PhD Theses: Department of Department of Education and Social Sciences

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Performance Management and Employee Performance In Public Primary Teacher Training Colleges In Kenya
(UoEm, 2024-08-08) Miriti, Justine Majau
ABSTRACT The Kenyan government has adopted several major management reforms, one of which is the implementation of performance evaluation in public institutions, such as Public Primary Teacher Training Colleges (PPTTCs). The study sought to determine the impact of performance evaluation on staff output in PPTTCs in Kenya. Research using a descriptive methodology was used in this study. Convenience, purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used to get the data. Including 1233 tutors, 189 department heads, 351 subject heads, 27 principals, 27 deputy principals, 27 curriculum deans and 27 deans of students, the target population consisted of 1881 appraised personnel from Kenyan PPTTCs. The sample size of 216 tutors, 33 department heads, 62 subject heads, 5 principals, 5 deputy principals, 5 curriculum deans and 5 student deans was calculated using Yamane's formula. Likert-scale questionnaires with five points were used to collect data in an organized format. The content validity was established through consulting with specialists in educational management. Cronbach's alpha was employed in order to assess the instrument dependability. Regression analysis was used to get the coefficient of the effect of performance evaluations on employee performance. Performance appraisal (PA) targets and worker production for Kenya's PPTTCs showed a weak connection (P-value = -0.016) in the study. As a result, increasing PA objectives might not be sufficient to enhance PPTTC employee performance. Organizational culture, leadership and employee motivation are a few other factors that might be more crucial. The coefficient of social distance between appraisers and appraisees was found to be 0.041. This indicates that an increase of one unit in social distance is expected to result in a 0.041 unit increase in employee performance. The results suggest that there may not be a strong correlation between social distance and employee performance. Specifically, the relationship between social distance and employee performance between appraisers and appraisees was found to be a weak predictor of employee performance (P=0.266). There's a chance that other elements like motivation, job-related abilities and company culture will affect performance more. P-value (0.687) related to employee performance in Kenya's PPTTCs did not show that PA training was a significant predictor of performance at the 0.05 level of statistical significance. This suggests that improving performance in PPTTCs may not always result from staff training on performance reviews. Furthermore, the research findings indicate that there is no significant correlation between job motivation and an employee's performance (P-value = 0.888 > 0.05). Employee training on PA had no discernible impact on workers' performance after accounting for the assessment scale (P-value = 0.687 > 0.05). According to the study, there is a substantial correlation (P-value=0.000) between employee performance and feedback from college performance reviews. The survey also found that performance goals are the most often used performance indicator and that, in order to guarantee that the evaluation process is successful in raising employee performance, PPTTCs should create specific, quantifiable goals. The study came to the conclusion that raising PA targets alone is not as effective in enhancing employee performance in PPTTCs as characteristics like organizational culture, leadership and employee motivation. The study also emphasizes how crucial performance review feedback is in affecting workers' output. Consequently, the study suggests that PPTTCs reconsider the structure and methodology of PA training programs while giving priority to improving organizational culture, leadership and feedback mechanisms within their PA systems.
The discourse of televised political news interviews and ethnic polarization in Kenya
(UoeM, 2017) Omoke, Lillian Kemunto
Political interviews have been used as genres for dissemination of political information. The way they are presented is a subject of concern as they are thought to be causing division among the Kenyan audience along political party and hence ethnic lines. The purpose of this study is to look at the discursive practices in political news interviews and the interpretation they are given by the audience that may lead to ethnic polarization. The main objective of this study was to analyze the influence of televised political news interviews on ethnic polarization in Kenya. Two theories were used to support this study: Theory of Media Framing and Critical Discourse Analysis. The fusion of these approaches was helpful in showing how messages are selected and packaged and the ideological influences they have. The study adopted a qualitative design. A total of 6 recorded televised interviews were studied, two from Citizen TV and one from each the other stations samples (KTN, NTV, K24, KBC). Data collection and analysis was simultaneously done by transcribing the political news interviews and interpreting them using the Critical Discourse Analysis approach. Other data collection methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and document analysis were employed. Data presentation was done through discussing the interpretation against the institutional, societal, historical and political contexts in which the interviews were conducted. The findings showed that linguistic features are used subtly to cause polarization and it was established that the naming and referencing strategy was commonly used to create an US vs THEM mentality among audiences hence polarization. It was also established that the media treat audiences as markets and products hence presenting sensational news to attract ratings and eventually profits. It was concluded that political news interviews actually lead to ethnic polarization based on the production processes, language use, and ideological stands and through the use of media frames. The key recommendation from the study was that there should be audience awareness programmes on the processes and operations of the media.
Does Inquiry-Based Learning Approach In Chemistry Practical Lessons Affect Students’ Nzomo Attitudes And Self-Efficacy In Chemistry? A Case Of Meru South Sub-County,Kenya
(UoEm, 2023-05) Maina, Samuel
xiv ABSTRACT Chemistry is a crucial subject for a country like Kenya that seeks to be industrialized by the year 2030. Even though the subject is important, performance in the subject has been declining consistently in Kenya. A decline in performance in Chemistry has also been reported in Meru South Sub-County. The decline in performance has been attributed to teacher-centered learning methodologies, negative attitudes of students towards the subject and low self-efficacy. Teachers have been encouraged to use Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) approach in teaching of Chemistry and particularly in practical lessons because it has been associated with improved attitudes and self-efficacy. However, little is known on the uptake of inquiry-based learning approach by teachers in Chemistry practical lessons and how it is related to students’ attitudes and self-efficacy in Chemistry in Meru South Sub-County secondary schools. The purpose of this research was to examine the utilization of inquiry-based learning approach in Chemistry practical lessons, and determine the relationship between the utilization of inquiry-based learning approach and selected performance predictors i.e. students’ attitudes and self-efficacy in Chemistry. The study was guided by the Vygotsky’s social constructivism theory which emphasizes on the role of social interactions and active construction of knowledge. A mixed method research design was employed in this study. The target population was all secondary schools in Meru South Sub-County. Stratified and purposive sampling was used to select both public and private secondary schools. Purposive sampling was used to select 42 form three Chemistry teachers while 357 students were chosen for the research using basic random selection. Data collection was done using practical lesson observation schedule, teacher’s questionnaire, student’s questionnaire, and document analysis framework. Results revealed that teachers used inquiry-based learning approach in Chemistry practical lessons once a week (mean = 3.89). Results from correlation and regression analysis revealed that there is a significant positive relationship between inquiry-based learning and students’ attitudes towards Chemistry (r = .9972, p = .000, t = 58.285, p = 0.00). Besides, it was established that inquiry-based learning is positively associated with students’ efficacy beliefs in Chemistry (β= 0.903, p < 0.05). From the study findings, it was concluded that inquiry-based learning approach is an effective teaching technique for enhancing positive attitudes towards Chemistry among students as well as improving their confidence in Chemistry. The study findings are significant in the education sector in improving teacher training programs and calls for shift from teacher-centered teaching methodologies to learner centered teaching methodologies among practicing teachers.
Contribution of the Agricultural Teaching Approaches to Food Security: A Case of Secondary Schools in Embu County, Kenya
(University of Embu, 2020-11) Njura Joseph, Hellen
Continued food insecurity is a major global concern especially in Africa and Kenya in particular. The threats of the desert locust and the novel Corona Virus (Covid-19) pandemic have further accelerated this challenge. Despite her vast productive land, Kenya has been importing staple food particularly maize while her citizens have been pleading with the government to provide food especially maize flour. The youth on the other hand, cannot adequately employ the agricultural skills developed for food security despite the continued teaching of agriculture at various levels of education. The purpose of this study was to establish the contribution of the agricultural teaching approaches in secondary schools in solving the problem of food insecurity in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive survey design for objective one where qualitative data were collected and correlational research design for objectives two, three and four where both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained. A total of 198 schools in Embu County, 46,340 students, 235 agriculture teachers and 46,340 parents/guardians were targeted. The Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination procedure was employed to reach a sample size of 68 schools, 376 students, 111 agriculture teachers and 323 parents/guardians. Purposive sampling, stratified random sampling, systematic random sampling, simple random sampling as well as proportionate sampling were adopted for the county, the schools, agriculture teachers, the parents/guardians as well as the students in their focus groups respectively. Data were collected using a Students‟ Focus Group Discussion Guide, an Agriculture Teachers‟ Interview Schedule and a parents/guardians‟ questionnaire. It was then analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Content validity was established through expert judgment and a pilot study while Cronbach‟s alpha was calculated using SPSS version 23 to measure the reliability of the instruments. The key study findings revealed that it is the practical based agriculture teaching approaches that have major contributions to skills development for food security. Though a teaching method, digital learning was not mentioned as a standalone approach used in agriculture classes. The findings further showed that there are major constraints in the teaching and learning of secondary school agriculture that negatively impact on skills development for food security. The study concluded that agricultural teaching approaches should mainly be practical based emphasizing on the psychomotor domain. The major recommendations are that the study findings should guide the Kenyan education policymakers to develop a guideline on incorporation of agriculture practical sessions on secondary school timetables, school-community based agriculture projects and holiday-based field attachments for students for better skills development as targeted by the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC). When incorporated into the theory, the approaches can be avenues for enhanced skills development for food security emanating from the secondary school level.
CONTRIBUTION OF THE AGRICULTURAL TEACHING APPROACHES TO FOOD SECURITY: A CASE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN EMBU COUNTY, KENYA
(Universiy of Embu, 2020-09-27) Njura, Hellen Joseph
Continued food insecurity is a major global concern especially in Africa and Kenya in particular. The threats of the desert locust and the novel Corona Virus (Covid-19) pandemic have further accelerated this challenge. Despite her vast productive land, Kenya has been importing staple food particularly maize while her citizens have been pleading with the government to provide food especially maize flour. The youth on the other hand, cannot adequately employ the agricultural skills developed for food security despite the continued teaching of agriculture at various levels of education. The purpose of this study was to establish the contribution of the agricultural teaching approaches in secondary schools in solving the problem of food insecurity in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive survey design for objective one where qualitative data were collected and correlational research design for objectives two, three and four where both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained. A total of 198 schools in Embu County, 46,340 students, 235 agriculture teachers and 46,340 parents/guardians were targeted. The Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination procedure was employed to reach a sample size of 68 schools, 376 students, 111 agriculture teachers and 323 parents/guardians. Purposive sampling, stratified random sampling, systematic random sampling, simple random sampling as well as proportionate sampling were adopted for the county, the schools, agriculture teachers, the parents/guardians as well as the students in their focus groups respectively. Data were collected using a Students‟ Focus Group Discussion Guide, an Agriculture Teachers‟ Interview Schedule and parents/guardians‟ questionnaire. It was then analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Content validity was established through expert judgment and a pilot study while Cronbach‟s alpha was calculated using SPSS version 23 to measure the reliability of the instruments. The key study findings revealed that it is the practical based agriculture teaching approaches that have major contributions to skills development for food security. Though a teaching method, digital learning was not mentioned as a standalone approach used in agriculture classes. The findings further showed that there are major constraints in the teaching and learning of secondary school agriculture that negatively impact on skills development for food security. The study concluded that agricultural teaching approaches should mainly be practical based emphasizing on the psychomotor domain. The major recommendations are that the study findings should guide the Kenyan education policymakers to develop a guideline on incorporation of agriculture practical sessions on secondary school timetables, school-community based agriculture projects and holiday-based field attachments for students for better skills development as targeted by the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC). When incorporated into the theory, the approaches can be avenues for enhanced skills development for food security emanating from the secondary school level.
Practices of policy and the implementation of inclusive education in public secondary schools in tharaka-nithi county- kenya
(UoEm, 2020-09-15) Ireri, Bibiana Ruguru
Practices of policy are critical towards the successful implementation of inclusive education in schools. The approach recognizes the learners’ diversity, enabling them to access course content, fully participate in learning activities and demonstrate their strength at assessment. The mandate of inclusive education policy implies that regular schools modify their guiding principles that inform all decisions, policies and practices to cater for learner diversity. This is particularly significant since the fundamental aim of inclusive education is to accommodate all learners regardless of their physical, intellectual, social and emotional conditions. In spite of the inclusive education policy, disability remains a major course of exclusion in schools in Kenya. Thus, the purpose of the study was to analyse the effects of practices of policy towards the implementation of inclusive education in public secondary schools. The actual sample constituted 161 respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire administered to 100 teachers, an interview guide for 11 learners living with physical disabilities and 5 focus group discussions each group comprising 10 non-disabled learners. The study was guided by the Social Model of Disability and adopted a mixed method design. Quantitative data was analysed using inferential statistics. The ANOVA and t-test were done to test the study hypotheses. Qualitative data was organized by developing codes, then categorizing them into themes presented in a narrative form. Linear regression was carried out to check the linear relationships between the variables. The overall results showed that practices of policy in schools were rated by majority of teachers as ineffective in addressing the needs of learners with disabilities. School guiding principles that address the needs of learners with disabilities was rated; Not Sure (52%); Stakeholder involvement in planning and strategizing for learners with disabilities; Not effective at all (50%), Human resource especially the teacher factor; Not effective at all (92%), Adequacy and modification of physical resources; Not done at all (62%), Provision of finances to restructure the school environment; Not provided (67%) and finally School strategies in overcoming physical barriers that hinder the implementation of inclusive education; Not effective at all (67%). Further, the study established that all the variables accounted for a small variance towards the implementation of education. The study concluded that inclusive education has not taken root in public secondary schools. Learners with disabilities have to adapt to get the needed education or drop out of school. The main conclusion of the study was that lack of effective practices of inclusive education policy was a major obstacle to the implementation of inclusive education in secondary schools. The policy framework is weak in guiding the schools on effective strategies for developing school practices that positively influence the implementation of inclusive education. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education through the County Education Boards, develop a well- coordinated master plan for consistent school reform founded on clear inclusive education philosophy, policies and practices to effectively implement inclusive education in public secondary schools in Kenya.
Usawiri wa Mwanasiasa wa Afrika Katika Ushairi wa Kiswahili
(Chuka University, 2015-04) Kinoti, Timothy M.
Utafiti huu ulishughulikia usawiri wa mwanasiasa wa Afrika katika ushairi wa Kiswahili. Kimsingi, mtafiti alichunguza jinsi washairi mbalimbali walivyowasawiri wanasiasa wa Afrika kiubunifu kwa lengo la kudhihirisha walivyobadilika kisiasa na kimaadili kutoka enzi za ukoloni hadi kipindi cha siasa za vyama vingi. Utafiti huu ulichukulia kuwa wanasiasa hawa hutekeleza wajibu mkubwa katika maendeleo ya mataifa yao na bara la Afrika kwa jumla. Uafikiaji wa malengo mbalimbali ya maendeleo kama vile Ruwaza ya 2030 nchini Kenya na uimarishaji wa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki kwa kiasi kikubwa utategemea maamuzi ya kisiasa. Madhumuni ya utafiti huu yalikuwa kuchunguza nafasi ya ushairi wa Kiswahili katika uhifadhi wa historia ya mwanasiasa wa Afrika; kubainisha sifa za mwanasiasa wa Afrika kabla ya uhuru na kutathmini mabadiliko ya mwanasiasa wa Afrika baada ya uhuru kwa mujibu wa washairi wa Kiswahili. Mtafiti aliichukulia sauti ya mshairi kuwa sauti ya mwananchi ambaye ndiye huathiriwa na maamuzi na vitendo vya wanasiasa. Utafiti huu uliongozwa na Nadharia ya Ulimbwende iliyoasisiwa na William Wordsworth na Samuel Taylor Coleridge na Nadharia ya Baada-Ukoloni ambayo inahusishwa na kazi za Edward W. Said, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak na Homi K. Bhabha. Utafiti huu ulifanyiwa maktabani ambapo mbinu ya sampuli ya kudhamiria ilitumiwa kuteua data kutoka kwa diwani teule. Uchanganuzi wa kimaelezo ulizingatiwa ambapo mashairi yaliyoteuliwa yalihakikiwa kwa mujibu wa madhumuni ya utafiti. Tasnifu hii imegawanywa katika sura sita. Sura ya kwanza imejumuisha utangulizi. Katika sura ya pili pana mwauo wa maandishi yanayohusiana na utafiti huu pamoja na misingi ya kinadharia. Sura ya tatu imeshughulikia mbinu za utafiti zilizotumiwa katika utafiti huu. Katika sura ya nne na tano, data imechanganuliwa, kuwasilishwa na matokeo kujadiliwa. Hatimaye, sura ya sita inatoa mahitimisho na mapendekezo kutokana na utafiti huu. Matokeo ya utafiti huu yamebainisha kuwa ushairi wa Kiswahili ni utanzu wa fasihi ulio na umuhimu mkubwa katika kuhifadhi matukio mbalimbali ya kihistoria. Kupitia uhifadhi huu, sifa na vitendo vya mwanasiasa wa Afrika vimebainika katika vipindi mbalimbali vya kisiasa. Imebainika kuwa mwanasiasa wa Afrika aliyeonekana kuwa mzalendo kabla ya uhuru alibadilika ghafla uhuru ulipopatikana na kuwa mkandamizaji wa umma alioapa kulinda. Aidha, wanasiasa walioonekana kutetea upatikanaji wa demokrasia ya vyama vingi hawajatekeleza demokrasia hiyo. Licha ya dosari zilizobainishwa na utafiti huu, ni dhahiri kuwa bara la Afrika bado lina wanasiasa wachache vielelezo ambao wanaweza kuigwa na wanasiasa wa wakati huu na wale wa baadaye. Matokeo ya utafiti huu yatawanufaisha wasomi wa Kiswahili, waandishi na washikadau wote wa masuala ya kisiasa barani Afrika na kwingineko ulimwenguni.
Incidence and Extent of Substance Abuse among Secondary School Students in Nairobi Province, Kenya: Implications for Specialized Intervention
(Kenyatta University, 2010-10) King’endo, Madrine
Substance abuse has become a major challenge in secondary schools in Kenya. A study carried out in Kenya observed that 20% of adolescents aged between 12 and 22 years smoke cigarettes, 9% smoke bhang while 23% drink commercial beer and spirits. This is the age in which most youths are in schools and colleges. The aim of this study was to find out the incidence and extent of drug abuse among secondary school students in Nairobi Province, Kenya. This information is useful in developing specialized educational programs for drug abuse in Kenya. The objectives of this study were: to determine various substances commonly abused by students, assess the prevalence of substance abuse in secondary schools, determine the factors that contribute to substance abuse, students‘ behaviour related to substance abuse and identify the factors that influence students to abuse drugs. An expost-facto research design was employed. The study population comprised of all public secondary schools in Nairobi Province. The sampling was done using stratified sampling to obtain different categories of schools, and the status of each school. The schools were chosen from the strata using purposive and simple random sampling methods. Systematic sampling was then applied to obtain the required number of students, where every tenth student from the admission register was selected. One counselling teacher from each sampled school was selected to participate in the study. The total number of respondents was 525 students and 14 counselling teachers. A separate questionnaire for students and another one for counselling teachers were used to collect data. The instrument‘s validity and reliability was enhanced through a pilot study in two schools within the province and were not included in the main study. Face validity and content validity was used by the researcher engaging colleagues and experts in the school of education. The questionnaires were administered to the respondents by the researcher assisted by four research assistants. The research began after obtaining a research permit from the Ministry of Education. The data obtained was coded and analysed using the SPSS programme for windows. The statistics used for this exercise were mainly percentages, pie charts and bar graphs. However, the stated hypotheses were tested by the use of the chi square. The key findings showed that peer pressure, school and family stress, and drug availability contributed to students‘ drug abuse. It was also found that alcohol was the most abused drug, that boys abused drugs more than girls and that drug abuse was more prevalent in mixed schools than the other categories of schools. The study also found that most students, 81%, who abused drugs did this often. The study concludes that stringent measures should be put in place urgently so as to address the problem of drug abuse. The study recommends a multifaceted approach as a strategy for minimizing the vice in the Kenya secondary schools.
Bantu and Nilotic Children’s Singing Games: A Comparative Study of their Value Communication
(University of Cape Town South Africa, 2009-07) Weche, Michael O.
This study is based on the premise that Luo and Luhya children’s singing games are creative works that subtly reflect the aesthetics of the two communities. The aim is to critically examine how the performance of the singing games and their texts reflect the aspirations, norms and values of the macro cultures of the two Nilotic and Bantu communities respectively. The sampled singing games include those done in the traditional setting, sung in vernacular and those that are taken from the urban or cosmopolitan settings. Our findings reveal that Luo and Luhya children’s singing games are a significant resource in communicating the values of the two communities. Luo and Luhya children imitate their physical and social environments and dramatize about the aesthetics of the communities. This dramatization reflects both traditional values and the new emerging values that have been necessitated by the introduction of western values, formal education, Christianity and others. In these singing games Luo and Luhya children are able to socialize, learn and also uphold the values of unity and respect for one another. The singing games are significant in the learning process and character development of the children involved in the performance. Luo and Luhya children’s singing games play a significant role in socializing the children in their different societies. The socialization makes the child to be rooted in the aesthetics and aspirations of his/her society. Urban children’s singing games that are sung by Luhya and Luo children reflect the child’s creativity, improvisation and the ability to borrow from various sources. The singing games utilize various sources, including the electronic media, print media and also rhymes from other cultures. Children’s singing games are repertoires of a people’s aesthetics. Apart from directly teaching the participants cultural issues and requirements, the singing games are crucial to the participants’ social and moral development. Luo and Luhya children’s singing games reflect the macro culture of the Luo and Luhya communities respectively and to a great extent the changing values in the Kenyan society. The study also gives some insights arising from the findings that can be of benefit to future researchers. There is need for researchers to focus on children’s singing games as creative works and discover their role in the social and moral development of the child and also find out how these creative works can be used in an educational set up.
Discursive Construction of Masculine Identities in Newspapers Pullout Magazines in Kenya
(Laikipia University., 2014-10) Ngumo, Mugambi Cyrus
The study analyzed the discursive constructions of masculine identities in newspapers’ pullout magazines in Kenya. It examined if there was a disconnect between the way Kenya’s mainstream newspapers’ pullout magazines constructed masculinity and the way the readers of these magazines constructed it. The objectives of the study were: to identify and describe the types of masculine identities that are constructed by lifestyle magazines and determine how these magazines justify or legitimize their construction of these identities; to identify and describe the types of masculine identities constructed by readers of pullout magazines and the language they use to construct these identities; to investigate how readers conform to, negotiate or resist the masculine identities constructed by these magazines, and to find out why readers conform to, negotiate or resist these masculine identities as constructed by pullout magazines. The study adopted a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the social constructionist view of gender and the encoding decoding model as its theoretical framework. Purposive sampling was used since only information rich magazines were relevant. Data was collected from The Nation and The Standard newspapers’ pullout magazines published between February, 2012 and January, 2013. Two weekly pullout magazines were selected from each paper. The Saturday Magazine and Lifestyle were selected from The Nation while Woman Instinct and The Dude were selected from The Standard. Data was also collected from readers. Respondents read the magazines individually, and then held a discussion which was tape recorded in focus group discussions. These readers were drawn from male and female students at Kimathi University College and Kagumo Teachers’ College in Nyeri. The CDA method of analysis was used. To begin with, the analysis of the construction of masculine identities by the magazines not only revealed multiple identities but also contradictory ones at times. The same tendency was manifested by the readers’ construction of male identities. Significantly, the study found out that readers conform, negotiate or oppose pullout magazines’ construction of masculine identities. Additionally, both magazines and readers used different linguistic forms to justify their constructions of masculine identities. The analysis also found out that adopting any of the three positions was informed by different ideologies. The finding that masculine identities are multiple reinforces the argument that there is no normal or abnormal masculinity. Thus, Kenyan institutions such as the family, the school, legal departments, and civil society may need to come up with policies that cater and protect men who manifest identities that do not resonate with hegemonic masculinity.
Being There for the Other: Towards a Phenomenology of Help in Mathematics
(University of Alberta, 2013) Karuku, Simon
A qualitative study, framed within a hermeneutic phenomenological stance, was undertaken to explore and describe the essence of the meaning of help in mathematics from the perspective of high school students. Participants were drawn from seven high schools located in the eastern and mid-eastern regions of Tanzania Mainland. The participants were asked to recall and describe a moment when they either sought or gave help in mathematics. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews and participants’ own written experiential accounts. According to the participants, seeking help in mathematics means seeking change in one’s mode of being in the mathematics life-world, and exhibiting responsive openness to the target of the seeking intention. This means that when students are seeking help, they are looking for someone who would help them experience conceptual change. Giving help, on the other hand, is more a way of being there for the recipient than a kind of doing. Most of the participants recalled and described a moment of seeking or giving the type of help that was ultimately aimed at improving the recipient’s performance in examinations. Accordingly, this thesis underscores the need for the seeking that has epistemological significance; namely, the seeking that is aimed at achieving conceptual understanding. In their lived-experience descriptions, many participants also shared feelings of being neglected and disobliged by their teachers. Although the participants longed for the teacher’s time, presence, attention, concern and care, these longings were not satisfied. This led to feelings of aloneness among the participants, which appear to have acted as an impulse for the participants to seek help in the sphere of peergroup relationships. However, due to the peers’ limitations in their ability to help each other, they felt the need to consult private tutors. As professional helpers, teachers play a critical role in transforming help-seeking moments into pedagogical moments. In this regard, one of the challenges raised in this thesis is the need to recover the notion of teaching as a vocation since in essence, it is those teachers who have been called to teaching that will express their being in and through the act of teaching.
Contributions of Selected Microsystems to antisocial behaviours among Adolescents in Secondary Schools in Manyatta Sub- County, Embu County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2015-04) Nyaga, Milcah Njoki
Antisocial behaviour is a major challenge in secondary schools in Kenya. It is linked with delinquent behaviour such as truancy, drug abuse and bullying. These behaviours are related to negative interactions with parents, teachers and peers. The individual lives in constant conflict which results in ultimate long time consequences like failing examinations, frustrations and failure in life. The aim of this study was to investigate the contributions of microsystems to antisocial behaviours among adolescents in secondary schools in Manyatta, Embu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the extent of truancy, bullying and drug abuse among adolescents in secondary schools and to investigate the contributions of family, class room and peer group factors on antisocial behaviours. The study was grounded on Erikson‟s Psychosocial theory and Bronfenbrenner‟s Ecological theory. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population was 11,329 students from 46 public schools which are either county boarding schools or coeducation day schools in Manyatta, Embu County. Stratified sampling was used to obtain two girls boarding schools, two boys boarding schools and four co-education day schools. The 2,834 Form Two students were purposively sampled because this group was rated the ring leader in Eastern region. The sample of 320 students was obtained through random sampling while eight deputy principals were selected from sampled schools. A pilot study was conducted on 30 form two students selected from the two categories of secondary schools in Embu County.This was to improve the instruments‟ reliability and validity. The data was collected using student‟s questionnaire, deputy principals‟ questionnare, records analysis and an observation schedule in all the sampled schools. Both descriptive and inferential statistical procedures were used to analyse the data. Chi-square tests were used to determine the significance of association between the independent and dependent variables. The findings revealed that all the classroom factors: academic performance, individuals responsible for discipline, common disciplinary measures, rating of disciplinary measures and counselling services, were significantly associated with antisocial behaviours.The findings showed that among the family factors; parents‟ supervision, students‟opinion on parenting style, parents‟ employment and sharing with parents were significantly associated with antisocial behaviours, while not living with biological parents was not significantly associated with antisocial behaviours. The study further found out that among the peer group factors; students‟ opinion on an individual student and identification based on informal group were significantly associated with antisocial behaviours, while participation in informal group, sharing problems with peers and characteristic of friends‟ behaviour were not significantly associated with antisocial behaviours. The study found out that truancy was the most common, followed by bullying and drug abuse respectively. The study recommended that all children be given equal supervision as that given to the first born children. The study also recommended peer counselling training to be offered to all students.The counselling services need to be activitated and managed by trained teacher counsellors. The disciplinary measures should be modified in consultation with the students and teachers. Parents and teachers should aim at developing a holistic individual who is socially, intellectually and psychologically fit in the society. The concerted effort of the individual and the stakeholders are important for successful adolescents‟ transition.

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