Form Two students studying physics from six (6) secondary schools in the district. In each school, one class will be an experimental group and the other the control group. The research instruments will comprise of a pre-test and post-tests each of which will comprise ten items. The pre- test will be based on Form One physics to test the general knowledge of the sampled schools in physics. The pre-test will be piloted in three secondary schools within the district; one mixed day school, one boys' county school and one girls' county school, for validity and reliability. The control and experimental groups will be taught by their teachers the topic magnetism under six subtopics; properties of magnets, magnetization, demagnetization, domain theory, uses and storage of magnets and magnetic field patterns for three weeks (eleven (11) lessons of forty (40) minutes each). The experimental group will learn the topic using computer assisted method. They will use computer instructional materials which have been developed by the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE). The control group will be taught using conventional methods by their physics teachers. The tests will then be coded, loaded and then analyzed using a computer program called the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).The data collected during the study will be quantitative which will be summarized and analyzed using inferential statistics such as standard deviations, chi-square and analysis of variance (ANOV A). It will be presented using descriptive statistics such as the mode, mean, median, percentages and frequency distribution.Item Constraints encountered by teachers teaching learners with mathematics difficulties in standard eight, Embu East District, Embu County-Kenya(Kenyatta University, 2014) Mangure, Stephen NgondiThis study aims at investigating constraints that teachers encounter when teaching learners with learning difficulties and interaction during teaching and learning process. Unless, mathematics constraints encountered by teachers are solved with seriousness it deserves, opportunities that would have been available to improve students' performance will not be realized. Although training through INSET, workshop and seminars have been carried out by the Ministry of Education to develop and help teachers achieve in improving mathematics performance, constraints encountered by teachers have not been addressed. In an attempt to respond to this problem, the Kenya mathematics scholars have carried out many studies in mcrtlrer:rnrt1'Cs 'education: Despite these -strrdies,~' -perfoHnarrce remains poor; This means that the main reason for this poor performance has not been established. It also looks at the attitude teachers have towards learners with mathematic difficulties. Mathematics in schools is an issue which needs to be given greater attention by teachers, parents and society at large because it affects the individual child. This recognition of the subject indicates that mathematics is crucial in achieving the objectives of the 8-4-4 system of education. The study objectives are constraints encountered by teachers when teaching mathematics, instructional methods used by teachers when teaching mathematics, perception of teachers towards learners with mathematics difficulties and how teachers use educational resources during learning process. The study will be carried out in Embu East District, Embu County. This st1J~" 'WTlit'fSedescriptive sun'e)'-and-adopr -bothqt'Caiitative-arrd-('fft"antitative approaches. Both will be used to maximize the strengths and minimize the limitation of each. This study as a target population of 67 schools 80 teachers. Purposive sampling will be used to select teachers. Standard eight in this study is used because KCPE is done by this class and many stakeholders are interested with the results. A sample size of28 schools to represent 42% and 28 teachers representing 35% will be used. Tools to be used to gather data are questionnaires. Piloting will be done in one school and in one day. Validity of the research instrument will be done through expert judgment of academic staff from special education department. Reliability will be measured through test -retest technique and reliability coefficient will be calculated using Spearman's Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (RHO). A significance level of O.75-wfHbe-used.FordataccrHectioo~ research permit frem1heMmistry-of -Edueab'On will be acquired through introduction letter from Kenyatta University In terms of quantitative analysis, the data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in form of frequency tables, pie charts, percentages and bar graphs. Qualitative-data will-be analyaed.thematically by categorizing the-data into themes in relation to the opinion, views and perceptions of the respondents. TIns method will be used because it is quick and easy when employed in analyzing questionnaires which are the key instruments in data collection for this study. This data will be first coded and entered in SPSS spread sheet and then screened for errors. Lastly, all logistical and ethical consideration will be considered during the study by briefing the participants involved in the study.Item Constraints of the board of management in management of staff and students personnel in public secondary schools in Gatundu south district, Kiambu County, Kenya(2014-07-23) Nyambura, Leni ElizabethPersonnel and resource management of education institutions affects the academic achievement of learners at a given level of learning. Effectiveness of managers in these institutions to a greater extent determines the success and caliber of the learners. There has been a notion that Boards of Governors have been ineffective in their role performance such as resource management decision making process, teacher recruitment and disciplining of teachers and pupils among other roles. The purpose of this study will be to investigate the constraints of BOM in management of staff and students personnel in public secondary schools in Gatundu District The specific objectives will be to assess the roles of BOM members in management of staff and student personnel, their academic and professional qualifications and their influence on performance, their challenges in management in a bid to come up with ways on how to improve and revitalize the management of staff and students in public secondary schools. A descriptive survey design will be used in the study. The study will target 30 public secondary schools in Gatundu South District. The purposive sampling technique will be used to get specific categories of schools required for the study, In this study a sample will constitute 6 schools out of 30 public schools categorized as boys boarding, girls boarding, and mixed boarding and day schools. The simple random technique will be used to select the schools in each category. From each selected school category the study will select the principal and five members of the BOM who will be selected using the lottery method. Questionnaires will be used as instruments for data collection. The questionnaires will be of 2 categories. The first category will be given to the principals of the selected schools; the second category will be given to the selected BOM members. TIle questionnaires will be pre-tested by using a selected sample similar to the actual sample to test its validity and reliability. The data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics using measures of central tendency (medium, means, and modes), frequencies, and percentiles. The analyzed data will be presented using tables, charts and graphs. The findings of the study will assist policy makers and educational managers to understand and develop appropriate strategies to tackle identified challenges.Item Contribution of Children's Involvement in Housework on Academic Competence in Early Childhood at City Primary School, Nairobi County(2013-12-16) Kulundu, A. E.; Ng'asike, J. T.; Wambiri, G.Early childhood education is now recognized as critical in laying the foundation for holistic development of young children during the formative years. Research in early childhood emphasizes the interplay between the home and the school in enhancing quality holistic experiences in children in the early years. However, the rise in industrialization and technological advancements in modem day society have led to a lot of changes in child rearing practices especially in the urban areas. These changes include: a greater number of mothers seeking employment, absentee fathers, employment of domestic servants in the homes, a more demanding education system and so on. These changes have had tremendous effects on childhood experiences that have all along been significant to the development of children including the participation of children in housework. Participation of children in housework is a traditional practice that has been imperative in the holistic development of school children including academic competences. However, current research does not show whether this practice is still being done, especially in the urban households where the effects of modernity are the greatest. This gap in knowledge is the basis for conducting this study. This is a descriptive survey, whose purpose is to find out whether or not school children in urban households are being involved in housework and how this relates to their academic performance in the school activity areas. Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis will be used during the study. Purposive sampling will be used to select the specific settings and respondents relevant to the study. It will be done among six to eight year old children, parents and teachers at City Primary School, Nairobi County. The sampling frame will be 77 respondents which is 30.08% of the population. Naturalistic observations of the children at home and at school and in-depth interviews and questionnaires will be the primary sources of data. In addition, document analysis, field notes, journals and tape recording will provide additional secondary data. A pilot study will be done among children and patents at Ngara Road primary school, to test the validity and reliability of the instruments. Qualitative analysis procedures will be used to analyze the data collected and the generated theory will be compared to existing theory. This knowledge is likely to inform parents, teachers and policy makers on the role of housework in developing academic competence in early childhood.Item The Critical Thinking Educational Policies And Its Implementation Mismatch In Primary Teacher Education(Kenyatta University, 2016) Mikwa, Paul MatombiThe ultimate goals of education in Kenya is to equip children with quality knowledge and skills to enable then analyse and evaluate issues in life. The schools and colleges being implementers of curriculum are therefore mandated to produce future leaders. , teachers and manpower who can think critically and creatively at every issue to enhance country’s development (Paul1995) The major problem to be addressed in this study is to analyse the perceived mismatch between the documented educational policy on critical and creative thinking and its implementation in the teacher education program in Kenya. Kenya, through her education system and various government policies has expressed her concern about developing critical thinker. However, my observation is that teacher training colleges are neither challenging students to think critically about academic subjects nor helping them develop abilities to deal with problems. As an educator the lack of critical thinking among in-service teachers and student is of personal and professional concern, therefore this has prompted me to investigate the educational policies on critical and creative thinking in Kenya educational system to evaluate its implementation and recommend the way forward.Item Determinants of access and participation in non formal primary schools in Mathare constituency, Nairobi county, Kenya(2014-07-31) Gatwiri, Winnie joy Nkonge; Njihia, M.; Nderitu, J.Despite introduction of Free Primary Education in Kenya to aid access to primary education, studies reveal that majority of children from poor backgrounds and marginalized areas are out of school. Consequently, Non Formal Primary Schools have emerged as alternative institutions of providing primary education to those who cannot access formal primary schools. This study seeks to find out why more than 50% of primary school age children in Mathare remain not enrolled in Non Formal primary schools through establishing the determinants of access and participation in Non Formal primary schools in Mathare constituency. Key objectives for the study are: analyze access trends in Non Formal primary schools; identify factors influencing participation in Non Formal primary schools; establish factors that influence dropout rates in Non Formal primary schools and find out factors influencing promotion and repetition rates in Non Formal primary schools. This study adopts the Classical Liberal theory and Social Darwinism theory. Literature has been reviewed along the following themes; examination of equity in education, inequity in access to formal primary education, access to education in slums, and inclusive and equitable primary education. Descriptive survey design will be used in the research. The key variables for the study include independent and dependent variables. The locale of the study will be Mathare Constituency in Nairobi County. Study population is Non Formal primary schools head teachers (58), teachers (604) and pupils (18,000). Sample size will comprise head teachers (12) and teachers (60). Further, Tables for determining sample sizes for a given population will be used to obtain (317) pupils as the sample size. Data collection instruments include questionnaires and observation schedules. Questionnaires will collect data from head teachers, teachers and pupils. Observation schedules will be used to collect data on status of Non Formal primary schools environment. The face and content validity of research instruments will be determined by experts in the area of planning education while the reliability of research instruments will be determined through Test-retest method. The researcher will personally administer the questionnaires to the study respondents and fill in the observation schedules. Data will be analyzed through thematic and descriptive statistics where the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) will be used. The findings of the study will be presented in tables of frequency distributions, percentages, pie charts and graphs.Item Determinants of hand washing practices among pupils in primary schools in central division, Machakos county, Kenya(2014-07-30) Mbola, Ruth M.; Otiende, J.E.Hands are the primary mode of transmission of many infectious diseases particularly in the school set up. It has been demonstrated that appropriate hand washing can effectively cut down upper respiratory infection and diarrhoea rates among children. Even though the strategy has been found to be effective, there are factors which have been found to hinder its adherence in the school set up. The purpose of this study is to establish the factors influencing hand washing practices among pupils in primary schools in Central Division in Machakos County. The study will be guided by the following specific objectives:l) to establish the status of hand washing practices among pupils in primary schools, 2) to find out the availability of hand washing facilities and resources influences hand washing practices among pupils, 3) to determine the effect of awareness on the hand washing practices among pupils, 4) to assess the effect of family factors on hand washing practices among pupils and 5) to recommend on the ways of improving hand washing practices among pupils in primary schools in Kenya. Descriptive survey design will be used for the study. The study will be carried out in public primary schools in Central division in Machakos County. The target population for the study will be pupils, parents, teachers and head teachers. Simple random sampling technique will be used to sample pupils and teachers while purposive sampling technique will be used to sample head teachers and parents. Only parent representing standard six and standard seven students will be targeted by the study as they are perceived to be squinted with the information on how pupils fair on in school and at home. The study will be carried out in 6 primary schools which will be randomly sampled from the 60 primary schools in the division. A total of 186 respondents will be targeted by the study (this will constitute 144 pupils, 12 parents, 24 teachers and 6 head teachers). To sample pupils, the researcher will randomly sample between 6-12 from standard six and another 6-12 in standard seven in every school. Questionnaires, interview schedules, focused group discussions and observation checklist will be used as instruments for data collection. Piloting will be done to test on the validity and reliability of the study instruments. Primary data from the field will be edited and coded. Quantitative data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics while content analysis techniques will be used to analyze qualitative data collected using interview schedules. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) package will be used to analyze the quantitative data. Descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages will be used to describe the data. The analyzed data will be presented in form of tables, pie-charts and bar-graphs where applicable.