School based supervision for enhancing the process of teaching and learning: a case of a rural secondary school in Taita district in Kenya
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Education (MEd)
First Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Anjum Halai
Second Supervisor/Advisor
Dr. Nicholas Wachira
Department
Institute for Educational Development, East Africa
Abstract
School based supervision has been recognized by the Kenyan government as an important function of the school that is aimed at supervising the implementation of the curriculum and enhancing teachers’ capacity to facilitate the teaching and learning process.
The government has decentralized supervision in schools and therefore it will be conducted by head teachers, deputy head teachers and the heads of departments. They are expected to check teachers’ professional document such as schemes of work and records of work as well as endorse teacher’s lesson notes. The study set out to explore how the school-based supervisors’ practices enhance teaching and learning processes in the school.
The study employed qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. Using a case study design the researcher collected data using interviews, document analysis and observation. Finding of the study show that there were three documents that were maintained by teachers. Schemes of work, record of workbooks and lesson notes. School based supervisors checked schemes of work to monitors teachers’ preparation and the records of work to monitor the syllabus coverage. However, they did not check teachers’ lesson notes; instead, they checked student notebooks to see the notes assignment given by the teacher thereby monitoring classroom teaching and students assessment. The study showed that the supervisors preferred to give verbal feedback which involved discussions with the teachers to guide them on what was expected of them. However written feedback was too brief to offer any meaningful guidance to the teacher. The study found that school-based supervision indirectly impacted on the teaching and learning process by ensuring adequate teacher preparation, actual teaching and syllabus coverage.
The study showed that the school-based supervision is hampered by high workload of the supervisors which has limited the time to offer the needed support to teachers. Additionally, the supervisors had limited expertise on supervision since some had not been trained.
Recommended Citation
Kinyanjui, Robinson Muema (2011). School based supervision for enhancing the process of teaching and learning: a case of a rural secondary school in Taita district in Kenya (Unpublished Masters Thesis). Dar es salaam: Aga Khan University