ISSN 2348-1218 (print) International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations ISSN 2348-1226 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 4, pp: (23-33), Month: October - December 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Effect of Students Exposure to Biology Practicals on Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Lugari Sub County, Kakamega County, Kenya JOYCE NEKESA NGAKHALA PhD Candidate, University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya
Abstract: This research was aimed at examining effect of students’ exposure to biology practicals on performance in public secondary schools in Lugari Sub County, Kakamega County, Kenya. The specific hypotheses were Students’ exposure to biology practicals does not significantly affect performance in public secondary schools, Presence of laboratory does not significantly intervene the effect of students’ exposure to biology practicals on performance in public secondary schools and number of biology teachers does not significantly moderates the effect of students’ exposure to biology practicals on performance in public secondary schools in Lugari Sub County, Kakamega County, Kenya. It was a survey study that made use of the sample of 13 secondary schools in Lugari Sub County using simple random sampling. Data was collected from four students of the sampled schools. Data were obtained using the primary method of the questionnaire of data collection. Secondary data was obtained from Kenya National Examination Council Database as well as individual schools records in regard to number of biology teachers and functional laboratories. From the result, it was found that student exposure to practical biology has a positive effect on performance of biology subject. However, currently, student exposure to biology practicals currently contributes up to 9.5% changes in biology performance. Presence of laboratory significantly improved the contribution of students’ exposure to biology practicals from 9.5% to 12.1%. Further, the moderating effects of number of biology teachers strengthen the effect of students’ exposure to biology practicals as the contribution moved from 9.5% to 52.6%. The study recommended that government should construct and equip laboratories while principals should provide biology teachers with fund for consumables. The curriculum planners can moderate the time allocated to certain tasks. School administrators should endeavour to create a work strategy that will ease teacher workload to give them time for lesson preparation for practical activities. Experienced teachers should be used as resource for training other teachers. Finally, the Government, through the Teacher service commission should employ more biology teachers while Board of Management should employee more teachers to ease burden exerted on TSC teachers Keywords: Biology, Students’ Exposure, Biology Practicals, Biology Performance, Number of Teachers, Laboratories.
1. INTRODUCTION Biology as one of the science subject is defined as the study of life and structure of living things. Biology is the study of living things and concerns itself with the study of the structure, behaviour, distribution, the origin of plants and animals and their relationship with their environments. Like other science subjects, biology in secondary schools is composed of practical activities. In all the sciences, biology geared towards simplifying the theoretical content, so as to enhance effective instruction and learning of the subject. Stephen and Longinus (2018) stated the reason for emphasizing practical activities in biology like a realization of practical; work to be predecessor to real science knowledge.
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