School based factors that influence the use of radio educational broadcasts in classroom learning in Westlands Sub- County Nairobi County

Abstract

The radio has been used in many countries all over the world as an instructional media. In Kenya, the Ministry of Education Science and Technology through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has worked very hard to develop radio educational broadcasts to be used as instructional media in Kenyan schools. This research study sought to establish the school based factors that influence the use of Radio Educational Broadcasts in the Primary Schools in Westlands Sub-county, Nairobi County. This study had the following objectives: to determine teachers usage of radio educational broadcasts in the teaching/learning process in the classroom in the primary schools of Westlands sub-county ; to determine the availability of broadcast support materials for teachers‟ use during broadcast to primary schools in Westlands Sub County: to ascertain the extent to which teachers in the primary schools in Westlands have enough information and skills on the use of radio educational broadcasts in classroom teaching, to assess the radio drawbacks that influence the use of radio in teaching and learning in the primary schools of Westlands Sub-county. The use of questionnaires was employed where eight (8) schools were sampled from the twenty five (25) primary schools in Westlands sub county Nairobi County. Qualitative and quantitative research was used. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics facilitated by the use of SPSS. The study established that the primary schools of Westlands have access to the radio broadcasts though not widely used. Most schools did not use the radio broadcasts in the classroom any more. Most pupils claimed that they had not listened to radio broadcasts while others had listened once. They did not therefore know how to operate the radio receivers. Most schools did not have support materials but had few radio receivers. Teachers did not have enough knowledge and skills on the use of educational broadcasts. KICD no longer organized seminars and workshops for teachers to enlighten them on the use of radio broadcasts. Current KICD broadcasts were not available even at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. The most recent timetable was for 2014.The Government did not provide funds for purchase of radio transistors or for broadcast support materials for teachers. Many radio transistors in schools were not in good condition. The study therefore recommends that all schools embrace radio broadcast in teaching. The Government should provide broadcast support materials and radio receivers the same way they provide text books and find ways for maintenance and repair to make the programme sustainable. The ICT curriculum should be implemented in all schools and teachers colleges to help teachers acquire appropriate knowledge and skills on use of broadcasts. The KICD should monitor the programme closely to find out the needs of the learners and teachers and discover ways to make the programme more effective. They should also organize seminars and workshops to enlighten teachers.