Influence of Social Studies Curriculum in Enhancing Values Education Among Pre-school Learners in Nairobi City County, Kenya
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Date
2019Author
Ganira, Khavugwi L
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Social Studies Curriculum (SSC) promotes civic competence in terms of knowledge,
intellectual capability and democratic disposition, which are expected of learners to
actively participate and coexist in society. SSC is based on societal needs, problems
and aspirations, which enable learners to acquire appropriate and acceptable value
systems. Therefore, in teaching pre-school learners’ social studies, emphasis is laid on
acquisition of necessary values for lifelong education during growth from formative
years to adulthood through a coherent and age-appropriate programme of learning.
This study examined the extent to which SSC enhances values education among preschool
learners in Nairobi City County. Focusing on reinforcing values of
responsibility, respect and cooperation, the study specifically examined relevance of
selected SSC content, effectiveness of instructional methods, efficiency of
instructional resources, impact of assessment modalities and sustainability of
stakeholders’ support in enhancing values education among pre-school learners.
Based on social constructivist and ecological system theories, the descriptive survey
design was applied to guide the research process. Primary data were sourced from 109
teachers in public pre-schools, and 7% of the parents who collect learners from preschool
in the evening. Questionnaires were used to source data from the teachers,
while head teachers and parents were interviewed; learners were observed in class
using an observation schedule; and document analysis was used to review secondary
data. Data analysis generated frequency distributions, cross-tabulations and multiple
linear regression analysis outputs for interpretation and discussions. The study
revealed that SSC content is relevant and that instructional methods are effective,
resources are efficient, assessment modalities with sustainable stakeholder support in
enhancing values education among pre-school learners. More still, the results in
Model 2 show that: relevance of SSC content (Beta = 0.196, ρ-value = 0.016);
effectiveness of SSC instructional methods (Beta = 0.175, ρ-value = 0.038); impact of
SSC assessment modalities (Beta = 0.150, ρ-value = 0.054) and sustainability of
stakeholder support for SSC implementation (Beta = 0.307, ρ-value = 0.006)
significantly enhance values education, as operationalised in terms of responsibility,
respect and cooperation. However, efficiency of SSC instructional resources (Beta =
0.105, ρ-value = 0.196), does not. The study recommended that pre-school teachers
should effectively implement values inherent in social studies curriculum for learners
to emerge as responsible, respectful and cooperative citizens for societal harmony
with support from stakeholders. Further recommendation is that the Ministry of
Education, KICD and Nairobi City County Government should ensure that pre-school
teachers adhere to the policy framework, supporting the goal of SSC for developing
active and informed citizens. Lastly, the study recommends further research on
learning gaps stemming from SSC content, instructional methods and resources,
assessment modalities and stakeholders’ support for values education.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5963]
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