A survey of teaching aids used by teachers in teaching home science in primary schools in Northern Division of Nairobi District

Abstract

This research was a survey of teaching aids used by Home Science teachers in teaching Home Science, in six primary schools of Northern Division in Nairobi District. Noting that teaching aids enhance understanding and retention of content, the researcher wanted to investigate the available teaching aids and their use. The major objectives were to find out (1) The teaching aids used (2) The acquisition, improvisation and storage of these teaching aids (3) The problems teachers face in acquiring and using the various teaching aids. The sample was randomly selected so that two schools were taken from schedule A (the pre-Independence schedules) two from schedule B, one from schedule C and one from assisted schools. Home Science teachers of standard 4, 5, 6. 7 and 8 were respondents both to the questionnaires and the interviews administered by the researcher. The results of the study were that: 1) The major teaching aids used in teaching Home Science were books which were both the officially recommended by Kenya Institute of Education and not officially recommended by Kenya Institute of Education or any other authorised body. The other teaching aids used were charts and realia such as foodstuffs, pieces of materials and household utensils. 2) Majority of the materials used are bought although a few were made jointly by teachers and pupils. 3) About ninety two percent of the materials are stored in the classroom cupboards which all classes had, although there were other storage systems such as staffroom and Horne Science room. 4) Problems encountered were many, but the major ones were lack of time, lack of funds and lack of proper guidance from Kenya Institute of Education, for example on which resource people to invite. All these implied that with the wide syllabus, the use of intensive teaching aids, as Kenya Institute of Education intended, would affect the syllabus coverage negatively.