The increased demand and need for continuous learning have led to the introduction of open, distance, and e-learning (ODeL) in Kenya. Provision of this mode of education has, however, been faced with various challenges, among them infrastructural ones. This study was a survey conducted in two public universities offering major components of ODeL, the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. These universities were purposely selected for the study, whose respondents included the students registered in ODeL and the lecturers and senior administrators involved. Analysis of the relevant documents was also undertaken, while library literature was reviewed on the integration of ODeL into the provision of education in Kenya. The study established that efficient and optimal delivery of ODeL in Kenya faces both economic and infrastructural challenges. However, strengthening the existing relevant structures would address some of the challenges.<input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" type="hidden" />
Education in Kenya requires rethinking as the country faces the demands of educational and socio-economic transformation of the 21 st century. One of the general objectives of primary education in Kenya states that primary education should provide the learner opportunities to acquire literacy, numeracy, creativity and communication skills. There is evidence from research reports that the objective has not been fully met. A number of learners go through the primary school course without acquiring the basic literacy skills which negates the focus of the country to develop a knowledge based economy. The purpose of this study was to find out the extent to which teachers used teaching learning resources and learner centred strategies in primary school classrooms. The methodology adopted was survey research design. A total of 490 primary school teachers from five counties were purposively sampled and a total of 402 teachers participated; out of the total, 70 were observed teaching and 332 filled in a questionnaire. Out of 35 TAC tutors selected, 27 participated. A total of 80% of the teachers observed teaching used teacher centred teaching learning approaches with little learner involvement. The majority, 61.4% of those who filled in the questionnaire, indicated that they used teacher centred teaching learning approaches. Only 1(3.7%) was 'good' in use of resources for teaching learning in class, the rest were poor or did not use resources. It was found that teaching and learning approaches employed in the classroom by most teachers was teacher centred and encouraged rote learning hence lacking in active student involvement in the learning process. It was recommended that there should be sustained school based teacher professional development activities specifically addressing pedagogy for improved curriculum implementation and ultimately improved learning outcomes.
Quality teaching and learning in an environment that is mostly deprived of teaching and learning resources and scarcity of qualified teachers is a challenge in many African countries. This calls for creativity in the use of available resources so as to benefit a larger population of the teachers and students that may need the available resources. Many schools in Kenya do not have all the human and material resources that they require to effectively meet their needs. Some resources may exist in one school and lack in another. This calls for unselfish use of the resources so that they may benefit other teachers and students who may be in need of the same resources. Networking is one of the strategies that may be adopted to enable wider use of available resources.
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