Teachers’ Perceptions on ICT Integration in Secondary Schools in Tinderet Sub-County

Despite rapid growth in ICT access by teachers and students both at home and school, and substantially improved school ICT infrastructure most teachers are not keen in adapting and using ICT tools during teaching and learning. This paper sought to establish teachers’ perception on ICT integration in secondary schools in Tindiret Sub-County. The study adopted descriptive survey design since it allows the use of both qualitative and quantitative data, hence suitable in obtaining the perception of teachers on integration of ICT in secondary schools. The study was conducted in Tinderet Sub-county. The study targeted all the 23 public secondary schools, all principals and all the heads of department in Tinderet Sub-county. The sampling procedures used are stratified sampling and simple random sample. The sample therefore consisted of 4 (57%) boarding schools, 3 (50%) day and boarding and 7 (70%) day schools which were randomly selected. All the 14 principals of the sampled schools were selected using purposive sampling method and the 5 Heads of Departments (H.O. D’s) from each school selected using simple random sample were used as the main informants. Questionnaire, interviews and observation schedule was used as the data collection instruments. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while data from the interviews were summarized and presented in form of statements. The overall perception of teachers towards ICT integration is negative. The perception displayed by teachers has been influenced by their low competence in ICT skills since majority said that they are not confident working with ICT technology in class since lack of confidence or know-how on how to handle the different ICTs media would make both students and teachers shun ICTs in training or learning. Key words: Teachers’ perception, ICT integration, Secondary schools, Tindire

A Critical Analysis of the Effectiveness in Implementation of Health and Safety Services in Kenya Prepreschools

Children need to grow up in a free from violence environment. They should live in safe neighborhood and attend nurturing preschools that provide them with services and support that they need to thrive in learning. Preschools are sanctuaries for learning and teaching. Some of the challenges that affect health and safety in preschools include administrators’ and teachers’ knowledge on health and safety policy, school compound, First Aid supplies, condition of play equipments and materials. The objectives of this study included examining effects of administrators’ and teachers’ knowledge on health and safety services in preschools in Kenya; establishing the relationship between school compound and health and safety in preschools in Kenya; determining how First Aid supplies affect health and safety in preschools in Kenya;   to establish whether there is a relationship between play equipment and materials with health and safety in preschools in Kenya. The research method used was content analysis method which evaluated words or phrases within a range of texts that is related to health and safety of children. Recommendations included forming a risk assessment committee in preschools who should be monitoring health and safety within the schools, preschools and health committees should be inducted on their roles to ensure procurement of health and safety equipments, use of repair and maintenance of funds to facilitate repairs in the preschools and also source fund from Non Governmental Organization, and having a community advisory committee who will be in charge of health and safety in the community. A room for First Aid should be allocated in every preschool where First Aid kit and first supplies are kept in accessible place. Keywords: Health, safety, preschool, Kenya

INFLUENCE OF SCHOOL RESOURCES ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED LEARNERS IN INTEGRATED PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN BARINGO COUNTY, KENYA

Despite the provision of school resources by Kenyan government through the Ministry of Education, there has been an outcry from stakeholders owing to dismal performance among Visually Impaired Learners at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination in Marigat and Kabartonjo Sub-Counties. The purpose of this study was to establish the extent to which school resources influence academic performance of visually impaired learners in integrated primary schools in Baringo County. The study adopted mixed methods methodology where data was collected by use of questionnaires, interview, and observation guides to obtain both quantitative and qualitatively data, respectively. The target population involved501 participants comprising 2 head teachers, 68 regular teachers, 49 VI learners, 380 sighted learners and 2 Educational Assessment Resource Centers (EARC) officers. From this population, a total sample of298 participants was drawn. Simple random sampling technique was used to draw 59 regular teachers, 191 sighted learners and 44 VI learners, while 2 EARC officers and 2 head teachers were purposively sampled. Data was collected using questionnaires for teachers and sighted learners, interview guide for heard teachers and EARC, and observation checklist for Visually Impaired respondents. The tools were piloted to establish their reliability and adequately validated. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. The study found out that inadequate learning materials was a major cause of low academic performance of VI learners in Marigat and Kabartonjo integrated public primary schools. It further established that there were inadequate learning resources, support services and a learning environment that was not conducive for VI learners. The study recommends that the government provides more learning resources to VI learners and school management to provide barrier free learning environment. This study results would be of great value to teachers, parents, head teachers, schools, stakeholders, and Ministry of Education in enhancing academic performance of the V.I learners in Integrated schools. Article visualizations

Do You Really See Us? :Black College Athlete Perceptions of Inclusion at DI Historically White Institutions

While recent sport research has highlighted benefits of racial diversity on teams and in the workplace, few studies have examined how demographic composition is perceived by college athletes. Fewer have investigated how racially marginalized athletes experience the phenomena. Thus, the current study explores the intersection of race, gender, and athletic identity in Black college athletes at DI Historically White Institutions (HWIs), perceptions of inclusion, and its influence on sense of belonging. Employing critical race theory, two focus groups and six semi-structured interviews that incorporated vignettes were conducted with six current Black athletes at DI HWIs in the Southeastern U.S. Findings revealed five emergent themes: (a) overcompensation for racial marginalization, (b) gendered racism, (c) commitment to social justice activism and allyship, (d) athletes bubble on campus, and (e) invisibility of holistic identity. This research highlights the nuanced experiences of Black college athletes at HWIs and provides implications for coaches, administrators, and faculty to foster a true inclusive environment

Scholarship Reconsidered: Considerations for a More Inclusive Scholarship in the Academy

This is the publisher's version, also found at http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=0777e7a6-1b0a-4422-97a0-a1cc44bea640%40sessionmgr4&vid=1&hid=2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=s3h&AN=9606196021The current scholarship model in higher education has been conceived, produced, and reproduced in the image of the dominant culture. The values, behaviors, and expectations for the academy have been forged by a university culture that is "relatively homogeneous by race, ethnicity, and gender." Although ethnic racial minorities are outnumbered by both while females and males, white males, by virtue of their numbers in rank and other positions of power, are the dominant members of the academic community. Individuals whose characteristics differ from those of the dominant group members are less likely to receive recognition, sponsorship, favorable procedural evaluation, or positive commentary on their scholarship. The purpose of this paper is to discuss considerations for a more inclusive scholarship in the academy

Influence of Instructional Strategies Used by Teachers in Implementation of Life Skills Education Curriculum On Academic Performance in Public Primary Schools in Matinyani Sub-County, Kitui County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of instructional strategies used by teachers in implementation of life skills education curriculum on academic performance in public primary schools in Matinyani Sub-County, Kitui County Kenya. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study. The target population was 27 head teachers and 81 class teachers in Matinyani sub-county. Simple random sampling method was used to select 81 class teachers and purposive sampling was used to select 27 head teachers to get a representative sample of 108 respondents. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Data was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 and presented in tables and charts. The findings were that most of the primary school teachers do not use participatory instructional strategies in teaching life skills education and this affects the overall academic performance of the pupils. The ministry of education should ensure implementation of life skills education curriculum in order to promote participatory learning. The findings of this study will shed light to all educational stakeholders in promoting quality education

Association of hyperuricemia with metabolic syndrome among university workers: sex and occupational differences

Background: The relationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hyperuricemia is not fully understood.Objective: To examine the association of hyperuricemia with MetS and the component of MetS that is mostly influenced by hyperuricemia among university workers.Methods: Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, glucose, lipid profiles, renal function tests were measured in 1198 male and 1075 female (22-60 years old) workers on annual medical examination. Results: Hyperuricemia was 3-fold higher in males (odds ratio, OR, 2.938, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.909-4.522, P<0.01) than females after adjustment for age, body mass index (BMI) and renal function. Overall, individuals with hyperuricemia were 3.9-fold likely to have MetS OR, 3.903; CI (2.439-6.245), P<0.01, and dyslipidemia, 2.5 times (OR, 2.501; 95% CI, 1.776-3.521, P<0.01) after adjustment for age, BMI, sex and renal function. However, no associations were found in individuals with hypertension (OR, 1.427; 95% CI, 0.996-2.205, P=0.052) and hyperglycemia (OR, 1.476; 95% CI, 0.989-2.202, P=0.057). Administrative work positively associated (OR, 1.895; 95% CI, 1.202-2.925, P<0.05) with hyperuricemia in males and not females.Conclusion: Male workers with hyperuricemia, especially those working in administration were at risk of metabolic syndrome. It is important to screen, prevent and treat metabolic syndrome in individuals diagnosed with hyperuricemia at the workplace.Keywords: Hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome, uric acid, workers

An investigation of the relationship between internal and external factors and resilience of internally displaced persons after the experience of trauma : a case study of Kiambaa Village in Eldoret East sub-county in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence resilience after trauma among internally displaced persons in Kiambaa village, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The rationale, the problem statement, the objectives as well as the research questions and the theoretical framework were presented in chapter one. The theoretical concepts of Richardson’s “meta-theory of resilience and resiliency” and Joseph and Linley “organism valuing theory” guided this study. The problem statement posited revealed that when people experience tragic events such as violence they get traumatized. Despite this, there are individuals who are able to adopt and bounce back with minimal disruptions to their lives, a factor referred to as resilience. Chapter two presented related literature by reviewing empirical research studies on the internal and external factors that contribute to resilience after trauma. Chapter three discussed the methodology of the study. The study adopted a mixed design approach. The target population for this study was 50. It comprised all individuals who were victims of the fire tragedy at Kiambaa village. Twenty two respondents for this study were selected from the target population using purposive and snow ball sampling techniques. Questionnaires and unstructured interview schedule were the main tools of data collection. The Big Five Inventory (BFI) by John, Donahue, & Kentle, (1991) personality were used to classify respondents’ personalities.The 25 item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 (CD-RISC-25) (used with permission) (Connor, & Davidson, 2003) was used to measure the resilience levels of the respondents. Means and Standard deviations were computed to quantify the amount of variation or dispersion of resilience among the respondents. Responses from research tools were cleaned, coded and entered into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. Descriptive data were organized into themes and categories and presented according to the objectives of the study. Pearson product moment correlation analysis, Chi square correlation analysis and Spearman rank correlation analysis were computed to establish the relationships between study variables. Chapter four presented findings in form of tables, cumulative frequency counts, graphs and charts. The major findings of the study were as follows: The internal factors that contribute to resilience in individuals were age, gender and personality. However, gender had a greater influence on individuals’ resilience levels. Other factors included personality and age. The main external factors that contributed to resilience in individuals of the fire tragedy at Kiambaa were spirituality and social support. The results of a Pearson correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive correlation between social support and resilience of individuals (r=0.835, p<0.05). Chapter five presented conclusions arising from the findings which indicated that age, gender, personality, spirituality and social support are significant internal and external factors that influence resilience levels of individuals. The study recommends that there is need for professionals working with traumatized individuals to be more familiar with these factors that contribute to resilience. The researcher also recommends that there is need to extend the present study by including other potentially important variables such as a wider range of psychosocial resources or health-related variables. Understanding the influence and importance of these variables may help to clarify the role of resilience in post-disaster adaptation. In addition, the researcher recommends that there is need to further extend the study to investigate the relationship between psychological resilience and another positive outcome, such as posttraumatic growth (PTG).PsychologyPh.D. (Psychology

Accessibility of Financial Credit and the Growth of Women Owned Small Retail Enterprises in Uasin Gishu County

Women in the world account the highest economic growth through the economic activities they engage in.  Even though women entrepreneurs in Kenya have been known to engage in small scale retail enterprises, there has been a need to grow their businesses beyond the current level. However, hindering factors such as lower academic standards, higher interest rates, low income from these businesses and socio-cultural constraints have contributed to poor growth and management of these businesses. Access to credit by these women has also been hampered by these factors. The study investigated the challenges of access to credit on the growth of women owned enterprises in Kapseret constituency, Uasin Gishu County. Use of questionnaires and interview schedules to collect primary data was preferred in this study.  The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. It targeted women entrepreneurs in Kapseret constituency and the management of various micro-finance institutions in the region. A total of 1468 women entrepreneurs were  targeted which is the total number of women identified to have small scale business enterprises in the region operating as small enterprises. The desired sample size was identified using the Morgan and Krejcie Table for Determining Sample Sizes where the sample size comprised of 306 respondents. SPSS was used to code and enter data for analysis. The study adopted both the qualitative and quantitative analysis in order to achieve the objective of the study where the former used descriptive statistics where graphs, tables and pie charts has been used. This research used quantitative analysis to analyze collected data. The study also employed descriptive methods such as means, mode and median. The study established that education levels affects access to credit by women entrepreneurs and interest rate affects access to credit by women entrepreneurs, Keywords. women entrepreneurs , micro-finance institutions , Financial Credit , Growth,  Small Retail Enterprise

The phytochemistry and biological activity of secondary metabolites from Kenyan Vernonia and Vepris species.

Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2012.This work is an account of the phytochemical analysis of two genera, Vernonia and Vepris which are used as remedies for illness by the Kalenjin community of Kenya. Species of Vernonia are known to yield sesquiterpene lactones, which typify the genus whereas Vepris is rich in alkaloids and limonoids which have a wide range of biological activities. The species studied in this work were Vernonia auriculifera, Vernonia urticifolia, Vepris glomerata and Vepris uguenensis. Phytochemical studies revealed a range of compounds being present in the four species. From Vernonia, triterpenoids, a sesquiterpene amine, a carotenoid and a polyene were isolated. This was the first account of a sesquiterpene amine from a plant species and the first account of the novel polyene. The triterpenoids showed moderate antibacterial activity, with b-amyrin acetate and oleanolic acid being effective at decreasing adhesion of selected gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Lutein and urticifolene showed good antibacterial activity against Enterococcus feacium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In Vepris, a range of compounds were isolated, belonging to the furoquinoline alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, cinnamic acid derivatives, lignins, cinnamaldehydes, triterpenoids and limonoids. Five new compounds; a cinnamaldehyde derivative (glomeral), two flavonoids (veprisinol, uguenenprenol) and two A, D-seco-limonoids (uguenensene and uguenensone) were amongst the compounds isolated. Antibacterial studies showed that glomeral inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysentrieae at low concentrations (MIC of 2 μg mLˉ¹ and 0.4 μg mLˉ¹ respectively). Antioxidant assays of several compounds revealed that, veprisinol, isohaplopine-3,3’-dimethylallyl ether, uguenenprenol and 7-O-methylaromadenrin are good antioxidant agents. The limonoids isolated from Vepris uguenensis also make up an interesting biogenetic relationship. Structural elucidation was carried out by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjuction with mass spectrometry, infrared, ultraviolet and circular dichroism analysis where applicable. Biological assays were carried out using standard methods at laboratories in the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI-Nairobi)