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Learning Mathematics with Interactive Technology in Kenya Grade-one Classes
Effects of Parental Attitudes Toward Spousal Violence on Early Childhood Development and Learning Support Among Ghanaian Children
Narrative Persuasion and Social Norms in Entertainment-Education: Results from a Radio Drama in Mozambique
Using self-regulated learning to enhance mathematics achievement among grade 11 learners in Kenya
Using self-regulated learning to enhance mathematics achievement among grade 11 learners in Kenya
by Ong’uti, Charles Onchiri
Keep ReadingWhere and how do young people like to get their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information? Experiences from students in higher learning institutions in Mbeya, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study
Learning Mathematics with Interactive Technology in Kenya Grade-one Classes
by Kiforo, Enos
While countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made significant progress towards achieving universal school enrolment, millions of students lack basic numeracy skills. This paper reports the results of a pilot study that aimed at using the Emergent Literacy in Mathematics (ELM) software to teach mathematics in early primary grades in Kenya. Designed as a pre and post-test non-equivalent group research, the study unfolded in 14 grade-one classes from 7 primary public schools. After having learned with ELM for about two terms, the experimental students (N=283) considerably outperformed their peers (N=171) exposed to traditional instruction with the effect sizes of +0.37 on the overall skills measured by a standardised test of mathematics. The impact of ELM activities was the greatest on students’ ability to take language and concepts of mathematics and apply appropriate operations and computation to solve word problems. On this set of skills, the magnitude of difference between the experimental and control groups was +0.77. This study also revealed some positive shifts in the teachers’ perceptions about their practice. The teachers who adopted ELM in their practice reported having gained more confidence in mathematics and comfort in teaching mathematics with computers. © 2022,International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education.All Rights Reserved.
Effects of Parental Attitudes Toward Spousal Violence on Early Childhood Development and Learning Support Among Ghanaian Children
by Kofinti, Raymond Elikplim
The prevalence of condoning attitudes toward spousal violence (SV) is high in Ghana, yet much is not known about how the development of children is compromised in households where attitudes toward SV are tolerated. This study is premised on two objectives: (a) examination of the effect of parents condoning attitudes toward SV on early childhood development; and (b) investigation of the effect of parents condoning attitudes toward SV on the amount of learning support children receive from household members. Data on 2,740 children aged between 36 and 59 months were drawn from the 2011 Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for the first objective and 1,595 households with children aged between 4 and 15 years were sourced from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey for the second. Analytical methods employed are descriptive statistics, instrumental variable (IV), and ordinary least squares (OLS) micro-econometric estimation techniques. The findings suggest that parents who condone attitudes toward SV reduce early childhood development by 3.269 units. Compared with the physical and socioemotional domains, parents tolerating attitudes toward SV have the highest adverse effect on the literacy, numeracy, and learning development domain of early childhood development (2.916 units). In addition, households that accept attitudes toward SV reduce the amount of learning support offered to children by 0.261 units, and every additional attitude toward SV acceptance reduces child learning support by 0.079 units. Attitudes of parents toward condoning SV retard the early development of children, impair children’s cognitive development, and compromise the amount of learning support children receive from household members. This study reinforces the evidence that parental attitudes are related to child outcomes in Ghana. The evidence calls for strengthening healthy family environments and child protection systems through behavioral change communication interventions and awareness creation among parents. © The Author(s) 2020.
Narrative Persuasion and Social Norms in Entertainment-Education: Results from a Radio Drama in Mozambique
by Massimiliano Sani
Narrative persuasion and social norms are part of the most recent theorizing behind the health communication strategy known as entertainment-education. There is little research, however, that compares these theoretical constructs from Mozambique, a setting that has not been researched to the same extent as other EE practice locations. This study uses mixed methods data from the midline evaluation of Ouro Negro (English translation: Black Gold), an EE radio program for individual health and social change in Mozambique to answer two research questions: what is the relationship between exposure to Ouro Negro and narrative persuasion?, and what is the relationship between narrative persuasion with Ouro Negro and social norms? Quantitative results related to the first question indicated that exposure significantly predicted three narrative persuasion constructs in multivariate regression models, results confirmed by a storytelling activity in focus groups. Quantitative results for the second question, which utilized propensity score matching, were not significant, and findings from a qualitative 2 × 2 table activity confirmed that behaviors were not normative in the directions promoted by the radio drama. Implications and recommendations for future entertainment-education research are discussed. © 2019, © 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
Using self-regulated learning to enhance mathematics achievement among grade 11 learners in Kenya
by Ong’uti, Charles Onchiri
The study investigated the effect of self-regulated learning (SRL) on mathematics performance among learners in Kenya. The study employed Solomon four research design. A sample size of 408 grade 11 learners from four schools was obtained using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Validity of the instruments was ensured with assistance of experts in psychology and mathematics. Reliability of the questionnaires was ensured using the Cronbach’s alpha method and all the subscales had alpha of greater than 0.7. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages and inferential statistics such as paired samples t-test was used to analyse the data. The results indicate a significant difference [t(83) = –10.498, p < 0.001] between pre-test and post-test score of the experiment group which means a significant impact of treatment (training on the use of SRL techniques). Universities and teacher-training colleges should infuse aspects of SRL techniques in their teacher-training programs. Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
Where and how do young people like to get their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information? Experiences from students in higher learning institutions in Mbeya, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study
by Mcharo, RD
Background: Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) among young adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is still a major public health challenge. Early school-based sexuality education programs and sexual health information sharing between teachers, parents and young people have been considered protective against the sexual health risks to which young people are exposed. There is, however, limited information on the preferred choices of where, how and from whom young people would like to receive SRH information. We aimed to describe the experience and preferences of young people regarding their SRH education and learning and in particular communication with their parents/guardians. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among randomly selected students aged 18-24y attending Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) in Mbeya, Tanzania. We used a self-administered questionnaire to collect information on SRH education received, ability to discuss SRH matters with a parent/guardian and SRH information gaps encountered during their early sexual experience. Results: We enrolled 504 students from 5 HLIs, of whom 446 (88.5%) reported to be sexually active, with mean age at sexual debut of 18.4y (SD 2.2). About 61% (307/504) of the participants found it difficult to discuss or did not discuss SRH matters with their parent/guardian while growing up. Learning about SRH matters was reported from peers (30.2%) and teacher-led school curriculum (22.7%). There was a strong gender-biased preference on SRH matters' discussions, female and male participants preferred discussions with adults of their respective sex. Peers (18.2%), media (16.2%) and schools (14.2%) were described as the preferred sources of SRH information. On recalling their first sexual experience, sexually-initiated participants felt they needed to know more about sexual feelings, emotions and relationships (28.8%), safer sex (13.5%), how to be able to say 'No' (10.7%) and how to use a condom correctly (10.2%). Conclusion: Young people have a gender preference when it comes to learning about SRH matters from their parents; however, such conversations seldom occur. Community health education should focus on building skills of parents on parent-child communication on SRH matters so as to empower them to confidently initiate and convey accurate SRH information. Comprehensive SRH education and skills building need to be strengthened in the current school SRH curriculum in order to meet the demand and needs of students and increase the competence of teachers.
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