Disciplinary Problems and Modes of Punishment used against Transgressions of upper Primary Learners in Schools for the Hearing Impaired in Vihiga County, Kenya.

Academic achievement largely depends on the students’ discipline among other factors in any institution of learning. Studies show that indiscipline students perform poorly in both internal and external examinations including KCPE performance. Hearing impaired students, studies suggest, perform poorly because they display more behavior problems. For instance, there were poor examination results in both internal and national KCPE exams results for the year’s 2007and 2008 in primary schools for the hearing impaired in Vihiga County. This was attributed to high indiscipline cases (over 60%) as reflected in the school internal discipline records. The present study investigated disciplinary problems that existed and modes of punishment used to manage discipline problems in schools for the hearing impaired in Vihiga County. The main objective and research question of this study was to find out the common disciplinary problems that existed and modes of punishment used in schools for the hearing impaired. It was assumed that hearing impaired learners had similar discipline problems to the hearing learners. Descriptive survey design method was used and four schools for the hearing impaired were selected with a study population of 215 learners and 45 teachers to participate in the study. Saturated sampling technique was used to select the study population cited. Six learners and 4 teachers participated in the pilot study while 60 learners and 41 teachers participated in the main study. Questionnaires for teachers and learners were used to collect data which was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study established that the most commonly displayed behavior problems included fighting, stealing, bullying, truancy among others while modes of punishment used included cleaning of rooms, withdrawal of privileges, digging, canning, reprimands and time-outs. The study concluded that teachers used both friendly and non physical punitive methods of punishment as well as non punitive strategies such as guidance, counseling and reinforcement to maintain discipline. These findings may be useful to the area of special Needs Education and the Ministry of Education in revising school discipline procedures. The researcher recommended that teachers should use those modes of punishment that are friendly and non punitive strategies. Alsothis study recommended that a study to be carried out to find out the impact of hearing impairments on behavior problems and poor academic performance among hearing impaired learners in Kenya. Key words: Behavior problems, Hearing impairments, Transgressions, special needs education

The Relationship Between Coping Style and School Adjustment Amongst Secondary School Students in Kisumu East Subcounty, Kenya

The objectives of the study were to: establish gender differences in coping style; to establish differences amongst high and low achievers in their use of coping style and to determine the relationship between coping style and school adjustment. The study was guided, by Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional theory, and Utretcht Work Engagement theory by Schaufeli and Bakker A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The study population consisted of 4500 students. A sample size of 450 was selected using Stratified random sampling technique. Questionnaires and document analysis guide were used for data collection. Reliability was computed using Cronbach’s alpha and the results were as follows:- 0.6 for coping style 0.8 for school engagement and 0.7 for satisfaction with school. Content validity was ascertained in literature by the author. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics. It was found that there were no gender differences in coping style used. Low achievers reported more use of problem focused coping style. There were significant positive correlations between problem focused coping style and absorption as well as engagement. There were significant negative correlations between emotion focused coping and school adjustment among high achievers. The study may be useful to teachers, counselors, administrators and parents who will be able to assist students use appropriate coping styles

Sero-epidemiological evaluation of changes in Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax transmission patterns over the rainy season in Cambodia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Cambodia, malaria transmission is low and most cases occur in forested areas. Sero-epidemiological techniques can be used to identify both areas of ongoing transmission and high-risk groups to be targeted by control interventions. This study utilizes repeated cross-sectional data to assess the risk of being malaria sero-positive at two consecutive time points during the rainy season and investigates who is most likely to sero-convert over the transmission season.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 2005, two cross-sectional surveys, one in the middle and the other at the end of the malaria transmission season, were carried out in two ecologically distinct regions in Cambodia. Parasitological and serological data were collected in four districts. Antibodies to <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>Glutamate Rich Protein (GLURP) and <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>Merozoite Surface Protein-1₁₉(MSP-1₁₉) were detected using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The force of infection was estimated using a simple catalytic model fitted using maximum likelihood methods. Risks for sero-converting during the rainy season were analysed using the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 804 individuals participating in both surveys were analysed. The overall parasite prevalence was low (4.6% and 2.0% for <it>P. falciparum </it>and 7.9% and 6.0% for <it>P. vivax </it>in August and November respectively). <it>P. falciparum </it>force of infection was higher in the eastern region and increased between August and November, whilst <it>P. vivax </it>force of infection was higher in the western region and remained similar in both surveys. In the western region, malaria transmission changed very little across the season (for both species). CART analysis for <it>P. falciparum </it>in the east highlighted age, ethnicity, village of residence and forest work as important predictors for malaria exposure during the rainy season. Adults were more likely to increase their antibody responses to <it>P. falciparum </it>during the transmission season than children, whilst members of the Charay ethnic group demonstrated the largest increases.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>In areas of low transmission intensity, such as in Cambodia, the analysis of longitudinal serological data enables a sensitive evaluation of transmission dynamics. Consecutive serological surveys allow an insight into spatio-temporal patterns of malaria transmission. The use of CART enabled multiple interactions to be accounted for simultaneously and permitted risk factors for exposure to be clearly identified.</p