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    Quality Teaching and Learning, Assessment Technology and Innovativeness in Virtual Environments
    (UoEm, 2023-11-02) University of Embu Committee Members
    Quality Teaching & Learning, ,
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    Proceedings from the first Annual International Conference on Decolonizing Education
    (University of Embu, 2020-02) Kenya, Eucharia U.; Njiruh, Nthakanio P.; Gitonga, Ciriaka; Muturi, Margaret; Kinoti, Timothy M.; Njagi, Zachary
    Decolonizing formal education involves accepting indigenous and alternative ways of envisioning the world around us. For academics, it would entail accepting indigenous perspectives, ways of knowing and wisdom, and encouraging efforts by staff and students alike to reclaim indigenous knowledge as well as philosophies of teaching and learning that encompass the multiple experiences of a people. In higher education, such shift is important not only for pedagogic reasons, but also as an important part for example in African studies. On a positive note, recent developments have seen a paradigm shift and ‘detachment’ from the concept of pure formal education. Agitation for recognition of the indigenous concepts, ideas and innovations in enhancing and tackling challenges affecting humanity, whether from developing or developed countries, is like a stone rolling downhill with minimal barriers that must reach its destination. To begin a conversation geared towards drawing a roadmap for decolonizing African education, the 1st Annual International Conference on Decolonizing Education sought to examine knowledge production and resistance to colonial and post-colonial domination. Together, scholars, researchers, practitioners, elders, community leaders, community/digital/ media activists and artists, and educators engaged in a dialogue on (re)claiming and use of indigenous pedagogies as tools for response to colonial fragmentations. The three-day event prevailed upon participants to strengthen and build more confidence in indigenous knowledge, ideologies, philosophies, mechanisms and customs for continued eradication of colonial mindsets. It indeed endeavored to address human, political orientation, the triggers and factors that sustain the belief that indigenous knowledge, customs and beliefs are of less importance in shaping our destiny and that of the globe.
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    Proceedings from 10th Annual Decolonizing Conference
    (2017-04) Kenya, Eucharia U.; Njiruh, Nthakanio P.; Njoki, Wane; Gitonga, Ciriaka; Muturi, Margaret; King’endo, Madrine; Riungu, Nicholas
    Humanity continues to seek solutions to global and local challenges as well as advancing knowledge and innovations to enhance wellness. In such endeavors, there is continued misconstruction that interpretation of indigenous knowledge, customs, philosophies, ideologies, solutions and reactions must necessarily be done from an internationally defined arena which has been based on the assumption that internationalism is westernism. In the recent past, there is a growing paradigm shift and ‘detachment’ from this concept. Agitation for recognition of the indigenous concepts, ideas and innovations in enhancing and tackling challenges affecting humanity, whether from developing or developed countries, is like a stone rolling downhill with minimal barriers that must reach its destination. The Annual Decolonizing the Spirit conference examined knowledge production and resistance to colonial and post-colonial domination. This conference brought together scholars, researchers, practitioners, elders, community leaders, community/digital/media activists and artists, and educators to participate in a dialogue on (re)claiming and use of Indigenous pedagogies as tools for response to colonial fragmentations. This three-day conference provided a forum for participants to strengthen and build confidence. It indeed endeavored to address how indigenous knowledge, ideologies, philosophies, mechanisms and customs can be of importance in shaping our destiny and that of the globe.
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    Determinants of Contraceptive Uptake among Youths Aged 18-25 Years in Nakuru County
    (2016) Maingi, Nancy; Githaiga, J.; Okova, R.; Karonjo, J.; Ndungu, E.
    Introduction Globally, there are over 1.8 billion young people and nearly 90 percent of whom live in developing countries. The age-range 18 to 24 is a period when most people begin to actively explore their sexuality (UNFPA, 2009). Most people become sexually active before their 20th birthday (UNFPA, 2009). One in every 10 births and one in 10 abortions worldwide and one in six births in developing countries is to women aged between 18-19 years (UNFPA, 2009). In sub-Saharan Africa, 75 percent of young women report having had sex by age 20(UNFPA, 2009).Despite continued investments in adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs worldwide, challenges still exist in adequately meeting the SRH information and service needs of this subset of the population. These challenges are more pronounced in sub- Saharan Africa which, among the major regions of the world, has the greatest proportion of adolescent girls who have begun childbearing (Gupta &Mahy 2003). In Kenya 15% of women age 15-19 have already had a birth while 18 percent have begun childbearing (had a live birth or are pregnant with their first child). The percentage of women who have begun childbearing increases rapidly with age, from about 3 percent among women age 15 to 40 percent among women age 19 (KDHS, 2014-15). Materials and Methods Descriptive cross-section study on youths 18-25years in the Nakuru County ; Systematic random sampling was used in selection of 189 respondents. Results The findings revealed that 59% of the respondents were married while 16% were married, 55 % were self- employed, 33 % are employed either in public or private sector while 13 % were un employed. Fifty one percent of the respondents have never used family planning .The study showed that 42.3 %of the respondents use condoms while 1.1 % use implants . Fifty three percent of the respondents said they did not use contraceptives because of religion and culture, while 19 % said they are not sexually active. Seventy four percent of the respondents learnt of contraceptives from hospital/health workers. Fifty eight percent of the respondents said the distance to the hospital was 1-5km while 42 % said it is above 5km. Majority of the respondents 56% disliked the approach used by the health. Twenty nine percent acknowledged that they had been denied FP services by health care workers because of age. Discussion and Conclusion Forty four percent of the respondents were uncomfortable with environment the services were offered. This support observation of Johnross (2002) that lack of privacy can violate women's sense of modesty and make it more difficult for them to participate actively in selecting a contraceptive method. 59 % of the respondents wait for more than 1 hour,24 % for 30 minutes while17% % said they wait for one hour before being served. Availability and accessibility of different contraceptive methods influence the use of different contraceptive methods. Demographic attributes that include age, gender, level of literacy, marital status, number of children and desire for more children are major determinants of contraceptives usage. Social, cultural aspects such as religious affiliations and the stigma surrounding young people’s sexuality may deter them from seeking family planning services as some contraceptive methods go contrary to cultural beliefs
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    Determinants of Place of Delivery among Women of Child Bearing Age Seeking Child Welfare Services in Kandara Sub County, Murang’a County
    (2015) Gachathi, Daniel Muya; Okova, Rosemary; Mwangangi, Francisca; Maingi, Nancy
    Introduction Worldwide, half a million women die each year from pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Over 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries, including Sub-Saharan Africa (Oguntunde et al., 2010). KDHS 2010, indicates Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of 488/100,000 has been reported. Skilled assistance during childbirth is central to reducing maternal mortality despite it remaining below 50% since the early 1990s, (KDHS 2008/2009) Study by KNBS indicates that 43 percent of births in Kenya take place in health facilities, while 56 percent of births take place at home. Methods Data was collected using interviewer-led questionnaire on 323 women .Predictors of the woman’s most recent place of delivery were explored in an exploratory risk factor analysis using multiple logistic regressions. Data was collected from 1st April to April 22nd 2015. Results Women who had attained more education level (48.9%) preferred delivering in hospitals than at home. Majority (80%) of women were married and all of them opted for health facility delivered this could be attributed to an assured support from their husbands. A good proportion (39.3%) of the women relied on their husband for financial support. Many women 56.7% claimed that lack of information on service delivery, lack of information about services offered in hospitals encouraged many women to deliver at home. It was clear from the study findings that lack of satisfaction with service delivery discouraged most women to deliver at the hospitals. On the other hand, the findings revealed that lack of respect of cultural beliefs by the health workers encouraged women delivery at home to a moderate extent. Walking long distances to hospitals encouraged most of the women to deliver at home to a great extent. High travelling costs is a barrier to use of maternity services offered in hospitals also discouraged most77% women to deliver in hospitals. Poor infrastructure , roads encouraged most 45.2% women to deliver at home. Discussion and Conclusion The study findings indicate that there is a significant positive effect on choice of place of birth and the determinants under study namely: Socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge on safe delivery, accessibility to delivery services and attitude towards health facilities.
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    Determinants of Postpartum Care Uptake among Women (18 – 49 Years) in Kandara Sub County Muranga County – Kenya
    (2015) Kamau, M.; Maingi, Nancy; Okova, R.; Karonjo, J.
    Introduction Worldwide, half a million women die each year from pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Over 90% of these deaths occur in developing countries, including Sub-Saharan Africa (Oguntunde et al., 2010). KDHS 2010, indicates Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of 488/100,000 has been reported. Skilled assistance during childbirth is central to reducing maternal mortality despite it remaining below 50% since the early 1990s, (KDHS 2008/2009) Study by KNBS indicates that 43 percent of births in Kenya take place in health facilities, while 56 percent of births take place at home. Methods Data was collected using interviewer-led questionnaire on 323 women .Predictors of the woman’s most recent place of delivery were explored in an exploratory risk factor analysis using multiple logistic regressions. Data was collected from 1st April to April 22nd 2015. Results Women who had attained more education level (48.9%) preferred delivering in hospitals than at home. Majority (80%) of women were married and all of them opted for health facility delivered this could be attributed to an assured support from their husbands. A good proportion (39.3%) of the women relied on their husband for financial support. Many women 56.7% claimed that lack of information on service delivery, lack of information about services offered in hospitals encouraged many women to deliver at home. It was clear from the study findings that lack of satisfaction with service delivery discouraged most women to deliver at the hospitals. On the other hand, the findings revealed that lack of respect of cultural beliefs by the health workers encouraged women delivery at home to a moderate extent. Walking long distances to hospitals encouraged most of the women to deliver at home to a great extent. High travelling costs is a barrier to use of maternity services offered in hospitals also discouraged most77% women to deliver in hospitals. Poor infrastructure , roads encouraged most 45.2% women to deliver at home. Discussion and Conclusion The study findings indicate that there is a significant positive effect on choice of place of birth and the determinants under study namely: Socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge on safe delivery, accessibility to delivery services and attitude towards health facilities.
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    Biotechnology and Genetic engineering- a key to bio-economy. 3rd National Biosafety Conference
    (2014-08) Njiruh, Nthakanio P.
    Biotechnology and Genetic engineering- a key to bio-economy. 3rd National Biosafety Conference, 11th – 14th August, 2014. Presented at Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya.
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    Variation and Associations of Cup Quality Traits and CBD Resistance in Coffea arabica cv Ruiru 11
    (2015) Gichimu, Bernard M.; Nyende, A. B.; Mamati, G. E.; Gichimu, E. K.
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    Discrimination of Ruiru 11 Hybrid Sibs based on Raw Coffee Quality
    (2015) Gichimu, Bernard M.; Gichuru, E. K.; Mamati, G. E.; Nyende, A. B.