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Teaching Practice: Is There any Relationship Between Academic Supervisors’ and School Supervisors’ Assessment of Students?
Get PDFTeaching Practice (TP) is an essential part of all teacher training processes. It is both a practice that all teacher trainees go through, but is also an examination. The world over, who mans the education sectors is critical to national development. Who is approved to be a teacher is a critical question then, and how assessments are done, of interest to all stakeholders. In the study, we examined the following: i. the nature of assessments school administrations and/or cooperating teachers made of practicing teachers, ii. Academic supervisors’ assessments of students iii. tested relationships between lecturer scores and school supervisor scores, and iv. differences
between the performance of Diploma and Bachelors students. The study utilized reports made on each student at the end of the three months of Teaching Practice (TP) by both in-school supervisors (heads and/or cooperating teachers) and lecturers. Students in the study were visited at least three times by their academic supervisors and all their scores on each occasion were then converted to just one aggregate mark, as is done, because the practicum is considered as one examination. The study wanted to establish whether students who did well in
their teaching also did well according the heads of schools and cooperating teachers in other measures. On-TP student teachers were assessed on: preparation (scheming, planning, writing of focused objectives;) and actual teaching: introduction, development, and closure of lessons, in addition to their rapport with learners, mastery of subject matter, use of teaching materials and aids as well as body language and appropriate dressing. At the end of the three months the heads of schools also assessed them using a short questionnaire. A total of 113 students were randomly selected using from each group for the study (41 diploma, 72 bachelors). Confidential school assessments ranging between ‘3’ (average) and ‘5’ (excellent), and lecturer ratings ranging between 41% and 86% were used for comparison. The results of the study show that on all aspects, there were no significant differences in the scores of diploma and bachelors students. However, the degree trainees had significantly better mastery of content than their diploma counterparts even though it did not translate into better performance in other measures of actual teaching
Determination of Appropriate Mix Proportions for the Kenyan Blended Portland Cement Concrete Production
Get PDFThe Kenya’s vision 2030 seeks to address the rising needs of its population through infrastructure development. Reinforced concrete being the most commonly used construction material forms an integral part of this development strategy. The direct substitution of the ordinary Portland cements with the cheaper, lower strength, locally available blended Portland cements could be responsible for the production of poor quality concrete and contribute to the failure of several concrete buildings in the country. This paper presents findings of an experimental investigation on the appropriate mix proportions for the Kenyan blended Portland cement concrete. Key variables used in this study included the water/ cement ratio (x1), the cement/ total aggregates ratio (x2) and the fine aggregates/ coarse aggregates ratio (x3). The response was measured in terms of slump,
compressive strengths at 7days, 14days and 28 days and density. Minitab 17 software was used in the design of experiments and results analysis based on Central Composite Design method. The investigation revealed that for a workable concrete with slump of ≥ 30mm, the appropriate mix ratios for the Kenyan blended Portland cement concrete are: 1:2.2:3.4 (w/c 0.6) for strength class C15 and 1:1.3:2.2 (w/c 0.5) for strength class C20. It was further noted that the different brands of blended Portland cement in the country had varying properties and thus produced concrete with different wet and hardened properties. None of the brands achieved the target design
strength for strength class C25 and above. Therefore, the blended Portland cements may not be suitable for producing structural concrete strength class C 25 and above
Effect of Eco-Physiological Variability in Leucaena leucocephala Growth and Development
Get PDFThe effect of eco-physiological differences in two sites on growth and development of Leucaena
was assessed. A 2-factor (provenance-site) experiment in a completely randomized design with
three (3) replications was set up. Pot and field experiments were used to assess growth and
development of three local Leucaena provenances in two regions, Maseno ICRAF/KEFRI centre
(pH 4.8) and Chepkoilel Campus farm (pH 5.0). Seeds of three local Leucaena provenances K156
(Gede), K136 (Kibwezi) and KIT2724 (Kitale) were used in this study. Lime was applied at 0 and
33.3 kg per kg of soil (6.7 ton/ha) in each pot and aluminium at 0, 100, 200 and 300 M. Field
experiment was conducted at Chepkoilel Campus farm. Lime was applied at a rate of 7ton/ha.
Number of leaves per plant, plant height, root length, root collar diameter, plant dry weight, selected
nutrients (N, P and Ca) and Al were assessed from potted and field grown seedlings. Data were
subjected to multivariate analysis of variance. There was relatively better seedlings growth at
Maseno than at University of Eldoret. The differences in environmental factors, such as higher
mean temperatures (25°C) at Maseno could promote growth, resulting in higher plant height, root length and plant dry weight than at Chepkoilel Campus, which had lower mean temperature 17°C,
However, although the Maseno plants were taller, they had smaller root collar diameters, especially
after 90 days. The comparatively higher levels of nitrogen in the Maseno soils could also be
responsible for the better growth. This was also reflected in the shoot tissues where the seedlings
grown at Maseno had higher nitrogen content than those same genotypes grown at Chepkoilel
Campus site. Seedlings at Maseno ICRAF/KEFRI centre had significantly (p < 0.05) better growth
than at University of Eldoret. Maseno soils had higher N and less Al than at University of Eldoret
Socio-Ecologic Factors Responsible for Increased Malaria Vulnerability in Six Most Affected Counties in Kenya
Get PDFThis paper intends to understand the socio-ecologic factors responsible for increased vulnerability to malaria in six counties of Kenya. Available official information indicates that over the years the six counties of Busia, Siaya, Tharaka Nithi, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Migori had the highest number of malaria cases – double the national average. It is therefore necessary to have a quick collection of preliminary information to understand this occurrence. Using desk top research, this paper assembles information that may shed light on this phenomenon
A Survey of Supermarkets in Kakamega Town
Get PDFAbstract Supplier quality management is one of the very many simple concepts that make a lot of sense to any well meaning organization. Unfortunately, implementing the concept is not very simple and over the years, companies have crumbled due to failure to master the best practices in supplier quality management. Practices such as measuring the performance of suppliers, engaging suppliers in quality management systems, supplier audits, supplier development, integration and competitive supplier selection are a great opportunity to improve organizational performance in terms of customer service delivery levels and operational costs reduction. However, it is worth noting that there are numerous challenges encountered in having such practices accepted by all the stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of supplier quality management on organizational performance, covering all the supermarkets in Kakamega town. The study employed a descriptive survey design and the study population was the procurement managers of the supermarkets. Data was collected using structured questionnaires which were administered by the researchers through a drop and pick technique and it was descriptively analyzed. The study also explored the potential integration of supplier quality management practices into an organization’s operations, focussing on the currently available applications. The study recommended that suppliers should maintain reliable records, errors to be identified early, supermarkets to decentralize their management structures, suppliers should conform to specifications and that senior level management should be fully committed especially in supplier development programmes so as to overcome the challenges faced in supplier quality management. Finally, suggestions for further research were given. Key words: Organizational performance, Supplier, Supplier Quality Managemen
Influence of Farmers’ Socio-economic Characteristics on Adoption of Bambara Nut Production in Western Kenya
Get PDFA survey was conducted to determine the effect of the socio-economic and institutional factors on
farmers’ adoption of Bambara nut as food security crop. Purposive survey research design was
used to generate both qualitative and quantitative data. 384 respondents were interviewed in the
study. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 131, respondents from Kakamega
North Sub- county, 127 from Butere and 94 from Matungu and 32 respondents from Mumias subcounties based on population. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaire,
interview schedules alongside focused group discussion. Findings indicated that that seven
variables were statistically significant and contributed to adoption. These factors include: subcounty
of farmer’s residence, gender, farm size, on-farm income, labor, member of social group, marketing problems, access to extension services and respondents’ access to credit. Four other factors (age, level of education marketing and credit) were not significant. Chi-square test showed
that the estimated model fitted the data reasonably well and indeed the variables were jointly
significant in explaining adoption of Bambara production and utilization in Kakamega County. In
order for smallholder farmers to benefit from neglected food crops there is need for stakeholders to
contribute towards formulating relevant policies and impliment research programmes that will
promote and commercialize amongst others Bambara amongst smallholder farmers. This would
lead to increased smallscale growing of Bambara nut and thus contribute to ensuring food security
at household level among resource poor farmerss in Kakamega Count of Kenya
Genetic Structure and Geographical Relationship of Selected Colocasia esculenta [L. Schott] Germplasm Using SSRs
Get PDFAims: SSR markers were used to infer population genetic structure variability in taro cultivars with
the objective of characterizing the allelic diversity of each geographical population.
Place and Duration of Study: Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology and Beca
Hub, ILRI, Nairobi. Methodology: Six highly polymorphic SSR markers widely distributed in taro population genome were used in genotype 50 cultivars collected from Kenya and a taro genebank (SPC Tarogen). Results: The average polymorphic loci was 87.88%. The highest Shannon information index was observed in the germplasm from Nyanza (1.04), Western (1.2) and Hawaii (1.11) and Malaysia (1.36). Only Malaysia and Thailand germplasm had allele unique to a single locus. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 70% of the variations found within individual taro accessions, 6% of variations among the taro populations and only 24% amongst individual taro genotypes and they were statistically significant (p<0.001). Principal component analysis clustered the taro germplam into different groups. In total 50.06% and 51.82% of the variation was explained by the first three principal components of the taro germplasm. Some of the Kenyan taro cultivars clustered together with the Tarogen germplasm.
Conclusion: The determination of genetic diversity is core function towards understanding taro
genetic resources for varietal identification to rationalize its collection and safeguarding the existing
genetic diversity for taro germplasm conservation, management and for potential utilization for food
security
Metrics Model for Indexing University Information Technology Teaching Professionals’ Improvement in ICT Integration: A Review of the Literature
Get PDFDespite the recent progress in the development of ICT integration indices to support management of teaching in institutions, very little empirical research focusing on metrics for continuous improvement in ICT integration indexing of university information technology teaching professionals has been conducted. This situation exists despite the leadership role that university Information Technology Teaching Professionals and continuous improvement indexes can offer. The aim of this
study was to fill this knowledge gap by proposing a metric model for indexing that can support continuous improvement of ICT integration. In particular the study reviews the concept of ICT and integration in the context of university teaching, catalytic role that University IT teaching professionals can provide in improving ICT integration and the emerging continuous improvement challenges. A review is then done on existing Metric based indexes and continuous improvement models. A
conceptual framework based on continuous organizational learning model of knowledge based organization and theory of multiple methodologies and applied in extending Wan et al., (2009) ICT integration four levels model is then proposed. Based on the framework an index model for improving ICT integration is proposed. It is hoped that the designed metrics model can be applied to provide a basis for continuous improvement of Information Technology Professionals ICT current low levels of ICT integration