PHD-School of Education

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This collections contains bibliographic information and abstracts of PHD theses and dissertation in the School of Education held in Kenyatta University Library

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Browsing PHD-School of Education by Subject "Academic Performance"

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    Influence of Institutional Resource Utilization on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Makueni County, Kenya
    (kenyatta university, 2023) Peter, Agnetta Mwikali; Norbert Ogeta; Hellen Kiende Guantai
    School resource utilisation is important in the functioning of learning institutions as it enhances better achievement of school goals. There is evidence of poor performance in public secondary schools in Makueni County and hence the reason to have conceptualized this study. The purpose of this study was to examine institutional resource utilization and its influence on academic performance in secondary schools in Makueni County. The objectives of this study were to: establish the level of utilization of textbooks and its influence on students’ academic performance; determine the level of utilization of school infrastructure and its influence on students’ academic performance; establish the level of utilization of teacher resources and its influence on academic performance and lastly to determine the level of utilisation of instructional materials and its influence on academic performance in county secondary schools in Makueni County. The study adopted mixed methods research design, specifically convergent parallel research design and was supported by Education Production Function Theory. Research instruments were questionnaires, document analysis and interview schedule. Validity was achieved through expert judgment and reliability by test-retest technique. The target population was 60 county secondary schools, 60 principals and 1004 teachers. Simple random and stratified sampling techniques were used to select the schools while systematic and purposive sampling was used to sample teachers, HoDs and principals. The selected sample was 30 county schools, 30 principals and 286 teachers inclusive of HoDs. Total number of respondents was 316. Descriptive and inferential statistics (means, percentages and multiple regression) and thematic analysis worked out the level of utilization of textbooks, school infrastructure, teachers and instructional resources on students’ academic performance. The findings showed that utilisation of textbooks had a mean of 4.06, high correlation coefficient of 0.664. Multiple regression showed that textbooks strongly influenced learners’ academic performance. Utilisation of school infrastructure, teacher resources and instructional materials showed moderate means of 3.86, 3.68 and 3.71 respectively. The multiple regression revealed moderate influence existed between their utilisation and students’ academic performance. Qualitative data revealed different themes meant that effective utilization of textbooks, utilisation of school infrastructure, teacher resources and instructional materials positively influenced students’ academic performance in county secondary schools in Makueni County. Major conclusion was that there was needed to ensure effective utilisation of institutional resources in order to improve academic performance. Major recommendation included that the Ministry (MoE) to conduct seminars to teachers on utilisation of institutional resources. This study would provide important information useful to education policy makers in formulating additional policies leading to effective utilisation of resources in secondary schools.
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    Influence of Socialization on Academic Performance of Learners with Hearing Impairment in Thawabu Inclusive School in Embakasi, Nairobi City County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2020-02) Owuor, Everlyne Achieng
    The purpose of this study was to determine influence of socialization on performance of learners with hearing impairment in an inclusive Thawabu Primary School of Embakasi, Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by research objectives which sought to; establish modes of communication that promote socialization between learners with hearing impairment and hearing peers; enhance academic performance in Thawabu inclusive public school; establish strategies for boosting socialization of learners with hearing impairment and hearing peers to enhance their academic performance in Thawabu inclusive public school and establish challenges facing teachers in enhancing socialization to improve academic performance of learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu inclusive public primary school. The study targeted all learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu public primary school in Embakasi sub-county. The research design used in this study was case study design. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select the school and learners with hearing impairment while hearing learners were randomly selected. Key informants were a headteacher, deputy headteacher, 10 teachers, learners with hearing impairment and hearing learners from Thawabu School. Pilot study was conducted in Wangu Primary school of Nairobi County. Piloting consisted of one (1) school head/teacher, two (2) teachers, five (5) hearing learners and (5)five learners with hearing impairment. Content validity was adopted where unclear directions, cluster questions, and wrong phrasing of questions were opened and cross-checked. Reliability was established through test re-test method which involved administering the same questionnaires at an interval of two weeks to the same group of respondents, and then comparing the two scores. A total of 32 respondents participated in the study. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer program version 11.5, and frequencies and percentages used to summarize the data. The study found that: modes of communication among learners with hearing impairment, hearing learners and teachers create social and educational change for improvement of academic standards in the school and narrows the gap between those with hearing impairment and their hearing counterparts. Strategies like family support program (assisting children and families in language learning), family-infant-toddler program, and competent and consistent administration system promote learning. Socialization influences incidental learning of learners with hearing impairment to put them at par with their hearing peers on matters related to both academic performance and social advancement. Socialization makes learners with hearing impairment comfortable, self-esteemed, and self-actualized, hence improving educational performance. The study recommends that the government should add specially qualified teachers of learners with hearing impairment in Thawabu inclusive public school to help promote socialization and to increase inclusivity of leaners with hearing impairment.
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    Relationship between Teachers’ Adversity Quotient and Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Kiambu and Nairobi Counties, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2021) Mwivanda, Marycasta; Jotham Olembo; Mary Otieno
    Studies in business and profit-making organisations indicate that Adversity Quotient has a positive influence on employee work performance. Few studies have been conducted to examine the role of Adversity Quotient in the field of education. The aim of this study was to determine teachers’ response to adversity and the influence that response has on students’ academic performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The objective of the study was to establish relationships between teachers’ adversity quotient, its dimensions and students’ academic performance. A correlation design was applied. Independent variables in this study were teachers Adversity Quotient and its dimensions while the dependent variable was students’ academic performance in KCSE, for each particular teacher in the subjects they teach. The locale of the study was Kiambu and Nairobi counties, in Kenya. The target population of this study was all secondary school teachers in the two aforementioned counties, with a total of 4470 teachers. The sample size was drawn through stratified random sampling for schools and systematic random sampling to select 447 teachers. The tools for data collection were adversity response profile questionnaire for teachers and KCSE results registered by the same teachers, in the subjects that they teach, for two years – 2015 and 2016. Data analysis was done quantitatively using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics of frequencies mean and percentages were used. Inferential statistics of Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient were used to test for relationships and regression analysis to test for the most significant dimension of Adversity Quotient. The results revealed that all the four dimensions of Adversity Quotient had positive and significant influence on students’ academic performance: control (r=.483, P<0.01), ownership (r=.392, P<0.01), reach (r=.407, P<0.01) and endurance (r=.341, P<0.01). The overall teacher’s AQ was also significant to students’ academic performance (r=.530, P<0.01). Three groups emerged from the teachers overall Adversity Quotient: climbers, campers and quitters. To establish the most significant dimension, two-way regression analyses revealed that in the absence of experience and qualification, the dimensions of control, ownership and endurance were most significant in students’ academic performance but in the presence of experience and qualification the dimensions of control, endurance and reach were more significant. The conclusion was that teachers’ Adversity Quotient was significant, influencing students’ academic performance positively. This study recommended that there was need to incorporate AQ in teacher training programmes, recruitment and teacher career development programmes in order to improve students’ academic performance and enhance teacher efficiency in schools. Recommendations for further study include: comparing AQ of newly recruited teachers with seasoned teachers, correlating teachers AQ with their students’ AQ, comparing teacher AQ with the principal’s adversity, studying teachers AQ in relation to other teacher characteristics.