Archives-June...  

The purpose of this study was to examine the Status of teacher adequacy in public Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centres in Nandi County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey design using mixed methodology and pragmatism paradigm. The target population comprised of 1387 pre-school teachers, 1 county Director of ECDE, 6 Sub-County ECDE Directors and 651 primary school head teachers. A sample size of 301 teachers and 208 head teachers was obtained. Stratified and simple random sampling was used to select teachers and headteachers while purposive sampling was used in selecting the county director of ECDE and 6 Sub-County ECDE Directors. Questionnaire and interview schedules were used for collecting data for the study. Validity and reliability of the instruments were determined before data collection. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages while content analysis was used to analyze qualitative information. The study found out that majority of the pre-schools in the study area lacked adequate pre-school teachers, textbooks and play materials. Majority (72.0%) of the employed pre-school teachers had undergone pre-school teacher training courses therefore they had adequate and current pedagogical skills which allowed them to effectively handle pre-school learners. Majority of the pre-schools lacked adequate teaching and learning materials. The study recommended that there is need for employment of more trained pre-school teachers by the county government to improve learning. This is attributed to the fact that there were inadequate trained pre-school teachers employed by the county government yet early childhood education is a devolved function.

Densities, viscosities and ultrasonic velocities have been measured for the binary mixtures of anisic aldehyde with methyl acetate, ethyl acetate and n- butyl acetate over the entire composition range at 303.15,308.15,313.15 and 318.15K .The excess values were correlated using Redlich – Kister polynomial equation. The excess values were examined in order to have an insight into the inter molecular interactions among the components of the binary mixtures that lead to the possible dipole- dipole interactions or hydrogen bond formation between unlike molecules. Excess molar volumes, deviation in adiabatic compressibilities, deviation in viscosity and excess free length are negative in the whole composition range for all the systems at all temperatures.

The variation of dielectric constant with temperature of mixed compound of Zirconium titanate with aluminium and other dielectric parameters have been measured between the temperatures 35°C to 300°C using the capacitance bridge model ZENITH-M92A and Q meter at the frequency of 2000 Hz in which percentage of Al is from 20 to 35. The solid solution of mixed compound of Zirconium titanate with aluminium has excellent dielectric property such as dielectric constant of nearly ? = 7000, quality factor Qf = 25000GHz and temperature coefficient of resonant frequency ?f = 75 ppm/ºC which is very much useful in ceramics engineering and communication system. In the measurement, it have been observed that the compound has lower value of dielectric constant (? = 1580) below 36ºC, which rises upto a value of 5500 at the moderate temperature of 76ºC. After this temperature the dielectric constant of compound decreases upto the value of nearly 1500 at the temperature of 88ºC and a high peak is obtained at the temperature of 150°C (? = 10000) in the heating cycle curve with some fluctuations. When the variation of dielectric constant was studied in cooling cycle the peak was observed at 140ºC(? = 10000), above and below this temperature, dielectric constant decreases with some intermediate fluctuations. The cooling cycle curve does not follow heating curve because of the temperature relaxation of the compound. Annealing Zirconium titanate with aluminium increases the order parameter and improves the dielectric quality factor. Many investigation showed as the mixed compound as a useful temperature-stable dielectric ceramic device and by increasing aluminium content in the mother compound, its quality factor also increases with a little effect on dielectric constant. One of the advantages of ZrTiO4 with aluminium is that by varying the aluminium content, we can control temperature coefficient of resonant frequency ?f without drastically affecting the other properties.

A Schiff base ligand derived from salicylaldehyde and 2-aminophenol and its complex of Co(II) were synthesized. The ligand and the complex were characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity measurement, FT-IR and melting point or decomposition temperature measurements. The elemental analysis data show the formation of 1:1 metal to ligand ratio. The experimental data show that the ligand act as a tridentate ligand (ONO). The Schiff base and the complex were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activity. The complex shows higher activity than the free ligand.

The spectrophotometric characteristics of the solid charge-transfer molecular complexes (CT) formed in the reaction of the electron donor 5-amino-1-methyl-3-phenypyrazole (AMPP) with the ?-acceptors tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and ?-acceptor iodine have been studied in chloroform at 25 0C. These were investigated through electronic and infrared spectra as well as elemental analysis. The results show that the formed solid CT- complexes have the formulas [(AMPP)(TCNE)], [(AMPP)(TCNQ)] and [(AMPP) I]+ I3- in full agreement with the known reaction stoichiometry in solution as well as the elemental measurements. The formation constant kCT, molar extinction coefficient ?CT, free energy change ?G0 and ECT energy have been calculated for the CT- complexes [(AMPP)(TCNE)], [(AMPP)(TCNQ)] and [(AMPP) I]+I-3.

Present research intended to find out the perception of private and public sector school teachers regarding existing facilities of their schools and its impact on the academic achievement of secondary school students. Population of the research was comprised of all male and female teachers working in the public and private sectors schools of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The results shows that teachers of private sector favorably perceived their school in relation to the facilities which these school are providing to maintain effective teaching learning environment. When achievement of private and public sectors schools was compared it was also found that students of private sector schools scores higher when compared with the public sector schools.

Teachers’ support is key in effective implementation of formative assessment strategies towards improvement of learners’ achievement in Mathematics instruction. However, there is lack of attention it has previously received hence the need for teacher support on effective implementation of the Five key Formative Assessment Strategies(FAS) in Mathematics instruction including: Clarifying and sharing learning intentions and criteria for success, Engineering effective classroom discussions, questions and learning tasks, Feedback that moves learners forward, Self-assessment and Peer assessment towards improved learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate Teachers’ support on effective implementation of the five key Formative Assessment Strategies in Mathematics instruction in secondary schools. The study was carried out in secondary schools in Nandi County, Kenya. Proportionate, stratified and simple random sampling was used to select 12 schools, 33 mathematics teachers and 12 head teachers. Quasi-experimental mixed method intervention design was employed. Data was collected using teachers’ questionnaires, head-teachers interviews and teachers’ focus group interviews. Data was analyzed by use of descriptive and thematic analyses. The findings revealed that there was inadequate support was due to: lack of training offered to teachers on FAS, lack of adequate resources and materials, big class sizes which did not favor the good use of FAS, lack of time to plan for FAS, FAS not included in curriculum and inadequate head teacher support.The study recommends that Teacher support is needed in terms of time, curriculum modifications, resources/materials, class sizes and periods. Intensive training of head teachers and all stakeholders should also be done on the support needed for successful implementation of FAS.Curriculum reviewers must involve stakeholders (Mathematics teachers) so that the reviewed curriculum supports effective implementation of FAS in terms of class sizes, time, learning materials and class periods.

Public administrative contracts, including contracts that are certain, due to the independence of administrative contracts, private agreements, principles and specific rules, their actions. This type of contract is generally subject to public law, and the rules governing aspects are mandatory. The treaties state that the purposes of protecting the public interest and provide public services followed, mostly private party on the one hand, and on the other hand the government is present. After the conclusion of the treaty, each party administrative and employer, will have obligations that may be one of the causes of the collapse of the termination of the obligations, of course, from the employer cited. Review existing laws and regulations, we find that the terminate right contracts, to the violation administrative , by virtue of Article 46, Treaty and the general conditions prevailing circumstances, by virtue of Article 48, the general conditions of the Treaty, is applicable. In the first case, which is based on the current contract, the provisions are relatively clear, but in the second case that, in the context of the general conditions of the Treaty, the term "termination" is used, without fault of the administrative , the employer, according to your best interest, or other causes termination of the treaty. The analysis of this vote, it is important that the termination of the interest and the common good, a terminate right the widespread that way for abuse of authority leaves open because the public interest concept is general and vague that content it's not material judicial supervision, usually the court, the regulation of termination, monitor. On the other hand, the concern of the highest public interest and public service delivery in this type of contract, justify the granting of preferential jurisdiction, the employer is government.

The method of teaching students is very important for the students’ academic achievement and general performance. This study investigated the effects of mastery learning approach on the academic achievement of Senior Secondary two students in Physics. The study was a pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental study on Physics Achievement in Ogidi Education zone of Anambra State, Nigeria. Physics Achievement Test (PAT) was used to collect data and data was analyzed using mean, standard deviation and Z-test. The result obtained revealed that the experimental group achieved significantly (P<0.05) better than the control group. The female students achieved slightly better than their male counterparts but the difference was not significant at P=0.05. Implication of the findings is that mastery learning is seen to enhance learning greatly and recommendation is that mastery learning should be encouraged for use by teachers in place of the lecture method.

The main objective of the research is to identify the influence of mindfulness towards academic optimism among teachers in Malaysian public secondary schools. Data ware obtained from 775 teachers randomly selected from 155 schools in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Research findings revealed the Malaysian public secondary schools practice a moderate level of mindfulness and academic optimism. The findings also shows that only individual mindfulness has a significant influence towards the teachers academic optimism