The Impact of the Lead Teacher Professional Learning Community within the Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute

Now in its fourth year, Rice University’s Mathematics Leadership Institute (MLI) has developed over sixty high school mathematics Lead Teachers. We focus on how membership in MLI has impacted participant teachers’ professional lives. The Lead Teacher community that emerged during MLl’s first Summer Leadership Institute embodies the characteristics of a sustaining and coherent knowledge community where teachers are able to share their secret “stories of practice in safe places . . . in order to make their personal practical knowledge explicit to themselves and to others” [1]. This article includes stories of individual teachers who refused to sacrifice hours of instructional time for mandated curriculum testing, who encouraged and supported a large group of MLI teachers to participate in a grueling advanced certification program, and who challenged the local administration’s expectation to compromise personal professional standards. These stories may not have emerged in their particular ways had these teachers and their supporting co-manager not been members of this coherent and sustained knowledge community. This knowledge community has enabled the achievement of MLI goals with respect to teachers’ increased mathematics content knowledge, leadership development, and student achievement. We also include focus group comments and quantitative data

Towards Free Day Secondary Schooling in Kenya: Exposing the Impediments

Secondary education provides a vital link between basic education and the world of work, on one hand, and further training on the other. It is therefore an important sub-sector of education in the preparation of human capital for development and provision of life opportunities. Secondary education in Kenya takes four years to complete, catering for students aged 14 to 17 years and it leads to the award of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. The objectives of secondary education are to acquire necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes for the development of the self and the nation and to promote love for and loyalty to the nation among others. There are several impediments that have hindered government efforts to provide free day secondary schooling. These include, the New Constitution that made Teachers Service Commission autonomous, unregulated school levies by education officials, heads associations, remedial teaching, and failure by sponsors to play their oversight role and corruption in ministry of education. It is recommended that the students who are not likely to benefit from formal secondary schooling should be provided with options to access secondary education, through alternative methods such as distance learning and skills training. In addition, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education should be scrapped to reduce the demand for boarding schools except among the nomadic communities. With the necessary legislation in place, the government should hire private auditors to ensure prudent use of public resources. Keywords: Secondary School, School Fees, Corruption, Performance Teachin

Effectiveness and Safety of 2-Hourly 20 MCG Oral Misoprostol Solution Compared to Standard Intravenous Oxytocin in Labour Induction Due to Pre-Labour Rupture of Membranes at Term: A Randomised Clinical Trial at Kenyatta National Hospital

Background: Pre-labour rupture of membranes (PROM) at term is a common event whose management varies from centre to centre. The practice at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) for patients with PROM at term is to initiate delivery of the patient soon on admission with intravenous oxytocin, if there are no contraindications to vaginal delivery. However, in PROM at term, if the cervix is not ripe,vaginal administration of prostaglandin pessaries for cervical ripening is not possible when there is active draining of liquor, thus use of intravenous oxytocin may take a very long time or fail all together. Oral misoprostol at low doses has been found to be a safe and effective agent for labour induction in numerous studies carried out in the developed world, where there are better resources for monitoring of labour. None of the studies has been carried out in Kenya,a limited resource country. Therefore, there is a need to determine the effectiveness and safety of oral misoprostol solution at the KNH, a limited resource set up.Objective: To determine the effectiveness and safety of 2-hourly 20 mcg oral misoprostol solution compared to the standard intravenous oxytocinin labour induction in mothers with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term at the Kenyatta National Hospital.Design: An unblinded randomised clinical trial.Setting: Kenyatta National Hospital Labour Ward Unit.Participants: Eighty three pregnant women with pre-labour rupture of membranes at term without an indication for Caeserian section were consented and randomised for labour induction with either oral misoprostol at a dose of 20mcg 2-hourly up to a maximum of 4-doses, or with  intravenous oxytocin according to the WHO protocol.Main outcome measures: Induction to delivery interval; maternal  complications and early neonatal outcomes.Results: The overall induction success rates in the misoprostol arm was 81% versus 83% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.447). The mean induction to vaginal delivery interval in the misoprostol arm was 8.4 hours as compared to 9.45 hours in the oxytocin arm (P=0.116). The induction to active labour interval was similar in the two study arms. The mean induction to active labour in the misoprostol arm was 4.02 hours as versus 4.51 hours in the oxytocin arm (P=0.223 ). Two women who had failed induction with misoprostol were augmented with oxytocin and delivered vaginally. The Caesarean section rates were 19% in the misoprostol arm and 17% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.447), which was not statistically significant. The maternal outcomes were similar in the two study arms. Four women had tachysystole in the misoprostol arm, compared to three  in the oxytocin arm (P=0.253). In the misoprostol arm two women had hypertonus compared to three in the oxytocin arm (P=0.322).There was one case of hyperstimulation in the misoprostol arm and two in in the oxytocin arm. There were no differences in the foetal/ neonatal outcomes. No baby had an Apgar score of less than seven at one or five minutes. No baby was admitted to the New Born Unit in either of the two arms. There was no case of a still birth in either of the study arms. There was no significant difference in the passage of meconium between the two arms, 39% in the misoprostol arm and 35.7% in the oxytocin arm (P=0.755). The passage of meconium did not impact on the neonatal outcomes.Conclusion: Oral misoprostol solution 20mcg 2-hourly is as safe and effective as the standard intravenous oxytocin for labour induction in women presenting with prelabour rupture of membranes at term at the Kenyatta National Hospital

The Impact of Systems Thinking as a Construct of Organizational Learning on Competitive Advantage in Kenya’s Oil Marketing Sector

Introduction: Systems thinking has emerged as the convergence point between sciences, a fundamental way of interpreting nature and mastering the ever increasing complexity of the products of human intelligence. Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of systems thinking as a construct of organizational learning on competitive advantage in Kenya’s Oil Marketing Sector. The latent aspects of competitive advantage; organization agility, innovation, barriers to entry, mass customization and inimitability (difficulty to duplicate) were investigated against the independent variable. Methodology: The research design was explanatory, non-contrived and cross-sectional study on Kenya’s oil marketing sector. A sample size of 425 was drawn from oil marketing companies that had a market share above 1% according to the Petroleum Institute of East Africa. Structured questionnaires were used as the data collection tool. Correlation, regression and SEM model were used to analyze the study findings. Findings: The study found that systems thinking significantly predicted competitive advantage which indicated rejection of the null hypothesis. Keywords: Organizational Learning, Systems Thinking, Competitive Advantage, Oil Marketing Sector

The Impact of Mental Models as a Construct of Organizational Learning on Competitive Advantage in Kenya’s Oil Marketing Sector

Introduction: Despite the growing popularity of organizational learning (OL) and its constructs, the concept remains complex and vague for researchers as well as managers. Mental models are inherently difficult to study and several methods have been developed that essentially document a mental model in the form of a mind map or concept diagram. Objective: This study aimed to determine the impact of mental models as a construct of organizational learning on competitive advantage in Kenya’s Oil Marketing Sector. The latent aspects of competitive advantage; organization agility, innovation, barriers to entry, mass customization and inimitability (difficulty to duplicate) were investigated against the independent variable. Methodology: The research design was explanatory, non-contrived and cross-sectional study on Kenya’s oil marketing sector. A sample size of 425 was drawn from oil marketing companies that had a market share above 1% according to the Petroleum Institute of East Africa. Structured questionnaires were used as the data collection tool. Correlation, regression and SEM model were used to analyze the study findings. Findings: The study found that mental models significantly predicted competitive advantage which indicated rejection of the null hypothesis. Keywords: Organizational Learning, Mental Models, Competitive Advantage, Oil Marketing Sector

Effect of Pricing of New Coca Cola Soft Drink Products on Sales Performance of Coca- Cola Company in Nyahururu Town

A sales performance review of new soft drinks products introduced by Coca cola in Mount Kenya region, established that only 15% have succeeded, 55% have performed poorly, 17.5% have failed completely and another 12.5% have exhibited an abnormally high artificial growth. However, there is scanty and inconclusive empirical data that would explain this trend of Coca cola products within Nyahururu town in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of price as marketing mix variables of new Coca-Cola soft drinks products on the company’s sales performance in Nyahururu town. The specific objectives included examining the effects of pricing, of new Coca cola soft drinks products on sales performance of the company in Nyahururu town. To achieve these objective, hypotheses was formulated and tested empirically. This study was based on the marketing mix theory by Borden. The study adopted a descriptive research design that gathered both quantitative and qualitative data. The target population comprised of 375 managers and owners of outlets selling Coca cola soft drinks in Nyahururu town. The sample size was 75 which was 20% of the target population as per postulations from Mugenda & Mugenda (2003), which was arrived at through stratified random sampling. Out of this, 73 responded meaning the response rate was 97.3%. The study used a questionnaire to obtain primary data whose validity was enhanced through discussions with the supervisors. Test-retest method was used to achieve reliability during a pilot study conducted in Subukia town. Cronbach’s alpha was used to test the reliability in which 0.789 values was obtained which was acceptable.  Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 computer software and presented in frequencies, percentages, and tables for clarity. Qualitative data was used to supplement interpretation of quantitative data. The study established that pricing of new products had an influence on sales performance of the existing Coca cola products. The, study recommends that the pricing of new products should compare favorably with existing products so as to avoid cannibalization and intra-distribution channel competition. The study has added to the body of knowledge that could benefit students, researchers and academicians interested in this area of study. Keywords: Market Mix Variable, Pricing, Coca Cola, Sales Performance, Product

Investigating the pathway and fate of inorganic impurities in a bisulfite dissolving pulp production process.

Ph. D. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2011.This study sought to investigate the pathway and fate of metals and Si in a bisulfite pulp production process, at the same time providing a means to mitigate on the residual metals bound in the final pulp. The metals pathway and fate was traced from the Eucalyptus plantation, through the pulp production process. Principal component analysis was employed to determine the correlation between the observations and the variable of interest. It was established that Fe is a limiting factor in the growth of the Eucalyptus trees in the forest under study. The main pathway for the metals and silicon was found to be the exchangeable soil fraction. The residual metals in the pulp material during pulping and bleaching process are influenced by the media pH, the accessibility of the active sites, the affinity of the metal towards the active sites and the degree of delignification and hemicelluloses extraction. Metal desorption under the influence of acetylacetone at both pH 6 and 8 were best described by Langmuir desorption model. Pulp metal desorption under the influence of EDTA was also best described by the Langmuir model except for Al (R2) 0.572 and 0.004, at pH 6 and 8 respectively. This implies that most of the metals in the dissolving pulp sample were chemically adsorbed on the surface of the pulp. However, aluminum was poorly described by the Langmuir isotherm model. This is because polyvalent metals like Al are hard Lewis acids, capable of strong and specific bonding to hard Lewis base functional groups on organic molecules. The Freundlich model described Mg, Al and Cu desorption suggesting some fraction of these metals to have been physically adsorbed onto the pulp material. It is possible that the metal fraction being physically desorbed was introduced onto the pulp during the pulp bleaching process. Voltammetry was employed to investigate the effect of organic ligands on metal mobility in bleaching filtrates. It was observed that filtrate samples obtained from the alkaline-oxygen bleaching stage produced higher current peak suppression at pH 2 as compared to the filtrate samples obtained from alkaline bleaching stage; this indicates the presence of stronger none-labile metal ligands. At a higher pH of 3.6 the voltammograms of the filtrates obtained from the alkaline-oxygen delignification produced higher cathodic peak shifts. The extent to which the peak potential shifts cathodically is indicative of the magnitude of the stability constant. This may imply that the samples obtained from the alkaline-oxygen delignification comprise of ligands that form strong metal-ligand complexe

Farmers\u27 Screening of Indigenous Fodder Trees and Shrubs in Kenya

The lack of fodder quantity and quality is a constraint for small scale livestock production systems in central Kenya which are intensive or are rapidly becoming so. This study examined farmers’ knowledge about indigenous fodder trees and shrubs (IFTS) which are fed to livestock. The study consisted of a formal survey in three agroecological zones with mean annual rainfall varying from 750 to 1400 mm. Farmers rated IFTS for different qualities, which were analysed by Chi square. Differences of ratings among species for these qualities were significant (p\u3c0.05). The most promising species for the sub-humid zone, in terms of what farmers want to plant and in terms of preliminary nutritive analysis, were: Tithonia diversifolia, Commiphora zimmermanii, Ficus spp. and Trema orientalis. The species that show promise for the same reasons, in the semi-arid zones, are: Crotalaria goodiiformis, Aspilia mossambicensis, Indigofera lupatana, T. diversifolia, Grewia tembensis and Acacia ataxacantha

Instructional Constraints in Teaching of Reading in Early Childhood Classes in Nairobi County, Kenya

Reading has been identified as one of the most reliable indicators of whether a learner will attain the competence needed to achieve academic success and contribute actively to society. Research findings in Kenyan primary and secondary schools reveal inadequate reading skills among the students. The purpose of this study was to identify approaches used in teaching of reading in Early Childhood Education. The objective of the study was to establish teachers’ orientation and challenges faced by teachers in the teaching of reading. The study adopted the descriptive research design using the survey method and observation technique and was conducted in twenty schools in Nairobi County. The findings showed that lack of resources was the greatest challenge faced by early learning teachers in the teaching of reading. They also indicated that they were not well equipped with the relevant methods of teaching reading. The study recommends that teachers should be adequately equipped with teaching and learning resources, trained in different approaches and in serviced in the latest approaches. Serving teachers should get refresher courses on teaching of reading methods to improve learning in schools in the country. Keywords: teaching reading, teaching method, teacher qualification, teaching and Learning resources, early learnin

Structural and functional studies of the phage Sf6 terminase small subunit reveal a DNA-spooling device facilitated by structural plasticity

In many DNA viruses, genome packaging is initiated by the small subunit of the packaging terminase, which specifically binds to the packaging signal on viral DNA and directs assembly of the terminase holoenzyme. We have experimentally mapped the DNA-interacting region on Shigella virus Sf6 terminase small subunit gp1, which occupies extended surface areas encircling the gp1 octamer, indicating that DNA wraps around gp1 through extensive contacts. High resolution structures reveal large-scale motions of the gp1 DNA-binding domain mediated by the curved helix formed by residues 54-81 and an intermolecular salt bridge formed by residues Arg67 and Glu73, indicating remarkable structural plasticity underlying multivalent, pleomorphic gp1:DNA interactions. These results provide spatial restraints for protein:DNA interactions, which enable construction of a three-dimensional pseudo-atomic model for a DNA-packaging initiation complex assembled from the terminase small subunit and the packaging region on viral DNA. Our results suggest that gp1 functions as a DNA-spooling device, which may transform DNA into a specific architecture appropriate for interaction with and cleavage by the terminase large subunit prior to DNA translocation into viral procapsid. This may represent a common mechanism for the initiation step of DNA packaging in tailed dsDNA bacterial viruses