TEACHER RELATED FACTORS AND THE PERFORMANCE OF CHEMISTRY IN KAJIADO NORTH OF
KAJIADO COUNTY, KENYA.
THUKU JOHN MUNGAI,
E42/OL/CTY/32309/2016
A RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A POST
GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION OF KENYATTA UNIVERSITY.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………
2
1.1 Background to the study ……………………………………………………………………………………. 3,4,5,6
1.2 Statement of the problem ………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
1.3 Purpose of the study………………………………………………………………………………………………6
1.4 Objectives of the study ………………………………………………………………………………………….7
1.5 Research questions………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
1.6 Significance of the study…………………………………………………………………………………………7
1.7 Scope of the study…………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
1.8 Limitations of the study…………………………………………………………………………………………..8
1.9 Delimitations of the study………………………………………………………………………………………….8
1.10 Assumptions of the study………………………………………………………………………………………..8
1.11 Theoretical framework…………………………………………………………………………………………. 9
1.11 Conceptual framework………………………………………………………………………………………….10
1.12 Operational Definition of Key Terms……………………………………………………………………. 10
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1.0 Introduction
This chapter examines the background to the study, statement of the problem, research
objectives and questions. It also presents the significance of the study, scope, limitation,
delimitations and assumptions of the study. It ends by highlighting the theoretical and conceptual
framework of the study as well as the operational definition of key terms.
1.1 Background to the study
Chemistry has been identified as a very important school subject and its importance in scientific and
technological development of a nation has been widely reported within the context of science education
(Adesoji and Olantubosun, 2008). They further argued that the attainment of scientific and technological
greatness can be achieved with effective teaching of science. According to Ndemo (2007), the Kenya
Government has put a lot of emphasis on science education within the 8.4.4 curriculum, as this is a way
of opening the world of science and technology to the pupils.
The Republic of Kenya (1988) report focused on improving education financing, quality and relevance for
the nation. Session paper no.6 on Education and Training recommended a policy of cost sharing
between government, parents and communities. According to session paper no.1 of 2005, education is
an investment in human capital and a key determinant of economic growth. The report further states
that sustainable development is only possible if there is a critical mass of skilled labor. World Bank
working paper No.101(2007), further observed that secondary education and training will be one of the
key factors for increased economic growth and social development.
Ibrahim (2005) noted that despite efforts made at national level by the Kenya Government to encourage
students to study science, there is still poor performance in chemistry. This is evidence in KCSE Chemistry
results for the last four years whereby the performance has been low nationwide.
Table 1.1: National KNEC Candidates overall performance in Chemistry (2017-2020)
YEAR
OVERALL MAXIMUM SCORE FOR
PAPERS 1,2 AND 3.
MEAN SCORE
2020
200
45.90
2019
200
41.30
2018
200
47.60
2017
200
39.60
Source: KNEC 2020 Examination Reports
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Kenya as a country need well educated and highly skilled man power in science disciplines. Chemistry as
a subject which seemingly deals with the study of matter, cut across all the other branches of science.
According to Emavon (1985), Chemistry can exert a dominant if not decisive influence on the life of
individuals as well as on the development of a nation. According to Wachanga and Mwangi (2004),
Chemistry enhances students’ learning of Biology, Physics and Agriculture on which Kenya industries and
prosperity depend though most students perform poorly in the subject.
Chemistry is taught in Kenya secondary schools from form one to form four. The subject is normally
optional at form 3 and 4 levels but in most cases it is taken by majority of the students due to its
importance in most of career courses especially the science oriented ones. A student has to score highly
in Chemistry to undertake careers such as engineering, medicine, pharmacy at the university education
level. As it has been captured above, the overall performance of chemistry all over the nation has been
very low. In Kajiado North sub-county of Kajiado County, the performance of students in chemistry has
been very wanting. The table below shows the Kajiado North sub county overall performance in
chemistry for the last five years in chemistry national examination.
Table 1.2: Kajiado North sub county KNEC Candidates overall performance Chemistry mean scores 20162020.
YEAR
ENTRY
A to B+
B to C+
C to D+
D to E
X
MEAN
SCORE
2020
2101
92
225
407
1274
103
2.987
2019
2687
87
237
532
1818
13
3.012
2018
3010
93
289
563
1997
68
3.542
2017
3016
81
278
603
2014
40
2.996
2016
2969
78
302
701
1856
32
3.011
Source: Kajiado North sub county education office (2020).
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The table 1.2 indicates that the average mean score in Chemistry for Kajiado North sub county in the
period 2017-2020 is 3.609. This is an equivalent of a mean grade D which is far below the required C+ to
be able to pursue a career course in sciences. This implies that majority of the students from the sub
county stand disadvantaged when it comes to choice of careers that are science based. These results show
a dark future for the sub county concerning students’ performance in chemistry. It seems that there is no
known research having been done in this area in Kajiado North sub county though similar studies have
been carried out in other counties whose findings may not be directly applied in their entirety in Kajiado
North sub county since regions differ in various aspects from one another. This study attempts to
investigate how teacher related factors or characteristics such as experience, gender and job satisfaction
influence the performance of Chemistry in Kajiado North sub county.
Teaching experience is a repository of competencies and knowledge skills acquired by a
classroom teacher in the field of teaching and assessing learner performance in formative and
summative examinations. In the realm of teaching and learning Chemistry as a subject, teacher
(teaching) experience is an indicator of teacher familiarity through experiential learning of
various instructional approaches for effective teaching in a classroom domain. It further equips
the classroom teacher with skills and competences on how to engage learners and maintain
learner discipline during a class session inside or outside a school setting. (Arriaza and Martin
(2007)).
Several scholars have had varying opinions on the effect of teacher’s experience in teaching on
the learner’s performance in a particular subject. For instance, according to Donald Rugraff
(2004), teacher’s experience has very little effect on learners’ performance if any. He argued that
other teacher related factors such as teachers’ salary and motivation have a greater effect on the
performance. Carrie R. Ferguson held that teacher’s teaching experience has a great impact on
learners’ performance only to a certain extent actually up to the basic levels of education
(primary and secondary). Boyd et al. (2008), Harris & Saass (2007), and Papay & Kraft (2007) held
that learners who are taught by less experienced teachers perform poorly compared with
learners taught by more experienced teachers; but that teachers with teaching experience of
more than 25 years are in some circumstances found not to be as effective as less experienced
teachers. Akomolafe (1989) and Ojo (2008) found that teachers’ experience affected
performance of students in Chemistry adding that the more the teacher is qualified and
experienced the better his or her students are likely to perform. Ijaiya (2000) argued that
experience improves teaching skills while pupils learn better at the hands of teachers who have
taught them continuously over a period of years.
Thuranira (2010) says teaching experience improves learner performance and creates a bond
between the learners and the teachers thereby improving preparedness and performance. The
teacher’s gender has been argued to have an influence on the learners’ motivation, classroom
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mood and in turn affect the performance in the respective subject. Just like experience, scholars
in all frontiers have had different opinions on the effect of teacher’s gender on learners’
performance. For instance, Crossman and Harris (2000) say that male teachers are slightly more
satisfied in teaching profession than female teachers. Job satisfaction translates into better
teacher preparedness and in some instances better learner grades.
Odumbe, Simatwa and Ayodo (2015) held that the teacher’s gender has no effect on
performance. The scholars held that holding all factors constant, female teachers measure up
with their male counterparts. Therefore, there is need to investigate how teacher related
factors(characteristics) relate with the performance of chemistry by candidates in Kajiado North
sub county of Kenya.
1.2 Statement of the problem
The importance of science especially chemistry in transforming Kenya into an industrial country
in line with vision 2030 cannot be overemphasized. The government, donors, NGOs and the
entire stakeholders with interest in education spend quite large sum of money in enhancement
of education all in pursuit for economic growth and development. However, it is clear that
performance of students in chemistry in Kajiado North sub county is very worrying. This means
that corrective measures need to be undertaken to enable the students to be in a competitive
position in choice of careers that are science oriented. Kenya, therefore, needs highly skilled
manpower trained in the discipline of science and technology in order to compete successfully in
science courses and maintain sustainability in the field. The study, therefore, seeks to investigate
how teacher related factors (characteristics) relate to the low performance of Chemistry by
candidates in Kajiado North sub county. The researcher would investigate the topic, suggest
solutions and make further recommendations for the findings to be applied in similar regions.
1.3 Purpose of the study.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect teacher related factors on performance in
chemistry within Kajiado North sub county of Kajiado county, Kenya in national examinations.
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1.4 Objectives of the study.
a). To establish whether a teachers’ experience in teaching chemistry has an influence on
performance in the subject in Kajiado North sub county of Kajiado county schools.
b) To investigate whether a teacher’s gender has an influence on performance in Chemistry
within the area of study captured in the topic.
c) To investigate the professional qualification of chemistry teachers in public secondary schools
in Kajiado North sub county.
1.5 Research questions.
a) To what extent does a teacher’s teaching experience influence learners’ performance in
Chemistry?
b) How does gender influence learners’ performance in Chemistry?
c) What are the professional qualifications of chemistry teachers in public secondary schools in Kajiado
North sub county?
1.6 Significance of the study:
The data and the results obtained from this study will be of great assistance to all the education
stake holders in Kajiado North sub county. The findings of this study may be beneficial to the
Ministry of Education in tackling challenges experienced during teaching and learning of
chemistry. The headteachers and the pupils stand to benefit from this study as the weaknesses
in the teaching and learning of chemistry will be exposed and proper mitigation measures
addressed. The study will also be greatly beneficial to future researchers who may be interested
in further research in this area especially in Kajiado North sub county. Chemistry as a subject
would widen and open up more chances to students from the sub county to pursue some of the
most competitive courses in the world of science. Thus, the finding would act as a basis for further
research to ensure that students from Kajiado North sub county compete favorably with the rest
of the candidature for vacancies at universities and tertiary colleges.
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1.7 Scope of the study
The proposed study will cover the sub county of Kajiado North sub county of Kajiado county of Kenya. The
sub county is a cosmopolitan, though most of it is occupied by the Maasai pastoralists. It borders Kajiado
Central in the South East, Machakos to the North East, Nairobi, Kiambu and Nakuru East to the North and
Narok to the west.
1.8 Limitations and delimitations of the study
Limitations of the study:
The study will be confined only to 15 public secondary schools in Kajiado North sub county and
therefore its finding would not be applied to all the secondary schools in Kenya. The finding would
only be generalized to secondary schools within similar regions in terms climatic conditions,
culture and socio-economic factors. Dishonesty from some respondents can also not be
overruled by providing unreliable information affecting the generalization of the findings. Cost
implication for the requirements, resources and travelling expenses could also pose a challenge
to the researcher when undertaking the study.
Delimitations of the study:
The study only covers 15 public secondary schools in Kajiado North sub county with a population
of 2054 form four students. The respondents involved in the study will be drawn from public
secondary schools since they form the majority of the most established schools within the sub
county. A few private schools which are established offer varied curriculums such as IGCE and
GCE which is not in tandem with the K.I. E curriculum being offered in public secondary schools.
Despite the fact that there may be poor performance existing in other science subjects, this study
will only investigate the performance of chemistry in public secondary schools within the sub
county with respect to teacher related factors.
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1.9 Assumptions of the study
The proposed study will, among other assumptions, hold that the sample population of the
schools, students and teachers would represent the entire population of all the teachers and
students taking chemistry in Kenya. It is also considered that the respondents will give accurate
and honest information and that the school administration will provide the necessary support
needed for the teaching and learning of chemistry within Kajiado North sub county.
1.10 Theoretical framework:
Theoretical framework is a general set of assumptions about the nature of phenomena. (Kombo
& Tromp (2006)). It attempts to clarify why things are the way they are based on theories.
Theoretical framework also helps to formulate research problem and defines the relevant data.
This study will be based on Burrhus Frederic Skinner’s theory of motivation of learning. Skinner’s
main argument is that learners’ motivation to undertake a task depends on expected rewards.
The negative perceived rewards lead to negative attitudes and underachievement. It is true to
agree that the learners’ high performance in chemistry in Kajiado North sub county is influenced
by desirable teacher related factors such as experience, gender and the right professional
qualifications of the teachers handling the subject.
Skinner believed that people learn in two different ways. They learn to avoid negative things and
strive for positive things. If a teacher applies their experience to teach a student who had a
problem in balancing chemical equations and the learner begins to balance equations
comfortably, then there is change in behavior and this can affirm the belief that experience
influences teaching and learning.
Learners from Kajiado North are likely to perform well in chemistry if the right learning
environment is provided by the relevant stakeholders in the region. It is worth noting that the
learners with problems in chemistry will benefit if a combination of the desirable teacher related
factors and appropriate resources are put in place.
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1.11 Conceptual framework:
The conceptual framework below shows the relationship between the independent and
dependent variables. The independent variables include the teacher’s experience, gender and
teacher’s professional qualification. There are other variables that influence the performance of
chemistry in public secondary schools which include moderating variables such as school
environment and the extraneous variables such as the learners’ lifestyle, political interference as
well as learners’ self-esteem and confidence.
Independent variables
Moderating variable
School environment
Teacher’s desirable experience
Dependent variable
Better
Performance of
students in
chemistry.
Teacher’s desirable gender
Teacher’s desirable professional
qualification.
Learner’s self esteem
Learner’s lifestyle
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1.12 Operational Definition of Key Terms:
i) Teacher: Refers to the person employed for the purpose of guiding and directing learning
experiences of students in an academic institution.
ii) Experience. Refers to the period of time a teacher has taught chemistry.
iii) Gender: Refers to the teacher’s aspect of being male or female.
iv. Professional qualification: credentials that set a person engaging in an activity apart from any
other person.
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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE.
2.0 Introduction
This chapter highlights similar works carried out by other researchers elsewhere on the effect
of teacher related factors (characteristics) on performance of chemistry. It consists of relevant
themes which have been derived from the research objectives. Each research question has
been thematically reviewed as follows: effect of teacher’s experience on performance of
chemistry, teacher’s gender and its effect on performance of chemistry as well as effect of
teacher’s job satisfaction on performance of chemistry. The literature below was mainly
obtained from scholarly journals, theses and dissertations written by scholars relevant to the
proposed study and the research papers presented at conferences. A list of key words or
phrases was made. In this case, factors influencing chemistry performance was used as the key
phrase so as to guide the researcher to the source of literature in the library. The references on
cards was summarized for easy organization of the literature. The literature so collected was
analyzed, organized and reported in an orderly manner as discussed below. The relevant
literature the researcher intended to collect was on how teacher related factors influence
performance in a certain subject such as chemistry.
2.1 Effect of teacher’s experience on performance of chemistry:
A number of studies have been carried out on the effect of a teacher’s experience on learners’
performance in different subject areas in different parts of the world. Tara Kini and Anne
Podolsky (2016) sought to establish whether teacher experience increases teacher
effectiveness and enhance performance among learners in their study on the effect of teacher
experience on academic performance among K-12 public schools in USA. The study observed
that teaching experience is positively associated with student achievement throughout a
teacher’s career. The study, however, examined all the subjects in a completely different
atmosphere from Kajiado North in accordance with the researchers’ objectives therefore
creating the need for further study on how teachers’ experience affect performance in
chemistry among learners in Kajiado North sub county of Kenya.
Akinsolu (2010) carried out a research study entitled ‘Teachers and Students’ Academic
Performance in Nigerian Secondary Schools’. This study examined a number of qualified and
experienced teachers and their relationship to students’ academic performance in public
secondary schools in a sample of Local Government Areas (LGA) of Osun state. The Senior
School Certificate Examination results from 2001 to 2005 were used to analyze students’
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academic performance and reflected some concerns in the school system. Findings of this study
showed teachers’ experience was significantly related to students’ academic performance.
These findings can be used to guide planners about the need for experienced teachers to
facilitate effective teaching and learning in secondary schools in Nigeria.
It is in this perspective that this study tries to establish whether the same applies to situation in
Kenya more especially in Kajiado North Sub County.
Mugambi (2006) carried out a study on factors that influence students’ performance in KCSE
examination in South Meru district. The study noted that the experience of the teachers was
significant in influencing performance in secondary schools and the Ministry of Education
should organize workshops for teachers periodically to give them more professional
experience. It is therefore in this line that this study investigates whether experience of
chemistry teachers influence performance in the subject among learners from Kajiado North
Sub County.
Ouma (2011) carried out a study on factors influencing performance of students in chemistry in
public secondary schools in Kajiado North district of Kenya. The findings of the study held that
majority of the teachers handling chemistry in the district had enough experience to teach the
students with 71.4% of the teacher respondents having Bachelor’s degrees and about 23.7%
with Masters Degrees. The study also noted that despite the high experience demonstrated by
the chemistry teachers in the district understudy, this did not translate into better performance
in the subject. The study also revealed that very few teachers of the subject attend induction
workshops and seminars organized by the Ministry of Education accounting to about 11.8% of
the teachers covered by the study. The researcher concluded that this may be a contributory
factor to the poor performance of chemistry within the district under study. Whilst this study
appears to be very similar to the proposed study in that the subject and the area under the
study is actually the same, some gaps still remain which the proposed study attempts to bridge.
Some of these include the fact that the study concentrated on the professional qualifications of
the chemistry teachers in the district which in my view is slightly different from teaching
experience as the latter majorly alludes to the duration of one’s teaching justifying the need for
the proposed study.
2.2 Effect of teacher’s gender on learners’ performance in chemistry
The study by Timothy Winkelmann (2009) on The Impact of Teacher Gender on Elementary
Students’ Academic Performance carried out in Columbia among the third and fifth grade
students revealed that students of male teachers did not show significant academic growth
regardless of student gender. The study observed that female students taught by female
teachers showed marginally significant growth in reading when compared to male students of
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female teachers. Findings of this study also revealed that teacher gender did not make a
statistically significant difference in student academic growth in mathematics for either gender.
It is worth noting that the study only covered lower levels of education and limited its findings
to mathematics and reading skills. The ongoing study attempts to investigate the relationship
between teacher genders on performance in chemistry in Kajiado North sub county of Kenya.
Dee (2006) researched the link between teacher gender and student achievement. Dee used
the data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS), which organized student
achievement data and teacher gender. The data included 24599 eighth grade students of a
German elementary school. Findings of the study showed that students learn best when they
are taught by teachers of the same gender. In the study, female students with a female teacher
raised the achievement by 4%. It is in this perspective that this study tries to determine
whether the same applies to the situation in Kenya more especially in Kajiado North Sub
County.
Ouma (2011) in his study aimed at investigating factors that influence performance of
chemistry in public secondary schools of the former Kajiado district observed that teacher
related factors such as professional experience affect performance of the subject in the area
under study. He however did not observe any effect of teacher gender on the performance of
the subject. He, in his recommendation, recommended for further research on the subject
encouraging future scholars to study this subject possibly in the same area. It is on this note
that the current study tries to establish if teacher gender as a teacher related factor affects
performance of chemistry in Kajiado North sub county of Kajiado county of Kenya.
Heather, Ozkan and Serkan (2012) in their study on the effect of teacher gender on student
achievement in primary school in mathematics observed that the effect is a mixed one
assuming that the teacher’s background in mathematics is held constant. Some findings from
the study held that female students fare worse on their math test scores if they were taught by
a female teacher without a strong background in mathematics. However, when the teacher’s
background in mathematics is held constant, varied effect was noted. In some of the findings of
the study, the teacher’s gender was found to have a positive, no effect or even a negative one.
It is on the backdrop of this study that the proposed study attempts to bridge the gaps therein.
For instance, the study focused on mathematics subject and hence its findings may not taken in
their entirety in the proposed study as the latter attempts to study performance in chemistry.
Also, whilst the study majorly covered female students in primary schools, the proposed study
covers both male and female students in secondary schools. The study was also carried out in a
completely different geographical and cultural context from the one the proposed study
14
intends to cover. All these gaps among others necessitate further study in the subject justifying
the proposed study.
2.3 Professional qualification of chemistry teachers
Akinsolu (2010) carried out a research study entitled Teachers and Students’ Academic
Performance in public secondary schools in Nigeria. This study examined the number of
qualified teachers and their relationship to students’ academic performance in public secondary
schools in a sample of Local Government Areas (LGA) of Osun state. The Senior School
Certificate Examination results from 2000/2001 to 2004/2005 were used to analyze students’
academic performance and reflected some concerns in the school system.
Findings of this study showed teachers’ professional qualification was significantly related to
students’ academic performance. These findings can be used to guide planners about the need
for qualified teachers to facilitate effective teaching and learning in secondary schools in
Nigeria. It is in this perspective that study tries to determine whether the same applies to the
situation in Kenya more especially in Kajiado North Sub County.
Ongubiyi (2004) in his study “New challenges in the methodologies of teaching in Nigeria”
stated that problems facing science teaching today is how current the teaching professional is
as at present. He observed that majority of the teachers had been employed in the past
decades and they have been doing the same the same thing, the same way all along. They have
no knowledge of the current ideas and innovations that have taken place in the field in the past
recent. He emphasized on the importance of the teachers attending training workshop in their
areas of specialties. This study confirms that the teacher qualification and development is an
important factor in determining student academic achievement. But having been done in a
different country there is need to find out whether the same influences performance of
chemistry in public and private secondary schools in Kajiado North sub county of Kenya.
Grangeat and Gray (2007) investigated factors influencing teachers’ professional competence
development. This study aimed to increase understanding and knowledge concerning teachers’
competence enhancement. The results of the study highlighted the effects of the organization
of the collective work situations: spurring exchanges amongst teachers and school partners
appears to be a main factor for improving teachers’ conceptions about teaching. Some ideas
are outlined for constructing new continuing professional development programs and studying
their effects.
Sifuna (1989) in his study on Certificate of Primary Education Examination revealed that teacher
expertise, facility condition and instructional materials affect Kenyan primary school quality.
This indication was by student performance in the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE). He
further stated that higher scores are only attainable whenever there are more professionally
15
qualified teachers. This study mainly concentrated on primary school level. The study at hand
tries to find out whether teachers’ expertise influences performance of chemistry in secondary
schools within Kajiado North Sub County.
Mugambi (2006) carried out a study on factors that influence students’ performance in the
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in South Meru district. Based on her
enumerated findings, she noted that academic qualification of teachers was significant in
influencing performance in secondary schools and that the Ministry of Education (MoE) should
organize in-service courses for teachers periodically to give them more professional experience.
It is therefore in this lime light that this study investigates whether professional qualifications of
chemistry teachers in public secondary schools influences performance of learners within
Kajiado North sub county.
Ouma (2011) in his study on factors influencing performance in chemistry in Kajiado North Sub
County observed that 92.8% of the respondent teachers sampled across all the public schools in
the area under study were professionally qualified teachers. This, however, according to the
researcher did not translate into better performance among learners in chemistry in the area
under study. Whilst this study only covered twelve out of the then population of about 150
chemistry teachers in the district, it is the view of the proposed study that the sample size is not
adequately representative of the population and that the findings drawn from the study may
not be generalized to explain the whole idea of teachers’ professional qualification as a factor
influencing performance of chemistry in Kajiado North sub county hence need for further
research. It is on the backdrop of this fact that the proposed study comes in to address the gap.
2.4 Summary
Based on the literature review in this study, the researcher concluded that varied teacher
related factors are likely to influence performance of students in chemistry in in public and
private schools within Kajiado North sub county. The literature cited the need for well
experienced teachers to render an effective instruction for learning gains to be realized
especially in chemistry. The literature further revealed that there is need for effective utilization
of teachers ‘ professional qualification in the process of teaching and learning of chemistry for
better results to be realized On the issue of gender, the researcher observed that teacher
gender has very small effect if any on the effectiveness of a teacher’s instruction ability in
chemistry. However, the following gaps were identified from the above literature review which
the proposed study attempts to address:
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First, a number of studies discussed above have been conducted out of context in relation to
the proposed study. Secondly, the researcher also established that there is only one empirical
research known to have been undertaken to study the above factors and their relationship to
academic achievement in chemistry with particular reference to Kajiado North sub county of
Kenya. Therefore, to fill in the gaps, the researcher intends to collect sufficient data on teacher
related factors and their relationship with performance of chemistry in Kajiado North Sub
County These teacher related factors include:
I) Effect of teacher experience on performance of chemistry.
II) Effect of teacher gender on performance of chemistry.
III) Effect of teacher professional qualification on performance in chemistry.
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