Influence of Classroom Control Practices on The Development of Holistic Learners in Public Secondary Schools in Kenya

Josephine Kagwiria Kirimi, Dr. Benson Njoroge, Dr. Robert Kamau

Effective curriculum implementation in schools should be geared towards nurturing and promoting development of holistic learners which is the desire of every education system worldwide. The same is able to instill practical skills, knowledge, desired values, beliefs and attitudes in learners who in turn become useful members in the society. There little or no information at all in regard to the influence of curriculum implementation dynamics on the development of holistic learners in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. The purpose of the study was therefore to establish the influence of classroom control practices on the development of holistic learners in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study was to establish the influence of classroom control practices on the development of holistic learners in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study was informed by the holistic development theory and instructional design theory. The study employed mixed methodology and concurrent triangulation design that enabled the researcher to triangulate the findings. The target population comprised 1200 respondents: 100 principals, 300 teachers and 800 form three students. Stratified, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the required sample size which was 360 respondents comprising 30 principals, 90 teachers and 240 students. Questionnaires were administered to teachers and students while interview guides were used for the principals. Piloting of research instruments was conducted in schools not included in the actual study during data collection. Reliability was tested by use of test-retest method where Cronbach`s Alpha coefficient determined the reliability coefficient value r=0.7 an indication of high internal reliability hence the instruments were suitable to collect data. Validity of the research instruments was determined by considering the judgment of experts and supervisors. To ensure dependability of the instruments, comparable data was collected via a follow up study carried out in the same context using same process on the same respondents. To guarantee the gathered data were credible, concurrent research design was used. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Correlation Coefficient with the help of SPSS version 23). Quantitative results collected through questionnaires from teachers and students were presented in figures and frequency tables generated through Microsoft excel version 2010. Pearson product moments correlation coefficient (r) was used to test for strength of association at 95% confidence level. The findings revealed that there was a correlation between curriculum implementation dynamics and the development of holistic learners in secondary schools of Kiambu county Kenya. Assessment practices, classroom control practices and co-curricular activities were found to have negative correlation with the development of learner`s spirituality, cognitive, personality, self-efficacy, inter-personal values among other aspects of a holistic learner. However, there was a strong and positive correlation between teaching methods, remedial teaching and engagement in co-curricular activities and the development of holistic learners in Kiambu County. The study concluded that in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, curriculum implementation dynamics employed are correlated with the development of holistic learners. The study therefore recommended that teachers` in-service training programmes must be adjusted to reinforce classroom control practices that contribute positively to the development of holistic learners and eliminate school related practices that affect the development of holistic learners negatively.