Health Education, Action Competence and Teacher Training Colleges in Kenya

The project focuses on teacher training colleges (TTC) as institutions for development of professional competencies compared to teaching in primary schools in Kenya, and how educational policies materialise in teacher education as well as the consequences for primary school teachers' development of practice and competencies in relation to health education.
Fieldwork is planned to be carried through during 12 month from 2009-2010 at 3 teacher training Colleges (TTC) in and around Nairobi, Kenya, with a shorter fieldwork in Coast Province. In Kenya the project is affilated with Institute of Anthropology, gender and African Studies at University of Nairobi, where a conference is planned ultimo 2010 focusing at teacher training in Kenya and East Africa. Above this the project cooperates with Kenyatta University, Kenya, Department of Education, where a number of M.Ed. and Ph.D.-students participate in fieldwork with their individual projects.
The planned outputs focus on especially 3 research areas: The teacher college institution as a meaning and cultureborn field, influencing future teachers with certain competencies and professional identities. Second, policies and discourses relevant for the construction of health education at TTC. Third, possibilities and barriers in action research as a development and research strategy with students and tutors in the context of TTC.