Use of experiment as a teaching methodology for Physics in secondary school is crucial for successful concept delivery by the subject teachers and concept mastery by the learners. Delivering quality content in Physics in most schools in Kenya, nevertheless, has been met with a number of challenges such as inadequate trained teachers, lack of infrastructure (for instance, Physics laboratory, laboratory apparatus, and lack of Laboratory Assistants etc. For instance, in 2014 Gem Disctrict (in Kenya) 52% of teachers of Physics are untrained (that is, they lack basic training to qualify them as teachers of Physics). The contribution of this study is to establish the influence of teacher-based factors on the use of experiments in teaching Physics in secondary schools in Kenya (case of schools in Gem District). Specifically, the study addresses the following objectives: firstly, it determines the influence of the teacher’s professional qualification on the use experiments in teaching Physics; secondly, it establishes the influence of teacher experience on the use of experiments in teaching Physics and the influence of teaching load on the use of experiments in teaching Physics; and lastly, it establishes the influence of the lesson preparation on the use of experiments in teaching Physics. The study employs both descriptive survey and correlation design approaches with a population of 32 participants. Data is collected using questionnaires and interviews. A pilot study is done in 3 secondary schools to test the reliability of the data instruments (achieving Pearson’s r value of 80%) We use both descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, percentages frequencies and Pearson’s r to analyse the quantitative data while qualitative data is transcribed, organized and categorized according to themes and sub-themes. The study results shows that teaching experience, teacher’s preparation, lesson planning and teaching load affect the quantity and quality of experiments carried out by Physics teachers.
Abrahams, I.Z. (2005).Between rhetoric and reality:The use and effectiveness of practical work in secondary schools science. Unpublished PhD Thesis, University of NewYork, UK.
Adeyemo, S.A. (2010).Teaching/learnig of Physics in Nigerian secondary schools: The curriculum transformation, issues, problems and prospects. International Journal of Educational research and technology, 1,99-111.
Agwanda, J.A. (2002). A study of student achievement in K.C.P.E. in Kisumu District..
Unpublished M.Ed Thesis, Maseno UniversityKenya.
Aldrich, J. (1995). Correlations genuine and spurious in pearson and yule: Statistical science,10 , 364–376.
Alonzo, A.C.(2002).Evaluation of a model of supporting the development of elementary school teachers and science content knowledge: Proceedings of annual international conference of association for the education of teachers of science.Education Journalof North Carolina, 22, 97-101.
Anderson, R.A. (2002). Reforming science teaching: What research says about inquiry.
Journal of Science Teacher Education, 13(1), 1-12.
Ayemi, T. O. (2010). Teaching experience and students learning outcomes in secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria. Educational Research & Review 3(6) 204-212
Biggs, J. (2000). Teaching for quality learning at University (pp.165-203).Buckingham, UK: SRHE and Open University Press.
Brookfield, S.D. (2006).The skillful teacher: On technique trust and responsiveness in the classroom (2nded.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Coombe C. (2002). Keeping the education system healthy: Managing the impact of HIV/AIDS on education in South Africa. Journal of Current issues in comparative Education,3,17-23.
Etkina, E. (2002). Formative and summative assessment in a Physics class: Time to change proceedings of the 2002 Physics Education Research Conference, Boise, Idaho, 25-31.
Frankel, J. R. &Wallen, N. L. (2003).How to design and evaluate research in education
Goldhaber, D., Brewer, D., Eide, E. & Rees, D. (1999).Testing for sample selection in the Milwaukee school choice Experiment.Journal ofEconomics of Education Review, 18, 259-267.
Ingersoll, R.M. (2002). The teacher shortage: A case of wrong diagnosis and wrong perception. NASSP Bulletin, 86.
Japanese International Cooperation Agency, (2002).Partners in Development.Nairobi, Kenya: JICA News letter.
Japanese International Cooperation Agency, (2001).Partners in Development.Nairobi, Kenya: JICA News letter.
Jens, R. (2011). Expert teaching: Knowledge and pedagogy to lead the profession.London: David Fulton.
KNEC (2011).2010 KCSE Examination Report.Nairobi. KNEC .
Kahere, E. (2011). A comparative study of the attitudes of teachers at special and educationally inclusive schools towards learners with little or no functional speech using communicational devices.South African Journal of Education, 22, 213-218.
Kenya Institute of Education, (2006). Secondary Physics teacher’s handbook.
Nairobi, Kenya: K.I.E
McDermott, L., Shaffer, P.S. &Constantinou C.P.(2000). Preparing teachers to teach
Physics and physical science by inquiry, Physics Education Journal, 35, 411-416.
Millar, R.., Tiberghien, A., & Le Maréchal, J.F. (2002).Varieties of lab work: A way of profiling lab work tasks.Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic.
Mills, H. R. (1991). Teaching and training: A handbook for instructors (3rded.). London :Macmillan Publishers.
Myers, K. (2008). The Human Services: Getting the Most from your Experience. 2nd Edition. New York: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Ndirangu, M. (2000).A study on the perspectives of teaching practice projects on the teaching of science in selected secondary schools in Kenya. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, EgertonUniversity, Njoro.
Ong’ele, S.A. (2007).Effects of teacher characteristics on teaching of mathematics in public secondary schools in Kisumu District, Kenya.Unpublished M.Ed.thesis, MasenoUniversity.
Onyango, G. A. (2001). Competences needed by secondary schools head teachers
and implications for pre-service and in-service education: A case of Nairobi and KakamegaDistricts (Kenya).Unpublished Phd dissertation.KenyattaUniversity.
Orodho, A. J.(2004).Technologies of writing research proposals and report in education and social Sciences. Nairobi: Masola Publishers.
Orodho, J. A. (2005). Elements of education and social science research methods
(1sted.). Nairobi: Masola publishers.
Otiato, O. P. (2009). Quality of education and its role in national development: A case study of Kenya’s educational reforms. Kenya Studies Review,3,133-149.
Pimpro, P. K. (2005). Improvisation in science: Teaching of Physics with locally available materials. Retrieved from www.sec.org.za/Physics/pkpimpro.hmtl
Richet, A. (2000).Teaching Teachers for the challenges of change. New Orleans.Colorado state Legislature.
Sachs, J. (2003). Teacher professional standards: Controlling or developing Teaching? Teachers and Teaching; Theory and practice, 9(2), 175-186.
Scrivener, J. (2011).Learning teaching: A guide book for English language teachers (3rded.). London: Macmillan Publishers.
Sergeant, T. and Hannum, E. (2003).Keeping teachers happy : Job satisfaction among primary school teachers in rural china. University of Pennsylvania.
Sheerens, J. (2000).Improving school effectiveness. Paris, UNESCO, ITEP, Fundamentals of Educational.
SMASSE (2004).Attitudes towards mathematics and sciences: Paper presented during 1st cycle of National SMASSE INSET. CEMASTEA, unpublished.
Moon, D. (2005). Point and click or grab and heft: Comparing the influence of physical and virtual instructional materials on elementary school students’ ability to design experiments. Cognition and instruction 21:149-173.
UNESCO, (2006).Teachers and Educational Quality: Monitoring Global needs for 2015. Montreal Institute of Statistics
Wafubwa, C. (1991). Mobility of science teachers from Kenyan secondary schools to other employment.Unpublished Master’s thesis, QueensUniversity.
Wobmann, L. (2000). Schooling resources, educational institutions and students performance: The international evidence. Working paper no.983.Kiel, Germany: Kielinstitute of World Economics
Xaba, M. (2003).Managing teacher turnover.South Africa journal of Education, 23(4): 287-291.
Okono, E. O. (2015). Experimental Approach as a Methodology in Teaching Physics in Secondary Schools. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 5(6). 351-365.
Copyright: © 2015 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
