| dc.description.abstract | Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) in-service teacher education training (INSET) programme was started in Kenya with the purpose of improving performance of students in mathematics and science subjects in secondary schools. Mathematics and science teachers have been attending 10-day training sessions annually since 2002 during the holidays. These training sessions address a shift from teacher-centred teaching methodologies to learner-centred teaching methods. The emphasis has been on the application of Activity Student Experiment Improvisation I Plan Do See Improve (ASEIIPDSI) teaching approach by the teachers.
However, even with these training sessions taking place, the performance of physics in Imenti South district has not improved significantly. The study sought to determine, among other objectives, the extent to which leamer-centered teaching methodologies had influenced physics teachers' performance and the extent to which Plan Do See Improve (PDSI) approach had been applied to enhance physics teachers' performance. An ex-post facto research design was adopted in the conduct of the study. Two sets of questionnaires were prepared and presented to physics teachers and Form 3 students in the sampled schools in the district. An observation checklist was also used to find out the available resources in the, schools as well as finding out the activities that took place during teaching and learning process in the classrooms.
The data collected were analyzed and interpreted. The presentation was done using frequency tables and percentages, and interpretation done concurrently. The researcher found out that physics teachers in the district were not preparing ASEI lesson plans. On improvisation, there was minimal evidence of improvised teaching and learning materials in the schools within the district. However, the attitude of teachers and students towards physics was notably positive. Learnercentred teaching methodologies were being practiced though not to a great extent.
The recommendations given by the researcher were: recognizing the certificates awarded to participants of SMASSE INSETs by either awarding a salary increment or higher job group; reducing workload of science teachers to enable them actualize the ASEIIPDSI approach; and to sensitize the administrators on the contents of ASEIIPDSI so that they are able to supervise its implementation. Another recommendation is to have SMASSE ideologies imparted to the teachers during their pre-service training. | en_US |
