Project Design Orientations, Social Capital And Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements: The Case Of Orphan Support Projects In Homa Bay County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of project design orientations and social capital on orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa County. The study was guided by six research objectives, namely : To examine the extent to which appreciative design orientation influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County; To assess the extent to which empowering design orientation influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County; To examine the extent to which inclusive design orientation influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County; To establish the extent to which engaging design orientation influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County; To assess how the combined project design orientations influence orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County and, To determine the extent to which social capital moderates the relationship between project design orientations and orphaned learners’ educational achievements in Homa Bay County. The cross-sectional survey design grounded on pragmatism was used. A total of 918 research participants, composed of 363 orphaned primary school learners, 363 care givers, 96 orphan support project managers and 96 primary school teachers, participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire and an interview guide were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. To ensure validity and reliability of the research instruments, pilot testing was conducted in a community based orphan support project in Kisumu County. Cronbach alpha at α =0.05 level of significance was used to compute the reliability coefficient of the research instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, means, standard deviation, composite means and composite standard deviations. Inferential statistics included correlation and regression models. Pearson correlation coefficients and coefficient of determination models were used to determine the relationships between project design orientations, social capital and orphaned learners’ educational achievements. Tests of statistical assumptions were carried out before data analysis to avoid invalidation of statistical analysis. Six null hypotheses were tested at α=.05 level of significance. The study found statistically significant relationships between project design orientations, social capital and orphaned learners’ educational achievements. The first null hypothesis (H01): Appreciative Design Orientation does not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was rejected since P=0.000<0.05; The second null hypothesis (H02):Empowering Design Orientation does not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was rejected since P=0.000<0.05; The third null hypothesis (H03): Inclusive Design Orientation does not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was rejected since P=0.000<0.05, The fourth null hypothesis (H04): Engaging Design Orientation does not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was rejected since P=0.000<0.05 ;The fifth null hypothesis (H05): The combined Project Design Orientations do not significantly influence Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was rejected since P=0.000<0.05 and The sixth and final null hypothesis (H06): Social Capital does not significantly moderate the relationship between Project Design orientations and Orphaned Learners’ Educational Achievements was also rejected since P=0.000<0.05. It is recommended that the government of Kenya should develop and implement educational achievement policy for orphaned learners and integrate the project design orientations and social capital to ensure sustainable orphaned learners’ educational achievements. Further research should be carried out to examine the extent to which the project design orientations and social capital influence orphaned learners’ performance in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education Examination (KCPE).