Community funds of knowledge in enhancing curriculum instruction in early childhood development centres in central division, Turkana county Kenya
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Date
2015
Authors
Omakada, David Kampala
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Abstract
The provision of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) is growing
rapidly and has received increased policy attention worldwide. For instance, equitable
access to quality ECDE is increasingly viewed by policy makers as a way of
strengthening the foundations of lifelong learning for all children and is anchored on
the use of community local resources, yet there is no clear research that has harnessed
the knowledge on the use of funds of knowledge for learning. The research in this area
would help teachers' to interpret or use concrete materials from households for
learning. This study was meant to fill in knowledge regarding the use of funds of
knowledge in Kenya' ECDE centres. The aim ofthis study was to find out the extent of
use of community funds of knowledge in enhancing curriculum instruction in Turkana
central Division in Turkana County. The objectives of the study were as follows: to
determine the extent of use of funds of knowledge that include local language, games
and plays, songs and stories, resource persons and learning materials from the local
community, to establish the teachers' and education officials awareness and knowledge
on the use of community local language, plays and games, songs and stories, teaching
and learning materials from the local community in enhancing curriculum instruction in
ECDE in Turkana central Division in Turkana county and to establish the level of
support provided by parents in the use of community funds of knowledge in ECDE in
Turkana central Division Turkana county. To achieve this, the study used descriptive
research design using the survey method to obtain qualitative data and basic statistical
data quantitatively. The target population was 70 ECDE teachers and 30 Head teachers
from all 30 ECDE centres, 20 County Education officers and 150 parents (PTA
members) from all 30 ECDE centres in the division. The researcher used stratified
random sampling to obtain the samples. The samples consisted of 25 ECDE teachers,
10 Head teachers in charge of all ECDE in the division, 6 county Education officers
and 24 parents and community members. Questionnaire, interview schedules,
observation checklist and focus group discussion (FGDs) was used to collect data from
the respondents. Data was analyzed by objectives using deep narratives of themes
;enerated from the data. Descriptive statistics was used to present data that was
numerical. The findings from the study indicate that teachers had inadequate
information and understanding on what community funds of knowledge that can be
used in curriculum instruction is all about. This was evident when their source of
instructional materials was mostly (100%) based on sticks, wooden blocks and bottletops.
It also found that there little support from the parents due to lack of knowledge
and awareness on their roles, functions and responsibilities in ECDE centres. The
researcher however recommends that through sensitization and awareness creation, the
community and the teachers should be educated on the sources and importance of
community funds of knowledge that could be used to enhance instruction in ECDE
centre and more so in Turkana county, and also the government to strengthen policies
that promote an integrated and local adaption of ECDE programmes with descriptions
of the benefit of ECDE centres programmes and idea of indigenous knowledge.
Description
A research project submitted to the school of education in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the award of master of education degree of Kenyatta University, November, 2015. LB 1048.5 .O4