MEM Theses and Dissertations (2025)

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    Effect of integrating 21st Century skills in the curriculum on teachers’ pedagogical competence: a study of selected private colleges in Kiambu County
    (Strathmore University, 2025) Kisiang'ani, G.
    Integrating 21st-century abilities into teacher education has become an essential component of preparing educators for modern classrooms. Specifically, incorporating integrating the 21st Century Skills such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving is crucial to the teaching and learning processes, hence need to be part of teachers’ pedagogical competence. This study looks into the effect of incorporating 21st-century abilities, notably critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation, on teachers' pedagogical competency in selected private colleges in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was guided by three objectives: (i) determining how critical thinking skills influence teachers' instructional practices, (ii) assessing the impact of collaboration skills on effective teaching strategies, and (iii) investigating the role of innovation skills in improving teachers' adaptability and instructional effectiveness. The study used a descriptive survey research design with questionnaires and interviews to collect data from 93 pre-service teachers chosen at random from six private colleges in Kiambu County. The data was examined using descriptive and inferential statistics, as well as multiple regression analysis. The study found that critical thinking abilities, particularly problem identification and logical reasoning, greatly improve instructors' capacity to create learner-centred instructional techniques. Collaboration skills, such as classroom management and course development, also help teachers increase their efficacy by creating inclusive and engaging learning environments. Furthermore, innovative skills, such as technology integration and digital resource usage, have been shown to improve instructional adaptability, making learning more engaging and efficient. The study concludes that incorporating 21st-century skills into teacher training programs is critical to improving pedagogical competence. It suggests that teacher education institutions should improve experiential learning methodologies, enhance digital literacy, and implement organized cooperation frameworks to better educate pre-service teachers. These findings add to the continuing debate on teacher education reforms and provide practical insights for curriculum authors, legislators, and educational stakeholders trying to improve teaching standards in Kenya and worldwide.
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    Teachers’ use of ICT in implementing Competency-Based Curriculum in Public Junior Secondary Schools in Kisumu West Sub-County in Kenya
    (Strathmore University, 2025) Mwita, F. R.
    Integration of digital literacy in Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) is a significant step towards the 21st century skills in the education system in Kenya. Global, regional, and local findings suggest that the world is rapidly changing and digital economy continues to gain traction in many societies. This study investigates the effectiveness of teachers' integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in implementing a competency-based curriculum in public junior secondary schools in Kenya, focusing on whether current ICT usage aligns with curriculum goals and enhances learning outcomes. Through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data, the study captured teachers' experiences, evaluated curriculum implementation strategies, and analyzed student performance metrics. Key findings indicate that while ICT is used in varied capacities, significant gaps remain in its alignment with competency-based curriculum objectives. Teachers demonstrated a generally positive attitude towards ICT integration; however, challenges such as lack of training, inadequate resources, and infrastructural limitations were prevalent, hindering effective implementation. Various challenges in integrating ICT into the curriculum have been reported in previous research, especially in Kenya. There is limited focus on public junior secondary in rural areas such as Kisumu West Sub-County. It is against this background that this study interrogates teachers’ use of ICT in implementing CBC in public junior secondary schools (JSS) in Kisumu West Sub-County in Kisumu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study are: (i) to determine the availability of ICT infrastructure for implementation of CBC in public junior secondary schools, (ii) to establish teacher capacity for ICT use in the implementation of CBC in public junior secondary schools, and (iii) to examine the influence of teachers’ perceptions on the use of ICT in the implementation of CBC in public junior secondary schools. This study is premised on the constructivist learning theory (Elliott, Kratoch will, Littlefield & Travers, 2000) and the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989). An embedded mixed methods design was adopted in this study. The study targeted a total of one hundred and fifty (150) teachers in all the public junior secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County, from whom a simple random sampling was used to identify one hundred and nine (109) to complete questionnaires. Interviews were used to complement data drawn from closed-ended questionnaires. Data was analysed empirically, thematically and inferentially. This study concluded that public junior secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County did not have enough ICT resources and teachers were not sufficiently capacitated on ICT use. Besides, there were hardly any school-based ICT policies necessary for sustaining the use of ICT in implementing CBC in junior secondary schools in this area. Concerted efforts are required to address the ICT infrastructure and teacher capacity gaps. Additionally, heads of these institutions should be sensitised to introduce school-based ICT policies to entrench digital culture(s). The outcomes and recommendations in this study are useful in facilitating effective implementation of CBC and informing future curriculum reviews.