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.