Open and Distance Learning for Sustainable Development

appropriate for this study since it enabled the researcher to study the effects of an independent
variable on a dependent variable without any manipulation.
Population
The study was carried out in three selected provinces in Kenya, Rift valley, Central and
Eastern. The target population for this study was composed of the pre-school teachers, preschool
trainers, pre-school managers, primary-one teachers and head-teachers. The rationale
was that once the teachers nurture positive perceptions on social-emotional competencies,
they would consciously integrate them in their planning and teaching. The total number of
pre-schools in the three districts was 1500. Nakuru had 844, Nyeri 489 and Embu 167. The
number of primary schools was 940. Nakuru had 436, Nyeri 372 and Embu 132, (respective
District Education Offices, 1997).
Sampling Procedure and Sample Size
Random sampling method was used to select three provinces out of a total of eight and one
district from each of the three provinces, thus, Rift Valley (Nakuru), Central Province (Nyeri)
and Eastern Province (Embu). Proportionate number of schools was worked out and selected
to form the sample for the study. The schools were then randomly picked from a list of
schools from each district using random numbers. The respondents selected from each
district reflected the number of schools in a particular district. The use of random and
proportionate sampling ensured that the three provinces were fairly and equally represented in
form of selected schools and respondents.
From each of the three districts, the researcher selected 40 pre-schools and 40 primary
schools. This gave the researcher 120 pre-schools and 120 primary schools. According to
Sudman (1976), the figure of at least 100 subjects in each major group is an accepted number
of cases for survey research. However, the distribution per district changed due to
proportional sampling which helped to attain equal representation in every district. Thus, 68
pre-schools were picked from Nakuru, 39 from Nyeri and 13 from Embu (Table 1). For the
purpose of this study, middle class and top class pre-school teachers were used. Each of the
two classes provided a teacher. This gave the researcher a total of 136 pre-school teachers in
Nakuru, 78 in Nyeri and 26 in Embu.
All the pre-school trainers were included in the sample since they were few. There was an
average of 6 trainers in every district, giving a total of 18. However, Embu district had two
more trainers and this contributed to the final figure of participative pre-school trainers to 20.
The number of pre-school managers corresponded to the number of pre-schools, since in
every school, there was a manager.
The same procedure was used to select the sample from primary schools. There was a total of
360 respondents from primary schools (240 standard one teachers and 120 Head teachers).
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