MST-Department of Educational Foundation

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Browsing MST-Department of Educational Foundation by Subject "Academic Performance"

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    Implications of School Culture on Academic Performance in Selected Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2022) Ngumuta, Magdalene Mbula; Francis Kirimi; Francis Kirimi
    The study was prompted by concerns raised by various stakeholders in Machakos County over declining performance of public secondary schools that used to perform well in the past decades’ national examinations. The study sought to examine specific school cultural aspects and their relationship to students’ academic performance as evidenced by Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results in selected Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya. Objectives of the study were to: Investigate the effects of aspects of school culture on academic performance in selected Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya; Examine the role of students’ and teachers’ achievement orientation culture and how it affects academic performance in selected Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County, Kenya; Establish how emphasis and practice of a school’s shared ideology enables high academic performance in selected Public Secondary Schools in Machakos County as well as examine the effects of the role a secondary school’s administration in fostering a learning and teaching culture which affects academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Machakos County. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. The study was guided by Vygotsky`s Theory of Social Interactionism. The study utilized a sample of 21 selected Public Secondary schools out of 212 public secondary schools in Machakos County. These schools included high and low performing Schools which were purposively selected. Sample size of the study was 200 students of which 100 were boys and girls were 100; 21 principals [men were 11 and 10 were women] and 21 deputy principals [10 men and 11 women], 25 teachers [12 men and women 13], 1 lady County Education Officer from Machakos County. The study adopted a descriptive research design. It employed both probability and non-probability sampling methods. Data analysis was guided by themes from research objectives. Data was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Analysed data was presented using qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative methods included narratives and descriptions while quantitative methods included tables showing comparisons, fluctuations and distributions in percentile presentations. The study found out that there were various school cultural aspects that affect students’ academic performance. They included shared norms by teachers, positive assumptions on academic performance of students and good incidences among teachers which were most predominant positive cultural aspects in selected Public Secondary Schools that enhanced Students’ academic performance. Findings also revealed some predominant negative cultural aspects in schools; these were rumours among students and rumours among teachers. The study therefore concluded that positive school cultural aspects had significant influence on students’ academic performance. The study recommends that School cultural aspects should be given strong emphasis since they have great influence on school climate that contributes to students’ academic performance.
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    Influence of Cultural Values, Beliefs and Practices on Students’ Academic Performance in County Schools in Kilifi County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2019) Nyakado, Dennis Odhiambo
    Society is in constant change as a result of innovation in science and technology across the world. These changes have spilt over to the education sector and other fields which demand effective skilled labour force. The school organizations have a challenge to produce graduates who can meet the socio-economic and political demands of the dynamic society. The schools’ ability to adjust to these changes is measured by the students’ academic output in the national examinations. Schools have been facing the challenge of posting good academic results across the country. Kilifi County have been posting poor results in national examinations and this triggered the current study. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of school cultural values, beliefs and practices on students’ academic performance in county secondary schools in Kilifi County. The objectives of this study were to; investigate how school value statements influenced students’ academic achievement, examine how school routine practices influence the students’ academic achievements, determine the contribution of school beliefs on the students’ academic achievements, establish contribution of school practices in promoting the students’ academic achievements and find out strategies that could be used to promote the students’ academic achievements in county secondary schools Kilifi County, Kenya. Schein’s Model of Organizational Culture and Edmond’s effective school theories were used to form the theoretical frameworks of the study. This study used descriptive research design and was carried out in county secondary schools in Kilifi County. The study targeted 31 county secondary schools, 17 principals, 17 BoM members, 80 teachers and 3060 students. Stratified and simple random sampling was used to sample schools, teachers and students. Krejcie and Morgan table was used to select a sample of 10 principals, 10 BoM members, 20 teachers, and 341 students. Interview and questionnaires were used to collect data. Two county secondary schools, two principals, 10 teachers and 20 students from the neighbouring Tana River County were chosen for piloting of research instruments. Validity was ensured through data triangulation and using field test. Reliability was determined using Cronbach alpha correlation coefficient. The tools were considered reliable if a correlation coefficient of 0.80 and above was attained. Data was presented using charts, frequency tables, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 programmes was used to organize data and descriptive statistics were used to analyse descriptive data. Based on the findings of the study, it was observed that, the value statements had limited influence on the students’ achievement contrary to the work of other scholars, school beliefs and expectations were not often communicated to the learners and most principals did not exercise collaborative leadership style. As a result of the study the following recommendations were made; The findings of the study might be of significance to the Government of Kenya in that the MoEST might use them to formulate policies at both national and county levels respectively, these findings may be used in organizing managerial trainings to inculcate aspects of school culture in management of educational institutions. It was also recommended that, the TSC may periodically organize for in-service trainings for principals and teachers to keep them abreast with the changing needs of the students in line with the continually changing global demands, the school principals should practice a collaborative approach in decision making. The parents may be aware of the school ethos and work collaboratively with an aim of promoting a strong positive school culture of high academic excellence for their children. The teachers as the curriculum implementers may play their roles effectively by ensuring they understand the school expectations and traditions and communicating the same to the learners. The school ceremonies should be well commemorated and heroes and heroines honoured for exemplary achievements.
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    Influence of Principals’ Leadership Behaviour Practices on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools Gilgil Nakuru County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2019) Njuguna, Benson Ngugi
    Principals in schools give their learning institutions images of their potentialities through support to improve the mission and vision to its accomplishment. In Kenya some schools have maintained good academic performance while others have always lagged behind. These differences are brought about by many factors and one major factor is the principals’ influence. The main purpose of this study is therefore to establish the influence of principals’ leadership behaviour practices on student’s academic performance at K.C.S.E in Gilgil secondary schools Nakuru County, Kenya. The study was guided by four objectives, that is: To establish the influence of principals’ leadership behaviour of initiating practices on students’ academic performance at K.C.S.E in Gilgil, Nakuru County. To determine the influence of principals’ leadership behaviour of consideration practices on students’ academic performance at K.C.S.E in Gilgil, Nakuru County. To establish principal’ leadership of participatory practices on students’ academic performance at K.C.S.E in Gilgil, Nakuru County and lastly determine the influence of principals’ leadership behaviour of achievement oriented practices on students’ academic performance at K.CS.E in Gilgil, Nakuru County. The research design used was descriptive survey design. The study targeted a population of 300 teachers and 30 principals from 30 public secondary schools in Gilgil, Nakuru County. A sample of 28 schools was randomly sampled constituting of 28 principals and 169 teachers were selected through simple random sampling technique. The data was collected using questionnaires for the principals and teachers. Piloting was done in one school which was not included in the final sample. The researcher used test re-tests method to determine reliability of the research instruments. Data was then analyzed by the use of inferential and descriptive statistics. The research revealed that majority of teachers rated leadership behaviour practices of their principals as good and on examining the principals perception in comparison to teachers, principals’ rated themselves high in consideration behaviour while teachers rated them moderately high .In initiating behaviour and participatory behaviour practices principals and teachers were in agreement as they rated the behaviour moderately high. Achievement oriented behaviour practices were rated low by principals and teachers and the researcher found that it was dominant in schools. Initiating behaviour had a higher proportion of directive behaviour characteristic, as it is task oriented. Consideration behaviour had a higher proportion of supportive behaviour characteristics as it is people oriented. Since participative leadership involves teachers in decisions it gives teachers ownership of decisions made in the school. The study also found that principal leadership behaviour practices are strongly and positively correlated with students’ academic performance. The findings were displayed by use of tables and pie charts. The study recommended that the principals endeavor to adopt leadership behaviour that will create an enabling environment for teachers and students to improve academic performance and also use the most appropriate leadership behaviour that facilitates collective responsibility and consultative decision making with all stakeholders in schools.