Informing the Development of School-Based Strategies to Promote Children\u27s Executive Function Skills: Considerations, Challenges, and Future Directions

In recent years awareness of the importance of executive function (EF) skills for students\u27 academic growth has increased. Research suggests that experience in school promotes EF development; however, recommendations regarding evidence-based practices that educators can use to support EF in their classrooms are limited. Here we outline two main reasons that this may be the case. First, there are significant challenges in the measurement of EF, which have implications for our understanding of how children use EF skills in support of learning in the moment and in real-world settings like the classroom. Second, there is limited direct research on the types of classroom experiences that promote EF. In describing both, we highlight emerging evidence and new methods that are helping us better understand the development of EF and the ways in which school experiences shape this growth, which will ultimately inform the development of school-based strategies to promote these skills

Rethinking of Public Secondary Schools Discipline in Kenya

Student Council is a representative structure through which students in a secondary school become involved in school affairs. The study set out to investigate student council participation in the management of discipline in public secondary schools in Teso North Sub-County in Busia County, Kenya. The study sought to establish: the influence of student council participation in the formulation of rules and regulations on management of discipline, and the influence of student council involvement in formulating punishment on the management of discipline. The target population was 7379 students and 189 teachers and 27 principals from 27 schools. The research employed descriptive survey design using a random sample of 365 students, 18 teachers and 9 principals. This sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s table of sample determination and using coefficient variation of 30% and a standard error of 2% through stratified simple random sampling technique. The data was collected using a selfadministered questionnaire. The study established that schools involved students in designing punishment but students never took punishment positively and that common disciplinary problems experienced in schools was due to lack of students involvement. It was further established that students were haphazardly involved in the school management of students’ discipline. Thus the study recommends schools to empower students’ council in which students’ views and ideas are heard and discussed; Ministry of education to organize and offer seminars where school heads are well sensitized on involving students in school management

INFLUENCE OF INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION ON CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IN SELECTED NORTH RIFT, KENYA COUNTIES PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The aim of this paper is to describe how instructional supervision activities influenced curriculum implementation in selected North Rift counties public secondary schools in Kenya. Key educational stakeholders in the region are concerned with deteriorating quality education and that is why the study determined how internal quality assurance and standards of instructional supervision was carried out in the schools. This study was conducted in three counties in Kenya; Elgeyo-Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo Counties. The paper adopted a descriptive survey research design targeting teachers, principals and sub counties quality assurance and standards officers. The study used questionnaire and interview schedule as instruments of data collection. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data analysis was done using thematic method. Research findings showed that instructional supervision had a significant influence (β=0.203 and p=0.05) on curriculum implementation in schools. the paper recommends that there is need for principals to continuously work with teachers on how to improve and revolutionise their teaching and learning approaches to match with the current and global trends in the teaching profession.  Article visualizations

Environmental Impact Assessment in developing countries.

This study was conducted to determine the status of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in developing countries; to review assessment methods developed for use in industrialized countries; and to identify methods or salient features of methodologies which are applicable to EIA in the third world. These objectives were achieved through correspondence, computerized database searches and a literature review, an international mail questionnaire, statistical testing and application of a selection procedure to compare methods. The questionnaire consisted of five parts: personal data, current status of EIA, environmental parameters, EIA methodologies, and miscellaneous. It was sent to 700 persons in 139 developing countries and 300 persons in 25 industrialized countries.Replies were received from more than 150 persons in 72 developing countries and more than 150 persons in 22 industrialized countries. These responses were analyzed and a series of conclusions and recommendations were made. First, EIA is recommended as a planning tool that should be used in developing countries. There was nothing mentioned in the responses which would preclude its use. Second, a conceptual framework for EIA in developing countries is proposed. The basic steps are preliminary activities, impact identification (scoping), baseline survey, impact evaluation, mitigation planning, comparison of alternatives, decision-making and post-auditing.In addition to these general results, there were several more specific findings, as follows: (a) The growth of EIA has been rapid in both developing and industrialized countries. (b) A majority of countries had laws requiring EIA, and an even larger majority had conducted EIAs. (c) The unavailability of data and expertise are among the problems hampering EIA in developing countries. (d) Checklists and matrices are among the most appropriate methodologies for identifying impacts and comparing project alternatives in developing countries at the present time. (e) When evaluating impacts, quantitative assessments are superior to descriptive ones. (f) The view that public involvement is not encouraged in the third world and that socio-economic factors are rated most important in developing areas were not supported

Design and Performance of Arena Dam

Arena Dam is located in north-central Trinidad, West Indies. The dam forms a 35,000-acre-foot reservoir, which serves as the main raw water storage facility for Trinidad. The 1.6-million-cubic-yard earthfill embankment has a crest elevation 80 feet above the original streambed. The upstream-sloping core is composed of dispersive clay. The shells are composed of compacted fine sand and silty fine sand. The dam is founded on deep, stiff, fissured clay deposits interbedded with sand. The project is located approximately 12 miles from the El Pilar Fault, a major Caribbean fault with seismic activity comparable to that of the San Andreas Fault in the United States. Important design concerns included the dispersive clay core, residual strength properties of the foundation, embankment and control structure settlement, and the seismic environment. This paper discusses the design criteria and approach, and field performance data from foundation and embankment piezometers and survey monuments in the outlet conduit

Alternative off school Business Models that Enhance Multiple Intelligences in Kenyan Schools

Promotion of individual development and self-fulfillment amongst students in Kenya is among the national goals of education. To accomplish this goal it is imperative that, development of Multiple Intelligences in schools is put into perspective. To date, relatively little research has investigated the ways students Multiple Intelligences should be enhanced in Kenya. Consequently, this study was devised to examine alternative off school business management models that enhance Multiple Intelligences among secondary students in Kenya. The study was guided by the Multiple Intelligence Theory and Management Competency Framework. The study target population was 150 secondary schools in Elgeyo Marakwet. Data was collected using questionnaire, document analysis and interview. The data was analyzed qualitatively using thematic approach and quantitatively using percentages, means, standard deviation and simple linear regression. Data was presented in tables. The findings indicated that schools management was managing traditional models of enhancing multiple intelligences thus majority of the students’ abilities were not developed. Alternative off school business management models were found to be effective in enhancing multiple intelligences among students though majority of the schools had not adopted them. The study recommends that managing and facilitating entrepreneurship programmes should be promoted to enable students to show case abilities in different intelligences

Precision cancer monitoring using a novel, fully integrated, microfluidic array partitioning digital PCR platform.

A novel digital PCR (dPCR) platform combining off-the-shelf reagents, a micro-molded plastic microfluidic consumable with a fully integrated single dPCR instrument was developed to address the needs for routine clinical diagnostics. This new platform offers a simplified workflow that enables: rapid time-to-answer; low potential for cross contamination; minimal sample waste; all within a single integrated instrument. Here we showcase the capability of this fully integrated platform to detect and quantify non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) rare genetic mutants (EGFR T790M) with precision cell-free DNA (cfDNA) standards. Next, we validated the platform with an established chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) fusion gene (BCR-ABL1) assay down to 0.01% mutant allele frequency to highlight the platform's utility for precision cancer monitoring. Thirdly, using a juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) patient-specific assay we demonstrate the ability to precisely track an individual cancer patient's response to therapy and show the patient's achievement of complete molecular remission. These three applications highlight the flexibility and utility of this novel fully integrated dPCR platform that has the potential to transform personalized medicine for cancer recurrence monitoring

Variant anatomy of the right portal vein in a black Kenyan population

Surface mapping of the liver before invasive procedures depends on a proper understanding of its segmental vasculature. The right portal vein ramification and lengths show marked variations and these mostly involve its right posterior sectoral branch. Their incidence is variable among populations and altogether undocumented among Africans. One hundred livers obtained during autopsies and dissections at the Department of Human anatomy, University of Nairobi, were used in this study. Gross dissection was done to reveal and determine the branching pattern of the right portal vein and the origin of the right posterior sector branch. The lengths of the right portal vein were also measured and recorded. When present, the right portal vein terminated by bifurcation in 61% of the cases, trifurcated in 20.8% and quadrifircated in 18.2%. Its length was between 0.5cm and 4cm. The right posterior sector vein was given off the main portal vein in 34 cases, the common left portal vein trunk in 15 cases, and the right portal vein in 42 cases. In 9 cases, it was not observed at the porta hepatis. We report significant different incidences of the variant anatomy of the right portal vein compared to those found in previous studies and this should be borne in mind when doing surgical interventions.Keywords: Segmentectomy, transjugular, Surface mapping, Bifurcatio