Mattering and Perceived Teacher Support as Correlates of School Life Satisfaction among Form Three Students in Murang’a County, Kenya
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Date
2024-05
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study focused on whether mattering as well as perceived teacher support were correlates of school life satisfaction among form three students in Murang’a County, Kenya. The students across the country had continued to portray behaviors aligned to dissatisfaction with school life like strikes, rioting and burning of school properties which necessitated a research on school life satisfaction among students. The study had four objectives: to establish the relationship between mattering and school life satisfaction, to identify the relationship between perceived teacher support and school life satisfaction, to find out how mattering as well as perceived teacher support predict school life satisfaction, and to establish relationship between mattering and perceived teacher support on school life satisfaction among form three students in Murang’a County. Grounded on the theory of mattering and marginality as well as Tardy’s model of social support, the study adopted a correlational research design. Despite targeting all form three students in Murang’a County, only 4,383 form three students in Kahuro Sub County were accessible with 452 students selected for the study through simple random sampling technique. A self-report questionnaire was filled by the participants made up of adopted versions of General Mattering Scale, Teacher Support Scale and Students Life Satisfaction Scale. A pilot study involving 45 students from an extra county school determined the reliability and validity of the research tools. The Statistical Package of Social Sciences (Version 21) was used to analyze data and hypotheses tested at α=0.05. Correlational analyses revealed significant positive low correlations for both mattering (r (444) = .28, p < .05) and support perceived from teachers (r (444) = .24, p < .05) with school life satisfaction. The regression model for predicting school life satisfaction from both mattering and perceived teacher support was significant (F (2, 443) = 28.44, p < .05) with mattering making a larger predictive value (β = .24, p < .05) than support from teachers (β = .19, p < .05). The model yielded R2 = .11 implying that both predictors accounted for 11 percent variance in students school life satisfaction. Thus school life satisfaction increased with both mattering and perceived teacher support. The findings key implication is that policy makers and educators need to present students with educational experiences that enhance mattering and perceived teacher support in efforts aimed at enhancing satisfaction with school life.
Description
A Research Project Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of Masters Degree in Education (Guidance and Counselling) Kenyatta University, May 2024.
Supervsor
Anthony Ireri