Use of educational radio broadcasts in Kenya: the case of secondary schools in Molo Sub County

Abstract

Radio is an important resource for education which has received considerable interest worldwide. In Kenya, for example, distance learning through radio has been used for a long time in primary schools. This study examined the use of radio as an instructional medium in Molo Sub County secondary schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study was guided by the innovation of dissemination theory by Fullan which highlights six factors which should be thought of before an educational technology is put in place. These factors were: clarity of the technology, observation, complexity, comparative advantage over other technologies, triability, and the cost of the technology. The study questions sought to establish the availability of relevant instructional materials that support the use of educational radio broadcast, the level of awareness of the teachers on the use of the broadcasts, the competence of the teachers on the use of Educational Radio Broadcasts (ERBs), the attitude of the teachers on the use of Educational Radio Broadcasts and to find out the support of the principals on the use of Educational Radio Broadcasts in their schools. The target population was 432 teachers drawn from 26 secondary schools in the sub county. Stratified random sampling was used in order to get all categories of schools in the in which 34% of the schools were selected as sample schools. Simple random sampling was used to get 202 teachers in the sample schools. The principals of each sample school were purposively selected for interviews. Secondary data was used as a review of literature and was sourced from written records in libraries. The principals and subject teachers formed the group where the primary data was focused. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analysis. The results of this study indicate lack of awareness of the ERBs among the teachers, there was also shortage in supply of support materials from Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and lack of a clear policy on the use of educational media as a setback in the attempt to use the ERBs in secondary schools. The study also noted that the teachers were not adequately trained on the use of ERBs and this influenced their attitude on their utilization. It is expected that the results of this study will influence the attitude of all stakeholders in education towards the acceptance of educational radio broadcasts. The study will help the KICD to improve aspects of radio lessons produced at their institute. Teachers training institutions will also use this study to improve their courses in the area of education related technology, especially on the use of instructional radio. This study is also expected to motivate the Ministry of Education through the principals to supply more relevant support materials to the schools.