Teaching with Technologies: The preparedness of Pre-Service Science Teachers (Published)
The study investigated the preparedness of pre-service science teachers towards teaching with technology. A descriptive survey research design was used for the study. A simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample of 150 students from the population of 620 pre-service science teachers of the University of Port Harcourt. A Teaching with Technology Readiness Indicator (TWTRI) was developed by the researcher to obtain the readiness level of the pre-service science teachers. The instrument reliability was determined through test-retest method and a stability coefficient of 0.87 was obtained. Two experts in the field of Educational Technology and another two in the field of Measurement and Evaluation confirmed the validity of the instrument. Four research questions were answered with the use of mean and four corresponding hypotheses were tested using independent sample t-test. The results of the study showed that the pre-service science teachers were prepared for teaching with technologies with respect to technological skills, attitude, anxiety and self-efficacy. There was no significant difference in the preparedness of male and female pre-service science teachers. Continuous professional development, proper planning, selection of adequate technology and provision of technology infrastructure were recommended.
Keywords: Preparedness, teaching with technology, technological skills, technology integration
Special Needs Teachers Capacity in the Implementation of Competency Based Curriculum in Primary Schools in Kenya (Published)
This research looks at the capacity that special needs teachers in Kenyan primary schools have towards implementation of competency based curriculum in lower primary schools. Because of the abolishment of exclusion and adoption of inclusion policy, special needs learners are enrolled in mainstream schools and therefore have to be provided with the right and adequate support for their learning to take place. This study will survey a total of 83 public primary schools in Kapsaret Sub County, Kenya to determine the level of teacher capacity in the implementation of CBC. The sample will include special needs teachers teaching in those schools numbering to 69. Data collection was done through use of questionnaire for Special Needs Education Teachers in public primary schools. Data analysis will be performed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic content analysis for qualitative data. The study found out that: SNE teachers had moderate capacities in terms of understanding the CBC curriculum and preparedness in implementing the CBC content in public primary schools in the study area. The enrolment of special needs learners was low and had not increased significantly and this was attributed to lack of adequate capacities by SNE teachers to provide required support to disabled learners. the paper recommends that SNE teachers need to be provided with specialised training on CBC implementation in inclusive setting, schools should ensure facilities and resources to support inclusive education are provided and TSC to increase special needs teachers numbers to more than one in primary schools. This article discusses findings, implications for the special education teacher preparation programmes in Kenyan teacher training institutions, and recommendations for future research
Keywords: Curriculum, Education, Preparedness, Special Needs, capacity, competency