“A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF KINDERGARTEN
METHOD OF TEACHING ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING
PERSONAL HYGIENE AMONG UPPER KINDERGARTEN
STUDENTS STUDYING IN SELECTED NURSERY
SCHOOL OF RAICHUR, KARNATAKA.”
PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECTS FOR
DISSERTATION
PRAVIN PRAKASH .P
NAVODAYA COLLEGE OF NURSING
RAICHUR, MAY 2009
RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
BANGALORE, KARNATAKA.
PROFORMA FOR REGISTRATION OF SUBJECTS FOR DISSERTATION
1. Name of the candidate
:
Mr. Pravin Prakash .P
M.Sc. Nursing, 1st Year
Navodaya College of Nursing
Navodaya Nagar
Manthralayam Road, Raichur
2. Name of the Institute
: Navodaya College of Nursing
3. Course of Study and Subject
: M.Sc. Nursing, 1st Year
Child Health Nursing
4. Date of Admission
: 21-11-2008
5. Title of the Topic
:
“A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF KINDERGARTEN
METHOD OF TEACHING ON KNOWLEDGE REGARDING
PERSONAL HYGIENE AMONG UPPER KINDERGARTEN
STUDENTS STUDYING IN SELECTED NURSERY
SCHOOL OF RAICHUR, KARNATAKA.”
6. BRIEF RESUME OF THE INTENDED WORK
6.1. NEED FOR THE STUDY
“We find a delight and beauty
in the happiness of the children,
that makes the heart too big for the body”
The child is the most precious possession of mankind, most beloved
and perfect in its innocence. The child represents a face of man which is
always happy and always new. With every child we are born again and we
play in the courtyard of the world in the bright sunshine of love and
laughter.1
Preschool children constitute about 5 percent of the total population
and are vulnerable for various infections. In Raichur preschool children
constitutes about 13% of the total population. Hence there should be a motto
to guide each and every child to follow and practice cleanliness, as
‘cleanliness is next to godliness’. As there is more prevalence of ignorance
and illiteracy among the public, there is a great need to educate them,
especially the children about good hygienic practices and to promote healthy
life style.2
The children are the most important segment of our population and
intend to receive attention from family, school, society and government
Children are truly the foundation of a society because healthy children grow
to become healthy and strong adults who can actively participate in the
developmental activities of a nation.1
School is one of the most organized secondary group and social
institution which implements strategies to meet the health needs of the
children. Schools have been identified as the entry point for hygienic
awareness as part of the Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) being
implemented in the state by the Ministry of Rural Development's drinking
water supply department, reports Grassroots Features. School is an
organized community and easy to reach for implementing any programmes
related to health and hygienic practices.3
The present study includes one such implementation of the health
programme related to personal hygiene. It is a teaching programme named
‘Kindergarten Method of Teaching’.
The kindergarten method of teaching refers to the method of teaching
which helps the child to express himself and thus produce development.
It consists of three coordinate forms of expression
 song
 action / movement
 construction
Play is the most important way followed in the kindergarten method
of teaching. Play enables children to achieve confidence and balance in an
orderly fashion.
By this method of teaching the child can express his feelings and ideas
through singing. Then he can dramatize the song in movements and gestures
and finally it is illustrated by construction from paper clay, or any other
material.4
As the Chinese proverb says “If I hear I forget, If I see I remember, If
I do I know”, lays importance for this method of teaching.
‘What we remember from childhood we remember for ever’. It can be
regarding good practices, habits, social interaction etc. A good habit of
personal hygiene is an integral part of daily life of an individual.
Hygiene refers to the set of practices associated with the preservation
of health and healthy living. It is a concept related with cleanliness and
preventive measures.5
Personal hygiene involves practice of keeping oneself clean in order
to prevent illness and disease. Keeping oneself clean will not only protect
one from germs but also allows to have confidence in relationships and
social life. Actions to ensure personal hygiene are simple but most of the
people neglect to practice the habits.6
Good message and healthy practices can start with preschool children
and slowly make their way into their families and to other children in the
neighborhood. The daily habit of ensuring and maintaining cleanliness
promotes healthy living.5
The present study includes the education on personal hygiene with
regard to oral care, bathing, hand washing and toileting.
“If your children will soon need braces you will now want to start
the search for good dental insurance plan”
Oral hygiene refers to the total care of the mouth. The purpose of oral
hygiene is to minimize any etiologic agents of disease in the mouth. The
primary focus of brushing and flossing is to remove and prevent the
formation of plaque. Plaque consists mostly of bacteria. As the amount of
bacterial plaque increases, the tooth is more vulnerable to dental caries when
carbohydrates in the food are left on teeth after every meal or snack. A
toothbrush can be used to remove plaque on accessible surfaces, but not
between teeth or inside pits and fissures on chewing surfaces. When used
correctly, dental floss removes plaque from areas which could otherwise
develop proximal caries. 7
Statistical information shows that about 80-90 percent of the children
in the world have dental caries. About 73.5% 0f the preschool children in
Raichur is having dental caries.3
Effective oral health practices are essential for the overall health of
the children. Dental care is the most prevalent unmet health need among
children. Poor oral health can have significant negative effects on systematic
health. Comprehensive health care is not possible if oral health is unmet. So
every parents and teachers should encourage children to practice oral
hygiene from an early age.8
Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of illness. Hand
washing helps to decrease the number of germs that can be spread. Children
should be taught and encouraged to wash hand before and after meal in order
to avoid spread of infections.9
Bathing involves the total care of the body. Bathing is practiced as
one of the hygienic measures and it helps the body and mind to become
fresh. Bathing prevents accumulation of dandruff and multiplication of lices
in the head. It also prevents various skin infections like dermatitis, scabies
etc. It is very essential to educate the children regarding bathing as it
promotes both physical and mental hygiene.10
Toileting happens to be one of those areas where each child will have
their own schedule. Successful toileting relies most on a child’s readiness
and willingness. Even if a child shows signs of readiness there are times
when it is best to wait. Some children may be very interested in toileting, but
some are afraid. Allow the child to safely explore the toilet and train and
educate them regarding toileting.11
Unhygienic practices during toileting leads to spread of infection. The
infection can mainly caused by Hookworm. Hookworm is a parasitic
nematode that lives in the small intestine of every mammal. The portal of
exit of hookworm is anal route and portal of entry is mouth. The spread of
the infection can be reduced by good personal-hygiene and thus prevents
spread of infection.2
It is estimated that 576-740 million individuals in the world are
infected with Hookworm today. In South Asia about 59 million children are
infected with hookworm. 12 62% of preschool children in Raichur is affected
with hookworm infestation. 3
Preschool children need to be motivated and enabled by a specific
learning programme to help them to follow basic hygiene rules as important
element of health promotion. Children will respond in a better way to health
education and to develop favorable positive attitudes, thus they inculcate and
formulate desirable healthy practices.13
Using different methods of teaching is very effective and influences
the knowledge of the children. In kindergarten method of teaching learning
will be associated with spontaneity, freedom and laughter through practical
activities and it becomes meaningful and significant.
Hence the researcher felt the need to assess the effectiveness of
kindergarten method of teaching on knowledge regarding personal hygiene
among upper kindergarten students studying in St.Johns Nursery School of
Raichur.
6.2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A review of literature on the research topic makes the researcher
familiar with the existing studies and provides information which helps to
focus on a particular problem, lays a foundation upon which to base new
knowledge. It creates accurate picture of the information found on the
subjects.14
A study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of short [15 minutes]
oral hygiene vs. hand hygiene education for preschool children in Michigan;
U.S.A. 61 preschool children were randomly selected from four kindergarten
classes. 30 children from two classes had given specific instructions on oral
hygiene and for remaining 31 children were given instructions on hand and
nail cleaning. The oral hygiene status was assessed by using plaque control
record [PCR], the cleanliness of hands and finger nails was determined by
using hand hygiene index [HHI] and nail hygiene index [NHI]. The result
showed that after the education programme the PCR had improved for all
the children from 79.95 percent to 72.35 percent [P<0.001]. The NHI had
improved from 74.91 percent to 61.71 percent [P<0.001]. The study
concluded that parents and teachers should be encouraged to educate
children from an early age about oral hygiene promotion.15
A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of tooth brushing
education on oral health of preschoolers in Seoul, Korea. The study
consisted of randomly selected 78 preschoolers from two kindergartens. 39
preschoolers from one kindergarten were assigned to experimental group
and 39 from the other kindergarten to the control group. Data were collected
by structured interview. The result showed that there was a significant
increase in the use of tooth paste and the practice of correct tooth brushing
and a decrease in plaque and development of dental caries in experimental
group. The study concluded that tooth brushing education was partially
effective in improving oral health of the preschoolers.16
A descriptive study was conducted to assess the awareness of hygienic
practices among children in Government School in Hyderabad. 30 preschool
children were selected non randomly. The data was collected by structured
interview. Findings revealed that majority of children had moderately
adequate awareness (70 percent). According to age wise analysis of data
62.5 percent of 5 year old children and 12.5 percent of 4 year old children
had moderately adequate awareness. 47.7 percent of 3 year old children had
inadequate awareness. The study concluded that regular education has to be
given to preschool children regarding hygienic practices.17
An experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of
school based health education on the practice of personal hygiene by
children in primary schools in Nigeria. 395 and 398 preschool children were
selected randomly as intervention group and control group. Less than 45
percent were rated clean before health education in both groups. After health
education 65 percent were rated clean. There was no change in the control
group. The study concluded that school based health education improved the
personal hygienic practices of the preschool children. There is need for
regular reinforcement to sustain the gains.18
A longitudinal study was carried out to assess the impact of health
education to school children on their knowledge, attitude and practices in
regard to personal hygiene in Burdwan. 324 rural school children between
10 – 14 years in two secondary schools were selected randomly. The
knowledge, attitude and practices of the students were assessed in
pre-designed and post test profoma before imparting the health education.
The results indicated that the knowledge of the students regarding personal
hygiene was improved after the health education. The study concluded that
the improvement in health practices was not commensuration with the
improvement of knowledge and attitude after education.19
A study was conducted on impact of tooth brushing on dental plaque,
dental caries and periodontal condition in school children at Jordon. It was
revealed that both 99 percent males and 89 percent of females reported to
brush their teeth on regular basis. The mean scores were lower in those who
brushed than those who did not brush their teeth. There were slight
differences in dental caries experience among males and females. The oral
health status among them found to be poor. The study concluded more
emphasis should be placed on proper oral hygiene and also implementation
of school based oral health education programme is urgently needed in order
to prevent problems.20
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
“A study to assess the effectiveness of kindergarten method of
teaching on knowledge regarding personal hygiene among upper
kindergarten students studying in selected nursery school of Raichur,
Karnataka.”
6.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To assess the existing level of knowledge of upper kindergarten students
regarding personal hygiene in selected nursery school.
To develop and administer kindergarten method of teaching regarding
personal hygiene among upper kindergarten students studying in selected
nursery school.
To evaluate the effectiveness of kindergarten method of teaching
regarding personal hygiene by comparing pre-test and post-test knowledge
scores.
To identify the association between the knowledge of the students
regarding personal hygiene with selected variables.
6.4 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
a. Effectiveness:
It refers to the extent to which the kindergarten method of teaching
improves the knowledge of the upper kindergarten students regarding
personal hygiene.
b. Kindergarten Method of Teaching:
It refers to the method of teaching which helps the child to express
himself and thus produce development.
It consists of three coordinate forms of expression
 song
 action / movement
 construction
c. Knowledge:
It refers to the level of understanding of the upper kindergarten
students with regard to personal hygiene as measured by their correct
response to knowledge items of the structured interview schedule.
d. Personal Hygiene:
Refers to the practice of keeping oneself clean to prevent diseases.
In the present study the personal hygiene includes
bathing, brushing, hand washing and toileting.
e. Upper Kindergarten Students:
Refers to children under age group of 4-6 years who are
studying in selected Nursery School of Raichur.
f. Nursery School:
It refers to the school for children between ages of 3-6 years, staffed
by qualified teachers who encourage and supervise educational play
rather than simply providing child care.
6.5 HYPOTHESES
On the basis of the objectives of the study the following hypotheses
have been formulated.
H : There will be significant difference between the pre-test and post-test
knowledge scores of the upper kindergarten students regarding personal
hygiene.
H₂: There will be significant association between the knowledge scores of
the upper kindergarten students regarding personal hygiene with
selected variables.
7. MATERIALS AND METHODS
7.1 SOURCES OF DATA
Design:
One group pre-test and post-test pre-experimental design is adopted
for the present study.
O1 X O2
Setting of the study:
Setting refers to the physical location and condition in which data
collection will be done.
Raichur is one of the backward districts located in Northern
Karnataka. It has an area of 60sq.mt.
There are about 35 nursery schools in Raichur District. Among these
St.Johns Nursery School is selected for the study. This school is located in
Savithri Colony, Raichur. This school was established in the year 1996.
About 100 students are studying in this school and among this 40 students
are studying in upper kindergarten.
Population:
The populations included in this study are the students who are
studying in upper kindergarten in St.Johns Nursery school of Raichur.
Sample:
Sample for the study consists of 30 upper kindergarten students who
are studying in St.Johns Nursery school of Raichur.
Sampling Technique:
Purposive sampling is also called Judgmental sampling. Researcher
believes that purposive samplings are typical or representative of the
accessible population.
For the present study Non- random purposive sampling technique
will be used to select the school. Convenience sampling technique will be
used to select the samples.
Inclusion Criteria:
The study includes students who are
 studying in upper kindergarten in St.Johns Nursery School, Raichur
 willing to participate in the study
 available at the time of data collection
Exclusion Criteria:
The study excludes students who are not
 studying in upper kindergarten in St.Johns Nursery School, Raichur
 willing to participate in the study
 available at the time of data collection
Selected Variables:
Variables include in the present study are
 Dependant Variable:
Knowledge of upper kindergarten students regarding personal hygiene
 Independent Variable:
Kindergarten method of teaching regarding personal hygiene
 Extraneous Variables:
(a) Age:
Refers to the chronological age of the students studying in upper
kindergarten
For the present study age is categorized as
i) 4 years
ii) 5 years
iii) 6 years
(b) Gender:
Refers to the sex of the respondent
It is categorized as
i) Male
ii) Female
(c) Order of Birth:
It refers to chronological order of the child birth in the family
It is categorized as
i) 1st child
ii) 2nd child
iii) 3rd child and above
(d) Educational Qualification of Parents:
It refers to the knowledge levels of father and mother which help the
children to cultivate sound healthy practices and mental ability.
For the present study the educational qualification of the parents will
been evidenced from the school admission records of the students.
It is categorized as:
Sl.no
Qualification
i)
Illiterate
ii)
Primary education
iii)
Secondary education
iv)
Graduation and above
Father
(e) Type of Family:
Refers to the family type
For the present study it is categorized as:
i)
Nuclear family
ii)
Joint family
Mother
(f) Sources of Information:
Refers to the information which can shed light on the knowledge of
the students regarding personal hygiene. For the present study it includes
i)
Parents
ii)
Teachers
iii)
Siblings
iv)
Friends
v)
Mass media
7.2 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
Data Collection Instrument:
Data collection will be done through structured interview schedule.
It consists of two parts:
Part 1 – Deals with sample characteristics
Part2– Represents knowledge related items regarding personal
hygiene.
Data Collection Method:
After obtaining prior permission from concerned authorities and
consent from the samples, the Investigator will assess the knowledge of the
upper kindergarten students regarding personal hygiene by using structured
interview schedule.
Data collection will be carried out in 3 phases:
First phase: Pre-test will be given to assess the initial knowledge of the
upper kindergarten students regarding personal hygiene.
Second phase: Implementation of kindergarten method of teaching
regarding personal hygiene to the upper kindergarten students.
Third phase: Post-test will be conducted for the upper kindergarten students
regarding personal hygiene a week after kindergarten method of teaching.
Plan for Data Analysis:
Data analysis is the systematic organization and synthesis of research
data, the testing of the research hypotheses by using the obtained data. The
following methods are planned to analyze the data.
 Descriptive statistics like percentages and frequencies will be used to
describe sample characteristics.
 Mean, standard deviation and paired‘t’ test will be used to assess the
effectiveness of kindergarten method of teaching.
 Chi-square test will be used to find out the association between the
knowledge and selected variables.
7.3 PROJECTED OUTCOME
The result of the present study gives an insight for the future
researchers to inculcate different methods or types of teaching programme in
order to improve the knowledge of upper kindergarten students regarding
personal hygiene.
7.4 DOES THE STUDY REQUIRE ANY INVESTIGATION OR
INTERVENTION TO BE CONDUCTED ON PATIENTS OR
OTHER HUMAN OR ANIMALS? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE
BRIEFLY.
Yes, the study requires intervention like enactment of kindergarten
method of teaching and active involvement of students studying in upper
kindergarten.
7.5HAS ETHICAL CLEARANCE BEEN OBTAINED FROM YOUR
INSTITUTION IN CASE OF 7.4?
 Permission will be obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee,
Navodaya College of Nursing, Raichur.
 Permission will be obtained from the Principal of the St.Johns Nursery
School, Savithri Colony, Raichur.
 Consent will be obtained from all participants.
8. LIST OF REFERENCES
1. Child, WIKIPEDIA, the free Encyclopedia.
2. Park. K: Text Book of Preventive and Social Medicine, 18th edition, M/S
Bannarasidas Bhanot Publishers, Jablapur; 2005.
3. indg.gov.in/health/hygiene/personal-hygiene-1
4. Neeraja K.P: Text Book of Nursing Education, 1st edition, Jaypee
Brothers medical publishers Private limited, Page no: 294-295.
5. Llewellyn, Claire, ‘Hygiene and Health’ QEB Publishers.
6. Gray, Shirley Wimbish, Personal Hygiene And Good Health, Child’s
World Publishers
7. Kidd, E.A.M. Essentials of Dental Caries. Oxford: Oxford University
Press. 2005.
8. Terri Kyle, Essential of Pediatric Nursing, 1st edition, Wolkers Kluwer
Publishers.Pvt Ltd. New Delhi : 2008
9. About – Personal – Growth. Com. A guide to your personal growth.
10.Bathing, WIKIPEDIA, the free Encyclopedia.
11.Toileting, WIKIPEDIA, the free Encyclopedia.
12. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; Necator americanus and Ancylostoma
duodenale
13.Mahajan. V.K: Text Book of Preventive and Social Medicine, 2nd edition,
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers: 1995.
14.Denise F Polit, Nursing Research Principles and Methods, Philadelphia,
Lippincott, 7th edition; 2004.
15.Ramseier CA, Leiggener J, Lang N P, Bagramian RA, Short term effects
of hygiene education for preschool (Kindergarten) children, Oral Health
Prev. Dent: 2007.
16.Kang BH, Park SN, Sohng K.Y, Moon J.S, Effect of tooth brushing
education program on oral health of preschool children, J. Korean Acad
Nurs. : 2008 Dec.
17. Mohana Kumari. D: A study to assess awareness of hygiene practices on
children in Government Raj Bhavan School, Hyderabad: 1999.
18. Ilika AL: Personal hygiene practice and school based health education of
children in Anambra state. Nigeria. Niger Postgrad Medical Journal.
Medline 9: 2002.
19. Biswas A.B: A study of the impact of health education to school children
on their knowledge, attitude and practice in regard to personal hygiene.
Indian Journal of Public Health. New Delhi, 1990.
20. Taani. D.S, Muhsen K, Cohen D: Caries free smile, oral health
education, Rev Salud Publica: 2003.
9.
Signature of the candidate
:
10. Remarks of the Guide
:
11. Name and Designation of
:
11.1 Guide
11.2 Signature
: Mrs. Shameem Gulnaz Unnisa
M.Sc. (N)
Vice Principal
Department of Child Health
Nursing
:
11.3 Co-Guide
:
11.4 Signature
:
11.5 Head of the Department
: Mrs. Shameem Gulnaz Unnisa
M.Sc. (N)
Vice Principal
Department of Child Health
Nursing
11.6 Signature
:
12. Remarks of Chairman and Principal :
12.1 Signature
: