FORM TWO CIVICS PROMOTION OF LIFE SKILLS Understanding the concept ‘life skills’ Life skills are the mental abilities which enable a person to manage or control himself/herself. The skills also enable a person to act, think or behave in an acceptable manner in his/her community. Some of the life skills include negotiation skills, relationship skills, self-awareness skills and decision making skills. Life skills as a discipline, refers to the study that provides knowledge and skills which enable people to cope with the day to day social and political affairs in this ever changing world. In other words, life skills are the application of knowledge and skills in improving life standard of a person. The knowledge and abilities (the skills) which people have need to be inculcated, stimulated and regulated to make people act properly and eventually, overcome personal or community problems and what community may refer to as immoral social behaviour. The advancement in science and technology, diversification of culture, population growth and interaction of different cultures intensified the need for education on life skills for secondary school students and other citizens. Life skills enable people to easily cope with the rapid socio- economic, cultural and political changes brought about by globalization. Promotion of life skills Promotion of life skills refers to the deliberate efforts which encourage and cultivate social values, knowledge and ability to individuals in solving problems. This helps them to control themselves in a more acceptable manner in different circumstances. Social problem solving techniques People face various problems especially when they struggle to boost and achieve better life. These problems hinder the pace of development in communities or nations. People always struggle to solve these problems by using a variety of techniques. These techniques are known as social problem solving techniques. They are social because they are applied in societies. Problem solving techniques is defined as the ways which people use to solve different problems encountered in societies. As it has been stated earlier, people face various problems which need different ways of solving. Problems are not the same in all societies. Each society has different problems from those of other societies. For instance, some societies may be faced with political and health problems while other societies may be faced with socioeconomic ones. Because of this variation, techniques of solving these problems differ a great deal. For example, speaking skills can be one of them. Generally speaking, there are several ways by which problems are solved. The following are some of the techniques that are usually employed in to solving problems: Cooperative technique: it is the way of problem solving whereby a person who has a problem exposes it to other people so that they can contribute their ideas which eventually solve the problem. This technique is very useful because different people are involved in tackling the existing problem. Collective problem solving is more effective than tackling the problem individually. Guidance and counseling: there are problems which cannot be solved physically or mechanically. Instead, they need psychological treatment. The counseling technique is applied to people who have mental or emotional sufferings. For example, the HIV/AIDS victims need counseling so that they may cope with the situation in which they find themselves. In the counseling technique, the problem is not actually solved. What is done in counseling is simply the provision of psychological relief. Through guidance and counseling, one is given ways of solving his/her problem or coping with the problem. Indeed, counseling acts as a curative measure as it helps one to cope with the situation and feel comfortable despite his/her sufferings. Working hard: it is an appropriate method to the problems that are caused by laziness. For example, lack of food and good shelter can be solved by working hard. Working hard has proved to be one of the means by which success is achieved. It is advisable that, hard work should be employed in both mental and physical activities. This technique will solve many problems which remain unsolved due to laziness. Seeking advice from individual persons: this is a technique which has been employed by many people for years in problem solving. Every day experience shows that, many people pay visits to other people in search for advice to solve their problems. In most cases, people consulted are those who are considered to be wise. They are people with certain knowledge or experience about the problem. At school, for example, a student may seek advice from his/her fellow students or a teacher on how to conduct private studies in order to overcome failures in examinations. Likewise, a person who faces a problem in business can seek advice from his/her fellow experienced businessmen/women on how to solve it. Reading books: Some books tell us something about life skills. Such books give different suggestions on how to solve problems. For example, there are books which help people with psychological problems to recover. People are encouraged to build habits of reading both fictional and non-fictional stories. This aims to refresh their minds and acquire problem solving skills. Lastly is by consulting experts: Problems, like diseases, need to be solved by experts. This is indeed, a scientific way of problem solving. It is important for a person who is seeking advice to consider the nature of his/her problem before deciding which expert to see. There are problems which may not be solved by individual people. They instead, need collective solution. Normally, problems of this kind need planning strategies for their eradication. Also an advice seeker should examine carefully every piece of advice given before implementation. Exercise 1.1 1. Define life skills 2. Why should life skills be promoted in our society? 3. Briefly write down six techniques used in problem solving. Fill in the blanks 4. A person who assists people involved in a conflict to negotiate and come to a mutual agreement is called _________ 5. Another word for information facts collected in views of solving an existing problem is ________ 6. A person with psychological problems should consult a _______ 7. A person with special skills or knowledge who can be approached for solving particular problems is called ____________ Steps of problem solving process As we said earlier, people are faced with various problems in their everyday life. It is, however, the same people who are supposed to solve those problems. To solve problems successfully, there are some systematic steps which are usually followed. The following are the steps: Initiating mediation Mediation is one of the processes used in problem solving. In this process, two parties are reconciled by the third party. The latter is referred to as the mediator. The mediator assists people involved in a conflict to negotiate and come to a mutual agreement. We say mediation is effective if the conflicting parties become friendly at the end of the reconciliation. It is a failure if the parties continue with their conflict after the reconciliation process. Initiating mediation can be compared with problem identification in research procedures. This is because initiating mediation prepares good ground for proper understanding of the problem. Through mediation, factors which cause conflicts are put to light. This is because people involved in the conflict are asked about the sources of their disputes. Consequently, steps forward are easily prepared. Gathering information In order to solve any problem, enough information about the problem needs to be collected. It is through information gathering that important data can be obtained. It is important to collect data about the existing problem in order to understand what actually causes the problem. For example, if one wants to solve the problem of malaria in a particular area, one need to have enough information about its causes. Likewise, a doctor can cure a disease of a person after a thorough investigation of it. Information gathering method has, for years, been used in establishing different projects. Project developers have to collect facts or enough information about the area which they want to conduct their projects. Ways of gathering information Information is gathered by using several methods. The methods are determined by the nature of the problem to be solved. The following are among the methods employed in information gathering: Observation: This method refers to the process of examining the situation which surrounds the problem. In this method a person uses his/her eyes to look at the phenomena and any available records. There are problems which can be easily solved after being observed. For example, if one wants to control the spread of malaria at a place, one will be required to observe factors that are likely to speed up the spread of the disease. The presence of tall grass, ponds and other structures facilitate the collection of water which, in turn, provides favourable condition for mosquitoes to lay eggs and multiply. These will be the areas of interest of the observer. By contrast, if there is cholera, one will observe dirtiness of the environment. For example, the observer will look at the presence of faeces and other dirty materials which support vibro cholera bacteria to multiply at a high rate. Questionnaire: It is the method which involves asking questions to people. The questions are normally written on a prepared sheet of paper. The questions are given to the targeted people who ought to answer them accordingly. Through these answers, the researcher can analyze the data and draw a conclusion about the problem. Example: What is Malaria? Mention the factors you think have contributed to the spread of malaria in your village. When answers are given to the above questions, the researcher will understand how big the problem is. As a result, the researcher will give suggestions on how to help these people to solve the problem. People are supposed to bear in mind that, this method has its limitations. For instance, questionnaires are only possible with literate people (those who can read and write). Interview: An interview refers to a verbal interaction between the interviewer and the interviewee (respondent). An interview is usually designed to collect information and people’s opinions and feelings on the problem. Actually it is a face to face conversation between interviewers and respondents. With interview, the problem solver faces an individual respondent or a group of respondents who provide instant responses to oral questions. The interviewer asks and jots down the answers given by the interviewees/respondents. The responses are noted down so that they can later be analyzed to see their relationship with the problem. Finally, a conclusion is made and suggestions given. Interviews are better than other methods discussed above because with interview, an interviewer can see the physical appearance of the interviewees. This is important because the interviewer can easily judge about the attitude and feelings of interviewees. In addition, there is a room for making any necessary clarification. Moreover, interview method is inclusive as it can be used to both literate and illiterate people (i.e. people who can read and write as well as those who cannot). Reading different books and other materials related to the problem: Sometimes answers to problems can be found in books, journals and other written materials, which provide the necessary data needed by the researcher. These data are known as secondary data. By reading the previously written materials such as research works, the problem solver can see how other people tried to solve the related problem. Materials should be recent and relate to the problem. In that way, the problem solver is able to spell out the problem clearly. Mass media by means of audio and audio- visual materials: Radio and television are good examples of the mass media. Through different programmes, we can get a lot of information related to the problem whether directly or indirectly. Also, different ways of solving problems can be learnt from radios and television. Lessons obtained from the TV and radio programmes can help one to draw a conclusion about how to solve the problem one is dealing with. Eventually, the problem solver develops strategies of solving the problem. Scientific experiments: Experiments of this kind are mostly used by the specialists of different disciplines. Doctors, for example, can conduct experiments that involve investigation for causes of different diseases on the bodies of patients. The aim of using the scientific method is to find out all important facts about the problem that is being solved. For example, the doctor can examine blood, stools, eyes, ears and other parts of the body of the patient to get possible answers to the problem the patient is suffering from. Through scientific experiments, much information can be gathered. For example, blood tests have been a major technique of obtaining information about HIV/AIDS. Generally speaking, there are several ways through which information can be gathered. The use of each method depends on the nature of the problem and the circumstances surrounding data collection. That means, selection of the method to be used in data collection depends on the skills the information seeker has, and the nature of his/her sample in getting that information. Defining the problem After gathering information one can state the problem. He/she can easily tell the factors which cause the problem he/she is trying to solve. For example, a person can precisely make a statement about the problem of malaria in a particular area with the aid of the information collected. For instance, the researcher can generalize that malaria is caused by female mosquitoes called anopheles whose breeding is enhanced by the presence of tall grasses and water logged in ponds or other structures. The researcher can further state that, malaria spreading is catalysed by lack of mosquito nets. Normally, the definition or statement of the problem has to be precise. Stating the problem is sometimes a hard thing to do especially when one has no supporting facts. Otherwise, it is a simple exercise. Generating alternatives The aim of collecting information about the problem is to solve it if there is such a possibility. Normally, the information gathered provides a general picture about the possible causes of the problem. For example, the outbreak of cholera can be attributed by the use of unclean or non-boiled water, lack of proper latrine usage or total absence of latrines and other agents which facilitate cholera transmission. Knowing the reasons or factors for the occurrence of the problem leads to proper development of solutions. Taking the example of cholera above; boiling water, constructing latrines, educating people to use latrines properly, and proper waste disposal, can be suggested as solutions to the problem, because the causes are known. Because the causes of problems vary, alternatives for solving the problems differ a great deal. In summary, solutions to problems differ depending on the nature of the problem to be solved. For example, suggestions given to people suffering from Malaria differ from those given to people subjected into object poverty. In such cases, people with malaria will be instructed to clear their home compounds, to use mosquito nets and to get rid of water logging structures as ponds. By contrast, people suffering from poverty will be advised to do otherwise. For example, they may be advised to work hard and to employ different modern techniques of income generation. Moreover, they may be advised to consult people who have succeeded in life. Agreeing in solution In order for the solutions suggested to be effective, there should be agreements. These agreements can involve what to do in order to avoid the re-occurrence of the problem. For example, Malaria which is due to the presence of tall grasses in people’s residences, the tendency of not using mosquito nets and the accumulation of water pools, will be required to clear grasses, to ensure that there is no water settled around their compounds; by digging trenches which drain water away from their premises. People will also be required to use mosquito nets regularly. In order for these processes to be implemented effectively, there must be a common agreement contrary to which all these solutions will not succeed. Therefore, stakeholders ought to make sure that the strategies proposed are seriously implemented. At the same time, those who tend to ignore the agreements are supposed to be punished. They may be forced to pay fines which will serve as a lesson to them. The importance of problem solving. Problem solving is very important in societies particularly to youth and teenagers because the technique lays a foundation for realizing ideal solutions to the problems encountered. Problem solving technique is very crucial because: 1. The method helps people to get the best possible solutions to various problems. If all steps are systematically followed, the probability of getting the best possible solutions is very high. 2. Applying this technique implies that people have skills and knowledge of problem solving. 3. The method is multipurpose in nature as it offers many different options for social problem solving. The effective problem solving techniques As said earlier, communities are problem oriented. For that reason, people always engage themselves in problem solving for the problems they encounter. We can therefore, deduce that, problems are part and parcel of every active society. It is the duty of each society or community to solve its problems. Effective problem solving is determined by the use of effective strategies. Problem solving must follow the suggested and systematic steps. Examples of such steps include initiating mediation, gathering information, defining the problem and agreeing on solutions. The steps should be accompanied by techniques of problem solving as previously mentioned. At this juncture, we can deduce that effective problem solving is the use of steps and techniques which lead to effective removal of the problems prevailing in a society. The importance of effective problems solving. Why is it necessary to solve problems effectively? This question can have several answers. It has to be understood that problem solving is a necessary and an inevitable process in every society. The following are the advantages of effective problem solving: To start with effective problem solving restores peace and harmony to the people who have been victims. Peace and harmony, in turn, helps people to live comfortably. For example, people who have been in conflict for a long time, enjoy being free and peaceful once more. Again, effective problem solving can promote unity and solidarity among people of a given society. Once there is peace and harmony, the society is likely to have love, which will make it possible for the society to build strong unity and solidarity. Also it saves human life: Effective problem solving can reduce or prevent the occurrence of deaths. Some deaths are usually due to problems such as misunderstandings among members of a given society. Immediate and effective problem solving can reduce the tension of misunderstandings between people. Misunderstanding usually leads to occurrence of chaos such as wars, hence causing loss of many people’s lives. Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have experienced problems which are mostly due to tribal misunderstandings. The conflicts have caused several deaths in those countries. Problems caused by diseases such as malaria, cholera and dysentery have to be solved by effective methods. Some of the methods are easy to apply. For example, the use of mosquito nets treated with NGAO can be a solution for malaria. Nevertheless effective problem solving can promote development in the society. Problems are the major obstacles to development in many societies in the world. For example, diseases weaken peoples’ health. In that situation, there is a possibility for that society to have underdevelopment, because people are not able to actively participate in productive activities. To avoid underdevelopment, effective problem solving strategies need to be developed. These will pave a way for development. Lastly, effective problem solving is likely to prevent the same problem from occurring again. Revision questions of the chapter 1. Define the following terms: (a) Problem. (b) Problem solving technique. 2. Mention and explain any five steps which one is supposed to follow when solving any problem. 3. Why do you think it is necessary to solve problems on time? 4. Why is the questionnaire method of collecting information about a problem not effective to people who are illiterate? 5. There is a saying that goes: “Everybody will carry his own burden”. Does this saying act as a problem solving technique for any problem you have experienced? How? 6. Suppose there is a problem of malaria in your society. How will you assist the society to solve this problem as an educated person? 7. Why is it necessary to collect data before the process of problem solving? 8. Apart from the interview and questionnaire methods, mention four other methods that can be used in collecting information for problem solving.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Sep 2013 10:21:37 +0000
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