Faith Maina - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Faith Maina

Journal of Education

This study explored the quality of preservice teachers’ self- and peer-academic feedback using vi... more This study explored the quality of preservice teachers’ self- and peer-academic feedback using video annotation tools to capture their teaching practices. They were also provided with an informal online discussion board as part of the peer support system. Twenty-five preservice teachers at a large university in the Southwestern United States volunteered to participate in this study. Data revealed a striking difference between self-evaluation and peer-evaluation. Preservice teachers rated themselves considerably higher compared with their peer-evaluation. The quality of the academic feedback and evaluation remained at the surface level with a mismatch between areas of refinement and areas of reinforcement. Evidence-based feedback and constructive criticism for areas of refinement were openly given during the informal discussion forums. Despite the inconsistency, preservice teachers perceived online communication through discussion posts as a valuable source of building relationships ...

Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology

Aim: To investigate the factors curtailing production of tea in Nyeri and come up with possible m... more Aim: To investigate the factors curtailing production of tea in Nyeri and come up with possible mitigating measures. Study Design: In-depth qualitative survey that involved the interviewing of 28 tea farmers and 4 key informants (Subcounty Agricultural Officers) Place and Duration of Study: Othaya, Tetu and Mathira sub counties of Nyeri County: July 2014 Methodology: Twenty eight farmers and 4 Key informants were interviewed using 2 structured questionnaires. The interviewees were selected using systematic random sampling. Data was collected on the challenges that face the tea sector as well as the mitigating measures used to address them. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentages and means) using SPSS statistical program. Results: Low prices, lack of technical know-how on some aspects of tea production, adverse climatic conditions, lack of markets for purple tea were identified as major issues limiting tea sector in the county. Possible solutions have been discussed in this paper. Conclusion: Challenges that face the tea sector need to be addressed expeditiously in order to maximize tea production and earnings in Kenya.

Asian Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry

Aims: To investigate the efficacy of various dormancy breaking methods on Sesbania seeds. Study D... more Aims: To investigate the efficacy of various dormancy breaking methods on Sesbania seeds. Study Design: Complete Randomized Design with 5 treatments and 4 replicates of 100 seeds each for the treatments. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Seed, Crop and Horticultural Science and duration of the study was 2 months. Methodology: Sesbania seeds were subjected to the following methods; mechanical scarification, soaking in hot water (67°C) for 15 minutes, soaking in concentrated H 2 SO 4 for 15 seconds and leaching. A control experiment where the seeds were not subjected to any treatment was also prepared. The seeds were then set up in Petri dishes up lined with 3 moist filter papers substratum for each method. The Petri dishes were then put in a growth chamber set at a temperature of 24°C and 70% relative humidity. Seeds that germinated every day were noted. Results: Dormancy breaking methods differed significantly from the control regarding the number of seeds that germinated at P≤0.05. Leaching method (77.8%) hot water (69.5%) Mechanical scarification (62.3%) and acid scarification (64.5%) were higher than for the control (51%).

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development

African Journal of Business Management, Apr 14, 2013

This paper describes an incident between an academic researcher and a community member. The encou... more This paper describes an incident between an academic researcher and a community member. The encounter, in which a researcher asked questions about farming practices, shows how cultural misunderstanding and failure to communicate the gains of research to the community has the potential to generate distorted information. The academic researcher has the responsibility to communicate in culturally sensitive ways, particularly when working with communities of which they are not members. An ideal methodology is one that would empower community members during the research process so that they began to gain self-understanding and, ideally, self-determination.

A strong cultural identity enables individuals to become independent and self-reliant people who ... more A strong cultural identity enables individuals to become independent and self-reliant people who function in their own environment. People who have little sense of their cultural identity or have been alienated from their culture can become dependent and lack skills for meaningful survival in their own environment. This predicament is particularly pronounced in societies that have suffered colonial domination in the past and that find themselves socializing their children with the cultural values and world view of the colonizing power which undermines their own cultural identity. In the republic of Kenya, this problem has been acknowledged and documented by academics and educators. There seems to be a lack of political will to make radical and effective changes to the curriculum. This paper offers a historical overview of colonial education in Kenya, examining curriculum development in a broad outline form, starting with the pre-colonial indigenous curriculum and moving to the colonial and post-colonial curriculum. Kenyan curriculum has failed to live up to the basic definition of the word curriculum and has contradicted a fundamental determinant of curriculum development-failure to integrate the local cultural values into the curriculum. The paper provides suggestions for addressing some of the problems outlined in the overview. (Author/BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Integrating Cultural Values into the Curriculum for Kenyan Schools.

The females portrayed in the Gikuyu popular music of Kenya are almost always evil. Women are ofte... more The females portrayed in the Gikuyu popular music of Kenya are almost always evil. Women are often viewed as prostitutes who see their sexuality as a commodity to be exchanged for material goods. After the unsuspecting males have delivered the goods, the women are more often than not betrayed. These portraits create a hostile and toxic environment for girls/women to thrive. While much has been done in the field of law enactment to curb domestic violence, little is said about providing a conductive social environment and identifying the root causes of domestic violence. Using content analysis methods, a study shows that Gikuyu popular music is a site for tension between males and females a catalyst for domestic violence. A few popular Gikuyu songs are selected for analysis. The Gikuyu language is predominantly spoken in Central province of Kenya and also parts of the Diaspora. Gikuyu speakers in Kenya are estimated at eight million. Includes nine references. (Author/BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

African Sociological Review / Revue Africaine de Sociologie, 2010

This paper attemps to map, drawing mainly from Hiv and AiDS prevention interventions, the multipl... more This paper attemps to map, drawing mainly from Hiv and AiDS prevention interventions, the multiple discourses on sexuality. The aim is to provide a picture of the challenges and opportunities in transforming the concept of sexual wellness currently being articulated. This is a move from the commonly held view of sexuality as a threat to health, to one promoting sexual wellness or positive view of sexuality. A postcolonial conceptual perspective is used to help grasp the multiple-realities emerging from the historical influences on Africa and for reflexivity on the ambivalences and representations of Africa and African culture including sexuality.

Investigations and Applications, 2013

University educators are often faced with the challenging task of equipping both preservice and i... more University educators are often faced with the challenging task of equipping both preservice and in-service teachers with the knowledge, skills, and resources to effectively teach diverse students. It becomes even more problematic to teach mathematics when using a problem solving approach where mathematical ways of knowing are emphasized. These teachers tend to believe that mathematics is "just numbers," "speaks a universal language," is "culturally neutral" and has no relevance whatsoever with social issues that affect students. Coupled with this is the mistaken belief that "people know or don't know math." Pre/in service teachers, often meet the notion that math literacy can be achieved by all learners with skepticism and patronizing behaviors. However, given the space to step outside the classroom, talk with peers, and argue with veteran teachers, a shift in attitude about the potential for diverse student potential is self-evident. These preliminary findings were assembled when a hybrid course that enrolled eight pre/in-service teachers was developed.

Canadian Journal of Native Studies, 2003

... Ahlberg~Maina, Beth 1991 Women Sexuality and the Changing Social Order: The Impact ofGovemmen... more ... Ahlberg~Maina, Beth 1991 Women Sexuality and the Changing Social Order: The Impact ofGovemment Policies on Reproduction Behav-iour in Kenya. ... Bruner, Edward 1993 "The ethnographic self and the personal self,JJ 1-26 in Paul Benson (Ed.) Anthropology and Literature ...

The Canadian Journal of Native Studies, 1997

Educators of First Nations children in Canada face the tasks of recovering the cultural heritage ... more Educators of First Nations children in Canada face the tasks of recovering the cultural heritage of First Nations and providing skills for successful participation in a culturally diverse society. Issues which must be addressed by schools to meet these challenges include an ...

Faculty members of the School of Education at Oswego State University assert in their conceptual ... more Faculty members of the School of Education at Oswego State University assert in their conceptual framework that the role of schools is to promote authentic learning for all students. Authentic learning occurs when: Educators provide meaningful opportunities and appropriate ...

This paper describes the difficult task of performing a critical evaluation of a Professional Dev... more This paper describes the difficult task of performing a critical evaluation of a Professional Development School (PDS). The paper notes the often contradictory opinions of the stakeholders in regard to acceptable conceptual models and the tensions involved. The description is a result of active participation in PDS related activities, document analysis, and in-depth interviews with a select sample of 15 PDS stakeholders in a small New York rural PDS initiative. The analysis leads to the proposal of a conceptual model that clearly establishes the desired outcomes through negotiation and consultation with all stakeholders that ultimately informs the evaluation path. (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.