Browsing by Author "Mwaniki, Elizabeth"

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    Effect of Health Education on Costs of Treatment and Household´S Income among Tuberculosis Patients in Kenya: A Randomized Control Trial
    (PAMJ - One Health, 2022-04) Kimani, Humphrey Mbuti; Mwaniki, Elizabeth; Oguya, Francis; Warutere, Peterson
    introduction: directly observed therapy, shortcourse strategy for TB treatment, in combination with patient education has proved to be effective in reducing TB incident than the DOTS strategy alone. Although tuberculosis care for patients is free in Kenya, other expenses associated with the disease during treatment have been known to increase costs at the patient and household level. This study sought to determine effect of health education on costs to treatment and household´s income among tuberculosis patients in Kenya. Methods: the study was conducted between September 2019 and February 2020 in selected public health facilities in Kenya. A cluster randomized controlled trial preceded by crosssectional study was conducted among the TB patients. Four hundred and fifty (450) patients were recruited from the TB clinics by random sampling. Three hundred and seventy-three met eligibility criteria and were assigned into experimental and control groups by simple random sampling. Health education intervention was given to the experimental group and not in the control group. However, all the study patients (experimental and control) received the standard tuberculosis treatment. After six months of treatment the two groups were compared. Results: at the baseline, patients incurred almost similar total treatment costs (experimental (USD 16,071) and control (USD 16,543) groups but after the health education intervention, patients in the experimental group were found to have incurred less cost (USD 59,073) than those in the control group (USD 67,750). The difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). Conclusion: health education was found to impart knowledge to the patient contributing to reduced expenditure while seeking TB care
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    Online Continuous Assessment Tests: Experiences and Lessons from Kenyatta University
    (Kenyatta University, 0202-06) Njihia, Mukirae; Mwaniki, Elizabeth; Ireri, Anthony
    Between October 2015 and April, 2017, the School of Education, Kenyatta University in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL) organized three capacity building workshops for its lecturers on Integration of ICT in teaching and learning. During the 3rd workshop held in March, 2017 and whose focus was on online Assessment, it was noted that despite the university’s investment in a Learning Management System (LMS) for online teaching and learning, lecturers had not utilized it for formative learner assessment. Therefore, it was agreed that the departments of Educational Psychology and Educational Management would play the role of trailblazers in giving online Continuous Assessments Tests (CATs) in the School of Education. In the 2nd semester of 2016/2017 academic year and the 1st semester of the 2017/2018 academic year, the two departments gave a total of four online CATs in four different units to over 9,000 undergraduate students. This innovation in assessment informed this study whose purpose was to document the views and experiences of both students and lecturers on online CATs. The study embraced a mixed method design that enabled collection and triangulation of quantitative data from students and qualitative data from lecturers. The results indicated that the students were initially apprehensive before the online CAT but after they were done, a majority stated that they enjoyed the experience. The students also praised the technical support given during the CAT, the immediate feedback and the sense of control of their marks. Lecturers were initially sceptical about mounting online CATs but their perception changed after they were rolled out as they appreciated the reduced workload in terms of marking and grading as well as reduced human error. Some key challenges that hindered effectiveness of the online CATs included a few students’ registration numbers missing in the LMS, slow internet during online CATs, students using wrong passwords to get into the LMS, interruption from other students in computer lab and strict marking in the short answer items
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    Uptake of Open Distance and e-Learning (ODEL) programmes: A Case of Kenyatta University, Kenya
    (Commonwealth of Learning, 2016) Njihia, Mukirae; Mwaniki, Elizabeth; Ireri, A.M.; Chege, Fatuma N.
    Despite most universities in Kenya having embraced Open Distance and e-learning (ODeL) that utilise modern ICT technologies in teaching and learning, enrolment in these programmes still remain low. In Kenyatta University, for example, out of a total student population of about 70,000, only about 5,000 (7%) are enrolled in the ODeL programme. The objective of this study was to establish the challenges faced by ODeL students at Kenyatta University and which impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the programme thereby limiting its growth. The study employed a sequential mixed methods design that allowed collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. Data was collected from a sample of 207 students through a questionnaire while Key Informant Interviews were conducted with five senior members of staff directly involved in the management of the ODeL programme. The study established that ODeL students faced technical, instructional, institutional and personal challenges which impacted on the efficiency and effectiveness of the programme. Key technical challenges experienced are insufficient exposure to computers and ICT technology, lack of finances to buy ICT gadgets, lack of internet connectivity and content hanging or not opening in the Tablets. Key institutional challenges faced were delayed delivery of study materials, poor administrative services such as registering and paying fees and poor student support services. With regard to instructional challenges, the key ones were inadequate academic support as lecturers failed to facilitate units on-line, lack of interactivity and poorly designed course material. Lastly, the individual challenges faced were financial constraints, insufficient study time, conflict between study and family/work balance. The study concludes that there is a need to institute learner support mechanisms to address the institutional, instructional and individual challenges faced by learners in the ODeL programme so as to improve on its efficiency and effectiveness.