The purpose of my applied research study was to provide recommendations to improve the practice of competency-based instruction at Missions of Hope International in Nairobi, Kenya. The problem was that there were insufficient competency-based instructional practices at Missions of Hope International following the recent transition to a competency-based curriculum (CBC). The rationale for the study was that it is critical for teachers in Kenya to increase their use of effective student-centered classroom strategies in order to effectively implement the CBC. Improving the practice of competency-based instruction may lead to an increased confidence and skill level of teachers, increased student achievement, and increased equity in the community for all stakeholders. The central research question was as follows: How can the practice of competency-based instruction be improved at Missions of Hope International in Nairobi, Kenya? Three forms of data were collected for my applied research study including interviews, a quantitative survey, and a qualitative questionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed for trends using frequency and mean calculations. The qualitative data was reviewed using a coding process to determine themes among the responses. Recommendations to improve the practice were made at the culmination of the applied research study. Professional development recommendations were made including professional development in the areas of the competency-based curriculum as well as cooperative learning strategies. I traveled to Kenya to share the results of my research and participate in the implementation of the recommendations.

Authors:
Mendi Young, Indian Peaks Elementary, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Mendi Young is a second grade teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary School in Longmont, Colorado. She recently completed a research project on increasing teacher efficacy with Missions of Hope International in Nairobi, Kenya.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

Bookmark