The Kenya National Examination Council reports for 2011, 2012 and 2013 show a decline in Christian Religious Education performance. The purpose of this mixed method, exploratory research study is to analyze and evaluate teachers’ knowledge and skills on use the of Life Approach in teaching Christian Religious Education among teachers in public secondary schools within Bungoma County, Kenya.
The specific objectives were to determine teachers’ knowledge on Life Approach in the teaching of Christian Religious Education, determine the pre-service and in-service training level of teachers of Christian Religious Education in the use of Life Approach in teaching Christian Religious Education, generating and analyzing teachers’ attitudes towards the use of Life Approach in teaching Christian Religious Education in public secondary schools in Bungoma County and lastly, determine teachers’ utilization of the Life Approach in teaching Christian Religious Education.
This study was guided by the Rogers and Frieberg theory of experiential learning.The study utilized the exploratory research design. There were 206 public secondary schools with about 400 teachers of Christian Religious Education. The population of this study comprised all teachers of Christian Religious Education teachers in Bungoma County. Ten percent of the schools were selected using stratified sampling on the basis of national, county and sub-county schools. From each selected school, 2 CRE teachers were randomly selected using probability sampling procedures. To collect data the questionnaire, interview guides, document analysis and observation schedule were used. Descriptive statistics method was used to facilitate data exploration for better understanding of issues.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study
1.2 Statement of the Problem
1.3 The Purpose of the Study
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Justification of the study
1.7 The Significance of the Study
1.8 Scope of the Study
1.9 Limitations of the Study
1.10 Assumptions of the study
1.11 Theoretical Perspective
1.12 Conceptual Framework
1.12 Operational Definitions of Terms
1.13 Chapter Summary
2.0 Introduction
2.1 The Teaching of Christian Religious Education
2.2 The Life Approach
2.2.1 Existential Approach
2.2.2 Dimensional Approach
2.3 General Understanding of Life Approach
2.4 Teachers’ knowledge on use Life Approach
2.5 Teacher Training
2.5.1 Pre-service Training
2.5.2 In-service Training
2.6 Teachers’ attitude towards the use of Life Approach
2.7 Teachers’ skills in the utilization of Life Approach
2.7.1 Organization and presentation of content in Scheme of Work
2.7.2 Organization and Presentation of content in CRE Lesson plans
2.8 Teaching and learning methods used in conjunction with Life Approach
2.8.1 Role play.
2.8.2 Discussion
2.8.3 Question and Answer Method
2.9 Teachers Challenges on the use of Life Approach
2.10 Related Studies
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Research Paradigm
3.2 Research Design
3.3 Area of Study
3.4 Target Population
3.5 Sample Size and Sampling Procedures
3.6 Research Instruments
3.6.1 The questionnaire
3.6.2 Interview Guide
3.6.3 Document Analysis
3.6.4 The lesson observation schedule
3.7 Piloting of the research instruments
3.8 Reliability and validity of the research instruments
3.8.1 Reliability of the research instruments
3.8.2 Validity of the research instruments
3.9 Ethical Considerations
3.10 Data Collection Procedures
3.11 Coding of Data
3.12 Data Analysis Procedures
3.13 Summary of Chapter
4.0 Introduction
4.1 Biographical Data
4.1.1 Age of CRE teachers
4.1.2 Academic Qualifications of CRE teachers
4.1.3 Teaching Experience of CRE teachers
4.1.4 Type of school
4.1.5 Teaching subject combinations of CRE teachers
4.2 Teachers’ Knowledge on use of the Life Approach in CRE
4.2.1 The number of stages of a lesson
4.2.2 The stages of a lesson
4.2.3 Teaching activities incorporated with Life Approach
4.2.4 The frequency of use of CRE teacher’s personal life experiences in a lesson
4.2.5 Types of objectives used in a CRE lesson when using Life Approach
4.2.6 Suggestions of Life Approach
4.3 Teacher Training
4.3.1 Pre-service training of CRE teachers
4.3.2 In-service training of CRE teachers
4.4 Attitudes of CRE teachers towards Life Approach
4.4.1 Gender and attitudes of CRE teachers towards Life Approach
4.4.2 Age and attitude of CRE teachers
4.4.3 Academic qualification and teachers’ attitudes
4.4.4 Teaching experience and attitudes
4.4.5 K.C.S.E general performance of CRE students
4.4.6 Effectiveness of Life Approach
4.5 Utilization of Life Approach techniques in the classroom
4.5.1 Availability of schemes of work
4.5.2 Availability of lesson plans
4.6 Summary of the Chapter
5.0 Introduction
5.1 Summary of Findings
5.1.1 Biographical data
5.1.2 Teacher’s Knowledge of Life Approach
5.1.3 Teacher Training in teaching Life Approach
5.1.4 Attitudes of teachers towards Life Approach
5.1.5 Utilization of Life Approach techniques in the classroom
5.2 Conclusions
5.3 Recommendations
Research Objectives & Focus Areas
This study explores and documents the knowledge, skills, and utilization levels of the Life Approach method among Christian Religious Education (CRE) teachers in public secondary schools in Bungoma County, Kenya, aiming to identify potential barriers to its effective implementation in the classroom.
- Analysis of teachers' pedagogical knowledge regarding the Life Approach.
- Evaluation of pre-service and in-service training adequacy.
- Investigation of teacher attitudes towards student-centered learning methodologies.
- Assessment of the practical utilization of the Life Approach in classroom presentations and professional documentation.
- Exploration of challenges faced by teachers in applying the recommended five-stage lesson plan.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1 Existential Approach
In the existential approach, ordinary experiences are examined, explored and discussed and new depths or ideas are discovered within them. In religious education, this exercise deliberately lays the foundation for the formation and understanding of religious concepts or ideas. This can be stated in a practical way. Grimmitt (1973) defines the existential approach to Religious Education teaching in this manner:
When we speak of the existential approach to RE we are referring to an approach which focuses attention on the whole of the learner’s experiences, or, more precisely, which focuses the learner’s attention on the whole of their experiences, and uses these as the basis for forming religious concepts.
It is when the learner’s very own experiences of love, forgiveness, justice, and care are discussed, examined and explored that the learner will be able to give meaning to traditional concepts about God. For example, before the teacher introduces the Bible story of Moses and the burning bush, the teacher has to begin with a discussion of the learners’ experiences which convey the feeling or concept of awe. The existential approach demands that a learners’ own experiences, needs and interests become the starting point for learning (Grimmitt, 1973). The teacher has the responsibility of being truly relevant, that is, of being aware of the interests and life situations of his own actual class learners.
The approach demands that the teacher should make good use of depth themes, symbol and language themes and situation themes (Grimmitt 1973). Depth themes are purely secular; they do not make use of religious language. A CRE lesson using depth themes integrates any subject matter which can serve the purpose of exploring and examining life through learners’ own feelings, acts and experiences. The main goal is to lay the foundation for an understanding of religious concepts.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an introduction to the research, defining the scope, purpose, and objectives, while establishing the theoretical foundation based on experiential learning.
CHAPTER TWO: Reviews literature regarding the development of Christian Religious Education, the history of the Life Approach, and existing studies on teacher training and classroom methodologies.
CHAPTER THREE: Outlines the exploratory mixed-methods research design, detailing the target population, sampling procedures, research instruments, and data analysis techniques used.
CHAPTER FOUR: Presents, analyzes, and discusses the findings derived from the collected data, focusing on biographical profiles, teacher knowledge, training, and classroom utilization of the Life Approach.
CHAPTER FIVE: Synthesizes the study's findings, provides academic conclusions, and offers recommendations for educational stakeholders to improve the application of the Life Approach in schools.
Keywords
Christian Religious Education, Life Approach, Bungoma County, Secondary Education, Teacher Training, Experiential Learning, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Classroom Utilization, Student-Centered Learning, Curriculum Implementation, Teaching Methodology, Educational Reform, Teacher Attitudes, Scheme of Work, Lesson Planning
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research study?
The study focuses on evaluating the knowledge, skills, and application of the "Life Approach" pedagogical method by Christian Religious Education teachers in public secondary schools within Bungoma County, Kenya.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research covers teacher training (pre-service and in-service), classroom utilization of specific lesson stages, teachers' attitudes toward student-centered learning, and the impact of these factors on overall subject performance.
What is the main research objective?
The primary goal is to determine if teachers possess the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively implement the Life Approach and to understand why or why not this method is utilized in their classrooms.
Which scientific methodology was employed?
The study utilized an exploratory, mixed-methods research design, incorporating questionnaires, interviews, document analysis, and direct lesson observations to collect data.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body examines the evolution of religious education teaching, the theoretical framework of experiential learning, the specific techniques of the Life Approach, and the practical challenges teachers face in standardizing their lessons.
Which keywords define this research?
Key terms include Christian Religious Education, Life Approach, Bungoma County, Teacher Training, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, and Classroom Utilization.
Why are teachers in Bungoma County potentially reluctant to use the Life Approach?
The study suggests that despite positive attitudes, teachers feel pressured by an examination-oriented curriculum, which encourages them to prioritize syllabus coverage over the more time-intensive, student-centered Life Approach.
How is the "Life Approach" described in terms of lesson structure?
The research highlights that the Life Approach requires a five-stage structure—introduction (human experience), biblical experience, biblical explanation, application/response, and conclusion—which many teachers in the study struggled to implement consistently.
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- Cynthia Chebet (Autor), 2017, How Are a Teacher's Knowledge and Skills Regarding the Use of Life Approach Useful for Teaching Christian Religious Education?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/490017
