Theses & Desertations

INTEGRATION OF ICT IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN TVET INSTITUTIONS IN THE MECHANICAL AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY

2025-05-22T08:01:09Z

INTEGRATION OF ICT IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN TVET INSTITUTIONS IN THE MECHANICAL AND AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY NDIWA, MERCY CHEROTICH The study focused on integration of ICT in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. Mechanical and Automotive Engineering departments were selected because of their high student population in the two sampled institutions hence it was more representative of the whole population. The Eldoret National Polytechnic and Rift Valley Technical Training Institute were selected in this study because the two institutions have the highest number of trainees in the departments of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering in the County. The objectives of this study were to: to determine the influence of human factors, pedagogic factors, curriculum factors, availability of ICT infrastructure, leadership factors and institutional policy factors on integration of ICT in teaching and learning. The study employed the Rodgers theory of Diffusion of innovation (2003). The study used both quantitative and qualitative research. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data. The target population consisted of members of governing body, trainees, trainers, ICT technicians, the Heads of Department, and the principals of the selected TVET institutions. The sample size for the trainees was 384 which was calculated by fisher’s formula and was selected using the simple random sampling same as trainers while purposive sampling was used to select technicians, administrators and the members of governing body. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and MS Excel software. The findings of the study reveal the following ; 76.47% of trainers have Certificate Proficiency packages in ICT, 27.45% of trainers affirmed that ICT training at their former training institution has been helpful, 15.69% had in service training, 32.50% of the male trainers use ICT in teaching while 81.81% of female trainers don’t make use of ICT, 87.50% of trainers with a working experience of less than 5 years embraced use of ICT in teaching., also 35.29% of trainers use ICT-appropriate teaching methods, 31.37% were pedagogically ready to integrate ICT in teaching, 43.14% had an average of 6 hours daily of which its quite strenuous. All the respondents noted the inadequacy in ICT infrastructure.70.59% of trainers were not aware of the existence of an ICT policy. The study concluded that: few of the trainers had effective basic ICT training, ICT training in their former training institutions were not so effective, more male trainers integrated ICT in teaching than their female counterparts and also less experienced trainers utilized ICT for teaching. Most trainers admitted that they are not pedagogically ready to use ICT in teaching. In addition, ICT resources are inadequate, and trainers Lacked support from the administration. The study recommends regular in-service training for trainers and technicians, reduction of trainer’s workload, provision of computer resources to trainers, trainer motivation, provision for more ICT technicians to provide technical support for trainers in the use of ICTs, and inclusion of all stakeholders in the policy making and reviewing process

EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR SCHOOL REFUSAL BEHAVIOR AMONG PUPILS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS, IN KEIYO NORTH SUB-COUNTY, ELGEYO MARAKWET COUNTY, KENYA

2025-05-22T07:53:42Z

EFFECTIVENESS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS FOR SCHOOL REFUSAL BEHAVIOR AMONG PUPILS IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS, IN KEIYO NORTH SUB-COUNTY, ELGEYO MARAKWET COUNTY, KENYA TOROITICH, PAMELLA JEMUTAI In spite of the many efforts by parents, teachers and counselors to curb school refusal behaviour, there is much evidence that the problem has persisted. The objectives of the current study were; to determine the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions for school refusal behaviour among pupils in public primary schools in Keiyo North subcounty, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The study's objectives were to determine the effectiveness of cognitive, behavioral, clinical, guidance, and counseling intervention strategies for school refusal behavior among pupils in public primary schools in Keiyo North sub-county, Elgeiyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The study was based on positivism philosophy, which relies on hypothetical relationships and employed Hirschi's Control Theory. The theory posits that strong affiliations mitigate the inclination toward disruptive behavior. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design, using the survey to collect data. The targeted population was class 7 and 8 pupils in public primary schools who were absent from school or class for at least 10% or more days in their previous academic year. They were identified with the assistance of their previous class teachers. Keiyo North Sub-county has 5806 pupils in classes 7 and 8. Purposive sampling was used to select the public primary schools that participated in the research. Gill and Johnson (2010) sample size determination table was used to calculate the sample size, and a sample of 357 learners was derived. Four schools were used for piloting and did not participate in the actual research. Data was collected using pupils' questionnaires and document analysis, which included attendance registers, records from guidance and counselling departments, and discipline books. To determine the validity of the research instrument, piloting, correlation analysis, and consultation with supervisors who are experts was done. Cronbach alpha was used to ascertain the instruments' reliability, resulting in an alpha value of 0.7. This was considered high enough and thus accepted and used. Data from questionnaires was validated, coded, tabulated, and then analyzed with the help of the SPSS computer package of social science version 23. Descriptive statistics were charts and percentages that assisted in presenting demographic data, and inferential statistics (chi-square) was used to determine the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Findings from this study showed a relationship between the effectiveness of cognitive, behavioral, clinical, guidance, and counseling and school refusal intervention strategies used by primary school teachers to treat school refusal behavior. It was concluded that the psychosocial support given to school refusers is not fully utilized. The study recommends that trained school counselors should be posted to primary schools to ensure functional guidance and counseling, and also, a positive school environment should be highly maintained by all stakeholders to foster a strong bond with the school. Additionally, a longitudinal study on psychosocial interventions for school refusal behavior should be carried out in other parts of Kenya for comparison.

INFLUENCE OF OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDERS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TURKANA WEST SUB- COUNTY, KENYA

2025-04-15T06:30:03Z

INFLUENCE OF OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDERS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TURKANA WEST SUB- COUNTY, KENYA EROT, EKAL WYCLIFFE Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is multiplicity of dysfunctional behaviours exhibited by students who are not conforming to the societal norms, morals and code of ethics. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of ODD on academic performance among the secondary school students in Turkana West -Sub County, Kenya. The study was supported by Instinct Theory of Aggression that explains the sources of students’ oppositional defiant behaviours, that originate from Eros and Thanatos The study aimed to achieve the following study objectives (i) To determine the causes of ODD among secondary school students in Turkana West Sub County (ii) To Investigate the influence of ODD on academic performance in Turkana West Sub County (iii) To Examine the intervention measures for ODD students. The research questions based on the specific objectives were; What were the causes of ODD among the secondary school students? What influence does ODD have on academic performance? What are intervention measures for ODD students? The study employed mixed method approach, where the qualitative data collected was analysed descriptively using Mean and Standard Deviation and the Quantitative data collected was analysed quantitatively using Linear Regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation through the aid of SPSS software application (version 21). The target population were the students, teachers, MoEST and parent. The Sample size determination was arrived at using Yamane Taro formulae. Simple random, convenience and purposive sampling were used to select the respondents in the study. The findings of the study revealed that poor caring environment, poor socio-economic background, poor relation between students and teachers and peer pressure was the leading ODD causes. The study indicated a significant moderate negative correlation between ODD manifestation and performance at r (55) = -.55, p <. 001.This implies that increase in ODD manifestation led to a decline in academic performance. The study recommended the following; Turkana West Sub county ministry of Education Office to adopt new policies and curriculum to improve on academic performance of ODD, Guidance and Counselling sections to be empowered and strengthened in Secondary Schools where each student single criterion behaviour will be assessed, diagnosed and determined, Parents to use home-base positive modalities to discipline their children, contractive punishment can be adopted, talking to and guiding them towards right direction .The study also recommend Academic tour exchange programmes for students through visiting the best national performing schools and symposiums bench marking

PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF SUICIDE IDEATION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN NYANZA REGION, KENYA

2025-04-08T12:13:10Z

PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF SUICIDE IDEATION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN NYANZA REGION, KENYA ODHIAMBO, WINNIE AWUOR Cases of completed suicide have been on the rise especially among the university students in the recent past. The focus of this research work was to look at the prevalence and correlates of suicide ideation among the university students in Nyanza region with an aim of preventing the ideation from reaching suicidal attempt and completed suicide. The study was guided by the following objectives; To determine the prevalence of suicide ideation among university students in Nyanza region, to compare the prevalence of suicide ideation in relation to university and year of study, to determine gender and age differences in relation to suicide ideation, to examine the correlates of suicide ideation and finally to determine how the correlates vary among individual universities. The study was justified by the fact that early detection of suicide ideation can help in reducing the cases of suicide in universities. The study was based on the Three Step Theory of Suicide (3ST) by Klonsky, May and Saffer. The study was guided by pragmatism philosophical assumption. Correlational research design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to select four public universities from Nyanza region. Stratified sampling was used to select undergraduate students and thereafter simple random sampling was used to select 1477 students from the four universities with the guidance of sample size table developed by Cohen, Manion and Morrison. Data was collected using student questionnaire, interview schedule as well as existing counseling records and data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V20). Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used and the quantitative data was analyzed using chi square, linear regression and ANOVA at .05 level of significance while the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study findings indicated that suicide ideation is prevalent among university students (23.6%) in Nyanza region. The prevalence differs depending on the university (x2=p<.05) but the prevalence was not related to the year of study (p>.05). There was gender difference in relation to suicide ideation with female students being more ideators (x2=p<.05), however suicide ideation was not related to age of the student (p>0.05). The linear regression result indicated that sexual abuse, romantic break up, alcohol addiction, HIV/AIDS, elections and cyber suicide are predictors of suicide ideation while financial crisis and Covid 19 are not predictors of suicide ideation. The ANOVA values indicated that there is variation in sexual abuse, romantic breakup, Covid 19, alcohol addiction, HIV/AIDS, election and cyber suicide depending on the university while there was no variation in financial crisis experience.The study recommends that university counselling department should create more awareness on the issue of suicide, its effects and how students can cope with day to day challenges so as to prevent suicidal thoughts. The study also recommends increase in the number of university counsellors to cater for the needs of the university students

THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG STUDENT MOTHERS IN KENYAN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KIMILILI SUB-COUNTY, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA

2025-04-08T12:06:03Z

THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG STUDENT MOTHERS IN KENYAN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KIMILILI SUB-COUNTY, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA WASIKE, ANNE NABALAYO The global community has acknowledged adolescent pregnancies as a pressing issue. The adolescent mother, her unborn child and the infant all suffer emotionally when the teen is pregnant and does not have family support. In addition, it makes it less likely that a student mother would return to school or finish what she started. Teenage pregnancy in Kenya is a major barrier to girls' access to and completion of secondary school. Finding out how moms-to-be at public secondary schools in Kenya's Kimilili Sub-County, Bungoma County, deal with stress was the primary motivation for this research. The study set out to accomplish several specific goals. Firstly, it aimed to determine the level of stress among student mothers in public secondary schools in Kimilili Sub-County, Bungoma County, Kenya. Secondly, it sought to understand how counselling and social support affected stress management among these mothers. Lastly, it sought to understand how spiritual intervention affected stress management in these young mothers. Psychological Reality Theory on Maladaptive Behavior by William Glasser served as the guiding principle for this investigation. The research strategy used in the study was a cross-sectional exploratory one. The pragmatist paradigm was used in the study. Female students enrolled in public secondary schools in the Kimilili Sub-County of Bungoma County, Kenya, namely those in Forms 3 and 4, were the intended respondents. Additionally, 23 school Chaplains and Guidance and Counselling teachers were included in the study. The sample size was determined using the sample size formula published by Krejcie & Morgan, 1970. The participants included 381 female students from both mixed and girls' schools, 19 instructors of guidance and counselling, and 19 school chaplains. A purposive sampling technique was used in the investigation. To collect quantitative data, we utilized interview guides, and to get qualitative data, we employed questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the data collecting instruments were tested in a pilot study using Cronbach's alpha. Instrumental dependability is enhanced when the value is larger than 0.82. The SPSS software, version 23, was used for both descriptive and inferential statistics. A Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient (r) was used for inferential statistics, while percentages, standard deviations, and averages were used for descriptive statistics. The results of the study showed that student mothers experience significant positive high levels of stress (r=0.702, p< 0.000). The management of stress was positively and significantly impacted by counselling (r=0.836, p<0.000). In addition, a small but substantial positive correlation (r=0.374, p<0.000) exists between the impact of social support and stress management. Last but not least, a strong positive correlation (r=0.659, p<0.000) was found between the impact of spiritual intervention and stress management. Students' ability to cope with stress was shown to be significantly impacted by factors such as the prevalence of stress, access to counselling, social support, spiritual intervention and provision of social support in the Kimilili sub-county, Kenya, where the study was conducted. Therefore, the study suggests that schools should make counselling services more accessible and emphasize them so that student moms may better manage their stress. Furthermore, in order to reduce the stress that student mothers experience, it is imperative that school and church leaders, as well as parents and guardians, provide comprehensive sex education. The study goes on to suggest that researchers look at the causes of teen pregnancies in the area and whether there are any particular counselling techniques that help student mothers deal with stress.

INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON SELF- CONCEPT AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA

2025-04-02T07:31:11Z

INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON SELF- CONCEPT AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA AMGECHI, LYDIAH OSIDE Technological advances have been said to reduce the world into a global village thereby easing communication. By virtue of these, an online social community via the social media or Social Networking Sites (SNSs) has been birthed out. With the penetration of internet globally, billions of people are able to interact regardless of their location, race, gender or age. Young people (teenagers/adolescents) have particularly been observed to be very active on social media. The interactions and activities they engage in on social media can have either positive or negative influence on their self-concept and their social behaviour. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of social media use on the selfconcept and social behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to establish the popular social media platforms among adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, to investigate ways in which adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County access and use social media platforms, to determine the influence of social media use on the self-concept of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, and to examine the influence of social media use on the social behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County. The study was modelled on Carl Roger’s humanistic theory of personality, which posits that the experiences that one encounters in their life and how one interprets them do influence the self. Mixed methods research design was employed for the study. The target population for this study was 11,525 secondary school students and 50 teachers. The sample size was arrived at by applying stratified random sampling to select 25 schools from a total population of 246 secondary schools in the county. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to sample adolescents active on social media; n=375 and 2 teachers from each of the selected schools, thus totalling to 50 teachers to participate in the study. A questionnaire, interview schedules and focus group discussions were used for data collection. The instruments were tested for construct, content and face validity. Their reliability was ascertained through the test retest method. Data collected was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively and expressed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, ANOVA tests and Pearson correlation tests at < 0.01 significance level, to describe the characteristics of the sample population and presented in tables. Qualitative data got analysed by classifying responses in respect to their strength and priority to do thematic analysis. Data coding, entry and analysis was aided by SPSS software version 26. The study found out that social media was popular among adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, with 94.1% being familiar and active on it. There was a significant relationship between social media use and self-concept at ρ=0.409 p-value<0.01, however, the aspects of purpose of using social media, frequency of use and time spent on the platforms negatively correlated with the self-concept of adolescents. Social behaviour correlated positively with social media use at ρ=0.309 p-value <0.01. There was no significant relationship (ρ=0.071p-value <0.01) between social behaviour and purpose of using social media. However, frequency of use and time spent on the platforms negatively correlated with social behaviour. The study concluded that social media was a popular agent of socialization in the digital age and its consumption influenced the self-concept and the social behaviour of adolescents. The study also recommends vigilance on the part of stakeholders concerning the risks involved with social media use by adolescents.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-CONCEPT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NYERI COUNTY, KENYA

2024-02-28T12:34:01Z

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-CONCEPT AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NYERI COUNTY, KENYA MWANGI, LUCY WANJIRA Despite the use of appropriate teaching and learning approaches and the government investing resources to promote quality education, there is a continuous record of poor academic performance among students in National Examinations in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between self-concept and academic performance among secondary school students. The objectives of the study were to establish the relationship between Self Esteem, Self-Motivation, self-efficacy and academic performance. The study was anchored on The Marsh/Shavelson model self-concept. The study employed Ex-post facto research design. The study targeted students from public secondary schools in Nyeri County, Kenya. Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula was used to calculate the sample size of the students while Purposive sampling was used to select 25 teacher counselors. Data was collected using questionnaires, interview schedules and document analysis. Data from the questionnaire was first subjected to preliminary processing through validation, coding and tabulation in readiness for analysis with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to analyze data. Descriptive statistics was presented using frequencies, percentages and means. Correlation analysis was done to determine relationship that exists between the independent and dependent variables. Additionally, regression analysis was employed to determine the extent to which each variable explained student’s academic performance. Qualitative data was transcribed, thematically classified, arranged and reported in narrations and quotations in line with research objectives. Major findings from the study indicated that there was a significant positive correlations between Self-esteem (r = .800; p = .000), self-motivation (r = .732; p = .000), self-efficacy (r = .886; p = .000) and students’ academic performance. This implied that there was significant relationship between self-concept and students’ academic performance. The study concluded that Self-esteem, self-efficacy, Self-motivation and affected students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Nyeri County. This study therefore recommended that there is a need to promote self-esteem through group discussions and celebratory events, providing motivational support through real-life examples and inspirational materials, establishing peer support networks, and conducting teacher training on constructive feedback and inclusivity. Additionally, schools should design tasks that emphasize effort-based success, introducing mentorship programs, incorporating emotional well-being activities into the curriculum, and engaging parents in nurturing these qualities at home through workshops and ongoing communication with educators. The study findings will be of significance to educators to understand the level of self-concept among students in secondary schools in order to employ an effective approach during the teaching and learning process.

EFFECTS OF STUDENT’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS BIOLOGY PRACTICAL WORK ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN TURBO SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

2024-01-25T07:39:18Z

EFFECTS OF STUDENT’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS BIOLOGY PRACTICAL WORK ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN TURBO SUB-COUNTY, KENYA SANG, IRENE CHEMUTAI In the last few years, there has been a concerning decline in the performance of students in biology, leading to concerns about their ability to access courses that require satisfactory grades in the subject. Therefore the current study sought to investigate the relationship between students' attitudes towards biology practical work and their academic performance in biology practical tests. The research was conducted in Turbo sub County in Kenya targeting biology teachers and biology students. A total of 23 biology teachers were purposively sampled and 245 students randomly selected in the schools. The data were collected using mixed method approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative data collection. The data collection tools were questionnaires, interview and administering biology practical test to students to determine their performance. The data were subjected to various statistical test including one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), t test and Chi-square test. The findings revealed a significant associations between different attitudes towards biology practical work and academic performance (P<0.05). In terms of relationship between gender and attitudes towards biology practical work, female students demonstrated a higher inclination towards expressing positive attitudes compared to male students. Notably, school categories based on gender, ownership and administrative/academic characteristic demonstrated distinct attitudes and performance patterns. Femaless' schools had higher academic performance compared to boys' schools in the biology practical test, as well as in the overall Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results for the year 2022. Private schools had higher percentages of students feeling encouraged and challenged to improve their performance but reported higher levels of test anxiety and technicality compared to public schools. Practical test performance varied significantly across the school categories based on administrative/academic characteristic, with Extra-county schools showing the highest mean performance (9.23±1.2), followed by County schools (6.88±0.9), and Sub-county schools with the lowest mean performance (4.32±0.6). These findings emphasize the need for targeted strategies to address attitudes and foster a conducive learning environment, ultimately improving overall academic performance in biology. Policymakers and educators can utilize these insights to implement effective interventions and support students in their biology education journey, paving the way for better educational outcomes.

PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AMONG ADOLESCENT STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

2023-10-26T09:49:10Z

PSYCHO-SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS AMONG ADOLESCENT STUDENTS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA WANGILA, CAROLINE The need to investigate the psychosocial and behavioural interventions among adolescent students in public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County was the basis for this study. This study sought to investigate the psychosocial and behavioural interventions among adolescent students in public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the psychosocial interventions on adolescent students in public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County; to establish the behavioural interventions on adolescent students in public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County; and to assess the challengesof the interventions on the adolescent students in public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County. The theoretical frame-work used in this study was the Social Cognitive Theory that considers the unique way in which individuals acquire and maintain behaviour which considers the social environment of an individual. The study applied mixed methods research design which combined elements of qualitative and research approaches for the broad purposes of breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration. The target population consisted of public secondary schools in Trans-Nzoia County. The sample for the study was identified by using convenience and stratified random sampling techniques. The sample size was 116 schools worked through Nassiuma (2000) formula. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, document analysis, interviews and observation schedule. The study adopted descriptive which included frequency distribution, central tendency, variability/dispersion and inferential data analysis which included hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, regression analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test. The conclusions of this study are that both psycho-social and behavioural interventions had a substantial impact on the adolescent students in public secondary schools. It was also clear that adolescent students face obstacles such as low self-esteem, stress, bullying and addiction. The study also indicated that the use of new technology into both psycho-social and behavioural interventions is required. Therecommendations of the study were that psycho-social interventions as well as behavioural interventions affect adolescent student development. The major finding of the study is that psycho-social and behavioural interventions play a key role in the holistic formation of adolescent students in terms of behavioural, cognitive, psycho-dynamic, humanistic, systematic, motivational, disease and social and environmental management.

INFLUENCE OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ON PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRES IN WEST POKOT COUNTY, KENYA

2021-08-17T11:51:30Z

INFLUENCE OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ON PROVISION OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRES IN WEST POKOT COUNTY, KENYA CHEPKONGA, MILDRED CHEPKITE International organizations such as UNICEF and UNESCO are stressing the importance of providing quality early childhood education and care to all children, not only for those from less-advantaged backgrounds but for all children. However, statistics from West Pokot County show that learners’ level of literacy and numeracy skills is low and this has largely been due to learning environment. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of learning environment on provision of quality education in public ECDE centres in West Pokot County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were; to investigate the influence of learning facilities on provision of quality education in public ECDE centres, to establish the influence of indoor learning environment on provision of quality education in public ECDE centres, to determine the influence of instructional learning resources on provision of quality education in public ECDE centres and to assess the influence of outdoor classroom environment on provision of quality education in public ECDE centres in West Pokot County, Kenya. The study was guided by constructivism theory which proposes that for quality learning to be achieved, the learning environment in classroom should be conducive for pupils. The study methodology incorporated qualitative and quantitative methods of research. This study took pragmatism as its philosophical paradigm. The study used a descriptive survey research design. The target population for the research involved 365 head teachers, 682 teachers and 4 early childhood education field officers. The sample size for the study was arrived at by taking 10-30% of the target population to act as the sample size that is 10% for head teachers and 30% for ECDE teachers. Non-probability purposive method of sampling was used to select DICECE officers while head teachers and ECDE teachers were selected through use of probability proportionate stratified random sampling method. The research instruments used were; questionnaires, interview guides and observation checklists. All research instruments were tested for content validity and test retest technique for reliability. Data collected were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation and Pearson correlations testing at 0.01 (99%) significant level. Statistical Package for Social Science (Version 20.0) helped in coding, entry and analysis. Qualitative data was analysed using content analysis method. Analysed data was presented in tables and narrations. The study found out that provision of quality education was at average level (M=2.87 and SD=1.13). There existed significant relationship between learning facilities, indoor classroom environment setting, learning resources and outdoor learning environment and provision of quality education. The study concluded that learning environment was critical factor influencing provision of quality education for ECDE pupils in West Pokot County public centres. The study recommends that a stakeholder approach (involvement of teachers, parents and head teachers) should be utilised to ensure that learning environment in ECDE classroom is safe and secure. Teachers need to improvise locally available materials to improve on classroom learning environment. It is expected that the results of the study will be beneficial to stakeholders in early childhood education.