Impact of children’s own investigations on performance in preschool science activities in East Division of Isiolo District, Kenya
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Date
2011Author
Kathure, Josephine R
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Children’s own investigations on
performance in pre-school science Activities in East Division, Isiolo District. A quasiexperimental
research design was used to conduct the study. Ten pre-schools in East
Division, Isiolo District, were sampled of which five of them were in the experimental
group and five in the control group. All the children, aged 5-6 years, in the experimental
and control pre-schools were sampled. Data was collected both in classroom and outdoor
learning environments. Pre-school science activities tests were administered to the children.
Questionnaires for teachers and head teachers in pre-schools, and observation schedule for
class activities were administered. The findings established that the difference in
performance between children in the control and those in the experimental groups of preschools
is statistically significant (t (8) = -4.463, p=.002, two tailed).This suggests that
children who are taught science activities using traditional methods and children’ own
investigations perform better than children taught science activities using traditional
methods only. The difference in performance was due to treatment or interventions done to
the experimental group. Children’s own investigations should therefore be used to
compliment traditional methods in teaching science activities in pre-schools. The study
recommends that pre-school children should be involved in their own investigations in
science activities. The Ministry of Education and other stake holders should consider
providing adequate resources to pre-schools so that children can be involved in their own
investigations in science activities. Pre-school teachers should be trained and provided with
pre-school science activities guides so that they can involve children in conducting their
own investigations in science activities.
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
University of Nairobi Department of Educational Communication and Technology of University of Nairobi
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- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5964]