Teacher-Efficacy in Using Collaborative Learning Instructional Strategy in Lower Primary School Grades in Mombasa County, Kenya.
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Date
2025-02
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
Collaborative teaching/learning approach involves learners working together on activities or learning tasks in groups small enough to ensure that everyone participates. This is meant to develop higher level of thinking skills, oral communication, self-engagement, self-confidence and leadership skills among learners. The effectiveness of collaborative learning has been documented over its positive outcomes. The strategy is universally acknowledged as one of the most effective learning techniques. Teachers play a pivotal role in ensuring the use of such effective strategies. This study purposed to assess lower primary teachers‟ level of self-efficacy in using collaborative learning strategy and determine the factors associated with its use. The study used the following guiding objectives; to assess the extent to which lower primary school grade teachers use collaborative/cooperative learning strategy; to evaluate teachers‟ levels of efficacy in the use of collaborative learning ; to determine whether teachers‟ teaching experience affects use of collaborative learning; to assess the extent to which class size affects teachers‟ efficacy in use of collaborative learning strategy and to examine the extent to which availability of teaching/learning resources affected teachers‟ use collaborative teaching among lower primary school grades. The study was guided by the SelfEfficacy Theory by Albert Bandura (1977). Descriptive research design was used. A target population of 347 lower primary school grades teachers was used. A 10% sample translating to 36 respondents was used. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were employed to select the study locale and sample respectively. Data was generated using questionnaire, interview schedule and observation check-list. Pilot study was conducted in two lower primary schools (one public and one private) in Changamwe Sub-County. The pilot schools were not included in the study sample. Content validity was used while test-retest was used for reliability. Cronbach‟s Alpha coefficient was computed and accepted at β≥ 0.75. Data was sieved and organized into thematic areas for analysis. Descriptive statistics of central tendency (means, modes and percentages) were used. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used for quantitative data analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed using sets of themes where verbatim were also captured and discussed. The findings showed that collaborative instructional teaching/ learning strategy was in use among lower primary school grade teachers where evidence of working in groups, sharing and communicating among groups was witnessed. Further it was established that teachers with longer teaching experience used collaborative learning strategy more and had higher self-efficacy as opposed to their counterparts. It was however established that there was no evidence that class size directly affected use of collaborative learning approach. The study concluded that collaborative learning strategy helped in raising learning outcomes among learners. And that it enhanced positive relationships. The study recommends that teachers should endeavour to design all learning in working-groups to mitigate on improving learning outcomes. Teaching learning resources were also found to improve on teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes hence the need for school managers and county government to leverage on the locally available resources. The study recommends for further and large scale research on class sizes effects on learning outcomes as class size did not directly seem to affect teachers‟ efficacy and use of collaborative learning strategy.
Description
A Research Project Report Submitted at the School of Education and Lifelong Learning in Fulfilment of the Requirements For the Award of the Degree of Master of Education (Early Childhood Studies) of Kenyatta University, February 2025.
Supervisor
Ong`ang`a Hudson Ouko