Education On Health Promotion Essay Example for Free

Education On Health Promotion Essay Q. 1 Validity is said to be the power to convince about the conclusions that have been found. It is the strength that the conclusion has to convince others on the facts that have been outlined. There are said to be four types of validity namely external, conclusion, construct and internal validity (http://www. brainyquote. com). The external validity is about the ability to generalize the findings to other settings, the conclusion looks for a relationship between the outcomes and the program, the construct validity determines the presence of a relationship between concepts in a study and an actual casual relationship and finally the internal validity looks for the relationship between the study object and the outcomes of the study. On the other hand, reliability is said to be the ability to get the same results over and over again when performing the same test at different times (http://www. asiamarketresearch. com). It is said to estimate how consistent your measurements are. For a tool of measurement to be reliable, it has to give the same results when used at different times by different people to measure the same thing. It can be tested through using different questions that measure the same thing to see if the answers are consistent while the test/retest method means getting the same findings for the same test done at different times but under the same conditions. Validity and reliability will be used in the dissertation to test the conclusion. First checking on the reliability of the tools of measurements does this. This ensures that the data provided for the study is to be trusted as being correct. It also helps eliminate the data that contains some inconsistencies. Once all the reliable data has been compiled, it can then be used to arrive at some conclusion. This conclusion will be valid if all the measurements that have been done have involved the data that was supposed to be measured. If one has been using the correct data using reliable tools then the conclusion will be a valid one. The correct questions have to be asked in relation to the topic and the measurement tools have to be reliable for the conclusion to be valid. Q. 2 When starting a project one begins with choosing a topic on which to research on (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). This topic should not be too general as to include subjects that are not relevant to the researcher instead it should be very specific on what is to be research on. When choosing a topic, one uses the tool of research called the â€Å"human mind†. This is because a topic is chosen according to how the researcher perceives the surroundings and thus requires reasoning and analyzing which uses the brain. Next is gathering the relevant background information concerning the topic. This can be done through the use of the computer and its software. It is done to get the most basic information on the chosen topic. This information can be supplemented by the use of the library where one can find encyclopedias among other sources. This information is used to refine the chosen topic (http://www. ri. net/schools/East_Greenwich/research. html). If there is need to change the research topic it is done now. After revisiting your topic, you now need to gather the information needed. This is done by the use of the computer and the library. This information is then supplemented by fieldwork, which uses different methods of gathering information. This is done to confirm or challenge the statistics gotten from the library and computer software. While conducting the field research, one has to estimate the reality of the tools of measurement so as to ensure the information gotten is correct and in the process eliminate those, which contain errors after this is done, the information is coded and analyzed. The information is now ready for use to get the conclusion and then organize it to be able to write it in a way that the reader will understand. When it comes to the writing part, the language to be used has to be chosen carefully. It has to be a language accessible to all the presumed readers. The research is then written and is used to justify the problem statement and why the project should be undertaken. The conducting of a research and writing of a dissertation are the actual start of a project. This is because they justify the reason why the project can now start. All the six tools of research are used to ensure that the information provided in the research is reliable and valid. One can only gain experience in the use of these tools by conducting many researches. By writing dissertations and research papers, one ahs to use these tools and in so doing gets a lot of experience in their use. Over time one gets to learn how to use the various tools. When it comes to computers, one has to solicit the help of computer experts an also using the help icon in the computer. For a researcher, it is very useful to join research projects as an assistant researcher. This ensures that one gains a lot of experience and by working with an expert researcher one is able to pick up quite a number of tricks in the research field. Also as a research assistant, one does a lot of work and so is able to come up with new and more effective ways of using the tools of research. On top of this, one is able to choose which tools they can use best and which ones they need to work on to understand how they are used. To learn to be an expert researcher, one can only go through the above mentioned process of first becoming a research assistant. The expert researcher has to be able to use the six tools of research namely the human mind, the computer and its software, the statistics, the traditional library, tools of measurement and the language facility. It one has gone through the process of becoming a research assistant, there is knowledge gained from constant use of the tools and one can then be able to decide which tools they are most comfortable using. All the tools are important and necessary to any researcher but the order of importance assigned to each tool is what differs from researcher to researcher. It is only through experience of having worked on many research projects does one become competent in the use of all the tools and so that is what any novice researcher concentrates more on. Q. 3 The dissertation topic is education on health promotion.  From the interview with the researcher, I have learned how to use the six tools of research in the dissertation topic. By using the human mind, the topic, which is education on health promotion, was chosen. Using the computer and its software, the topic will be researched on and the basic knowledge gathered. Since the topic has enough materials to be used, it will not be changed. The information is then supplemented with that from the traditional library. After the topic has been re-affirmed, the field information will be collected and this will be done by using tools of measurement that are reliable (http://www. ih. gov/news/researchtools/). Once the information has been collected, it is then analyzed, cleaned and coded. The findings will now be used in writing the paper. When writing the paper the language to be used has to be that which the targeted readers can understand. When writing one has to avoid plagiarism and ensuring that any information from other sources is cited will do this. The paper must be in the proper format and should include all the parts of a project paper. The conclusion will have to support the topic and reason for the research. It will therefore have to support education on health promotion

Life Styles Inventory (LSI) Assignment

Life Styles Inventory (LSI) Assignment Behavior Styles Life Styles Inventory (LSI): Self Description â€Å"The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.† Dwight D. Eisenhower Introduction: Thinking and Behavior The Life Styles Inventory (LSI) identifies the essential thoughts and stimulus that guide individuals behavior. Often referred to as personal styles, management styles and leadership styles, these signify the essence of an individuals effectiveness. The quality of my thinking and behavior contributes greatly to my work performance. Fortunately, I have the power to change ineffective thinking and behavior, the kind that can paralyze an individuals effectiveness. But first I need to know if what I’m doing now is supporting from quality performance. The scoring reveals where I have talent, where I can grow, and where I may be able to develop even stronger skills by simply shifting behaviors that could be holding me back (limiting style). Personal Thinking Styles: Based on the Life Styles Inventory results, my primary personal thinking style is self-actualization. Self-actualization in life is very important to make sure you are pleased with your inner self and behaviors. This goes back to morals and how you were raised. Self-actualization allows me to always be pleased and happy with the decisions I make in life. As a professional, making decisions that I will be happy with is essential. You may not always be pleased with decisions that others make, but I believe it’s important to please self when it involves making personal decisions. My back-up style is achievement. Achievement is setting goals at work and in my personal life. You must be determined, focused, goal-oriented and dedicated to talks given. For example, pursuing a Master’s degree is a personal goal I’m striving to accomplish for self-satisfaction, not for others satisfaction. The style that I think might be working against me to reduce your effectiveness is the perfectionist style. IT can be limiting because nothing is perfect and you have to have a backup plan in case obstacles occur. Being a perfectionist can waste time and money when it comes to the workplace. In some cases perfection is needed. When pharmacists prescribe medication to patients they need to strive to provide the perfect medication for the problem because if they don’t things could go wrong with the patient. There are times where perfection is needed and others when you’re just wasting precious money and time. Impact On Management Style: With the high achieving style being the second high rated style on my inventory list, it has a major impact on my management style. A high achievement style indicates I set goals and is enthusiastic about working towards difficult but realistic goals. In pursuit of goals and achieving high quality results, I’m likely to follow a well-developed plan that has been considered in depth. I carefully examine my options before deciding on a plan of action. To adequately isolate these behaviors or ways of thinking and emphasize strengths, it is essential to understand their impact on quality of performance. As a manager I will have a positive effect on my employees. Being that the poser style is on the bottom of my totem pole, I believe that the humanistic and encouraging style will set well with the employees and contribute to a person’s level of satisfaction proficiency at accomplishing tasks. Having the ability to work effectively with people develop healthy relationships is a important in management. Genesis of Personal Styles Since I’m able to remember, I was taught to be your own person. I was taught to always be the leader and not the follower when it comes to personal decisions. It’s very important to not always want to be a leader and never want to follow in the workplace. My mother and father instilled in me to set goals and achieve those goals no matter how long it took to accomplish what you have set for yourself. As a child in the schooldays, I remember bringing home all the books that I had (Math, Science, Language, etc.). If I didn’t have homework in a subject, I had to read the next chapter for the next day. I thank my parents for instilling in me how important knowledge is. I continue to keep that with me after graduating from high school, second year college, four year college and now striving for my Master’s. I can truly say that continuing my education is a major part of my life. Because of my parents teaching, I’m good. Being in the church was another gre at thing that happened to me. A person’s environment can have a major impact on their life. Conclusion and Reflection The underlying thoughts and motivations that guide an individual’s behavior, that is personal styles, management styles and leadership styles, represent the essence of an individuals effectiveness. Research has shown that the styles measured by the LSI are related to a number of indicators of effectiveness and success, including leadership effectiveness, management effectiveness, problem solving effectiveness, quality of interpersonal relations, organizational level, individual health and well being, and organizational culture. I can use what I learn to initiate positive changes in how I think and act according to the changes that increase my personal and professional effectiveness. The LSI can be used to create change through: (1) identifying the unique thinking patterns that characterize your current behavior (2) understanding which of your thinking patterns are effective, which aren’t and why (3) deciding which thinking and behavior patterns you want to change (4) defining optimal ways of thinking and approaching your work, such as, setting targeted improvement goals and creating a precise approach to convey on change.

Nuclear Weapon?s Future Essay -- essays research papers fc

For almost a half a century, the United States and the U.S.S.R. fought a nuclear arms war, the â€Å"Cold War.† The â€Å"Cold War† officially ended August 19, 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed. Ironically, the war ended without a battle or a shot fired. In fact, nuclear weapons have only been used once. In the Second World War, the United States dropped two nuclear bombs, one on Hiroshima, the other on Nagasaki. So, what is the future of the Nuclear Weapons Policy, housed in the United States? For now, the future seems to lie in reduction and deterrence. In 1991, the United States and Russia signed the first Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I). According to the treaty, the United States and Russia reduce the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by the two countries from 13,000 and 11,000, respectively, to around 8,000 each. The Second treaty (START II), signed in 1993 and ratified in 1996 by the United States says that each nation would further condense their number of deployed warheads to between 3,000 and 4,500, which brings the total to approximately 10,000 nuclear weapons for each side, by the projected 2003 date. START III, which would reduce the level of warheads to 2,000-2,500, cannot be discussed until START II Russia ratifies START II. In addition, nuclear testing ended for both sides and the production of weapon-grade fissile material has stopped. The nuclear treaties leave enough nuclear capability, in both the United States and Russia, to damage an attacking nation. In fact, without Russia and the United St ates nuclear arsenal, there are a little over a thousand weapons divided among the rest of the world, as reported by the Center for Defense Information, as long as all the countries in the world approve Test Ban Treaty. In addition, defense experts believe it would require only a little over a thousand nuclear missiles to fen off an attack. Therefore, neither country needs to fear that they will not have the strength to retaliate. Actually, the United States and its NATO allies retain their Cold War â€Å"weapons of last resort’ doctrine that allows the first use of nuclear weapons if deemed necessary to cope with non-nuclear attacks, and Russia has announced that she will abandon the USSR’s no-first-use pledge for a position similar to NATO’s. ‘â€Å"The US and Russia have 5,000 to 6,000 nuclear missiles ready to launch on 15 minutes notice,’... ...ssile could fight the war and maybe only a few hundred thousand will perish, instead of a million. However, the future seems to pull toward reduction and deterrence. Works Cited Landy, Jonathan S. US Downsizes its Nuclear-Weapons Ambitions (December 24, 1997). The Christian Science Monitor. 14 November 1999. . Nuclear Facts ‘n’ Figures. Center for Defense Information. 14 November 1999. . Summary of the Center for the Security Policy’s High Level Round Table Discussion on the Future of the U.S. Nuclear Deterrence, 15 July 1997, the Ana Hotel, Washington D.C. The Center for Security Policy. 13 November 1999. . The Future of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy: Executive Summary. Academy of Sciences. 12 November 1999. . Newman, Richard J. A U.S. Victory, at a Cost of $5.5 Trillion: The Nuclear-Arms Race Gets a Price Tag (7/13/98). U.S. News & World Report. 1999 Nov 18. .

Finland: Nationalism, Development, and Values Essay -- World War II, Ru

While Finland is a rather young country in terms of independence, seeing that it was only in 1917 that it became independent, it is a country that has had a constant development of nationalism, values, and national identity. Finnish nationalism is highly shaped by its past before it was an independent country and by its neighbor, Russia. It also is affected by the three Wars which would involve its neighbor Russia. The three wars fought in WWII, events leading up to them, and their end results are all key points in developing Finnish Nationalism. These wars are the Winter War (1939-40) and the Continuation War (1941-44) in which Finland fought the Russians during WWII. Lastly, is the Lapland War (1944-45) in which the Finnish retreated from the Germans. These wars had lasting effects up until 1991 and dissolution of the USSR, making them huge factors on Finnish nationalism (Historical Highlights) . The effects of WWII would be gruesome for Finland and help shape its nationali sm for Finland today. Finland was originally an independent country when it was settled by Laps in about the year 700. This independence was short lived after it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Sweden in the twelfth century for nearly 700 years. Swedish would become the dominant language. Under Swedish rule, Finland would be introduced to Roman Catholicism. This would help to include Finland with the western culture. Also, Finland would come to experience similar economic and social experiences that Sweden would. Finland would nearly have no sense of national identity for a period of time. Finland would essentially be considered a part of Sweden. Then, in 1807, Finland would be conquered by Russia and remain a part of Russia up until its inde... ...allenge to Peacemakers (Mar., 1944), pp.33-38. Kirby, David (2006). A concise history of Finland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 343. Manninen, Laura. "War and Remembrance: An Aftermath of the Lapland War." Ethnologia Scandinavica 21(1991):53-63. Reese, Roger R. "Surrender And Capture In The Winter War And Great Patriotic War: Which Was The Anomaly?." Global War Studies 8.1 (2011): 87-98. Historical Abstracts. Web. 5 Dec. 2013. Tillotson, H.M. (1993). Finland at peace & war 1918–1993. Michael Russell. Trueman, Chris. "The Winter War 1939." The Winter War 1939. HistoryLearningSite.co.uk, n.d. Web. 9 Dec 2013. . cited Vares, Vesa. "Creating A State And National Identity. Finland And Europe: 1918-1922." Valahian Journal Of Historical Studies 14.(2010): 79-104. Historical Abstracts. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.

More than a spoonful of sugar Essay -- Health, Natural Remedies

As a kid I don’t remember thinking about my health a lot, probably because kids count on their parents to keep them healthy. They count on their parents to feed them the right things and do all obvious things that would help them stay healthy. But in reality both kids and adults have the ability to naturally help their health wether its intentional or not. Although medicine is helpful, many natural remedies can also benefit your health such as laughter, the sense of touch, exercise and having a pet. In many ways people find laughter as just a response to something funny or just as a happy emotion. But it really does so much more for your body, health and personal well-being. The benefits of laughter exceed the emotion. â€Å"Laughter along with an active since of humor, may protect you against a heart attack according to a recent study by cardiologists at the University or Maryland†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Murry1) A study done by the University of Maryland medical center consisted of 300 people, half of them had suffered from some type of heart disease or issue and the other half had not. Each filled out a questionnaire mainly about how much the individual laughed in good, bad and normal situations. They found that the people with or without heart disease are 40% more likely not to have a heart attack if they laughed more in life and situations. (Murry1-2) Laughter has physical, mental and social benefits to your health. Some of the Physical benefits to laughter include; relieving stres s, boosting your immune system by increasing your immune cells, decreasing pain, increasing blood flow, enhances oxygen intake and it relaxes your muscles up to 45 min..(Smith1) (Puckett1) The mental and social benefits are obvious. Laughter adds zest to your life and impr... ...en those without pets. They also took less medication for high blood pressure and sleeping. (Becker 63-64) Many Physiatrists with patients that have anxiety when leaving the house or with depression prescribe a dog to help them live life again and leave the house. (Becker 63) It is amazing to realize how much pet can change a person’s life and make it so much better. And In the book â€Å"The Healing power of pets† most of the book is stories of a human and dog bond so strong that these dogs have saved these people’s lives numerous times. So although medicine is very helpful there are so many simple natural things that can keep you healthy too such as laughter, the sense of touch, exercise and having a pet. These things are amazing natural things given to us by God that benefit our health in easy extraordinary ways, so why not take advantage of these simple things?

Leadership and Performance

CHAPTER ONE (1) INTRODUCTION 1. 1Background of the Study Globally, educating a nation remains the most vital strategy for the development of the society throughout the developing world (Aikaman & Unterhalter, 2005). Many studies on human capital development concur that it is the human resources of a nation and not its capital or natural resources that ultimately determine the pace of its economic and social development. Since education is an investment, there is a significant positive correlation between education and economic-social productivity.When people are educated, their standards of living are likely to improve, since they are empowered to access productive ventures, which will ultimately lead to an improvement in their livelihoods. The role of education therefore, is not just to impart knowledge and skills that enable the beneficiaries to function as economies and social change agents in society, but also to impart values, ideas, attitudes and aspirations important for natur al development.In spite of the government initiatives in improving access, equity and quality of education, the secondary sub-sector continues to face challenges, particularly the low participation rates, low transition rates from primary to secondary and from secondary to tertiary (particularly to universities), as well as gender and regional disparities. From the researches that have been conducted on the impact of the government efforts to improve access equity and quality on performance indicate that most public schools have a lot of wastage, very poor performance in national examinations and poor learner preparation to face the world after school.It has become alarming since the number of secondary school graduates from public day and boarding schools exit without entry grade to university is increasing day by day. This has increased crime rate, drug and substance abuse, immorality and cases of HIV and AIDS on the increase. It is, on this backdrop that the research endeavors to establish reasons why even when the Government has done so much to increase access, equity and quality to education still good performance remains for a few secondary chools (without the district) and many Kenyan children are still coming out of school with poor grades that can not help them move to the next level or get meaningful training. How can the problem be remedied and which adjustments need to be made. To this end, this proposed research will analyze the effect of management or leadership styles of the principal on the teachers and students performance. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is derived from the systems theory of organizations, which emerged as part of an intellectual ferment following the World War II, although its roots are much are much older.Its founder, Ludwig von Bertalanffy, was concerned about growing compartmentalization of knowledge and argued that certain general ideas could have relevance across broad spectrum of disciplines: that desp ite obvious differences among the many kinds of organizations, they share very general characteristics and that is important to discover what they are(Hong et al. , 2004). The systems theory cuts across all the four paradigms of management thoughts, for every organization that produces output in a system of some of sort (Katz & Kahn, 1966).And an organization, including a school, regardless of its size and purpose, and the management perspective adopted not withstanding, basically concerned with relationships, structures and interdependence rather than just constant attributes (Katz & Kahn, 1966). This study will be modeled on the postulates of systems theory because schools, like other organizations, are always in constant exchange with the larger society. Rosemary as cited in BPP (1999) defines management as ‘‘the art of getting things done through others’’ (p. 6). Fabunmi (2001), however, defines management ‘‘as the coordination of all the re sources of an organization through the process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling in order to attain organizational objectives’’ (p. 12). Resser (1973), on the other hand asserts that management is the utilization of physical and human resources through cooperative efforts, which is accomplished by performing the functions of planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and controlling.By management styles, I refer to, new leadership and management approaches in order to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Improved efficiency is achieved through management reforms; raising the learner teacher ratio, increasing teachers’ time on task, reducing repetition and improving accountability (Nsubuga, 2003). Leadership at work in education institutions thus needs to be a dynamic process where an individual is not only responsible for the group’s tasks, but also actively seeks the collaboration and commitment of all the group members in achieving group goals in a particular context (Cole, 2002).Leadership in that context pursues effective performance in schools, because it does not only examine tasks to be accomplished and who executes them, but also seeks to include greater reinforcement characteristics like recognition, conditions of service and morale building, coercion and remuneration (Balunywa, 2000). It is this scenario that the researcher needs to establish whether it is practiced in Nyamira North District and if it is, what is its impact on the teacher and student performance This is also described by Sashkin and Sashkin (2003) as visionary leadership.However, according to them, the concept of leadership that matters is not being limited to those at the top of the organization such as the chief executive officer or principal/head teacher, but depends on certain characteristics of the leader. It involves much more than the leader’s personality in which leadership is seen as more of mutating followers to achie ve goals (Shashkin, 2003:2). This is supported by Lav Tzu (as reported in Shashkin, 2003:7) that good leadership commits to doing less and being more.However, Cole (2002) defines leadership as inspiring people to perform. Even if an institution has all the financial resources to excel, it may fail dismally if the leadership does not motivate others to accomplish their tasks effectively. It is therefore this consideration that has made it necessary to determine the impact of the management or leadership styles on the teacher and learner performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District of Nyamira County. . 2STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Although it is the Kenyan government’s policy to ensure the delivery of quality education in secondary schools in Kenya, performance, particularly in Nyamira North District has remained poor, despite the various interventions by policy makers and implementers. Such a situation is alarming, bearing in mind that secondary education play a piv otal role in the development of any country.Equally important, are the overarching policies of Kenya’s education, which strongly emphasize the importance of science education in attainment of vision 2030. Scholars, policy makers and school managers have resolved to address the poor academic performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District by conducting research on its would be antecedents such as a lack of instructional materials, ensuring quality teachers, admitting good students, remuneration and the motivation of teachers, improving discipline and community participation in schools.Nevertheless, all the above studied and recommendations implemented there is still poor academic performance in our public secondary schools which makes it necessary to make a study on the management or leadership styles adopted and the impact of them on teachers and students performance. Hence this study is intended to investigate the relationship of head teachers’ leadership o r management style and the performance of secondary schools in Nyamira North District.It is deemed that an investigation in this area would shed light on the factors affecting performance and in particular the effect of leadership /management styles on school performance. 1. 3The purpose of the Study The purpose of this study is to establish to what extent the leadership/management styles adopted by principals have influence on the teacher and school’s performance Nyamira North District, using cross – sectional survey design with the aim of examining how leadership styles adopted by school principals influence the schools overall performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District.Leadership styles will be characterized by behavioural tendencies, and characteristic methods of a person in a leadership position. An important dimension of leadership style is the extent to which the leader is willing to delegate responsibility and encourage input from followers. Ano ther basic dimension is the extent to which a leader is task-motivated (concerned with defining goals and the means to achieve them) or relationship-motivated (concerned with supporting and encouraging subordinates).A distinction can also be drawn between the charismatic leader, who relies on his or her personal qualities to inspire followers, and the bureaucratic leader, who depends on his or her position in the hierarchy and an established set of rules and procedures. In particular the study will determine and describe the effects of the various leadership styles (the authoritarian or autocratic leader, democratic leader, transformational leader, situational or contingency and laissez-faire leader) adopted by principals on teachers and student performance. 1. 4Specific objectivesThe study will be guided by the following specific objectives: a)To establish the relationship between the demographic characteristics of principals and teachers and school performance. b)To establish whet her performance in Nyamira North District secondary schools is dependent on the management or leadership styles c)To establish whether performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District is dependent on the autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style, transformational leadership style, situational or contingency leadership style of school head teachers. )To elicit the viewpoints of head teachers, teachers and students on the preferred leadership styles. e)To make recommendations for the improvement of schools on the basis of an analysis of leadership styles. 1. 5Research Questions/Hypotheses The guiding questions will be: 1. What is the relationship between the demographic characteristics of principals and teachers and school performance? 2. What is the relationship between management styles of principals and staff performance?A case study of secondary schools in Nyamira North District (Nyamira County). 3. Is the performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District dependent on the autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style, transformational leadership style, situational or contingency leadership style of school principals? 4. What are the viewpoints of principals, teachers and students on the preferred leadership styles? 5. What recommendations can be made for the improvement of schools on the basis of an analysis of leadership styles?Hypotheses 1. The demographic characteristics of principals influence teachers’ and student academic performance 2. There is positive relationship between management styles of principals and staff, and student academic performance. 1. 6Significance of the study While some may still ascribe to the old adage that ‘leaders are born, not made’, there remains a societal responsibility to provide school leaders with the skills and practices needed to orchestrate schools in a way that can maximize sustained achievement for all students.The continued research on behaviors and p ractices of leaders (Fullan, 1985; Murphy & Hallinger, 1992) remains important in the light of the changing role of the principal. The findings from the study would help to augment and enrich theories and principles on school leadership. It would also have a direct impact on the future training of school leaders and teacher leaders. Data generated from this study could serve as a practical framework for the Ministry of Education, or other training agents and higher institutions, to plan, organize and provide leadership-training program for school leaders and prospective leaders.The study could also be important for school leaders as the findings can help them take heed of their leadership behavior and become more sensitive to the process and importance of human interaction. The findings from this study may offer more insights and serve as a critical friend in academia, encouraging principals to reflect, break out of their traditional practices, raising consciousness, and questioning deeply entrenched assumptions. Hopefully, all principals would ultimately fulfill their leadership dream, and lead the schools in the direction as Bath (in Fullan, 1997) puts it, ‘you can lead where you will go. 1. 7Limitations and Delimitations of the Study This study will be concerned with effects of leadership or management styles on teacher and learners performance. It will be conducted in Nyamira North District (Nyamira County) between September 2011 and December 2011 using cross – sectional sample survey design and a sample of 25 secondary schools will be selected from 43 secondary schools in the district. Data will be collected by the researcher using questionnaires, interviews and document analysis techniques. The following are limitations of the proposed study. The study will include public secondary schools in Nyamira North District. Therefore, the results of this study may not be generalized to private schools. †¢It will not be possible to cover the opi nions of parents and other stake holders in this district because tracing them will require considerable time, resources and other logistics Though only public secondary schools in Nyamira North District will be included in the study, nevertheless, Nyamira North is typical of many districts with regard to recent emphasis on school reform and school improvement projects.Therefore, the results of this study may apply to other, similar district of the county and Kenya at large. 1. 8Theoretical and conceptual frameworks The theoretical framework adopted for this study is derived from the systems theory of organizations developed by Ludwig Von Bertalanffy in the early 1950s. It emerged as part of an intellectual ferment following the World War II, although its roots are much are much older. The systems theory has had a significant effect on management science and understanding organizations.A system is a collection of part unified to accomplish an overall goal. If one part of the system is removed, the nature of the system is changed as well. A system can be looked at as having inputs (e. g. , resources such as raw materials, money, technologies, and people), processes (e. g. , planning, organizing, motivating, and controlling), outputs (products or services) and outcomes (e. g. , enhanced quality of life or productivity for customers/clients, productivity). Systems share feedback among each of these four aspects of the system.The systems theory is an alternative to the classical and neo – classical organizations theories which the researcher felt cannot suffice because of their emphasis on schools as fragmented and closed social units independent of external forces (Baker 1973). The only meaningful way to study an organization (school) is to regard it as a system. Thus schools should be managed more like organizations where educational programmes are innovated and re – innovated to realize the importance each part makes to the whole, and the necessit y of eliminating the parts that make negative contributions.With the development of the various educational disciplines and departments, considerable overlap is inevitable among the different fields. The proliferation of specialization, as in many branches of education, also leads to further overlapping. Because of these interactions, schools are better studied as wholes rather than parts (Baker, 1973). Systems theory postulates that schools are like other on systems which of necessity engage in various modes of exchamge with the environment (Katz & Kahn, 1966).The theory emphasizes the consideration of the relationships between the school and its environment as well as what goes on within the school (Hall, 1977). The systems theory is basically concerned with the problems of relationships, of structures and of interdependence, rather with the constant attributes of objects (Katz & Kahn, 1966). The fundamental concept in the general systems theory is the notion of emergence and inte raction. As adapted in this study the systems theory holds that management actions influence the internal efficiency of a school.That staffing and control of students’ admissions coordination of teaching and learning resources, school fees budgeting and leadership styles adopted in school influence the drop outs and repetition rates, and promotion rates and general climate in a school. In the application of the systems theory to this study on the effect of management/ leadership styles on teacher and student performance the variables will be identified as follows: 1. Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims (Koontz and Weihrich 1990, p. ). This basic definition means several things. First, as principals, carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling. Secondly, managing is concerned with productivity – this implies effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness and efficiency is the ability of the school to keep or reduce, to as low as possible, the dropout and repetition rates, increase completion and promotion rates and to produce high outcomes that is good academic performance and no wastage.It also ensures that students complete an educational cycle in the possible minimum time. 2. Thus, management refers to the development of bureaucracy that derives its importance from the need for strategic planning, co-ordination, directing and controlling of large and complex decision-making process. Essentially, therefore, management entails the acquisition of managerial competence, and effectiveness in the following key areas: problem solving, administration, human resource management, and school leadership.First and foremost, management is about solving problems that keep emerging all the time in the course of an organization (school) struggling to achieve its goals and objectives. Problem sol ving will be accompanied by problem identification, analysis and the implementation of remedies to managerial problems. Second, administration involves following laid down procedures (although procedures or rules should not be seen as ends in themselves) for the execution, control, communication, delegation and crisis management.Third, human resource management should be based on strategic integration of human resource, assessment of workers, and exchange of ideas between stakeholders, teachers and workers. Finally, school leadership should be developed along lines of interpersonal relationship, teamwork, self-motivation to perform, emotional strength and maturity to handle situations, personal integrity, and general management skills. However, in adopting the systems theory of organizations this study, the researcher is not ignorant of its shortcomings.The interrelationships among parts of a system have to be recognized and understood by ‘all’ people involved. This the ory also requires a shared vision so that ‘all’ people in the school have an idea of what they are trying to accomplish. It requires a cohesive effort from all participants, a task that is not easy to achieve especially where ‘all’ is involved. Conceptual frame work In the conceptual framework depicted in the figure above the management or leadership style is hypothesized to influence the teachers and student performance.Management or leadership style is defined as having managerial competence and effectiveness in the following key areas: problem solving, administration, human resource management, and school leadership that is being able to carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling and teacher and student performance as early syllabus coverage motivated staff reporting to work early and leaving work place late, no school drop outs, no repletion cases, there is increased completion rates and good academic results in national examinations.The frame work postulates that managerial competence and effectiveness in leadership will affect the rate of drop outs, repetition, completion rates and academic performance of students in a school. However, this relationship may be modified by age, faith of the staff, background as well as families from which the staff comes from. Chapter Two (2) Literature review 2. 0Introduction This chapter discusses the literature related to the effect of management/leadership style on teachers and student performance.It particularly focuses on the relationship between the demographic characteristics of principals and teachers and school performance, establish whether performance in Nyamira North District secondary schools is dependent on the management or leadership styles, establish whether performance in secondary schools in Nyamira North District is dependent on the autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style, transformational leadership style a nd situational or contingency leadership style, elicit the viewpoints of head teachers, teachers and students on the preferred leadership styles and make recommendations for the improvement of schools on the basis of an analysis of leadership styles. These are considered the pillars of the study. In this chapter, the researcher reviews literature related to management/leadership styles and its effects on school performance. The review is conceptualized under the objectives and focuses mainly on autocratic leadership style, democratic leadership style and situational or contingency leadership style and their relationship with teachers and students performance. 2. 0 Transformational leadership Bush (2003) links three leadership models to his ‘collegial’ management model. The first of these is ‘transformational leadership’.This form of leadership assumes that the central focus of leadership ought to be the commitments and capacities of organizational members. Higher levels of personal commitment to organizational goals and greater capacities for accomplishing those goals are assumed to result in extra effort and greater productivity. (Leithwood et al. 1999: 9). Leithwood (1994) conceptualizes transformational leadership along eight dimensions: †¢ Building school vision †¢ Establishing school goals †¢ providing intellectual stimulation †¢ Offering individualized support †¢ Modeling best practices and important organizational values †¢ Demonstrating high performance expectations †¢ Creating a productive school culture †¢ Developing structures to foster participation in school decisions.Caldwell and Spinks (1992: 49–50) argue that transformational leadership is essential for autonomous schools: ‘Transformational leaders succeed in gaining the commitment of followers to such a degree that higher levels of accomplishment become virtually a moral imperative. In our view a powerful capacity f or transformational leadership is required for the successful transition to a system of self-managing schools. ’ Leithwood’s (1994) research suggests that there is some empirical support for the essentially normative transformational leadership model. He reports on seven quantitative studies and concludes that ‘transformational leadership practices, considered as a composite construct, had significant direct and indirect effects on progress with school-restructuring initiatives and teacher- perceived student outcomes’ (p. 506).The transformational model is comprehensive in that it provides a normative approach to school leadership, which focuses primarily on the process by which leaders seek to influence school outcomes rather than on the nature or direction of those outcomes. However, it may also be criticised as being a vehicle for control over teachers and more likely to be accepted by the leader than the led (Chirichello 1999). Allix (2000) goes furthe r and alleges that transformational leadership has the potential to become ‘despotic’ because of its strong, heroic and charismatic features. He believes that the leader’s power ought to raise ‘moral qualms’ and serious doubts about its appropriateness for democratic organisations. Transformational leadership is consistent with the collegial model in that it assumes that leaders and staff have shared values and common interests.When it works well, it has the potential to engage all stakeholders in the achievement of educational objectives. The aims of leaders and followers coalesce to such an extent that it may be realistic to assume a harmonious relationship and a genuine convergence leading to agreed decisions. When ‘transformation’ is a cloak for imposing leaders’ or governments’ values, then the process is political rather than collegial. 2. 2 The situational or contingency leadership style The situational theory stipul ates that leaders are the product of given situations. Thus, leadership is strongly affected by the situation from which the leader emerges and in which he operates. The contingency theory is a combination of the Trait Theory and Situational Theory.The theory implies that leadership is a process in which the ability of a leader to exercise influence depends upon the group task situation and the degree to which the leader’s personality fit the group (Sybil, 2000). 2. 3Autocratic leadership style The autocratic leadership style is also known as the authoritarian style of leadership. Power and decision-making reside in the autocratic leader. The autocratic leader directs group members on the way things should be done. The leader does not maintain clear channel of communication between him/her and the subordinates. He or she does not delegate authority nor permit subordinates to participate in policy-making (Smylie and Jack, 1990; Hoy and Miskel, 1992; Olaniyan, 1997). 2. 4Democr atic style of leadershipThe democratic style of leadership emphasizes group and leader participation in the making of policies. Decisions about organizational matters are arrived at after consultation and communication with various people in the organization. The leader attempts as much as possible to make each individual feel that he is an important member of the organization. Communication is multidirectional while ideas are exchanged between employees and the leader (Heenan and Bennis, 1999). In this style of leadership, a high degree of staff morale is always enhanced (Mba, 2004). Performance Performance is described in various ways. It is an act of accomplishing or executing a given task (Okunola, 1990).It can also be described as the ability to combine skillfully the right behaviour towards the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Olaniyan, 1999). Teachers’ job performance is described as the duties performed by a teacher at a particular period in the sch ool system in achieving organizational goals (Obilade, 1999). It can also be described as the ability of teachers to combine relevant inputs for the enhancement of teaching and learning processes (Akinyemi, 1993; Okeniyi, 1995). However, Peretemode (1996) argued that job performance is determined by the worker’s level of participation in the day to day running of the organization. It is noted that employees behave differently under different situations. 2. Summary It is underpinned by the view that leaders should have an entitlement to appropriate preparation and support for their important and onerous role in leading educational change. To appoint school principals without specific preparation is a gamble, and we should not gamble with children’s education. The literature review tends to give reasons for the enhanced global interest in the role of school leaders. It assesses the differences among the various leadership/management styles, and argues that all are essent ial if schools and colleges are to thrive. It also emphasizes the evidence that effective leadership is critical to school improvement.While the importance of leadership/management style is increasingly recognized, much less is known about which leadership behaviours are most likely to promote successful schooling. The study will examine the various models of leadership and assess the evidence of their effectiveness. There is great interest in ‘instructional leadership’ because of the widespread view that the main function of schools is to promote student learning. Transformational leadership is widely advocated because of its potential to harness stakeholder support for the school’s (or leader’s) vision but there is some concern that this may be a vehicle for imposing leaders’, or governments’, priorities on teachers, pupils and communities. These and other models that have been highlighted above are subject to scrutiny in this study. 2. 6 C onclusionsPrincipals’ can therefore encourage effective performance of their teachers by identifying their needs and trying to satisfying or meeting them. Supporting this argument, Owoeye (1999) asserted that variables of job performance such as effective teaching, lesson note preparation, effective use of scheme of work, effective supervision, monitoring of students’ work and disciplinary ability are virtues which teachers should uphold effectively in the school system. In this regard, the teachers’ performance can be measured through annual report of his/her activities in terms of performance in teaching, lesson preparation, lesson presentation, mastery of subject matter, competence, teachers’ commitment to job and extra-curricula activities.Other areas of assessment include effective leadership, effective supervision, effective monitoring of students’ work, motivation, class control and disciplinary ability of the teachers. From the above resear ches done the effect of the leadership or management style adopted by principals in secondary schools has not been well researched on and as such not much is known whether it is the style the principals adopt that affects the performance standards or whether there are other issues in management in the secondary schools of Nyamira North District. There is a widespread belief that raising standards of leadership and management is the key to improving schools. Increasingly, this is linked to the need to prepare and develop leaders for their demanding roles.While this is the main focus of this study, a prior question is the nature of leadership/ management in schools. Which leadership behaviours are most likely to produce favourable school and learner outcomes? The study intends to examine the main models of school leadership and from the research consider the evidences on their relative effectiveness in promoting school improvement. 3. 0 Methodology This chapter presents a detailed des cription of the research methodology. Methodology refers to the detailed procedure to be followed to realize the research objectives. Methodology include a description of the research design, sampling techniques, instructions as well as data techniques.It describes in details what will be done and how it will be done. it comprises several sub-sections which are usually presented in the order given below. 3. 1 Research design This study will be conducted through correction research design. Correlation is a research design where the researcher determines whether or not and not to what extent an association exists between two or more paired and qualified variables. In this study the researcher will use semi structured interview method that places open – ended question constituting of various management and leadership styles assessment and the effect /impact it has on teacher and student performance.The survey will be done in terms of their leadership and management styles that t hey use in school and the effect it has on teacher and student performance by means of percentile ratio of every management and leadership style and rank those from highest to lowest from within survey questionnaire. Correlation will enable the researchers to provide vigorous and replicable procedure for understanding relationship and determination whether and to what degree a relationship exists between quantifiable variables. The locale of the study will be Nyamira North District in Nyamira County 3. 2 Population and Sampling 3. 2. 1 Target /Accessible PopulationThe target population will consist of all 38 principals 360 teachers and 9000 student in Nyamira North District in Nyamira County has 38 secondary schools and they have constantly performed dismally in the national examination for the last 20 years. It is therefore considered appropriate for providing a focal point for the study of effect of leadership and management styles on the teacher and student performance. 3. 2. 2 S ample The sample will consist of heterogeneous respondents selected from the target population. 25 schools will be selected and from each selected school three categories of the target group will be targeted. These categories will be selected as one principal, 4 teachers and 12 students.The size of the sample will be 425 respondents distributed as 25 principals, 100 teachers, and 300 students. This number 425 has been chosen using non-mathematical or convenience method determined at the discretion of the researcher, due to pressure of time that cannot allow for all the target population to be surveyed. 3. 2. 3 Sampling techniques This study will employ stratified sampling, random sampling, purposive sampling, and convenience sampling techniques. Stratified sampling technique will be used to select schools and the category of respondents to be included in the sample. Stratified sampling technique is a technique that identifies subgroups in the population and their proportions and sel ect from each subgroup to form the sample.It groups a population into separate homogenous subsets that share similar characteristics so as to ensure equitable representation of the population in the sample the sample. It aims at proportionate representation with a view of accounting for the difference in subgroup characteristics. The researcher is convinced that the target population is not uniform since mixed and single sex school and day and boarding schools do not necessary have similar characteristics, since even personnel in different departments within the same school environment may not always think similarly. As such the target accessible populations cannot be regarded as homogenous.Stratified sampling technique will therefore be used to ensure that the target population is divide into different homogenous strata and that each strata is represented in the sample in a proportion equivalent to this size in the accessible population. Simple random sampling will be used to selec t a representative sample without bias from the target population this will ensure that each school and its population has equal and independent chance of being included in the sample. Purposive sampling will be used by the researcher consciously to decide who to include in the sample in terms of getting focused information. This will also help to save time and money in cases where the target population may be widely spread. 3. 3 Data Collection 3. 3. 1 InstructionsThe study will use questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis as the main tools for collecting data. The selection of these tools have been guided by the nature of data to be collected, the time available as well as by the objectives of the study. The overall aim of this study is to establish the relationship between leadership and management styles on the teacher and student performance. The researcher is mainly concerned with views, opinions, perceptions, feelings and attitudes. Such information can best collecte d through the use of questionnaire and interview techniques (Bell, 1993; Touliatos &Compton, 1988) The researcher intends to use semi-structured instrument.This will enable the researcher to balance between the quality and quantity of data collection and provide more information. This delicate balance between the quality and quantity of information is useful for a fuller explanation of the phenomena under investigation. Questionnaire will be used since the study is concerned with variables that cannot be directly observed such as views, opinions perceptions and feelings of the respondents. Such information are best collected through questionnaire (Touliatos &Compton 1988) the sample size is also quite large (510) and given the time constraints, questionnaire is the ideal tool for collecting data.The target population is also largely literate and is unlikely to have difficulties responding to questionnaire items. 3. 3. 2 Research procedure Qualitative data will be collected from 425, respondents/interviewees/observant, from 9398 target population during the month of October 2011 using questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. The data will be collected by the researcher himself because this will save time and lower the cost of collecting data. 3. 4 Quality Control The instrument will be piloted in the schools that will not be included in the study sample and modified to improve their validity and reliability coefficients to at least 0. 70. Items validity and reliability coefficients of at least 0. 0 are accepted as valid and reliable in research (Kathuri &Pals, 1993) Validity is the extent to which research results can be accurately interpreted and generalized to other populations. It is the extent to which research instruments measure what they are intended to measure (Oso &Onen, 2005). To establish validity the instrument will be given to two experts to evaluate the relevance of each item in the instruments objectives. The experts will rate each item on the Likert scale: very relevant (4) quite relevant (3) somewhat relevant (2) and not relevant (1). Validity will be determined using content validity index (C. V. I). C. V. I items rated 3or4 by both judges divided by the total number of items in the questionnaire. 3. 5 Data Analysis Chi-square ( test of goodness – of – fit will be used to analyze the data. Chi – square test is a statistical technique used to compare the different between categorical frequencies drawn from population with a uniform distribution which all alternative responses are equally likely chi-square( ) test of goodness – of – fit will be used because the data that the researcher intends to collect is of the type â€Å"one-variable-many levels† and are basically categorical frequencies of the description of views, opinions ,perceptions, feelings and attitudes of the respondents on the effects of management and leadership styles of principals on teacher and student p erformance.Chi-square is the most sustainable here since it will enable the researcher to identify whether there is any significant difference in the frequencies of the alternative responses. Data from open-added questionnaire items, interviews and group discussions will be grouped under broad themes and converted into frequency counts. All data will be analyzed at a level of significance of 95% or ? = 0. 05) the degrees of freedom depending on the particular case as will be determined. This value (? = 0. 05) has been chosen because the sample size has been adopted from figures calculated on the basis of 0. 95 level of confidence. 3. 6 Assumption and Limitations The following factors; leaner characteristics, and teacher qualifications are expected to influence the DV.The extraneous variable however many not be adequately controlled because the respondents are found in different institutions that are out of control of the researcher. But they will not have a significance effects on t he results because the respondents opinions, views perceptions, feelings attitudes will not be influenced by EV. It is therefore assured that they influence will remain very insignificance. The major limitations of this study are: the reliability and validity of the data collected due to the various views, opinions, feelings and attitudes that can emotionally be influenced. If all factors were kept constant, the researcher should adequately explain to the respondents to be very objective in answering.But this was the most suitable technique in the circumstances the data to be collected involves what can not easily be measured. 3. 7 Ethical Considerations. The major ethical problem in this study is the privacy and confidentiality of the respondents. Obtaining lists and files and respondents giving their opinion, feeling and attitudes in writing the questionnaire which itself is an infringement. However the respondents will have the freedom to ignore items that they do not wish to res pondent to. Reference and Biography: 1. Bell, J (1993) how to complete your research project successfully New Delhi: UBSPD. 2. Creswell, J. W (1994) Research Design Qualitative and Quantitative approaches . California: SAGE Publications, Inc. 3. Kathuri, N. J & Pals A.D (1993) introduction to educational research Egerton: Egerton university education Burk services. 4. Onen, D (2007). The management and the internal efficiency of private secondary school in Uganda. 5. Touliatos, J. S &Compton, N. H (1988). Research methods in human ecology /home economics. Iowa State University Press/AMES. 6. Willis Yuko Oso and David Onen a General Guide to Writing Research Proposal and Report (2nd edition 2008) Makerere University Printery 7. John Aluko Orodho,Phd. Elements of Education and Social Science Research methods. Kanejza Publishers, Maseno Kenya. 8. John Aluko Orodho,Phd. Techniques of Writing Research Proposal and Reports in Education and Social Sciences. Kanejza Publishers, Maseno Kenya

Barriers Essay

When attending college withers a new student or old, there will be barriers in the way. These roadblocks can appear in various ways during a student’s career in college. The barriers can be anything from money, or attendance, and even time management. The key is to recognize the walls and overcome them to succeed. First, issue for many students is money. It’s not cheap to attend college, but colleges have many ways of helping out their students. One way, is students can obtain grants from various places. Grants are checks that students can use and don’t have to pay back the money. On the other hand, there’re loans which is money a student can use, but has to pay it back. Another, important source of money is scholarships. Scholarships work like grants but students have to earn them and have to meet certain requirements to keep them. An alternative way from student aid is to pay out of pocket for school, so like work wages or maybe an allowance. Just keep in mind there are a lot of options to help pay for college so don’t let finances be a oadblock. Second, mountain in the road is attendance. Always show up for class and on time attendance is very important college as well as life. Students who attend class on regular bases have a better chance of passing the class than those who don’t. Also, colleges have stipulations when it comes to attendance too, if a student misses too many days of class than the college can kick the student out. This rule applies for tardiness as well show up to late too many times and the students gone. Lastly, showing up to class helps getting good grades which can lead to getting scholarships. Finally, a big barrier in the way to success in college is time management. If students don’t learn how to balance a work load and a course load then college is going to a rough time. Second, a student must put some time back for studying without study time student won’t pass classes. Besides, work and class time there also transportation that can hinder time. It is always good to know when to get to ollege and how to get there; by bus, a car, and possibly a friend. That ride it takes to get to school factors in as time management how long will take to arrive at school. Before a student attends college learn some time management skills and it will be a lot easier to balance a schedule. One can deduce that there are many different roadblocks in the way to success in college. Don’t let the barriers win Just recognize them and overcome the barriers. Stay focus on studies and earn the degree to become a proud college graduate.