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CAUSES OF GENDER DISPARITIES IN ECDE TEACHING
PROFESSION: A CASE OF ELDORET MUNICIPALITY UASIN GISHU
COUNTY
By
Prisca
A PROJECT PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE AIC TECHNICAL
TRAINING INSTITUTE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A KNEC DIPLOMA IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
JUNE 2013
DECLARATIONI hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the Diploma
Early Childhood Education Development and that to the best of my
knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person
nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other Diploma,
except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.
Priscah ………………………. ……………………… ………………
Student Name Signature Date
Supervised by:
Mr. ………………………. ……………………… ………………
Supervisor’s Name Signature Date
DEDICATIONDedicated to my beloved family members who have supported me
throughout my studies. Thank you for your support, the well wishes and the
prayers. I love you all.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTI am grateful to Mr. …………………..my supervisor. He has been patient and
kind in guiding me through the study. He also offered me constructive
criticisms, encouragement and useful suggestions. I have learnt a lot from
him.
My sincere thanks go to my extended and nuclear family and my respondent
teachers in ECDE institutions enormous contributions in diverse ways in
making this study a success.
My profound gratitude goes to the AIC Technical Training Institute, which
offered me admission to make my studies up to this level a reality.
ABSTRACTThis study will investigate the gender disparities in the ECDE teaching
profession in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Early Childhood Development
Education (ECDE) globally and Kenya in particular has been recognized as a
crucial programme that lays a foundation for a child’s holistic and
integrated education that meets the cognitive, social, moral, spiritual,
emotional, physical and developmental needs. The purpose of this paper is
will be to analyze the gender disparity issues facing ECDE teaching
profession in Kenya. Teacher’s gender has been a topic of discussion for
most of the past two centuries. Gender plays a decisive role in how the
teacher defines their profession. Most societies prescribe different activities
and characteristics for male and females which come to be seen as natural
by the people involved. Gender stereotypes are cultural constructions.
Gender disparity in the pre-school teaching profession and feminization of
the profession has been a common practice world over. In Kenya, there is
an emergent trend of men training as professionals in Early Childhood
Development Education but they are underrepresented. The research
sample will comprise of 60 pre-school in-service teachers, students and
administrators in ECDE Centres in Uasin Gishu County. The research
methodology will be quantitative. The sampling technique to be used will be
Simple Random Sampling. This will enable easy management of data and
drawing of general conclusion on the problem under study. The instrument
to be used will be questionnaires for head teachers and ECDE teachers and
a check list for each ECDE centre. The data will be analyzed and presented
inform of tables and percentages. This study hopes to reveal that culture is
the main determinant of feminization of pre-school teaching profession.
Men are getting interested in pre-school education but to perform
administrative duties not necessarily to teach. The study will recommend
that the thinking among members of the society that ECDE teaching is for a
particular gender should be demystified to remove the disparities among
the two genders.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In this chapter, the background to the study is given, a statement of the
research problem is made, the objectives of the study are spelt out,
research questions are posed; the significance of the study captured,
followed by the scope and limitations of the study.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Early Childhood Development Education being the first formal agent of
socialization (Kibera & Kimokoti, 2007) calls the attention of all
stakeholders to critically address the challenges related to issues of access,
equity, quality and relevance of ECDE programmes.
The inclusion of men in early childhood programs has garnered
considerable attention over the years. This interest is due to three related
trends: 1) the lack of men—usually fathers—in the lives of many young
children, 2) the dearth of men in the early childhood field, and 3) an
increased interest in father involvement in early childhood programs. While
almost everyone agrees with the need to get men involved in the lives of
young children, solutions to this dilemma are few and far between.
Early childhood programs and schools, serve children and people from a
variety of racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds. As Kay Sanders so
accurately points out, “They (men) enter a zone of difference when they
take early childhood classes and when they are hired to work with young
children” (2002, p 45). This cultural conflict can result in men experiencing
a sense of difference and isolation on a daily basis. The field of early
childhood is an overwhelmingly female one (Sanders, 2002). This belief is
because in most cultures, including Kenya, women have been charged with
the responsibility of raising children, both in the home and in collective
approaches (Wardle, 2004). Males bring more play, active movement,
entertainment, and rough and tumble play to the way they interact with
their own children and the way they interact with children in a program
(Fagan, 1996; Parke, 1996; Lamb, 2000). Early childhood programs are
used to working with mothers and not fathers (Mukuna, 2008). Due to the
need to achieve social competence, a school needs to provide an
atmosphere for holistic development of the child. The pre-school teachers
are expected to continue providing warmth, tender touches, instruct
children and symbolize authority, strength and security. However due to
feminization of the pre- school profession, there is a great gender imbalance
leading to concerns and calls for male participation. Feminization of the
teachers’ workforce in ECDE was one of the most profound transformations
because women were willing to work for less pay than men because they
had fewer employments opportunities. Women were also said to be
nurturing than men and were viewed as most suitable for basic education.
Women are docile, dutiful, obedient workers of male dominated
administrative positions (Johnson, 1989). Bradley (1989) adds that
“teaching of children was seen as a natural part of motherhood.” Many
educators as well as the public share these beliefs. It is therefore feared in
Kenya that boys are likely to lack the experience of men who are caring
and nurturing and will learn early in life that child caring is not for men.
However, only male early childhood teachers who actively challenge
traditional gender power structures are likely to challenge children’s
traditional and limiting construction of gender. Gold and Reis (1982) posit
that male and female teachers differ in their characters.
Children value their contact with males other than female teachers. It is
against this background that this study is hinged.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Education as a Right to every person is fundamental to the success of the
government’s overall development strategy. It aims at enhancing the ability
of the Kenyans to preserve and utilize the environment for production gain
and sustainable livelihood, develop quality human resource and
development, and development and protection of democratic institution and
human rights (Republic of Kenya, 2005 Sessional Paper No 1). A
fundamental relationship with both men and women to a principle in child
development underpinning early childhood practice is that children need
stable, nurturing to develop strong gender identities. More than 60% of the
young children in the Sub-Saharan Africa have non-parental care during
most parts of their day. It is of serious concern that less than 5% of the
early childhood workforce is comprised of males. The low wages typically
paid to early childhood teachers is often cited as the reason for this under-
representation (Mukuna, 2008). However, this explanation only partly
explains the phenomena as there are numerous low paying occupations in
which both men and women are employed. Factors that have led to gender
imbalance in the ECDE programmes in Kenya are not clear. This research
study endeavored to find out whether or not the gender imbalance is as a
result of low salaries, gender stereotyping or other. A research of this
nature and empirical findings in Kenya is yet to be done.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research is intended to find out the gender disparities in the ECDE
teaching profession within Eldoret in Uasin Gishu County. This is driven by
the fact that there is need to establish the causes of these disparities in
order to help minimize them in future and give a more balanced outlook to
the profession.
The study will also help to establish whether culture plays any role in the
disparities; whether wages and salaries paid make any contribution to these
disparities and what other issues affect the ECDE teaching profession. The
study findings will be used to make recommendations that will be useful
both to those in the area and scope of the study as well as the Ministry of
education, who will find it useful in making decisions that, affect the ECDE
teaching profession both now and in the future.
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The overall objective of this research is to identify causes of gender
disparities in ECDE teaching profession.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
In other to achieve the overall objective of the research the study will
attempt the following:
1. To investigate whether culture is a cause of gender disparity in ECDE
teaching profession.
2. To investigate whether negative perception of ECDE teaching
profession causes gender disparities.
3. To explore whether low wages contribute to gender disparities in
ECDE teaching profession.
4. To investigate whether child upbringing plays a role in gender
disparities in ECDE teaching profession.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study will be guided by the following research questions;
1. What are the commonly held perceptions regarding the gender of
prospective teachers in preschool
2. What are the commonly held perceptions regarding the role of
male and female teachers in ECDE?
3. Do low wages contribute to gender disparities in ECDE teaching
profession?
4. Does child upbringing play a role in gender disparity in ECDE
teaching profession?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Education as a process that starts with the care and education of young
children and continuing through lifelong learning is central to individual
empowerment, the elimination of poverty at household and community
level, and broader social and economic development. Early Childhood
Development Education (ECDE) programmes play a crucial role in laying
the foundation for further education and character formation. They provide
children with a fairer and better start in life.
This research is thus intended to find the reasons for gender disparities in
the ECDE teaching profession. The study findings will be beneficial to
schools: parents, leaders and education administrators and government in
investigating and mobilizing resources to assist in the ECDE teaching
profession, by ensuring that the gender disparities is minimized in the
future. The study will also form a basis for future research in which the
scholars can use this research findings to advance and improve the
understanding on the topic of study.
1.7 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Certain limitations will be encountered at the course of conducting this
study. One of the greatest challenges that the researcher will encounter in
this study relates to access to and collection of hard data due to extreme
data gaps situations in the town. This will compel the researcher to limit the
study to only a few of the ECDE centres. Another limitation of this study
relates to time, funds and logistics constraints, which will limit the intensity
of the spread or area of coverage of the study. ECDE centres are spread
throughout the length and breadth of Eldoret but the research will only
cover a certain percentage of them.
The researcher will also be faced with some respondents who fail to
complete questionnaire give to them and this limits the number of
respondents who were involved in the study despite the researcher’s efforts
and approaches to explain the potential benefits of the study to them.
1.8 Delimitations of the study
The study will only visit about five sampled pre-schools although there are
many pres-schools in Uasin Gishu County due to lack of time and finances.
CHAPTER 2
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Literature Review means the work that a researcher consults in order to
understand and investigate the research problem. It is an account of what
has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. It is a
critical look at the existing research that is significant to the work that the
researcher will be carrying. It involves examining documents such as books,
magazines, journals and dissertations that have a bearing on the study
being concluded (Kombo and Tromp, 2006).
2.1 ECDE GLOBAL BACKGROUND
The United States and its government have long been concerned with the
welfare of its youngest citizens. In 1909, the first White House Conference
on Children was called to address government planning relative to the
protection of the nation’s children (Beck, 1996). Although “nurseries” for
young children were in operation as early as the 1850s, the initiative to
educate young children took shape in the first half of the 18th century with
pioneers like Maria Montessori advocating the importance of the early years
for later development (Spodek, Saracho,& Davis, 1987). The early 20th
century also saw the rise of behaviorism. John Watson (1919), a prominent
behaviorist, argued that not only was an individual’s future behavior
predictable from his or her previous experiences, but that human behavior
could be molded and changed by the surrounding environment. By the
1960s, few developmental psychologists maintained strict adherence to
behaviorism. However, Watson added fuel to an ongoing debate about the
relative contributions that genetic heritage (nature) and environmental
experiences (nurture) make to an individual’s behavior and traits.
2.2 Early Childhood Education in Kenya
Although in Kenya and Africa, institutionalized pre-school education is
relatively a new phenomenon in general Early Childhood Education (ECDE)
itself was not a new phenomenon in our society. In the Kenyan traditional
societies, children in ECD receive adequate care, stimulation and
socialization from parents and other community members.
Intellectual needs were also met through stories, riddles and games just to
mention but a few. Institutionalization of preschool education is a byproduct
of colonization (Kenya Institute of Education, 1992). As a colony many
changes happened in the social, cultural and economic set up of
communities that affected the way children were socialized giving birth to
institutionalized pre-school education. The forces that influenced the
commencement and development of ECDE in Kenya to its current status
trace its roots in the colonial period.
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) programmes play a crucial
role in laying the foundation for further education and character formation.
They provide children with a fairer and better start in life. According to the
Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) 2009 Early Childhood Care, Development
and Education (ECCDE) seek to develop the whole child. Pre-school plays a
central role in establishing quality development of an individual (Mwaura,
2009). Education as a process that starts with the care and education of
young children and continuing through lifelong learning is central to
individual empowerment, the elimination of poverty at household and
community level, and broader social and economic development. All young
children must be nurtured in safe and caring environments that allow them
to become healthy, alert, and secure and be able to learn (Republic of
Kenya, 2005a). Early Childhood Development Education interventions are
significant in the social and economic development of a country. As argued
in Kenya’s Sessional Paper no. 5, given the biological, intellectual and
psychosocial significance of early childhood on children and the potential
economic and social benefits at family, community and national levels,
quality early childhood interventions are a mark of hope to health
development of the country’s citizens (Republic of Kenya, 2006b). Arguably,
in the wake of
Education for All (EFA) (UNESCO, 1990) and later declarations i.e.
Millennium Development Goals (MDGS 2000), Kenya’s Vision 2030
notwithstanding (GOK, 2003) children from low-income households who
access ECDE services will be more likely to enroll in primary school at the
right age and they will be less likely to drop out of school or repeat grades.
There is also a high probability that these children will have improved
school performance and cognitive abilities than those who do not attend
ECDE. Twenty percent of Kenya’s population belongs to this age (0-5) of
childhood development (Republic of Kenya (2006a). In a continuing
longitudinal study on the benefits of pre-school programmes, Schweinhert,
Barnes and Weikart, 1993 as quoted by Mwaura,
(2009), concluded that ECCD development can significantly reduce
educational and social wastage.
Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) globally and Kenya in
particular has been recognized as a crucial programme that lays a
foundation for a child’s holistic and integrated education that meets the
cognitive, social, moral, spiritual, emotional, physical and developmental
needs. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current issues facing
ECDE in Kenya. Currently,
ECDE is under the care of parents, community, non-governmental
organizations (NGO), religious organizations and other private providers
(MOEST, 2005). This paper is based on the premise as stipulated in the
United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
declaration on Education for All (EFA) by 2015. Early Childhood
Development Education being the first formal agent of socialization (Kibera
& Kimokoti, 2007) calls the attention of all stakeholders to critically address
the challenges related to issues of access, equity, quality and relevance of
ECDE programmes. However, the private sector seems to have monopolized
most of the ECDE centers compared to the government. Thus, the public
education sector opportunities for ECDE are lacking, yet available data
shows that at later formal education i.e. primary schools, public education
cater for well over 90% of Kenya’s school going age.
ECDE AND GENDER
Teacher’s gender has been a topic of discussion for most of the past two
centuries. Gender pays a decisive role in how the teacher defines their
profession. Most societies prescribe different activities and characteristics
for male and females which come to be seen as natural by the people
involved. Gender stereotypes are cultural constructions. Debora Cameroon
(1998) states that gender is not merely a biological divide but is a social
construct. It is culturally created by the engagement in communication of
those involved. This means that male teachers in ECDE are perceived to be
women because culturally child care is the domain of women. Women are
expected to do lower cadre jobs as a social construct. Men in ECDE are
therefore taking the women’s position.
Early childhood programs and schools, serve children and people from a
variety of racial, ethnic, and gender backgrounds. As Kay Sanders so
accurately points out,
“They (men) enter a zone of difference when they take early childhood
classes and when they are hired to work with young children” (2002, p 45).
This cultural conflict can result in men experiencing a sense of difference
and isolation on a daily basis. The field of early childhood is an
overwhelmingly female one (Sanders, 2002). How does this create a female
culture, beyond the obvious? Some indications are: Many people in and out
of the early childhood field deeply believe that women are naturally
predisposed to caring for young children, and men are not (Neugebauer,
1999; Sanders, 2002; Cunningham and Dorsey, 2004).
This belief is because in most cultures, including Kenya, women have been
charged with the responsibility of raising children, both in the home and in
collective approaches (Wardle, 2004). Males bring more play, active
movement, entertainment, and rough and tumble play to the way they
interact with their own children and the way they interact with children in a
program (Fagan, 1996; Parke, 1996; Lamb, 2000). While some female
teachers are also very active and physical, many are not (Fagan, 1996). I
believe this male approach challenges the way many early childhood
programs operate: quiet, sedentary activities that create a minimum of
mess (Wardle, 2004).
Early childhood programs are used to working with mothers and not fathers
(Mukuna, 2008). What adds to this reality is that there are far more single-
female headed households than male-headed households for a variety of
legal and cultural reasons. Further, as already suggested, the significant
male in the child’s life may not be the biological father. All of these factors
make it much easier for program staff to work closely with the child’s
mother and simply ignore the father or other significant men in the child’s
life. Women are more comfortable working with women. Also some
indication that there is a certain level of tension between men and women
exists in early childhood programs due partly to the number of single
mothers in our field who resent the lack of support from their own
children’s fathers (Mukuna,2008). Sanders (2002) suggest that all male
early childhood teachers have to defend their choice of a profession to
family, friends, and female teachers in their own profession. Clearly, some
women teachers have more trouble relating to fathers than to mothers and
to male colleagues rather than female colleagues (Neugebaurer, 1999;
Mukuna, 2008).
Due to the need to achieve social competence, a school needs to provide an
atmosphere for holistic development of the child. The pre-school teachers
are expected to continue providing warmth, tender touches, instruct
children and symbolize authority, strength and security. However due to
feminization of the pre- school profession, there is a great gender imbalance
leading to concerns and calls for male participation. Feminization of the
teachers’ workforce in ECDE was one of the most profound transformations
because women were willing to work for less pay than men because they
had fewer employments opportunities. Women were also said to be
nurturing than men and were viewed as most suitable for basic education.
Women are docile, dutiful, obedient workers of male dominated
administrative positions (Johnson, 1989). Bradley (1989) adds that
“teaching of children was seen as a natural part of motherhood.” Many
educators as well as the public share these beliefs. It is therefore feared in
Kenya that boys are likely to lack the experience of men who are caring and
nurturing and will learn early in life that child caring is not for men.
Today, there is an upsurge of men training in diploma and degree programs
in Kenya as ECDE professional.
Most of them have been interested in ECDE as administrators but not as
caregivers of children. The socio- cultural orientations, political and
economic structures entrench gender roles (Mac Naughton and Newman,
2001). Community is uneasy and suspicious about men who choose to work
with young children in preference to entering higher status and better paid
occupations. Society refers to them as men who have not got their gender
right (Yelland and Grieshaber, 1998). As such they are unlikely to be agents
of gender reform. From this perspective, the presence of more men in ECDE
would do very little to change existing dominant gender views.
Another school of thought assumes that a higher male participation rate will
benefit the early childhood profession, first by enhancing its status and the
status of these within the profession (Lyons et. al, 2003), and secondly by
improving workplace dynamics and staff relationships (Jensen, 1998).
However, this nation is criticized because when men enter female
dominated professions they quickly rise to more highly paid administrative
positions (Murray, 1996). Further male teachers’ presence in ECDE
programs could help to compensate for the absence or marginality of men
in many children’s home lives as a consequence of single–parent family
structures or long working hours (Jensen, 1996). The male teachers induct
boys into masculinity (MacNaughton and Newman, 2001).
Moreover, there are essential gender differences between boys and girls.
Accordingly, male early childhood teachers are more able than their female
counterparts to identify with and respond effectively to boys because they
share an essential masculinity and an understanding of boys’ perspectives
and experience (Jensen 1996). The current gender imbalance in ECDE
programmes in Kenya is therefore to the detriment of boys.
Children will benefit from the participation of men in early childhood
education if the men involved can counter children sex-stereotypes views
about Kenya.
However, only male early childhood teachers who actively challenge
traditional gender power structures are likely to challenge children’s
traditional and limiting construction of gender. Gold and Reis (1982) posit
that male and female teachers differ in their characters.
Children value their contact with males other than female teachers.
Researcher Sarah Farquhar, of Child forum Research www.childforum.com
outlined to the conference some of the arguments as to why we need more
men in the workforce teaching and caring for children in these formative
years. First, she argues, society has moved on and men are now more
actively engaged in caring for their children with an increasing number
taking over as the main caregiver as their partners choose to work fulltime.
The absence of men in early childhood centers also means young children
may be missing out on any substantial contact with male role models. For
children in single parent families, that could mean they have virtually no
contact with men at all. Sarah Farquhar also argues that while the early
childhood sector, like other sectors of society, stresses non-sexist behaviors,
attitudes and choices of play, the composition of the workforce is failing to
"practice what it teaches.
Farquhar also blames the preponderance of women in the early childhood
sector for holding back pay rates for so long, although the recent move to
pay equity with the primary education sector has now pushed those rates
up. Down at the kindergarten, men involved in early childhood teaching
strongly believe in the role both men and women play in educating the
underfives"(Farquhar, 2007).
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The chapter outlines the research approach adopted for the study, the
sample frame and how sample size was determined, sampling technique;
tools used for data collection, data analysis as well as data sources. This
section finally described how field data was made suitable for presentation
and analysis and the tools used for data presentation and also describe the
study area. . It therefore gives an explanation and justification of the
various methods used in conducting the research study.
The methodology in any study is very important as it links theory with
practice. It guides the researcher in collecting evidence in the real world.
Mbwambo (2005) argues that a proper research design shows that the
researcher not only understands the true problem but also knows the right
course of action towards a valid solution.
3.2 Research Design
The area of study will be Eldoret Town in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The
population to be studied will comprise of ECDE teachers and students and
Centre administrators. This will form the population that will be interviewed
and served with questionnaires. This study will adopt a quantitative
approach. Yin (1994) argues that the choice of a research strategy should
be determined by the nature of the particular research question posed.
The questionnaires will be used to collect data and interviews will be done
where possible.
In addition to primary data, secondary data sources will also be utilized in
the study. This information will be collected from both published and
unpublished materials including books, journals, reports, papers, and
articles. These will form part of the literature review.
3.3 Target Population
The unit of analysis in this study will be ECDE centres in Eldoret, Uasin
Gishu County. The researcher will utilize different sources of information in
determining the population for this study.
Basically, Centre administrators, ECDE teachers and ECDE students in
ECDE Centres will be used as the population for the study.
Table 3.1 Target Population
Strata Target population
Centre Administrators 10
ECDE Teachers 90
ECDE Students 200
Totals 300
Source: Author (2013)
3.4 Sample Selection and Sample Size
The researcher will use stratified and then random sampling method to
divide the population into different strata. According to Kothari (1999), an
optimum sample is one that fulfils the requirements of efficiency,
representativeness, reliability and flexibility. The sample size selected is
considered large enough to use powerful statistic and to generalize results
to the population (John Creswell, 2002).
Examples of the key informants will be the ECDE teachers, Centre
administrators and students. Sampling is the random selection of a smaller
amount from a particular population and using it to represent the whole
population.
The sample will be selected in such a way to ensure that certain population
will be represented in the study. This method will enable the researcher to
capture all the intended informants from the major regardless of their size.
30% of the target population will be used to get the sample size of 120
respondents from all the strata. This will be done in order to obtain
sufficient and reliable data. According to Mugenda and Mugenda (1999),
when dealing with heterogeneous, that is the population with different
characteristics, the sample size should be at least 30% of the total
population so as to capture variability in the population.
Table 3.2 Sample Size and Sample Design
Strata Target
Population
Sampling
Procedure
Sampling
SIZE
Centre Administrators 10 30% of 10 3
ECDE Teachers 90 30% of 90 27
ECDE Students 200 30% of 200 60
Total 300 90
3.5 Data Collection Instruments
In carrying out research, investigators use methods that provide accuracy,
generalization, and with administrative convenience (Warwick and Lininger,
1975). The process of data collection in each method is explained below;
3.5.1 Interviews
Semi-structured interviews will come in handy in obtaining information. The
researcher will prepare a checklist of key areas that she wishes to learn
about. The interview structure will be made flexible to allow the follow up of
points of interest and ask new questions that arose as the discussion
continues.
3.5.2 Questionnaires
Questionnaires with a series of questions will also be used. These will be
served to the selected or sampled out respondents. The questionnaires will
either be classified in terms of questions used that are closed or opened
ended questions. The researcher will prefer using open ended
questionnaires since it yields more information because of its greater depth
of response and it stimulates a person to think more about the topic of
interest. Considering the possible low responses to the questionnaire survey
(Veal 1998), efforts will be made during the questionnaire design process in
order to attract more responses. Such efforts will include keeping the
statements simple and easy to understand; controlling the number of
statements to a minimum but sufficient level. Moreover, a cover letter will
be enclosed to encourage participations. The letter will highlight the
guarantee of participants’ anonymity, the freedom to withdraw at any time,
the rationale of the study and the potential benefits they might get from the
outcomes of the present study.
3.6 Pilot Testing of the Instrument
As suggested by Oppenheim (1992) and Zikmund (1994) who argued the
significance of pre-test in a questionnaire survey, a pilot survey will be
conducted using a group of convenient samples. This is aimed at detecting
problems in the questionnaire design and see if the questionnaire has an
easy-to-follow layout, clear instruction, understandable statements, easy to
answering, comfortable time to complete the questionnaire and generally to
give the respondents a chance to propose several constructive suggestions
for further improvement. The proposed questionnaire items will be
submitted to colleagues, supervisors, and a limited number of teachers and
students for reviews and comments. The initial assessment will be done
where the researcher will review and summarize the existing data,
information and knowledge about computer projects. This will reveal gaps
in existing knowledge suggest what extra information will be needed and
stimulate new ideas. It will also produce useful background information to
complement the researcher’s later findings. Following the suggested
modifications and improvements, a specific number of items will be selected
and included in the questionnaire survey.
3.7 Validity of the Instrument
Validity refers to the degree to which a test actually measures the variable
it claims to measure. Validity is the accuracy and meaningfulness of
inferences, which are based on the research results. Validity is the degree
to which results obtained from the analysis of the data actually represent
the phenomenon under study (Mugenda and Mugenda, 1999)A test is valid
if it measures what it claims to measure (Koul, 1986).
Consistent with the existing research the reliability coefficient will be
measured when all the items are included in a single questionnaire and
necessary comparison will be made, another important aspect of
questionnaire development is validity assessment (Churchill 1979, Gerbing
and Anderson 1988), the question is whether this questionnaire will
measure what it purports to measure. This will be the basis for testing the
questionnaire validity.
3.8 Reliability of the Instruments
A data collection instrument must be reliable. That means it must have the
ability of constituently yielding the same result when repeated
measurements are taken on individuals under the same condition (Freeman
1965:66). Reliability is a measure of the degree to which a research
instrument yields consistent results or data after repeated trials (Mugenda
and Mugenda, 1999). Reliability of a test is the accuracy of the scores that
are free of errors. The researcher will undertake to ensure that the research
instruments are reliable.
3.9 Data Collection Procedure
The researcher will obtain a list of ECDE Centres from the Ministry of
Education from the District Education Office (Eldoret East and Eldoret West
District). This will make easy the identification and facilitate simple random
sampling procedures. Questionnaires will then be administered (to
informants) during the official working hours. Informants will be
interviewed so as to obtain their feelings about the ECDE teaching
profession.
Interviews will be scheduled with the Centre administrators to get an in
depth understanding of the issue of gender disparities in ECDE teaching
profession. Confidentiality will be assured to the respondents.
3.10 Data Analysis Technique
Data analysis refers to examining what has been collected in a survey and
making deductions and inferences (Kombo and Tromp, 2006). It will not be
feasible to carry out a quantitative analysis of all the responses in the study
because in-depth interview method will be used where specific framing of
the question will vary from interview to interview. Both quantitative and
qualitative (descriptive) methods of data analysis will be used. Quantitative
analysis will be used in the interpretation and analysis of data represented
in graphs, pie-charts and tables. Coding will be used to assign the collected
data with numerical values where the response rate of each respondent’s
category will be determined. The respective response rates in each category
will be added together to present the total response rates. Coding will
ensure efficient analysis since it reduces the gathered data into small
number of classes which will contain the most important information. SPSS
Version 16 (SPSS Inc. 2001) will be used as the major software package for
statistical analysis. Microsoft Office Excel (Microsoft Inc. 2003) will be used
to reorganize the output from SPSS and to produce tables and figures. This
will contribute towards coming up with information, which will be presented
through the use of charts and graphs for proper tabulation and qualitative
analysis. The use of percentages will also make it easier for the researcher
to interpret and analyze data for better understanding. Pie charts, graphs
and tables will be used to represent data.
3.11 Ethical Considerations
Necessary ethical concerns will be catered for by ensuring that the relevant
authorities are informed and permission to carry out the research is
obtained. Consideration will be give to the fact that the research has
limitations due to intrusion in the privacy and concerns of informants
involved. Assurance will be given on the fact that the information given will
not be used for other purposes other than for the research.