Educational Communication Technology and Curriculum Studies

Perceived effects of use of digitized content on learners‘ achievement in physical geography in secondary schools in Nyakach sub-county, Kenya

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Perceived effects of use of digitized content on learners‘ achievement in physical geography in secondary schools in Nyakach sub-county, Kenya OTIENO, Ali James Digitization of school syllabus content in education has changed the teaching and learning process globally because digitized content provides both teachers and learners with more educational affordances. Kenya has embraced content digitization since 2010 with the aim of providing access to learning materials for improved performance in secondary schools in Kenya. However, performance in Physical Geography in secondary schools has remained below average with a mean score of 43% between 2011 and 2022 compared to Human Geography which has posted an average score of 48.74% nationally. From 2009 to 2022 Nyakach Sub-County secondary school learners have continued to register below-average results in Geography, ranging between 4.58 and 4.93 compared to neighboring Sub-Counties which range from 6.12 to 6.46 out of the maximum 12 points as per the Ministry of Education. This has been so, mainly because of the low marks posted by students in Physical Geography, which has also been evident in the trial cluster examinations. The purpose of the study was to investigate the perceived effect of digitized content on learners‘ achievement in Physical Geography in secondary schools in Nyakach Sub-County. Objectives of the study were to find out the perceived effect of use of animations on learners‘ achievement in Physical Geography; investigate the perceived effect of use of 2D with texts on learners‘ achievement in Physical Geography and to establish the perceived effect of use of 3D on learners‘ academic achievement in Physical Geography. Mayer‘s (2009) cognitive theory of multimedia learning which states that people learn more deeply from words and pictures than from words alone was adopted for this study. Experimental and descriptive survey research design was employed to establish the relationship between the use and effect of digitized content on learners‘ academic achievement in Physical Geography in secondary schools in Nyakach sub-county. Study population included all 134 Geography teachers and 1826 Geography students in Form 4. Simple Random sampling technique was used to select both teachers and learners to take part in the study from the 54 secondary schools. Israel (1999) formula was used to obtain the sample size of 24 teachers and 329 learners. Research instruments were questionnaires and teacher-made tests and interviews. Questionnaires were used in collecting data from students and teachers, teacher made test was used to test the retention levels of learners in the control and the experimental groups. A pilot study was conducted to test the reliability of the research instruments. Reliability was determined by the use of test-retest method for both teachers and students‘ questionnaires at 0.825 and 0.777 respectively and the teacher made test at 0.825.A coefficient level of .7 was acceptable, while validity of the instruments was verified by the supervisors who are experts in the field of research. Quantitative data was analyzed through means, frequency counts, percentages and Pearson‘s r. Qualitative data was categorized into themes and reported in narratives. Perceived effect was supported through correlational analysis. Pearson‘s correlation on perception of learners on effect of use of animations, 2D and 3D on learners‘ achievement was r=.309 r=.278 and r=.173 respectively, which were significant. The study found out that Animations, 2D and 3D graphic with texts have a positive effect on learners ‗achievement in Physical Geography. Furthermore, it was established that, the use of digitized content is still a major issue in Kenya secondary education system. The findings of the study may assist the Ministry of Education to launch training and sensitization on mass application of digitized content in schools and to lobby for digital resources and teachers to develop the culture of preparing teaching aids that align with the curriculum. The study recommends research on the influence of virtual reality technology on Physical Geography performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in other sub-counties in Kenya Master's Thesis

Assessment of methods used by chemistry teachers in developing scientific thinking skills among secondary school learners in Nyakach sub - county Kenya

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Assessment of methods used by chemistry teachers in developing scientific thinking skills among secondary school learners in Nyakach sub - county Kenya OLOO, Akiri Ayub The teaching of Chemistry remains challenging in secondary schools in Kenya since Chemistry requires learners to think abstractly. There is need to instill scientific thinking skills that permeates the field of science. According to Kenya National Examination Council, learners avoid questions that require such skills as critical thinking and problem solving, an indicator that the scientific thinking skills are inadequately developed. This contributed to low achievement in Chemistry in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, between the years 2013 – 2018 with the mean score being 3.5724 at national level, 3.3780 for Nyakach, 3.7479, for Kisumu Central, 3.5110 for Nyando and 3.4516 for Muhoroni with Nyakach having the lowest mean. Since the development of skills depend on the method of teaching, it was important to examine what ails the methodology used by Chemistry teachers to develop such skills among learners. The purpose of this study was to assess the methods of teaching used by Chemistry teachers to enable learners develop scientific thinking skills. The objectives of the study were to: determine the methods used by Chemistry teachers to enhance learners‘ acquisition of analytical skills in secondary schools; investigate the methods used to develop evaluative skills among learners, and investigate the methods used to enable learners develop inferential skills. The study adopted the Context, Input, Process, Product (CIPP) theoretical model developed by Stufflebeam (1983). The design of the study was descriptive survey and was conducted in Nyakach Sub-County in Kenya. The study targeted a population 2540 Form 3 Chemistry students and 54 Chemistry teachers from 54 secondary schools within the Sub-County. The form 3 students had opted for Chemistry and were readily available because they were not an examination class. A total 18 schools were randomly sampled 6 from each of the three divisions. Chemistry teachers were purposively sampled from the 18 schools. Using the table by Krejicie and Morgan (1970), 333 learners were sampled using simple random sampling form the sampled schools. Data from teachers was collected using interviews and a lesson observation using a rating scale as they taught Chemistry. Data from learners was collected using structured questionnaires. The instruments were piloted to ascertain their reliability and critiqued by the experts from the school of education to determine their face validity. The reliability was established by computing a Cronbach alpha for the test items. The Cronbach‘s Alpha coefficient was 0.843. Data from interviews was analyzed qualitatively by organization into categories as per the emergent themes then reported and presented in a narrative form while data from observation guide and learners questionnaire were quantitatively analyzed using percentages and means and presented in form of tables. The study revealed that, the Chemistry teachers were acquainted with the methods of enhancing acquisition and development of analytical skills such as questioning, use of models, discussion and use of ICT and that even though they were aware of the skills that would develop analytical skills among the learners, their classroom practices revealed 40.0% of the teachers applied the said skills. The study also found Chemistry teachers are well endowed with the methods for developing evaluative skills such as inquiry based learning, problem based approach and project work but the methods were minimally used as lecture method dominated. Further teachers limit the development of scientific thinking skills by use of lecture method and limited practical and project work 45.4% of the teachers used such methods. The findings also revealed that teachers 43.3% applied methods that help the learners develop inferential skills, such as inductive reasoning, practical work and teacher guided demonstrations. The study concluded chemistry teachers unsatisfactorily used methods that enable the development of scientific thinking skills among the learners in Nyakach sub –county at 42.93%. The findings of the study may be useful to: Chemistry teachers to focus on the higher order thinking skills as they teach Chemistry, the teacher training institutions focus on the skills which promote scientific thinking and curriculum support officers to assist teachers improve their instructional methods Master's Thesis

Gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry curriculum and achievement in secondary schools in Matayos sub-county, Kenya

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry curriculum and achievement in secondary schools in Matayos sub-county, Kenya WANZALA, Nafula Josephine Chemistry is one of the essential science subjects in most scientific courses at the university level. From the year 2013 to 2016, analysis of the chemistry results in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) by gender showed the mean scores attained by boys as 2.11 (2013), 2.09 (2014), 1.86 (2015) and 2.61 (2016) while that of girls was1.20 (2013), 1.18 (2014), 1.23(2015) and 1.56 (2016) out of the total mean of 12.00 points, in Matayos Sub- County. The results show gender differences in performance in the subject. Studies on the relationship between Students’ Attitude towards Chemistry and Achievement in the subject have been conducted in Matayos Sub-County, but no known study in the Sub-County has established gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry curriculum components and academic achievement in the subject. The purpose of this study therefore was to establish gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry curriculum components and academic Achievement in secondary schools in Matayos Sub-County, Kenya. The objectives of this study were to establish gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards Chemistry: objectives, content, methods, evaluation, and Academic achievement in chemistry. In the conceptual framework, independent variable was students’ attitude towards chemistry curriculum objectives, content, methodology and evaluation while the dependent variable was Achievement in chemistry. Both descriptive survey and correlation research designs were employed. The target population was 900 Form 4 students from all the 14 secondary schools in the Sub-County. The sample size of 269 students (130 girls and 139 boys) was obtained by Krejcie and Morgan formula. Research instruments used to collect data were Students’ Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), Students’ Interview Schedule (SIS), and Document Analysis Guide (DAG).Reliability of the students’ questionnaire was determined using Crobanch’s alpha formula. For validity, the instruments were presented to experts from Department of Educational Communication, Technology and Curriculum Studies, Maseno University for scrutiny and examination. Descriptive statistics (means, frequency counts and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (t-test and Pearson’s, r and regression analyses) were used for analysis of quantitative data. Qualitative data was transcribed and reported in an on- going process as themes and sub-themes emerged. The study established that there was gender difference in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry objectives and achievement(p <.05).There was no gender differences in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry content and achievement,( p> .05). Similarly, there was no gender difference in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry methods and achievement, (p >.05).Gender difference in the relationship between students’ attitude towards chemistry evaluation and achievement was statistically significant (p< .05). The study therefore recommends that teachers need to inculcate the importance of the objectives of studying chemistry to learners as some learners were not aware of the role and the importance of chemistry in their carrier choice and even their daily lives. Teachers need to help girls demystify that some of the topics in the chemistry course are difficult, since gender does not moderate the relationship between attitude towards chemistry content and achievement. There is need for teachers to ensure that both boys and girls get equal opportunities to participate during lesson instruction, as there is no gender difference in students’ attitude towards chemistry methods and achievement. Teachers need to put proper evaluation strategies to prepare learners adequately to tackle the KCSE examination. There is need to motivate them to change their attitudes positively as there exists gender difference in the relationship between students ’attitudes towards chemistry evaluation and achievement. Master's Thesis

Effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on competency based formative assessment of mathematical activities in public pre-primary schools in Gem sub-county, Kenya

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT

Effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on competency based formative assessment of mathematical activities in public pre-primary schools in Gem sub-county, Kenya ONYANGO, O. Ezra Competency Based Formative Assessment (CBFA) is a key component of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) education reform initiative in Kenya. Effective in-service training of teachers is crucial for the conduct of CBFA at pre-primary school. A lot of teacher retraining has been conducted since the inception of CBC. However, its scope and effectiveness has not been established. Only 42.79% of pre-primary teachers in Gem have been retrained on CBC, a percentage lower than other sub-counties in Siaya. After the in-service training, it was expected that the teachers conduct assessment for learning following the CBC rollout. Further, Mathematical Activities in Gem registered the lowest performance at a mean of 1.50 compared to other Sub-Counties in Siaya. This raises questions whether the teachers poses the requisite knowledge to conduct formative assessment, which aids learning and achievement. The purpose of the study was to assess effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on Competency Based Formative Assessment of Mathematical Activities in public Pre-primary schools in Gem. Objectives of the study were to establish effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on knowledge and skills to conduct CBFA of mathematical activities, establish effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on psychological factors to conduct CBFA of mathematical activities and to establish effectiveness of in-service training of teachers on social factors to conduct CBFA of mathematical activities. Conceptual framework was based on Schildkamp et al. (2020) model of three categories of the prerequisites for in-service training of teachers a requirement for CBFA of Mathematical Activities. The study employed descriptive survey research design using the mixed methods of data collection to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The target population was 95 teachers (selected purposively from the schools), 95 headteachers and one Gem Sub-County ECD Coordinator (SCECDC). Saturated sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 85 pre-primary teachers. The sample of headteachers (10) was obtained by drawing 10% of their population. Simple random sampling was used to select headteachers while purposive sampling to obtain the one SCECDC and pre-schools. Data was obtained using questionnaire, classroom observation checklist and interview schedule. A pilot study was conducted on 10% (10) of pre-primary teachers not sampled for the final study. Reliability of teacher questionnaire was obtained through test-retest at an interval of two weeks using Pearson correlation coefficient (r= 0.83). Inter-rater reliability was used to determine reliability of the observation checklist on the teachers used for piloting. The reliability of interview schedule was determined by expert judgment of supervisors. Validity of the instruments was determined by expert judgment by supervisors. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics involving frequency distribution tables, percentages and means while qualitative data was analyzed using thematic categories. The overall average mean was 2.84 implying teachers are ineffectively retrained to conduct CBFA. Findings indicate that teachers have limited knowledge on using ICT; they could not differentiate formative from summative evaluation; they have negative attitude towards formative assessment practice as well as not retrained on strategies of involving learners during formative assessment. The study findings delineate the significance attached to acquisition of prerequisites suggested by Schildkamp et al. (2020) for formative assessment. The findings imply that there is need for better structured INSET based on prior identification of teachers needs by relevant education stakeholders to undertake assessment. Further research on ICT integration in the implementation of CBC through assessment practice may need to be carried out. Master's Thesis

Analysis of the impact of the stack system on learner engagement, performance, and perception on its use in mathematics at Maseno University, Kenya

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

Analysis of the impact of the stack system on learner engagement, performance, and perception on its use in mathematics at Maseno University, Kenya JUMA, Zevick Otieno Feedback plays a crucial role in enhancing student learning outcomes. In large classes it is instrumental in maintaining student engagement, motivation, and overall academic performance by addressing misconceptions, and fostering deeper understanding of content amongst others. The School of Mathematics, Statistics, and Actuarial Science at Maseno University has had challenges with carrying out frequent formative assessments in its 20 high-enrollment introductory courses, due to large class sizes (500 to 1000 students) and limited lecturer support, affecting student engagement with content. In 2019, the faculty recognized the need for technological solutions to overcome the limitations of traditional assessment called the STACK system. The STACK system is a digital online platform with the ability to deploy grade randomized, advanced and adaptive mathematics related questions as well as provide immediate feedback, making it a valuable tool for large classes with diverse learning needs. However, despite its implementation, a research gap exists regarding its effectiveness as a solution for improving student engagement, performance, and perception in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of the STACK system on learner performance, factors affecting engagement and learner perception on its use in mathematics at Maseno University. The research objectives were to: examine the correlation between learner test results within the STACK system and the scores in the end-of-semester exams, evaluate the factors affecting learner engagement with the STACK system and the end-of-semester exams and evaluate learner perceptions regarding the use of the STACK system as a formative assessment tool in mathematics. This study was guided by Gagne’s theory of 9 levels of learning. This study was done at Maseno University, SMSAS. Population of the study was 4417 students enrolled in 5 high-enrolment courses already using STACK.Purposive sampling was used to select a single course for analysis which had 517 students enrolled. The study used STACK Quiz Analysis Guide, Students' Score Card, Online Survey Questionnaire, Interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to collect data. Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.87) was used to check the survey questionnaire's reliability. Reliability and validity of the remaining tools were checked by experts in the field of education. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between STACK scores and the end-of-semester exam (r=0.63, p ≤ 0.01), as well as the frequency of STACK engagement and end-of-semester exam scores (r=0.61, p ≤ 0.01). Key factors affecting learner engagement, are feedback, randomization, quiz availability, and peer interaction, having both positive and negative impacts on student learning and final outcome in the course. The online survey, interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) revealed a generally positive perception of the use of STACK in formative assessment in mathematics. Despite this, concerns were expressed regarding insufficient feedback from certain STACK questions. These findings align with Gagne's theory of learning, emphasizing the significance of formative assessment, learner engagement, individual differences and positive perception, for effective learning. The study recommends further investigation to explore the impact of different types of feedback on learner cognition in undergraduate mathematics, to address the concerns raised by the students about insufficient feedback in certain STACK questions. Master's Thesis

Assessment of information communication technology preparedness, pedagogical integration and impact on chemistry performance in secondary schools in Kisumu county, Kenya

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Assessment of information communication technology preparedness, pedagogical integration and impact on chemistry performance in secondary schools in Kisumu county, Kenya OTIANG’A , Ruth Atieno Information Communication Technology (ICT) integration is embraced in education to improve quality of learning and performance globally. In 1996, the Ministry of Education in Kenya, directed secondary schools to introduce computer studies into their curriculum. In 2006 (with studies having demonstrated positive correlation between ICT integration and performance), under its national ICT policy, the ministry encouraged ICT integration in education using even basic infrastructure including mobile phones and Internet; and, jumpstarted the program with grants for ICT equipment to 5 schools in every constituency in the republic. Chemistry is expected to benefit more because the versatile ICT tools concretize concepts and enhance learning of its abstract content. However, in Kisumu County Chemistry performance has remained the lowest among neighbouring counties with an average mean score of 4.45 compared to 5.085 respectively out of 12.00 from 2013 to 2016, suggesting that despite ICT integration, much has not been achieved. Moreover, training of teachers appears to be about use of, not teaching with the technology, raising doubts on their preparedness and perceptions of ICT on performance. The purpose of this study was to assess ICT preparedness, pedagogical integration and impact on Chemistry performance in secondary schools in Kisumu County. Objectives were to: establish availability of ICT resources, assess Chemistry teachers’ preparedness to integrate ICT in pedagogy, determine the extent of integration of ICT and establish stakeholders’ perceptions of ICT integration on KCSE Chemistry performance. The study was anchored on “stimulus and response” theory involving Teacher Quality, Instructional Quality and Student Outcome. Descriptive survey and sequential exploratory design was used. The study population was 125 Chemistry teachers, 61 school principals, 5,962 Form 4 Chemistry students from 61 public secondary schools with computers and 7 Sub-county Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (SQASO) in Kisumu County. Stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 17 secondary schools with computers. Student sample size was determined using Krejcie and Morgan Table which yielded 340 Form 4 Chemistry students, while 39 Chemistry teachers and 17 school principals were purposively selected. Saturated sampling was used to select 6 SQASOs. Data collection instruments were Questionnaires, Observation Checklist and an ICT Integrated Lesson Observation Guide. The instruments were piloted on 10% of population of principals, teachers, students and SCQASO. The Chronbach’s alpha reliability indices (α) of the questionnaires for principals, Chemistry teachers and Chemistry students and SQASO were .70, .72, .71 and .73 respectively. Content validity of the instruments was established by experts’ advice at the School of Education, Maseno University. Quantitative analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics that included frequency counts, percentages, means and standard deviations, while qualitative data was analyzed thematically. Findings indicated that ICT resources were available but not adequate for integration in Chemistry pedagogy; all Chemistry teachers were IT literate but seldom performed tasks in lesson preparation or in pedagogy with ICT; extent of ICT integration was very low as only 24.5% of learners have experienced ICT integration in their Chemistry lessons; and, stakeholders had positive perceptions that ICT integration improves performance but teachers seldom used it in instruction. The study concluded that ICT is not being integrated in pedagogy; and recommends that: the Ministry of Education considers funding ICT resources in schools as it does other obligations; teachers should practice technological integration; all schools should have instructional websites and go digital with all their pedagogical activities. This study is significant to the ministry of education on enhancement of e-learning.

An assessment of in-service education and training Needs of primary school agriculture teachers in Kenya

Fri, 01 Jan 1999 00:00:00 GMT

An assessment of in-service education and training Needs of primary school agriculture teachers in Kenya INDOSHI, Francis C. Recent years have witnessed a growing inclination in developing countries towards the diversification of the primary school curriculum. Pre-vocational subjects have been added to the traditional academic curriculum so that pupils are exposed to vocational knowledge, skills and attitudes which will enable majority of them to become self employed in the rural informal sector. Agriculture provides livelihood for about 80% of the people in these countries. Hence Agricultural education is given prominence in the curriculum. In Kenya the government has recognised the high status and priority . Agriculture ought to occupy in the school curriculum. Official policy documents on the 8-4-4 System of Education leave no doubt that Agriculture should be taught as a subject in all primary schools to enable majority of the youth to appreciate the role of agriculture in the nation building effort. However, the government's wishes have not been accompanied by commitment to ensure that there are competent teachers to implement the curriculum. Teachers who were assigned to teach Agriculture were not sufficiently prepared to handle the subject competently. Pre-service or initial teacher education was not adequate to enable the teachers to cope with the demands of the new Agriculture curriculum. The teachers needed in-service education and training (INSET) courses that would enable them to understand the philosophy of the new agriculture curriculum and its implementation strategies. However, existing INSET courses have been haphazard, unsystematic and ad hoc without a well thought out curriculum. The programmes lack relevance because they are usually structured on the basis of the Xl 11 observations of INSET providers and the requests of educational administrators. Very seldom are structured surveys undertaken by the providers to identify the priority INSET needs of their target groups. Yet psychology supports the notion that learning is at its optimum when what is learned satisfies the need of the learner. Similarly, INSET activities are most effective if participating teachers are ready for the topics addressed and if they feel that these topics are high on their priority list of problems. The purpose of this study was to find out the INSET needs of the teachers and to suggest guidelines for future development, implementation and evaluation of the INSET programmes in general and those related to the teaching of Agriculture in particular. The theoretical framework of the study was provided by the concept of "Needs Assessment". Needs assessment describes an operation designed to identify those areas of educational deficiency most worth of amelioration. In this study the Primary School Agriculture curriculum, teachers' experiences of previous INSET courses they attended and their current knowledge, skills and attitudes were used as sources from which to decipher their INSET needs. The sample for this study was 200 teachers of Agriculture. This figure represented 20% of all agriculture teachers in Vihiga District. The sample included only Primary School Agriculture teachers who had had initial teacher education, attended INSET course(s) on the teaching of the 8-4-4 primary school agriculture curriculum and completed at least two years in the service since attending the INSET course(s). This group of teachers was considered most likely to give an accurate assessment of INSET programmes. Data was collected in two phases. Phase one involved indepth study of 10 teachers through participant observation, unstructured interviews and document analysis. The second phase involved validation of the data collected in phase one, using a survey questionnaire covering the 200 teachers of Agriculture. Data collection and analysis was a concurrent process. Data analysis in the field was done for the purpose of generating generic and specific competencies for inclusion in the confirmation survey questionnaire. Data analysis at the end of field work focused on the questionnaire, and was done by use of descriptive statistics. The findings of the study showed that despite the official emphasis on INSET, its planning, implementation and evaluation left a lot to be desired. Teachers rarely attended INSET. The courses organised emphasised pedagogy at the expense of subject matter. Teachers were regarded by course facilitators as mere recipients of content, as they had little or no input. People with little or no experience of classroom teaching were drafted as course facilitators. Most of the courses were organised at zonal level, and Teacher Advisory Centres served as venues. Most of the courses lasted one day. This duration was too short to enable teachers to study all the materials in detail. This was worsened by the fact that courses were scheduled during school hours, hence putting pressure on teachers' time as far as their official duties were concerned. Course graduands were rarely given incentives for attending INSET. The lecture method was predominantly used. Finally, it was noted that the courses were rarely evaluated. In the light of the above findings it is recommended that; teachers should attend in service courses regularly, at least once in a year; INSET content should be balanced, that is, it should emphasise both academic and methodology competences. INSET courses should be organized at zonal, divisional and district level in line with the centralized curriculum development model currently used in the country; as much as possible courses should be held at venues with relevant facilities and materials; courses should last at least one week to give teachers adequate time to study; the courses should be organized during holidays when teachers have sufficient time; the courses should be designed to provide teachers with new knowledge, skills and attitudes as this tends to motivate them; andragogical methods should be emphasized in INSET; a variety of media should be selected and used during the courses; follow up evaluation should be undertaken after every course to provide feedback for improving the courses. Thesis(PhD)

Influence of selected factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu west sub-county, Kenya

Tue, 01 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Influence of selected factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu west sub-county, Kenya MURUNGA, Zainab Composition writing helps learners to acquire writing skills. However, students’ performance in Kiswahili composition at the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination shows that national performance has been fluctuating with a mean of 14.20 in 2008, 15.40 in 2009, 14.32 in 2010, 16.43 in 2011 and 10.43 in 2012 out of 40 marks. From year 2008 to 2012, Kisumu West Sub-County students’ performance in the Joint Evaluation Test (JET) shows that performance was lower compared to other sub-counties in Kisumu County with a mean of 11.20 which was below the county mean of 13.49. Although studies have established that teachers, students, and resources are key determinants of performance, students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition has remained below average in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County. The purpose of the study was to establish the influence of selected factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub County. Objectives of the study were to: establish the influence of teacher related factors; ascertain the influence of student related factors, and determine the influence of resource related factors on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. This study was guided by the production function theory of education advanced by Cobb and Douglas (1928), where a school is seen as a firm which receives inputs (teachers, students and resources) and transforms them to educational outputs through a process. This theory measures output (students’ academic performance) by standardized achievement test scores. The study also used a conceptual framework showing various factors influencing students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. The study employed descriptive survey and correlation designs. Target population was 1622 Form 4 students, 54 teachers of Kiswahili Language, 33 Heads of Department (HOD) and 1 Sub-County Curriculum Support Officer (SCCSO). Purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 48 teachers, 29 HOD and 1 SCCSO. Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) formula was used to select a sample of 310 Form 4 students. Teacher and student questionnaire, HOD/SCCSO interview schedule and Kiswahili composition test were used for data collection. Face and content validity was established by consulting experts from Maseno University, Department of Educational Communication, Technology and Curriculum Studies. Test-retest technique was used to establish reliability of the questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation gave ‘r’ value of .805, which was above the threshold of 0.7, and this was acceptable. Correlation was used to establish the relationship between the selected factors and students academic performance. The study found a positive strong relationship between teacher related factors (r=.538*, p≤.05; 2-tailed), student related factors (r=.523*, p≤.05; 2-tailed) and resource related factors (r=.821*, p≤.05; 2-tailed) and students’ academic performance. Multiple-regression was used to assess the strength of relationship between the selected factors and students’ academic performance and found that R2=.694. This implied that improvement in the selected factors would increase students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. This was supported by HODS’ and SCCSO through interview. It is hoped that the findings of this study would provide information that is to be a base for corrective measures to arrest the unexpected dismal performance in Kiswahili composition in public secondary schools in Kisumu West Sub-County. This study will also increase available knowledge in the field of education about the factors influencing students’ academic performance Kiswahili composition in Kisumu West Sub-County, thus increasing the literature on factors that influence students’ academic performance in Kiswahili composition. Finally, the findings from this study will add to the knowledge on which further research on related issues can be based. Masters Thesis

Challenges of implementing of history and government curriculum in secondary schools in Ugenya district, Kenya

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Challenges of implementing of history and government curriculum in secondary schools in Ugenya district, Kenya ODUOR, Denice N. Implementation of History and Government curriculum in many secondary schools in Kenya is perceived as one of the easiest things to do and so schools consider the subject as a booster to their overall academic mean score in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCS E) examinations. However in Ugenya District, the mean score in the subject has declined from 7.67 in the year 2006 to 5.14 in the year 2010. This trend is causing concern among stakeholders and there is outcry for identification of challenges faced by schools with a view to reversing the downward trend in the mean score in the KCSE examinations. The purpose of this study is to identify challenges of History and Government curriculum in Ugenya District. Objectives of the study are to establish teacher-based challenges in implementing History and Government curriculum, find out student-based challenges in implementing History and Government curriculum, determine resource-based challenges in implementing History and Government curriculum and to establish curriculum-based challenges in implementing History and Government curriculum. The conceptual framework is based on teacher-based challenges, student-based challenges, resource-based challenges and curriculum-based challenges which are the independent variables, entry behavior and school culture are the intervening variables while implementing of history and government curriculum is the dependent variable. The study population will be 18 principals, 25 teachers 1200 form four students and one DQASO. From these, a study sample of 16 principals, 23 teachers 400 students and one DQASO may be selected. Simple random sampling will be used to select students while principals, teachers and DQASO will be selected through saturated sampling. Data from principals, teachers and students will be collected through questionnaires while an interview schedule will be used to collect data from the DQASO. To ensure face validity research instruments may be presented to two experts in the Department of Educational Communication and Technology to study them and advice the researcher. Reliability of the instruments may be ensured through piloting involving 10% of the total population of principals, 8% of teachers and 10% of the students. Data will be collected through questionnaires administered to the principals, teachers and students and an interview schedule for the DQASO. Quantitative data will be analysed through descriptive statistics using percentages, frequency counts and means. Qualitative data will be organized, categorized and reported in terms of emergent themes. It is hoped that the findings of the study may help teachers, education officers and interested persons on ways of overcoming challenges of implementing History and Government curriculum in secondary schools. Masters' Thesis

Influence of pedagogical styles on students’ academic achievement in Kiswahili in secondary schools in Kakamega North sub-county, Kenya

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Influence of pedagogical styles on students’ academic achievement in Kiswahili in secondary schools in Kakamega North sub-county, Kenya KANG’AHI, Maurine Academic achievement is a function of many variables, including pedagogical styles. However, pedagogical styles elicit a lot of controversy in research. Their influence on academic achievement, including in Kiswahili, has not been established conclusively. Kakamega North Sub-County (KNSC) in Western Kenya has continuously underperformed in Kiswahili in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. Between the years 2010 and 2014, KNSC registered the lowest mean score of 4.85 compared to a mean score of 6.88 of the top performing sub-county in Kakamega County. There are efforts to improve teaching and learning, but given that teaching and learning styles vary, the crucial question for research is “what teaching styles would be appropriate for what kind of learners?” The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of pedagogical styles on students‟ academic achievement in Kiswahili in KNSC. The objectives of the study were to: determine the influence of environmental dimension of pedagogical styles on academic achievement; establish the influence of sociological dimension of pedagogical styles on academic achievement; determine the influence of emotional dimension of pedagogical styles on academic achievement; establish the influence of physical dimension of pedagogical styles on academic achievement and determine the influence of psychological dimension of pedagogical styles on academic achievement in Kiswahili. The study was anchored on Dunn and Dunn‟s (1992) theory of learning styles from which a conceptual framework was developed to illustrate the relationship between pedagogical styles and students‟ academic achievement. The study was based on descriptive survey and correlational designs. The target population was 2,520 form four students and 42 form four Kiswahili teachers. Yamane‟s (1967) formula was used to derive a sample size of 345 students who were selected by means of simple random sampling technique. Saturated sampling technique was used to select 38 Kiswahili teachers. Data was collected by use of questionnaire, observation schedule and document analysis guide. Face, content and construct validity of the instruments were ascertained through expert judgment and revision. A pilot study was carried out and, using testretest method, the reliability coefficient of the questionnaire stood at .72 for teachers, and .76 for students, while .81 for the lesson observation schedule through inter-rater reliability. These were within the acceptable range. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, independent samples t-test, Pearson‟s correlation, simple linear regression and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Qualitative data was categorized into themes and reported in form of verbatim excerpts. The findings revealed that dimensions of pedagogical styles: physical 2 R = .276 (27.6%), psychological 2 R = .252 (25.2%), environmental 2 R = .229 (22.9%), sociological 2 R = .173 (17.3%), and emotional 2 R = .039 (3.9%) influenced academic achievement in Kiswahili. Further, learning styles: motivation and use of varied activities under sociological; responsibility under emotional; kinesthetic and visual styles under physical; analytic and reflective styles under psychological dimensions were significantly associated with better students‟ academic achievement (p<.05). This implies that teaching styles of Kiswahili should focus on motivation, varied activities, responsibility, motion and manipulation of objects, pictorial presentations, sequential and innovative thinking. The findings may be useful to teacher trainers, teachers and instructional designers in making informed instructional decisions by considering teaching and learning styles as an important variable in instruction. Phd Thesis