Studying approaches among graphic arts students in technical training institutions in Nairobi, Kenya: a paper presented by Dr Lucy Achieng’ Ogol, PhD at the conference on the state of higher education in Kenya at Kenyatta University on 23rd August,2016

1. STUDYING APPROACHES AMONG GRAPHIC
ARTS STUDENTS IN TECHNICAL TRAINING
INSTITUTIONS IN NAIROBI, KENYA
LUCY ACHIENG’ OGOL, PhD
KENYA INSTITUTE OF CURRICULUM
DEVELOPMENT
COMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATIONCOMMISSION FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
CONFERENCECONFERENCE
2323RDRD
AUGUST 2016AUGUST 2016

2. • Kenya Vision 2030,
• Constitution of Kenya.
• The 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• One of the critical Post 2015 SDGs is inclusive and
equitable quality education and promote life-long
learning opportunities
• All these policies are striving for transformation,
and sustainability.
• education is a key driver for 21st
C Orientation.
Introduction

3. Introduction
Research indicates that HE students
who adopt the ‘deep’ contrast are
classified as transformative learners,
while those who adopt the ‘ surface’
are classified as passive, rote
learners.

4. Studying Approaches

5. Surface Approach

6. Issues such as, poverty alleviation, mitigating climate change,
enhancing quality and inclusive education, improving access to
water and sanitation, can then be addressed utilizing skills such
as critical thinking and problem solving.

7. Conceptual framework
The study was based on the
Phenomenology Theory (Entwistle 2006,
and others). It studies the trends of
learning and studying phenomenon among
students. The trends are the transition and
transfer of studying that enables
transformation to occur through people, on
the environment, society and economics.

9. The rapid global, technological, economic and
social changes occurring in the 21st
century,
requires urgent identification of the 21st
century
studying orientations of students. Information
from the learners by year of study and by gender
in Technical Education in courses such as
Graphic Arts, for productive learning process
was lacking. The KV 2030 demands 21st
century
skills.
ProblemProblem

10. Empirically establish and inform
stakeholders the studying
deep/surface contrasts in TE are
critical to socio-economic
development and global
competitiveness.
PurposePurpose

11. An exploratory quantitative
research study was conducted to
establish the studying approaches
that students by gender adopted in
TE Graphic Arts (GA), in Kenya.
Research MethodologyResearch Methodology

12. The study involved 120 ( 90 male and 30
female) Technical Education GA students
at Kenya Polytechnic University College
(currently TUK) and Buru Buru Institute of
Fine Arts in Nairobi County. These
institutions offer government approved GA,
courses.

13. Hypothesis
There are no significant differences between
gender and studying approaches in technical
education GA with regards to
i.i. SurfaceSurface studying approaches ;;
ii.ii. DeepDeep studying approaches
iii.iii. StrategicStrategic studying
approaches ..

14. A closed-ended questionnaire and an
observation schedule adapted from the
Approaches to Study Skills Inventory
for Students (ASSIST) (Entwistle
2006) were used to collect data

15. Reliability and validity .
Cronbach alpha was 552, .641 and .597 for
the Surface, Deep and Strategic Studying
Approaches respectively They were within
the range of α = 0.55 to α = 0.83 found
acceptable by Speth et al., (2008)

16. Data were analyzed using the
independent sample t test. The
statistical difference set at p < .10.
to capture subtle differences. SPSS
Version 17 was used.

17. Findings
• The findings by gender indicated a strong
strategic approach. Significant statistical
differences were found in
• uncertainty (p<.009),
• focus on minimum requirements (p<.028),
• linkages to prior knowledge (p<.019), and
• critical assessment of validity (p<.012) responses.
The female students mean scores were more
favourable towards the strategic studying
approaches.

18. Table 1: Summary of t test results for studying
approaches by gender
Sub-section of
survey
Total
number of
questions
Questions for
which null
hypothesis was
rejected
Percentage
rejected
Mean by gender
F M
Surface studying
approach
6 2 33.3
3.72 3.40
Deep studying
approach
6 2 33.3
3.67 3.70
Strategic studying
approach
7 0 00.0
4.02 3.95
Total 19 4 66.6
Total Mean average
3.80 3.68

19. Discussion
The studying approaches established
contributed to a quality of learning that
was more inclined to strategic
(constructive, but time bound) learning
and not deep (transformative and lifelong)
learning.

20. Conclusion
The results suggest that the studying approaches
may have more serious implications, for the
curriculum developers, implementers, the
instructors, students, potentials employers and
training institutions in attaining desired
learning skills in Graphic Arts TE that adapt
themselves well to the 21st
century skills.

21. Policy Recommendations
• The students studying approaches
mixed orientations, though suitable to
the current trends should be oriented
to adapting the 21st century skills,
which demand transformative
lifelong learning orientations;

22. Policy Recommendations
• the curriculum developers should
develop and review syllabus to
ensure that they are flexible, dynamic
and challenging and not time bound.
• The students should be guided to
develop critical thinking and
problem-solving learning and
studying orientations;

23. Policy Recommendations
• the teachers should adapt a variety of teaching
methodologies that enable the students to be
more inquisitive,
• reflective and
• willing to face challenges instead of only
anticipating what the lecturers will teach so as
to pass the exams;