EFFECT OF USE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ON LEARNER PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE CLASSROOM IN PRESCHOOL IN KIINE ZONE KIRINYAGA COUNTY KENYA
TABLE OF CONTENT
Declaration……….…………….………………………………………………ii
Dedication……………………………………………………………….….…..iii
Acknowledgements……………………………………….……………..………iv
Abbreviations..……………………………………….………….………..….…..v
Table of contents……………………………………..………………….………vi
List of Tables……………………………………………..……….……………….ix
List of Figures…………………………………………….……………….………x
Abstract………………………………………………………….………….……xi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the Study………………….…………….………….……..…1
1.2    Statement of Problem………………………………………..…..………….4
1.3    Purpose of the Study……………………….……………….……………….5
1.4    Research Objectives……………………………………………………………5
1.5    Research Questions………………………………………………………   5
1.6    Significance of the Study…………………………………………………   6
1.7    Limitation of the Study……………………………………………..,,…..   6
1.8    Delimitation of the study……………………………………..…….,……   7
1.9    Basic assumption of the study………………………………………,,…    7
1.10    Definition of key words……………………..…………………………    7
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.0       Introduction………………………….…………………..….……………  8
2.1 Â Â Â Â Use of Instructional Material on learners participation in ECE: Global
Perspective……………………………………………………      ………12
2.2        Availability and adequacy of IM and participation………….……….….14
2.3 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Self-esteem, effectiveness of use of instructional material and participation
in science class room…………………………………….…………        15
2.4        Group arrangement and participation in science class room………….. . 16
2.5      IM, motivation and participation in science classroom……………….     17
2.6        IM, time management and participation……………………………..    .29
2.7     Management of records and participation……………..…………………..30
2.8 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Guidelines, requirements for the use of instructional Materials and
participation…………………………………………………………….. 32
2.9 Â Â Â Â Principles, Requirement for the selection of instructional materials and
participation……………………………………………………………………………………34
2.10 Problem Solving, use of instruction material and participation…………36
2.11Theoretical framework……………………………………..……….…….40
2.12 Conceptual framework…………………………………………..…….…..41
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGYÂ
3.1    Research design………………………….………………………………….44
3.2    Target population…………………………………….………….…….      45
3.3    Sample and sampling procedures……………………………….….…    46
3.4    Research instruments…………………………….…………………..…. 47
3.5.  Piloting……………………………………………….…………..….       47
3.6   Data collection procedure.…………………………………………….…..48
3.7   Data analysis…………………………..………….…………….…………48
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION,
INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Background characteristics of respondents disaggregated by gender…… 50
4.2 Distribution of respondents level of education and experience………….. 50
4.3 Use of Instructional Material during science lesson.………………………52
4.4 Instructional materials, grouping and participation in science lesson …….54
4.5 Types of grouping of learners in science lesson……………………….…..55
4.6 Instructional Materials, records management and participation in science
lesson………………………………………………………………………57
4.7 Number of learners per class and use of instructional materials…………..58
4.8 Types of IM and participation in science classroom…………………………59
4.9 Appropriateness of instructional materials and participation in ECE science
Lesson………………………………………………………………………60
4.10 Effectiveness of use of instruction material and LPSC………..………….61
4.11 Displaying of IM and participation in science classroom……………..….64
4.12 AAIM in IPP in science classroom in ECE centres in KZKC…………… 65
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1. Introduction……..………………………………………………….……. 66
5.2  Summary of findings………………………………………………….…..66
5.3. Conclusions…………………………………………..….……. ………..…74
5.4. Recommendations……………………………..……….……….….……….77
References……………………………………………………………………………………………..79
Appendices
Appendix I Â Â Â Â Questionnaire
Appendix II Â Â Observation schedule
List of tablesÂ
Table 3.1  Target population….……………………………..…………………. 45
Table 3.2  Sample size……….……………………………………………….…46
Table 4.1 Response rate………………………………………………………….49
Table 4.2 Distribution level of education and experience of the respondents…..50
Table 4.3 Use of instructional material during science classroom..…… ……..52
Table 4.4 Grouping of learners and participation in ECE science classroo…..….54 Table 4.5IM, grouping of learners and participation in ECE science
classroom…………………………………………………………….…………..55
Table 4.6Instructional materials, record management and participation in science
lesson…………………………………………………………………………….57
Table 4.7 Number of learners per class, use of IM and PSC……………..…..…58 Table 4.8 Types of instructional materials and participation in science classroom
by activity……………………………………………………………………….59
Table 4.9 Instructional materials and participation in ECE science
classroom…….………………………………………………………..…..…….60
Table 4.10 Effectiveness of use of IM and PSC….……………………..…….. 61
Table 4.11 Instructional materials displayed during participation in science
classroom…………………………………………………………………………64
Table 4.12 AAIM in IPP in science classroom in ECE centres in
KZKC………….…..……………………………………………………………..65
ABSTRACT
Participation involves working with a partner or in a small group and brainstorming in order to create a stimulating learning environment. The role of instructional materials is to glue information into learners mind as what is seen is understood more than what is heard. During the formative years, learners add increasing qualities of knowledge to what is already learnt through explorations as they grow and expand horizon on the quality of content mastered. To widen mastery of concepts, rich leaning environment which is filled with a variety of instructional materials tend to foster faster acquisition of requisite skills for sustained learning and development. Such an environment should be enticing learners to observe, actively participate, make choices and experiment which in the process results in acquisition of additional knowledge. In the absence of reach learning environment modeled by the teacher to capture requisite skills, knowledge and competence. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of use of instructional materials on learners’ participation in science lesson in preschool in Kiine Zone Kirinyaga county Kenya.
The objective of this study was to establish importance of grouping of learners on participation in science classroom, to study the extent to which availability and adequacy improve learners’ participation and to determine the effect of management of records on the improvement in learners’ participation in science classroom. The study reviewed literature on effectiveness of instructional materials on participation in science classroom. This study was guided by experiential learning theory. This theory was propounded by Kolb (2008). Kolb proposed a four-stage learning process with a model that is often referred to in describing experiential learning Beaty (2009). The study involved a descriptive survey research design where qualitative data was collected. The design was nonexperimental soliciting information from teachers on the IM they use in teaching pupils in the pre-school. This study used stratified sampling since the population embraces a number of distinct categories of teachers’ qualifications.
The study found that instructional materials are not effectively used in the study area due to large of number of learners per class, lack of enough compound in ECE centers, lack of learners confidence, language barrier, teachers’ negative attitude, lack of professional skills and domestic violence. The study recommended that ECE centres be increased to cater for the large number of learners per class. On the same, the study recommended that more teachers be employed and deployed to various ECE centres in the study area. The study further recommended that more playing ground be purchased to enable learners be participating fully especially while experiencing moving air by the use of kites they need to run over to note the moving air. Learners should be encouraged to handle IM even in the absence of teacher that is at home to gain confidence. Parents of the learners who are shy should be improvising IM at home and encourage children to continue practicing what they learnt at school. The study recommended that teachers to ensure learners with language barrier get information taught in class by the use of language they understand better as
English and Kiswahili is introduced slowly by slowly. The study further recommended that GOK to employ ECE teachers with better pay. Finally the study recommended that the 5 untrained teachers and those with certificates work on the professional skills by going for Diploma course in ECE as lack of these skills deny any teacher the knowledge required in showing and teaching learners on how to handle IM during participation.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
This chapter begins with the introduction of the background of the study, followed by statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives and concludes with definition of terms.
1.1 Background of the Study
Participation involves working with a partner, or in a small group, and brainstorming in order to create a stimulating learning environment Cooke (2001). Participation in ECE involves use of different mechanisms for the public to express opinions and ideally exert influence regarding political, economic, management or other social decision. Participation is affected by the appropriate and relevancy of IM used, such as containers, kites, textbooks, strings and blackboard Armstein (2004). For examples, a teacher uses textbooks to get information needed and explains on the blackboard, learners use water in containers and blow it using straws to produce bubbles Pre-schools handbook (2008). Blowing water to produce bubbles shows learners that there is presence of air in water and this enables them gain the skills of observation.
