UTILISATION OF CHILD-CENTRED APPROACHES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTRES IN WEST POKOT COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study investigated utilisation of child-centred approaches and their influence in teaching and learning activities in public early childhood development education centres in West Pokot County. The study objectives were to establish utilisation of child-centred approaches in teaching and learning of Mathematics activities; Language activities; Science activities; and creative activities in public ECDE in West Pokot County. The study was guided by progressive theory developed by John Dewey. The theory proposes that in teaching and learning, attention should be given to individual child to enable him acquire required competencies. The study used a pragmatism philosophical approach. The study used a mixed methodology research approach. The study used descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of teachers and head teachers drawn from 417 ECDE Centres in West Pokot County. The ECDE centres selected were the ones which were operating under the county administration (public/community). The teachers and head teachers were selected through stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques respectively. This study used a questionnaire for teachers, interview guide for head teachers and observation checklist (to collect information classroom teaching and learning) to collect data. The research instruments were piloted and split half method was used to determine a reliability index through Cronbach Alpha. Quantitative data collected was analysed using descriptive statistical techniques which were frequencies, mean and standard deviation. Inferential analysis of Karl Pearson Correlation coefficient was used to test hypothesis. Quantitative data was analysed with help of SPSS. Qualitative data from open ended questions and interviews was transcribed coded in themes and reported in verbatim. The study established child-centred approaches were often (M=3.52 and SD=0.51) utilised in teaching and learning activities by teachers in ECDE centres. The study found out that utilisation of child-centred approaches by teachers had significant (p<0.05) effect on teaching and learning activities in Mathematics, Language, Science and Creative activities. Reports from observation and interviews revealed that child-centred approaches were moderately used by teachers in the study area. The study concluded that teachers’ continuous use of discovery, child interest, child needs and activity based approaches improved teaching and learning activities in ECDE centres in West Pokot County. The study recommended that ECDE centres should be adequately supported to acquire instructional media that facilitate the use of child-centred approaches; that the government should monitor the implementation of the ECDE curriculum and provide in-service education for ECDE teachers; and that teachers should move their learning beyond the classroom and use outside environmental features to impact instruction in mathematics, language, science and creative skills.