EFFECTS OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION VALUES ON THE STUDENTS

BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN DAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NAKURU WEST

SUBCOUNTY,NAKURU COUNTY,KENYA.

KORMA ASHYLINE JEROTICH.

EL13/57600/22

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION IN PARTIAL

FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF POST GRADUATE IN DIPLOMA
EDUCATION.

CHUKA UNIVERSITY

August 27, 2022

[i]
DECLARATION

I declare that this research proposal is my original work and has not ever been
presented or submitted by anyone or any institution for certification.

Signature.........................Date............

KORMA ASHYLINE JEROTICH.

EL13/57600/22

RECOMMENDATION

This thesis have been examined, passed and submitted for examination with my
approval as the university supervisor.

Signature.....................Date.......

Doctor Mercy Kariuki

Department of Education and Resource Development Management, Chuka

University

[ii]
DEDICTION

This work I dedicate to my concern and loving parents MR and MRS Korma
Bartuas for their good and excellent foundation in academic affairs as well as their
financial support to ensure successful academic excellent towards my studies.

[iii]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First, I thank Almighty God for the gift of life, opportunity, mercies, good health
and His grace to complete this work. Sincerely, it was been difficult endeavors for
the last three years but God's grace have made me through such tendous journey
of Academic studies.

Secondly, I extend my sincere appreciation to my supervisor Doctor Mercy Kariuki

for her efforts, dedication, guidance, encouragement and tireless commitment to
ensure our success in this project writing. Her professional suggestions and
comments assisted me to the next level. In addition, I must extend special thanks
to all the lectures who took me through the other course work, also, my parents
for their support and encouragement physically, mentally, spiritually as well as
financially.

I also acknowledge the support of my fellow colleagues and friends notably, Linet
Jepkurui and Maximmillah Kwamboga for their support in guidance and responses
relating the academic studies.

I am indebted to my fiancé who has been so supportive and bearing with me

throughout the long hours while I worked on this research proposal. May he have
the future to his advantage.

Finally, I am indebted to all those hold my arm all throughout by contributing

their unweaving support towards my success. God bless you all.

[iv]
COPYRIGHT

No part of this thesis may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or

mechanical means or transmitted except for quotation of short messages, reviews
and citation. Permission to use this thesis in any form that what is stated above
should be sought from the author or Chuka University.

[v]
ABSTRACT.

This thesis sought to investigate the effects of Christian Religious Education

values on the students behavior change in the Kenyan day secondary schools with
focus on Nakuru west sub county of Nakuru county, rift valley province. Despite
the 844 CRE implemented system, the CRE curriculum has not been able to
directly iron out the highly emerging issues that would impact fully on the
behavior change of students’ country wide. Currently in the secondary schools,
the number of strikes and use of drugs and alcohol has highly accelerated at
higher percentage rate compare to early years despite having CRE as a subject of
study. The main objective was to investigate the key role of CRE values in
behavior change of Day secondary school students in Nakuru west –Nakuru
County

This thesis will adopt the curriculum theory proposed by John Bobbitt’s in 1998
and expound by Pinar 2003, featuring out its stages of development, its features,
weakness and its characteristics.

The study will apply the descriptive study design to attain its full information,
having a target population of 566 in totality, with 480 students in number, 56 CRE
teachers of day secondary schools and 30 heads of department in religious
education. Data collection will be both qualitative and quantitative in nature
taking note of analyzing the qualitative data by arranging its responses basing on
the research questions and objectives.

Despite this thesis focusing in day secondary school students’ behavior aspect in
Nakuru west, Nakuru county the study will therefore advance its finding to the
boarding and other secondary schools in general outside the region and province
thus will be implemented to other students in various schools countrywide.

[vi]
This study would employ the use of questionnaires and interviews as its methods
of study.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Declaration-------------------------------------------
Dedication--------------------------------------------
Acknowledgement---------------------------------
Abstract-----------------------------------------------
Table of contents----------------------------------
List of figures---------------------------------------
Acronyms and abbreviation--------------------

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

1.2 Statement Of The Problem
1.3 Purpose Of The Study
1.4 Objective Of The Study
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Assumptions
1.7 Significance of Study
1.8 Scope of the study
1.9 Limitation of the Study
1.10 Operational Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction
2.2Religious education
2.3 Religious studies and behavioral change
2.4 Attitudes towards Christian Education
2.5 Discipline and Education
2.6 Summary of Literature Review
2.7 conceptual frameworks

CHAPTER THREE: RESEACH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
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3.3 Location of the Study
3.4 Target Population
3.5 Sampling Procedure and Sample Size
3.6 Research Instruments
3.6.1 Questionnaire
3.6.2 Interview Guide
3.9 Data Collection Procedure
3.10 Data Analysis Plan
3.11 Logistic and Ethical Consideration

[viii]
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION

CRE: Christian Religious Education

KCSE: Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

CT: Curriculum Theory

SEE: Social Ethics Education

RE: Religious Education

[ix]
CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses the background of the study, purpose of the study and its
objective, research question, scope of the study and the significance of the study.
It further brings in focus the assumptions, limitations and operation of definition
as well as the organization of the study.

1.1 Background of the study

Education being one of the basic needs is an important life process of

transformation of an individual that strives to develop a person to a better human
being in the society at large. Currently there have been a lot of challenges and
misconduct among the secondary school students countrywide. What has been
seen in terms of strikes and violence have contributed to a lot of worries for the
coming generation in the society as well as in the education sector. This has
brought in question the issue of whether learners are taught human values in the
school curriculum. Wasike in her works points out that schools are not just meant
to prepare students to just pass examinations as a career subject in the life but
also to equip them with the moral values that will enable them to morally mature
as the responsible members of the society as well as disciplined and respective
individuals for membership of the society at large. Thus it is paramount that the
learners would not just look upon the subjects that will endow them to secular
development but also consider religious implications of their wellbeing.
In the Kenya education system, religious education and social ethics education
have been the main subjects that have been the main subjects that have fronted
the teaching of ethics and values among the students. The older system that is
the 844 system of education introduced to Kenya in 1985 made Christian religious
education and ethics examinable subjects at both levels of education. It further
introduced clustering and specialization idea in various subjects.

1.2Statement of the problem

Christian religious education (CRE) is designed to achieve many goals in the lives
of students ranging from teaching the students about god to the teaching of
moral values which is geared towards shaping human behavior.

[x]
1.3Purpose of the study

The purpose of this research thesis would be to establish the effects of religious
education values on students behavior change in day secondary schools in
Nakuru-west, Nakuru County.

1.4 Objective of the Study

The study sought to know the effects of Christian religious education values on
the behavior of secondary school students. Specifically, the study sought to;

I. To find out the relationship between Christian religious education values

and the behavior change of secondary school students.
II. To examine and establish whether the teaching of religious education
values as a curriculum subject implemented has effects on the behavior
change of the students.
III. To find out the attitudes of form three students towards religious
educational values.

1.5 Research questions

1. What proportion of relationship between Christian religious education

values and the behavior change of secondary school students.
2. Does teaching of religious education has any positive change to on the
students’ behavior.
3. What attitudes do form three students have towards CRE

1.6 Significance of the Study

This research study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to
know more of the study and can also be used by non research to build more on
their research works. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a
guide for other study.
Religious bodies and instructors will not be left out as they would understand the
best way to educate children on principles and practices of Christianity which will
promote peace and harmony as well as co-existence in the society.

[xi]
The study results would also enable the CRE teachers to review their teaching
methodologies in regard of curriculum implementation and behavior change. The
teacher will use the recommendation of the study to improve their mistakes and
use as a guide to caution students against the bad behavior.
The findings of this study will offer insights to curriculum planners and developers
into the role and status of Christian religious education teaching in the secondary
schools in Nakuru and the key role performed by the subject in spiritual and
academic formation of the students towards behavior change.
It will be also important to Kenya institute of education in developing a curriculum
that can be used to enhance the capacity of the administrators, teachers and the
students in handling negative behavior in schools. It proposes solution to learning
institutions in Kenya prone to case of misbehaviors.
The study would provide literature review that can be used by future researchers
in the field of Christian religious education in secondary, tertiary and institutions
of high learning.

1.7 Scope of the study

This study will be on the effects of Christian religious education values on the
behavior of secondary school students.

1.8 Limitation of the study

This study would be limited to one sub-county due to various factors such as
limited resource, time and financial insufficient.
Financial constrains involves insufficient funds which would tend to impede the
efficiency of the research in sourcing for the relevant materials and information
and in the process of data gathering.
Also, the unavailability of electricity in the remote areas in the region would arise
difficulty in data recording. secondly, the aspect of the Christian Religious
Education would be dealt in depth whereas other subjects would not be look up
in details despite the fact that those subjects also has an impact to behavior
change among the high school students in general.

1.9 Assumption of the study

The study focuses on secondary school, both public and private within the study
are. Even though Christian religious education has been offered for many decades
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in the country, with a great deal of success, the study was confined to the earlier
periods. It will also focus on the form three students in the sampled secondary
schools.

1.10 Operation Definition of Terms

 Behavior: Refers to the general conduct, discipline, morality or manner of

acting and controlling oneself, especially towards others.
 Curriculum: It is plan for providing learning opportunities to achieve broad
goals and specific objectives for an identified group of learners. It refers to
the subjects offered in secondary schools in Kenya.
 Christian: Relating to or professing Christianity or its teachings.

 Religious Education: it is an academic field devoted to research into

religious beliefs, behaviors and institution. It describes, compares,
interprets, explain religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based and
cross-cultural perspectives. Is one of the subjects which morally mould the
learner to live in the expected ways in the society

 Discipline: The acceptable behavior in the social surrounding of a society.

 Values: It’s the acceptable or meaningful aspects in terms of human efforts
to promote societal welfare, or the common good in avoidance of moral
decadence or chaos.
 Secondary School: A secondary school is both an organization that provides
secondary education and building where this takes place.
 Student: A student is primarily a person enrolled in a school or an
educational institution who attends classes in a course to attain the
appropriate level of mastery of a subject under the guidance of an
instructor and to denotes time outside class to do whatever activities the
instructor assigns that are necessary either for class preparation or to
submit evidence of progress towards that mastery.

[xiii]
CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction
Christian Education
The Christian Religious Education curriculum covers three main areas: the Bible
(Old and New Testaments), African Religious heritage and Contemporary Christian
Living. The curriculum aims at generating awareness in the student of his/her life
and connection with God as revealed in Jesus Christ in an altering and increasing
society in which he/she may be an affiliate. The style that would be used for the
study of these comprehensive areas is thematic. This calls for a learning situation
in which the learner together with the teacher would use Christian insights to
critically analyze, evaluate, judge and discover the implications of the issues
raised, for his/her own life. The study of this curriculum would be progressive in
that it commences with the establishment of the universe, the fall of man, the
promise of salvation and its fulfillments in Jesus Christ (NIV, Bible). (Moore, 2007)
states that in China, the current critique of Christian education in particular, risks
undermining the place of this core subject in all schools, just at a moment
when deeper reflection on religion, belief, spirituality and ethics could contribute
enormously to the emergence of a society that seeks to embrace difference and is
comfortable to celebrate the presence of a variety of religious and other belief
systems. This, of course, means respecting the beliefs of majority religious
tradition, too, and seeking to contribute to the religious and spiritual literacy of all
young people and of adults. In the new CRE curriculum it calls for student to get
the required knowledge and by the end of the curriculum, the student would be
able to: gain insights into the unfolding of God’s self -revelation to human kind
through the use of the assimilated social, spiritual and moral insights, to think
critically and make appropriate moral decisions in a rapidly changing society,
appreciate and respect their own, and other people’s cultural and Christian
beliefs and practices, acquire the basic principles of Christian living and develop a
sense of self-worth and respect for others, promote international consciousness
through the understanding of universal brotherhood and sisterhood; contribute
positively to the transformation of self and the society as a whole and acquire
knowledge for future studies in various career fields (Ministry of Education
Report, 2017).
[xiv]
The school sponsors in Kenya also have a role to play through giving advises to the
students, teacher and the government (Baur, 2015). According to International
Handbook of Catholic Education, Stakeholder politics in education determine the
general direction and quality of any system of education. As stated and revised by
Apple (2014); stakeholder politics pose a great challenge to the various
stakeholders, in mooting ways of being accommodated to participate in policy
construction. Everywhere in the world, the Catholic Church recognizes and
contributes immensely to education as an important area of human development
through enhancing and developing informed evangelization process. Thus the
Catholic Church sees education as a process of holistic formation of individuals
enriching them in all spheres of life including intellectual, technical, and social
skills through the school, apart from spiritual sustenance. Kenya Institute of
Curriculum Development contends that CRE curriculum should target the
inculcation of faith in the minds and hearts of the upcoming and young
generation, the adjustment of morals and the spiritual empathy of an individual
soul. The goals in this curriculum would aim at acquisition of knowledge, the
combination of knowledge and work, faith and morality and the practical
application of theory in life. Individual responsibilities in life, towards the human
community, their relationship to society, other creatures and universal
phenomena, cannot be adequately realized without acquiring knowledge,
building and developing it. The study aims to expound the idea that majority of
the learners study CRE for academic determinations only at the cost of behavior
change.
The aim of CRE would therefore be to impart in the student or the pupil the
mental and spiritual capacity for behavior change and proper attitude change
towards Christian religious education as a subject in the society in general. In any
country, religious study is an exposition of what is right, excellent and just. CRE
has been considered by church as a religious organization and not just another
academic subject. It is a subject that has been expected to influence behavioral
changes among the learners. As both an educational and spiritual subject, CRE is
important for the moral development and deepening of personal religious
commitment in the Christian belief.
In this respect, the study will evaluate the role of secondary school Christian
religious education curriculum in behavior change .The formal education in Kenya
is organized in a way that it just allows it to make students to pass examinations
[xv]
and get certificates. The key purpose of any kind of education is for intellectual
growth and also physical and spiritual advancement. Passing exams and getting
certificates are just part of the education process.
Religious studies and behavior change
The report continues to support CRE to be taught based on moral change.
Teaching of CRE should be incorporated with Social Education and Ethics (SEE)
with an aim of enhancement of quality life. The two aims of the new syllabus are
to make religious education more effective and relevant and also link CRE to
cultural background of the students. Therefore, the students concerns are catered
for in this aspect. With the introduction of the two syllabuses, new phase of CRE
in Kenya was realized. The secondary school CRE has been established with the
aim of improving spiritual values and academic development of the learners.
Paramount of its content is derived from the 8-4-4 curriculum which is currently
being used but is under review to 2-6-3-3system. This review was primed because
there is a wide range of Christian topics that can be offered in a CRE curriculum.
Parents also recognize the importance of CRE class for the religious and moral
training. As an academic subject, CRE is inadequate in scope concerning time
distribution in school time table and therefore, cannot exchange the entire
content of religious and moral teachings offered in a CRE class (Craft, 2011). It
should be assigned equal amount of teaching hours same as the other art subjects
.A second probability is that the syllabus in Kenya does not contain relevant
elements that could enable students acquire and develop the needed in change
behavior. Emerging issues like radicalizations, conflict resolution and dialoguing
are not well expressed in the teachings. The major aim of education system in
Kenya is to endorse morality and social justice by inculcating the accurate
assertiveness required for training in both social and community responsibilities
and duties among the youth. The assumption has been that the teaching
of Christian religious education is a serious component that empowers the school
going person to obtain the above. In order to accomplish this, it is crucial that the
government through the ministry of education must ensure that academic
practices in education are geared towards realizing this purpose of the subject.
Students who learn and practice CRE teachings are those who are just critical
minded persons as they are able to brand themselves with rational decisions
based on individual and societal morality (Kingori, 2016). He expounds that, a
person who uses common sense may perceive things differently. This is why in
teaching Christian religious education the learner must be exposed to techniques
[xvi]
that promote behavior change in Christian education (Kingori, 2016). This
promotes self-discipline among the students. On the foundation of the Christian
religious education it points out that the discipline must be jumble-sale to enable
the learner acquire serious thinking skills (Kenya Institute of Education, 2013).
KIE (2002) asserts that athematic approach was adopted to enable effective
learning of CRE. One of the objectives reflected is enabling the learners to get
social, spiritual and moral insight to be able to creatively and critically think and
make sound decisions in a society that is rapidly growing. Therefore, CRE was
expected to give students spiritual, mental and social knowledge and skills.
Students chose religious studies because they can score highly in the subject
hence, attaining overall grades (Cochran, 2014). The study further showed that
students did not want to study CRE because they thought they would get the
knowledge from churches of worship.
SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW
Religion and education are inseparable in that religious institutions are the
sponsors of educational institutions and such they use the latter to propagate to
their faiths. Most Religious studies shows that attitude issues concerning CRE
indicate a low status of the subjects. Learners should thus be exposed to religious
education which will intern contribute to positive transformation of self and the
society as a whole. They will also be able to acquire knowledge of moral values
and respect for others and be taken through the basic principles of Christian living
and develop a sense of obedience and behavior modification in the society at
general.
Further learners should be exposed to religious education thus to curve the
current wave of moral, social and behavioral evils engulfing(drugs abuse, devil
worshipping sexual violence among others schools can be effectively confronted if
religious values are incarnated in the learners.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS
Curriculum Theory
Origin
The curriculum theories originate from different thinkers thus acquiring the
curriculum with different meaning, forms and purpose. Its task is ultimately
building a relationship among subjects matter people like the teachers, students,
parents and the society. Lewis 1972 also describes curriculum as an accumulation

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of the knowledge, learning experience in different learning environment with
various cognitive content and instructional plan.
Curriculum theory (CT) is an academic discipline devoted to examining and
shaping educational curricula. There are many interpretations of CT, being as
narrow as the dynamics of the learning process of one child in a classroom to the
lifelong learning path an individual takes. CT can be approached from the
educational, philosophical, psychological and sociological disciplines. James
MacDonald states that“one central concern of theorists is identifying the
fundamental unit of curriculum with which to build conceptual systems” (Pinar,
2004).
According to ( Beauchamp 1961) the most important purpose of the curriculum
theory is to give meaning to various aspects of curriculum activity basing of the
subjects applied on. The theory was important to this study since it explains the
values which should be captured in the shaping of the education. Curriculum
theory is fundamentally concerned with values (Kliebard, 1989). The historical
analysis of curriculum is ways of viewing current educational curriculum and
policy decisions, and theorizing about the curricula of the future (Wallin, 2011).
Pinar (2004) defines the contemporary field of curriculum theory as “the effort to
understand curriculum as symbolic representation. This theory will help the
researcher to explain how Curriculum helps in shaping CRE. The publication of
John Bobbitt’s in 1918 took the prevalent industrial revolutionary concepts of
experimental science and social efficiency and applied them to the classroom.
John believed that “curriculum must directly and specifically prepare students for
tasks in the adult world” (Pinar, 2004).
He also believed that "human life consists in the performance of specific activities.
Education that prepares for life is one that prepares definitely an d
adequately for these specific activities" (Smith, 2000).From this idea, he
suggested that curriculum was a series of experiences that children have in order
to meet "objectives’’ or abilities and habits that people need for particular
activities. Various studies on CRE have been done but none has focused on the
role of Christian religious education curriculum in behavior change. Therefore,
the current study will answer the research questions concerning the effects of
CRE values, teaching impacts, CRE students’ attitudes and CRE curriculum
approaches in the behavior change of Day Secondary Schools students.
Person behind it
[xviii]
Tyler W Ralph is among the finders of this theory with several models
development among others.
Stages of development of curriculum theory
Ralph w. Tyler presented the four basic stages of curriculum development defined
as the basic principles of the curriculum and instruction known as Tyler’s
rationale. These four stages derived from the four questions raised by Tyler in
1949. The Tyler rationale specified the four components of the curriculum
purpose, experiences, methods and evaluation. He further stated that the
curriculum development theory means how to plan a curriculum according to the
goals and mission of the education.
 Goals and objectives: what are the learning rationale as school should try
to find out.
 Content: which learning principle can be presented that will probably
achieve these rationale
 Learning experience in what manner these learning experience can be
organized.
 Evaluation how to find out that the rationale are being accomplished

Four basic principles/stages thus are summarized as;

 Defining the purpose of the educational subject in the school: identification
of the age of the students as well as the behavioral change will determine
the appropriate purpose for each group.
 Selecting the related educational experience in terms of values and moral:
Learning experiences or the interaction between the learner and the
external condition in the environment influences the learner goals of
education by developing positive attitude in the student towards
themselves as well as adapting to the acceptable behaviors in the society in
order to enhance interaction and problem solving methods.
 Organizing related educational values in the field and making comparisons
and differences: learning experience should be systematic in a way such
that ideas and concept are linked with the concept of the subject
 Evaluating the objectives: it is important to check for effectiveness of the
program whether the purpose has been attained
Weakness of the theory
It does not put emphasis on the reason of why a curriculum gets fail

Reason for application

[xix]
 Using this theory results in greater efficiency and productivity(Olivia 2009) which
help to analyses the essential phases of the curriculum development in relation
to Christian religious education the theory will enable the learner as a data source
help in understanding the child behavior, needs and interest. In understanding
the attitudes of the individuals, this theory aid religious studies learner in the
process of knowing the challenges and the needs of the society as it help in the
development of the purposes by providing the knowledge, skills and attitudes for
the learners. It emphasizes that the planners in field of the of religious education
to should gather information from the sources as learner, society and subject
matter thus gives guidelines and direction in thesis research.

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development.

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is a theory that focuses on how children
develop morality and moral reasoning. It suggests that moral logic is primarily
focuses on seeking and maintaining justice.

Origin
His theory originated by a series of moral dilemma presented to his study subject,
which involved the reasoning of decisions made by an individual.

Person behind it
American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg developed this theory exploring some
of the basic questions of moral development among the individuals .His works
expanded and modified by Jean Piaget’s previous but was more centered on
explaining how children develop moral reasoning. He further proposed that moral
development is a continual process that occurs throughout human lifespan.

Stages of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s theory is broken down into three primary levels. At each level of
development there are two stages.

Level1. Pre-conventional Morality

It is the earliest period of moral development, which last until the age of 9. At this
stage, children decisions are primarily shaped by expectations of adults and
consequence of breaking rules.
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Stage1 Obedience and Punishment
According to Kohlberg’s people at this stage see rules and fixes and absolutely.
Obeys the rules is important because it is a way to avoid punishment.

Stage2 Individualism and exchange

At this stage children account for their individual points of view and judge actions
based on how the serve individual needs.

Level 2 Conventional Morality

This level is marked by acceptance of social rules regarding what is good and
moral it also focuses on the acceptance of authority and conforming to the norms
of the group.
Stage 3 Developing Good Interpersonal Relationship
At this stage the interpersonal relationship of moral development is focused on
living up to social expectations and roles. There is an emphasis on conformity and
consideration of how choices influence relationship.
Stage 4 Maintaining social orders
This stage is focused on ensuring that the social order is maintained. At this stage
of moral development, people being to consider society as a whole when making
judgments. The focus is maintaining law and justice by following the rules and
regulations, doing one duties and respecting authority.

Level 3 Post-convectional Morality

Stage5 Social Contract and Individual Rights
At this stage people starts to account for the differing values, opinions and beliefs
of the other people. Rules of the law are important for maintaining a society, but
members of the society should agree upon these standards.
Stage 6 Universal Principles
Kohlberg’s final level of moral development is based on universal ethical
principles and abstract reasoning. At this stage, people follow these internalized
principles of justice, even if they conflict with laws and rules.

[xxi]
Weakness of the theory
 Moral reasoning does not equal moral behavior in that it is not guarantee
that it fully leads to moral behavior
 Overemphasizes justice when making moral choices
 Cultural bias: in that individualist cultures emphasize personal right,
whereas collective cultures stress the importance of society and
community. Eastern collective cultures may have different moral outlooks
that Kohlberg’s theory does not take into account.
 Age bias: most of his subjects were children under the age of 16 who
obviously had no experience with marriage
 Gender bias: This is because all subjects in his sample were male. He
believed that women tended to remain at third level of moral development
because they place a stronger emphasis on things such as social
relationship and the welfare of others.
Characteristic of moral theory
 It is self-manageable
 Entail self-knowledge
 It entails consciences
 It entails social intelligence
 Have pro-social values
Application
The application of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is important to my
study in that it plays a key role in the emergence of the field of moral psychology.
Researchers continue to explore how moral reasoning develops and changes
through live of individual and mentally changes the life of the individual in the
society. Understanding these stages offers helpful insights into the ways that both
children and adults make moral choice and how moral thinking may influence the
decisions and behavior.
This study will be guided by Kohlberg’s theory of development, which contents
that adolescent tend to assimilate moral reasoning from those who are older and
who appear to have reached a stage beyond them, Pearce and
Simanowitz( 2003).Christian religious education being regarded as a more subject
that shapes the secondary school youths into ideal personalities in the society,
thus goes hand in an with moral development theory which mainly focuses on
explaining why is important for school systems to impart moral values in
adolescents who in the context are the secondary level of education
[xxii]
students .Religious education is a subject that goes beyond the classroom learning
more on character development rather than knowledge acquisition. The main
objective of studying CRE education among others is to enable learners to gain
insight in to the unfolding of Gods self-relevant to human kind and use the
acquired social and spiritual insights to think critically and to make appropriate
moral decisions in a rapid changing society (Kidakwa and Obonyo, 2004).

Conceptual framework

CHAPTER THREE

[xxiii]
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design
This study would use a descriptive study design in that it aims at describing the
impact of the CRE values to the behavior change among the students life in day
secondary schools in the specified region. As per the scholar Gay (2003), a
descriptive method of gathering information in order to answer questions
concerning the current status of the subject matter. Orodho (2009), states that a
cross sectional descriptive method is a method of collecting data by interviewing
questionnaires to a sample of individuals.my application towards this method is
that it is the most frequently used to collect data about peoples feelings’
opinions, emotions, habits, attitudes as well as perspectives of individuals
behavior in the society. It also gives précised information from the interviewers.

2.1 Introduction

This chapter covers methodologies and processes that would be applied while
conducting this research. The chapter also will describe the research designs,
target population, location of the study, sampling procedures, data collection,
management and analysis. This study will use qualitative research techniques.
Finally, the chapter will focus on the validity and reliability as well as the ethical
issues that would be applied during the study. The sampling for this interview
mainly comes from the leaders and members target in the schools in an attempt
to understand their conceptualization of effects of CRE values among students
taking it as a subject.

3.2 Location of the study

The research study will take place at Nakuru West sub county secondary schools.
This is one of the Counties in Nakuru, located at Rift valley province of Kenya. I
prefer taking my research in that area in that it comprises of large population of
day secondary schools in that county and also it offers CRE studies in that they are
mostly sponsored by church denominations such as African Inland Church of
Kenya, catholic as well as Anglican Church. This simply signifies that the high
population in the area of Christian faith believers. Secondly, it is low cost in terms

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of funding in that the schools are easily accessible due to its location in that they
are not sparsely located.

3.3Target population

Target population is defined as the entire group of individuals, events or objects

having common observable characteristics. Orodho(2005) defines target
population as set of elements that the researcher focuses upon and to which the
results obtained by testing the sample should be generalized . My target
population in this thesis would consist of 566 respondents, involving 56 CRE
teachers, 30 Heads of Religious Studies and 480 form three students in all
secondary schools in Nakuru west sub county of Nakuru. There were total of 12
schools, each class has an estimation of 40 students thus some up to a total of
480 students. My choice towards the form three class students is that they would
be accepted to make final choices for subject selection thus to pursue their final
examination that is the Kenya Certificate of Secondary School Education(KCSE).

3.4 Sampling procedure and sample size

Sampling is the procedure a researcher uses to gather people, places or things he

or she wants to study. Since the study aims at exploring the effects of CRE values
to the behavior change among the day secondary school students in Nakuru west
Sub County, probability sampling technique would be adopted for data collection
in that it allows every item in the population an equal chance to be selected. Due
to large population in my area of study I intend to use stratified random sampling
to represent the whole group of the respondent to ease the time consumption
during data collection as well as true presentation of information to be gathered.

3.5Research instruments

I would employ two research instruments in my research thesis that will facilitate
gathering of information: questionnaire and interview

3.5.1Questionnaire

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Questionnaire is set of questions or items that are used to collect data over a
large sample from respondent who are able to read and write. They are
preferable in that they enable the researcher to use minimal time to the
respondent to give correct and well formulated answers of the researched topic.
Financially questionnaires are less expensive and require minimal capital to
conduct and also less time in their administration. It has open and closed ended
item in a structure.

3.5.2Interview

Interview guide involves the researcher meeting face to face with the
interviewers and having direct discussions. According to Orodho (2005), the
interview schedules makes it possible to obtain the data required to meet the
objective of the study. The semi structured interview guide would be applied thus
to meet the personal interviews.

3.6Pilot study
It is an important aspect in that it enables both the reliability and validity of the
instruments to be determined. According to (Wiersa, 1999), it is important that
the researcher is piloted as the fine tuning. Pilot study would take place at Laikipia
County.

3.7Validity
Validity refers to whether a questionnaire is measuring what are purports to
measure. McMillan and Schumacher (2006), describes validity as the degree of
congruence between the explanation of the phenomenon and the realities of the
world. This study will apply both the construct validity as well as the content
validity to ensure full assess of information for the specific objectives in the study
as well as its framework. Also, questionnaires would be examined and evaluated.

3.8Reliability
Reliability is the extent in which results are consistent over time (Kombo, 2006). In
this thesis test retest method will be applied to ensure reliability of the study. The
data collection method which is questionnaire and interview would be tested
probably at a given percentage thus to ensure that it is relevant and effective
method of study.
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3.9Data collection procedure
Questionnaire includes questions given to the respondents with the aim of
collecting data. This research employs a questionnaire to purposefully obtain first-
hand information from the CRE teachers, head of department as well as the
students, in that it is a friendly method and it also allows easy data analysis.
Interview will be conducted face to face with Heads of Departments as well as the
establishment of good rapport with the respondents and explaining in details the
key purpose of the study and how to excellently respond to the questions that are
intended to be filled up for successful study of the research.

3.10Ethical consideration
The permission to proceed on with this researcher proposal was soughed the
supervisor of the department of education and resource management, Chuka
university as well as my prior visit of the respective 12 schools whereby have
assured respondents of confidential by keeping their information intact and not
exposing any information that would be gather to the public or any authority
without individual permission or the concern authority. The students will
participate after consultation from their teacher due to early preparation of the
informed consent about the study. The interviewers would have freedom to
withdraw if the so wished.

3.11Data Analysis Techniques

Data analysis consists of examining the evidence so as to address the initial
propositions of the thesis. After data collection, the data will be sorted out thus to
enhance correction of any errors made during gathering process of the raw data
collection. After collection the data would have to be analyzed and presented in a
perfective manner either in tables, percentages or in bar charts.

Reference
Ajzen, I., and Fishbein, M.(1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social
behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Printice-Hall, Inc
Beuchamp, G.A.(1961).Curriculum Theory, Kagg press.
Kliebard, H.M.(1995) “The Tyler Rationale revisited” Journal of Curriculum Studies
27(1):81-88

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Lewis, A. J.(1972) Supervision for Improved Instruction :new challenge, new
responses. Belmont, Calif, Wadsworth.
Oliva, P. F.(2009) Developing the Curriculum. BOSTON, MA :Allyn and Bacon.
Orodho, A. J. Techniques of writing Research proposal and Report in Education
and Social Science. Nairobi, Masola Publisher.
Orodho, J.A. and Kombo, D. K.(2002). Research Methods. Nairobi: Kenyatta
University.
Republic of Kenya (2001). Task Force On Students Discipline and Unrest in
Secondary Schools,(Wangai report).NAIROBI: Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.

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