Reliability

Reliability concerns the degree to which a particular measuring procedure gives similar results over a number of repeated trials (Orodho 2005:49). It is a measure of degree to which a research instrument yields constant results after trials (Mugenda & Mugenda, 2003:38). The researcher used tested reliability methods, which involved administering the same instruments to many informants during pilot study to ensure reliability of the data collection instruments. Research assistants assisted the researcher during piloting. The findings of the pilot study from the researcher and his two assistants were triangulated to ensure reliability of the data collection tools. The findings of the pilot study were further used to fine-tune and ensure the efficacy of each tool to capture reliable data prior to the

actual study to validate the findings of the study to enable their generalizability.

The study used both qualitative and quantitative evidence to improve reliability of the study findings (Johnson and Christensen, 2008:16). During the field work reliability was further enhanced in various ways. The long engagement in field work for the best part of the academic year ensured observations were taken for a long time by different observers who later triangulated their observations from various tools to increase reliability of the tools to capture similar findings in different periods of the academic year. The long period enabled the researcher and his assistant to observe in various periods of the term as well as different times of the day within the academic term which was compared to identify the similarities and any differences. Use of same tools repeatedly which yielded similar results enabled the efficacy of research tools to capture reliable findings for the study. These strategies were taken to improve the reliability of the study findings. 3.8 Data Collection Procedure

The researcher got an introduction letter from Kenyatta University and Nairobi County Education Office and a research permit from the Ministry of Education (National Council for Science and Technology) using letters in Appendices XXIV - XXV. The researcher used the research authorization document to secure informed consent from each of the institutions sampled for the study that is MoE headquarters, field Education Offices, KIE and Schools. During the initial visit to KIE, the researcher acquired both volumes of Kenya Primary School syllabuses and analyzed the content of the HE syllabus guided by content analysis schedule. This was critical prior to the study so that researcher’s efficacy was further enhanced to be versatile and thorough during data collection process.

The researcher selected and trained two women who are finalists in Master in Health Education in the Department of educational foundations. The research assistant had to be rigorous socialized using data collections tools to abide by ethics and enhance their efficacy in data collection process to enable the study to achieve its objectives since they were involved in the entire process. The research assistants assisted in piloting of the tools and the entire fieldwork. The choice of the two person assistants was to ensure gender parity and improve the efficacy of the data collection process since they came from HE background. The researcher and his research assistants made several prior visits to each of the institution sampled for the study to book appointments with the officers involved. The prior visit enabled the researcher and his assistants to create rapport with Directors, County, Sub-county Education officers, Curriculum developers, Head-teachers and teachers after formalizations using introductory documents and briefing them about the study. The researcher and the informants

would then continue to set dates and time for the actual study. In all the institutions sampled, the officers were very friendly and researcher was granted permission to conduct the study.

In the schools sampled for the study, the researcher and his assistants reported early on appointed dates and time in the school, where head- teachers introduced him to teachers and then gave him the opportunity to brief them about the study; after which the researcher was linked to Standard Seven teachers who later facilitated the study. In each school sampled for the study, the Standard Seven teachers introduced the researcher to the pupils. In all the schools, the head- teachers liaised with Standard Seven teachers to introduce the researcher to parents who were sampled for the study.

The researcher and his assistants used to report to the schools sampled for nine months on dates and times set to administer the tools. In all schools sampled the researcher and his assistants observed various lessons and interacted with teachers and pupils widely; keenly observing the preparations, actual teaching, and evaluation of the pupils; he also observed and participated in outdoor activities like PE, ball games and sports occasionally taking pictures of pupils and teachers involved in various activities using observation schedules. After familiarization with each school and class routines, the researcher with help of his assistants sampled the study informants and commenced the study as scheduled. Prior familiarization with each school routine enabled the researcher and his assistants to be incisive during the interviews and FGDs involving various informants. This made the study to be exhaustive to achieve the objectives of the study. The informants were given clear guidelines and assured of confidentiality after which enough was given for semi-structured interviews and FGDs discussants to respond to the issues involved in the study. The researcher with help of his assistants sought clarifications by probing each issue raised exhaustively.

Data collection process was quite interactive. The data collection process was interactive and the researcher and his assistants are shown in the Figure 3.3 appendix XXVI in one of the schools during a FGD with pupils.

The observation in the Figure 3.3 in appendix XXVI shows the research during a FGD with pupils in one of the schools; the recording tape is can be seen in the foreground. The researcher and his assistants interacted with teachers and pupils in the process of the fieldwork. This enabled the researcher to find out how teachers and pupils interacted during HE and PE lessons, hence the researcher was able to observe closely and determine teachers’ preparedness and competence, types and use of learning resources used, lesson and teaching preparations, use of learning activities and teaching approaches used, how

participants communicated during the lesson, time spent in various activities during the lesson and kind of interaction between teachers and pupils. The researcher together with research assistants followed each activity keenly making observations and questioning appropriately to discover why informants acted/behaved in that particular way during certain activities. This enabled the researcher and his assistants to acquire valuable insights about social behaviour and the social determinants and influencing factors of certain lifestyles, which enabled fair interpretation of the observations and emergent findings. The researcher with the permission of the study informants took photographs that have been used to reinforce findings of the study.

The researcher and his assistants keenly listened and tape-recorded the proceedings, which they jointly transcribed. The researcher and his assistants talked less but, asked and probed repeatedly during FGDs to seek for details, clarifications and consensus from all the discussants during the FGDs. This enabled the informants to edit each other as they compared notes as well as to provide clear interpretation of various experiences.

The researcher and his assistants recorded each transcribed observation accurately and in details; they captured all the responses and inquiring for any clarifications where necessary. They wrote accurately by avoiding incorrect grammar, misspelled words and statement inconsistency among others that could jeopardize the validity of study findings. They were candid in expressing feeling to seek for clarifications and included the primary data in the final report. The inclusion of primary data like photographs, voices of the informants during interviews, exposes and citations in the final report allows the reader to see exactly the basis upon which the researcher’s conclusions made (Wolcott, 1990:120).

The procedure of data collection in each school, sampled was as follows; the researcher with his research assistants made observations guided by observation schedules; then interviewed the pupils and conducted FGDs for pupils; then, interviewed teachers then parents and head teachers. At the end of each session, the researcher and his assistants would jointly compile the report of the day together. After conducting the study in all the three schools sampled, the researcher and his assistants then visited and interview Sub-County Quality Assurance Officers (Sub-County QASO) in the three districts sampled and then KIE HE curriculum developers prior to interviewing senior Quality Assurance Officer (QASO) in the MoE headquarters. This procedure enabled the researcher and his assistants to make observations and investigate various issues observed or raised during interviews and FGDs in the schools in the field with education officers and curriculum developers to achieve the objectives of the study.

The data collection sessions were organized with the informants during their free time so that it was convenient and accommodative with their routines and personal issues to avoid undue interruption of their work in curriculum implementation as well as educational administration. The researcher and his assistants to made several trips to informants where it was not possible to complete the study owing to official meetings and other impromptu appointments.