International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation

Renewable and Authentic Assessment in Higher Education in Kenya: Navigating Possibilities, Confronting Challenges, and Forging Solutions

2026-02-24T06:47:06+00:00

The global acceleration of digitization and technological innovation is profoundly reshaping educational paradigms, compelling higher education institutions worldwide to re-evaluate traditional assessment methods. Within this transformative context, renewable assessment emphasising iterative refinement, student ownership, and the creation of enduring value beyond the courses. On the other hand authentic assessment is centred on complex, real-world tasks mirroring professional practice. These two assessment approaches are gaining significant traction as pedagogically robust alternatives. This paper critically examines the integration of these innovative assessment models within the unique landscape of Kenyan higher education. It delves into their core theoretical underpinnings, exploring principles of constructivism, situated learning, and sustainable knowledge creation relevant to the Kenyan context. The study specifically investigates the possibilities these approaches offer which are enhancing graduate employability by developing demonstrable skills and competencies, fostering deeper student engagement and meta-cognition, promoting inclusivity through diverse task formats, and aligning assessment with Kenya's broader digital transformation goals and vision for quality education. Concurrently, it confronts the substantial challenges impeding wider adoption, including infrastructural limitations (internet access, devices), large class sizes, faculty capacity development needs, resistance to pedagogical change, concerns about academic integrity in digital environments, and resource constraints. Moving beyond mere identification of hurdles, the paper proposes concrete solutions and recommendations. These include strategies for phased implementation, leveraging appropriate educational technologies affordably, and comprehensive faculty training programs, rethinking institutional assessment policies, and developing context-specific exemplars of renewable and authentic tasks. By synthesizing possibilities, challenges, and actionable solutions, this paper aims to inform policy and practice, advocating for the strategic and sustainable integration of renewable and authentic assessments to enhance learning quality and graduate readiness in Kenya's evolving higher education sector.

The Role of Mothers’ Educational Attainment in Shaping Secondary School Students’ Academic Success in Bureti Sub County, Kenya

2026-02-24T06:54:55+00:00

Education is a fundamental pillar of individual and national development, and it is both a societal and parental responsibility to ensure children’s access to quality learning opportunities. Despite continuous investment in Kenya’s secondary education sector, disparities in academic performance remain evident across schools in varied counties. Existing international and local research indicates that parents’ educational attainment influences students’ achievement through factors such as home literacy environments, parental expectations, and academic support. This study examined the relationship between parental level of education and academic achievement among students in public secondary schools in Bureti sub county, Kenya. Specifically, it sought to determine the extent to which mothers’ educational attainment predicts students’ academic success. The study was guided by the Human Capital and the Classical Educational Production Function Theories. An ex post facto, descriptive, and correlational research design was adopted. Snowball and saturated sampling techniques were employed to select participants, while data were collected through questionnaires, interview schedules, focus group discussions, and document analysis guides. Quantitative data were analyzed using cohort analysis, descriptive, and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The findings revealed a strong positive relationship between a mothers’ educational attainment and students’ academic success, with a correlation coefficient of 0.826**. The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.6822) indicated that the mother’s level of education accounted for 68.22% of the variance in students’ Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) performance. These findings underscore the pivotal role of maternal education in shaping academic outcomes and highlight the importance of promoting equitable access to education for both boys and girls, as this has far-reaching implications for future generations.

Science Communication of Agricultural Research Outputs: A Case Study of Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

2026-02-24T06:59:08+00:00

Agricultural Research Institutions (ARIs) and Development Organizations have made significant strides in developing climate-smart technologies, innovations, and management practices (TIMPS) aimed at enhancing productivity in crop and livestock systems. Unfortunately, many researchers continue to rely on limited communication strategies, often presenting their findings in academic seminars and conferences that do not engage farmers and policy makers directly. As a result, valuable innovations often fail to reach the very individuals who could benefit from them the most.This study examines the communication practices employed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) to disseminate its research findings to farmers. Through purposive sampling, 29 KALRO researchers were interviewed to assess their communication methods. The results reveal a predominant reliance on traditional, top-down communication channels such as seminars and workshops, alongside the use of technical jargon that is difficult for farmers to understand. The study advocates for more inclusive, farmer-centred communication strategies. It highlights the potential of using local languages and digital platforms such as community radio, television, SMS, videos, and YouTubeto broaden the reach and improve the clarity of research outputs. These approaches promote interactive, lateral communication, allowing farmers to engage more actively with the information provided. In conclusion, the paper stresses that agricultural development can only be realized when farmers have both access to and understanding of relevant innovations. Given the critical role farmers play in food production, the study calls for communication strategies that empower farmers through participation and feedback. The paper recommends that future extension services prioritize inclusive, accessible communication to bridge the gap between research institutions and the practical application of innovations in the field.

An assessment of Requirements Status for Blockchain Modeling to Enhance Data Integrity: A Study of Dispensed Drugs at Homabay County Referral Hospital

2026-02-24T07:05:21+00:00

This study assesses the status of requirements for blockchain modeling towards reinforcing the data integrity of dispensed drugs at Homabay County Referral Hospital. The primary objectives was to, establish the requirements for an effective based model to reinforce data integrity with the aim of addressing challenges such as counterfeiting, data tampering and poor traceability. The research study involved 54 purposively and snowball sampled stakeholders from Homabay County Referral Hospital including pharmacy staff, healthcare providers, administrators, procurement officers and patients out of a target population of 90. Data was collected through interviews and observations, then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using thematic analysis across attributes. The findings indicated that the contribution of various blockchain designs by various requirements were platform adherence (20%), distributed ledger technology (28%), consensus protocols (32%) and cryptographic controls (45%). Chi-Square test across attributes revealed significant association of a block chain requirement of 0.003. Based on the requirements a block chain model was designed. The study recommends upgrading its technological infrastructure by investing in modern hardware and software capable of supporting blockchain technology. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term impacts, scalability, cost-effectiveness and acceptance of blockchain solutions in resource-limited healthcare settings through longitudinal studies to facilitate system refinement and broader adoption

Social Determinants of Human Rights Awareness Among Barmaids in Mathare Sub County, Nairobi, Kenya

2026-02-24T08:19:38+00:00

The study explores the societal factors contributing to the vulnerability and lack of legal protection of barmaids in the informal labor sector in Mathare sub-county, Nairobi, Kenya. The study aims to identify barriers to human rights awareness and develop strategies to bridge the gap between marginalization and empowerment among vulnerable individuals, like barmaids. The study employed a descriptive survey research design to establish human rights awareness and knowledge of the violations among barmaids in Mathare Sub-County. The study’s target population was 238 barmaids in 119 licensed bars in Mathare sub-county. A sample size of 108 barmaids from 59 bars/clubs in the Mathare Sub-County was used in the study. The study’s instruments were questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study applied SPSS version 25 in data analysis. The study found that awareness of human rights remains consistent regardless of education level, with social factors like social class and positive attitudes being highly rated as facilitating knowledge by 66% and 76% of respondents, respectively. The study found that 73% of respondents believe social lifestyle, family size, and income levels influence human rights awareness, while 77% of barmaids believe education level also influences awareness. However, a chi-square test showed no significant relationship. The study found that 91% of barmaids believe social factors enhance their understanding of human rights, while 9% believe societal issues do not hinder their knowledge. The study revealed no significant correlation between awareness level and factors such as age, education level, and service length, as denoted by (chi-square(4, N = 81) = 1.28, p = .86; chi-square(5, N = 81) = 1.69, p = .89; chi-square(3, N = 81) = 2.9, p = .41). The study was limited to barmaids in Mathare Sub-County, Nairobi. It was limited to its structured survey method and cross-sectional research design. This may have overlooked qualitative insights and limited the ability to examine human rights awareness changes over time. The study recommends targeted and sustained human rights awareness campaigns tailored to vulnerable groups such as barmaids in informal urban settlements. It further advocates for the integration of human rights education across all levels of Kenya’s education system, emphasizing curriculum reforms that promote legal empowerment and civic responsibility. The study underscores the importance of leveraging digital platforms and social media to enhance outreach and engagement. Methodologically, it calls for future research to adopt longitudinal and mixed-methods approaches that capture the evolving and complex nature of human rights awareness. Finally, the study highlights the need to address broader social determinants through multisectoral collaboration across education, health, labor, and civil society sectors.

Mathematical Model and Analysis of the Effects of Social Determinants of Health Contributing to Teenage fertility in Kenya

2026-02-24T07:56:10+00:00

Teenage pregnancy remains a significant public health challenge in Kenya, with adolescent sexual and reproductive health needs largely unmet, especially among marginalized and vulnerable groups. Although the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) reports a slight decline in teen pregnancy from 18% in 2014 to 15% in 2022, progress toward achieving Kenya Vision 2030 remains slow. Understanding the effects of social determinants on teenage fertility through rigorous mathematical modeling is essential for informing effective interventions and policy actions. This study develops and analyzes a deterministic differential equations model incorporating demographic, socio-economic, and socio-cultural factors affecting adolescent fertility among females aged 15-19 years using KDHS 2022 data. In this model, qualitative theory of differential equations and stability analysis has been used to assess the impact of proximate determinants on fertility outcomes. Stability analysis reveals that both eigenvalues, λ1 = −β and λ2 = −δ, are negative, establishing that the system’s equilibrium is asymptotically stable. Sensitivity analysis further identifies that the decay parameters β and δ exert strong negative influence on the fertility reproduction potential R0, highlighting critical social determinants that significantly influence teenage fertility rates. These insights allow prioritization of intervention strategies targeting the most impactful factors. Importantly, the model demonstrates that targeted policy interventions can effectively shift the system to a new, lower equilibrium teenage fertility rate, providing valuable guidance for policymakers. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation in Kenya, ensuring adherence to national research ethics guidelines. The findings provide robust, evidence-based insights for government and stakeholders to design impactful strategies to reduce teenage pregnancies in Kenya.

A Historical Investigation of Sustainability of Climate Smart Agriculture to Poverty Stricken Kenyans, 2017-2024

2026-02-24T08:22:09+00:00

The paper examined a historical investigation of sustainability of climate smart agriculture by poverty-stricken Kenyans. Its emphasis began globally in 2009, with an aim of carbon sequestration, and ecological balance, until it was launched in Kenya in 2017. The objective was to assess sustainability of the climate smart agriculture by the poverty-strickensmallholder agriculturalists in Kenya between 2017 and 2024. In the Literature review section; this paper employed the social ecological resilience theory to investigate the interconnectedness of social and ecological systems in agriculture, building flexible agricultural systems that can adapt to changing environmental conditions and societal needs. The methods included the collection and synthesis of both secondary and archival data sources. The study significantly allowed investigation on whether the poverty-stricken people could sustain the climate smart agriculture without the government interventions by controlling, monitoring, managing the already established agricultural projects and support due to its demand on ecological balance, contribute to the historiography of climate smart agriculture in Kenya to the future scholars from Green House Gas Emission. The research was justified, since it chose the vulnerable people of Kenya because of their characteristics that hardly allow them to ensure ecological balance due to insufficient funds, monoculture practices, and the aim was to improve the smallholder farmers who are unable to withstand the ecological balance. The data derived from sources showed that the Kenyan government give fund through FLLOCA-Kenya among others, but the underprivileged had poor maintenance, inability to continue with the already established projects, hence the inaccessibility of climate smart practices and technologies, such as, livestock keeping, cropping, fishery, forestry, mulching, genetic diversity, machineries, solar powered irrigation, participating in research, extension, and education. The study recommends that, the Kenyan government should formulate durable projects when funding, and incorporate both traditional and new mechanisms for food security.

Community radio -Based Extension Services on Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Siaya County, Kenya.

2026-02-24T08:27:11+00:00

Communication and knowledge sharing are critical to the acceptance and sustainability of any agricultural innovation. In order to enable farmers and rural communities use climate smart technology solutions for increased agricultural output; community radio can be an essential information source. For example, low-cost conservation farming techniques like cover crops and minimum tillage can help communities keep an eye on and control their own output. Siaya County's adoption of conservation agriculture is still low despite community radio's many benefits for agricultural technology adoption. Thus, the study examined the impact of community radio based extension services on the uptake of conservation agriculture in Siaya County. The study was guided by Diffusion of innovations theory. Qualitative research approach was conducted to collect textual data from the respondents. A case study design was used to analysed the influence community radio -based extension services on adoption of conservation agriculture in Siaya County, Kenya. From the population, 12 farmers were sampled from the listening club for two focus group discussion. Two ward agricultural officers were sampled from the wards where the radio station was located. Two experts championing conservation agriculture in Siaya County were also sampled and 3 radio presenters airing and creating agricultural content in the community radio stations were also sampled for this study. Therefore, a total of 7 respondents were sampled as key informants while 12 respondents were sampled for two focused group discussions. The interview guide was used to collect data from agricultural programs presenter from each community radio station. While focus group discussion was conducted to collect data from farmers. Qualitative data from focus group discussion guides and in-depth interviews with key informants were analysed using thematic analysis. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding on the role of community radio on the adoption of conservation agriculture. The study findings highlight that Tembea Fm community radio has been successfully used to communicate conservation agriculture principles such as minimum tillage, crop rotation and cover cropping.