The influence of learning strategies and locus of control on academic performance among secondary school students in Baringo District, Kenya.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the influence of learning strategies and locus of control on academic performance of secondary school students in Baringo District. It is a shared expectation and desire by individuals and society that schools develop self-regulated, life-long learners who have motivation and strategies to achieve the desired level of academic competence. This was causal comparative study. The population was secondary school students. The target population was form two and four students. The respondents were 300 students from ten schools. Stratified and simple random sampling was used to select the schools and sample respectively. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in data analysis. The independent variables were learning strategy and locus of control. The dependent variable was academic performance. The study was based on Weiner's Attribution theory and David Kolb's Experiential learning theory. Primary data was collected using questionnaires. A high score in the locus of control scale meant external locus of control and a low score means internal locus of control. A high score in the learning strategy scale meant a deep leaning strategy, while a low score meant undirected learning strategy. Secondary data collection was through the library research and students progress records. The null hypotheses were tested based on the level of significance of (1 =0.05. The study revealed that most students attribute their successes and failures to external factors. A significant relationship was found between learning strategy and academic performance in the sense that students employing deep learning strategies performed better than those employing surface and undirected learning strategies. The stake holders will be able to assist students develop internal locus of control and most effective learning strategy.