The influence of Teaching Methods on Students' Performance in Geography: A case of secondary schools in Rongo District, Kenya

Abstract

Performance in Geography as a humanity subject lags behind those of other humanities such as history and CRE. Looking at the K.C.S.E results in Geography between the years 2005 and 2009, statistics available show that Geography has always had a mean score of 4.86 (Mean grade C- and below). This study therefore sought to establish the influence of teaching methods used by Geography teachers on the performance in the subject. Specifically the study determined: the teaching methods used by teachers of Geography in secondary schools in Rongo district; the teaching materials and facilities used by Geography teachers to support the teaching methods and the relationship between the teaching methods and performance in Geography within Rongo District. The findings of this study are expected to highlight the best teaching methods that would improve performance of Geography in secondary schools. This was a descriptive survey research that examined the situation as it is without any manipulation of variables. The study was based on B.F Skinners theory of Operant Conditioning which emphasizes the importance of learner centred methods and reward for effective learning. The population of the study comprised a total of 34 schools that present candidates for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E). The sample consisted of 308 students and 11 teachers sampled from a cross-section of the secondary schools drawn from the study population through a process of stratified random sampling simple random sampling, purposive sampling and systematic sampling. The instruments for data collection were document content analysis and questionnaires. This study established that the teaching methods used by most of the teachers during the teaching of Geography in schools were mainly questions and answers, fieldwork method, assignments, demonstrations and discussions. The study also determined from the students that they preferred to learn through demonstrations, fieldwork, experiments, projects and assignments. Several kinds of teaching methods resulted in different performance among the students. Among the methods producing very good performance among the students were questions and answers, experiments, discussion and demonstration methods of teaching. However, higher number of students performed poorly when project, discovery and fieldwork methods of teaching were used by the teachers. Finally it was established the student being taught Geography using questions and answers, experiments, discussion and demonstration methods of teaching were performing better than students being taught using discovery, projects and fieldwork methods. Based on the findings, it was established that absence of electronic learning such as computers and internet in any of the schools calls for the education planners to consider introducing such kinds of learning facilities in the schools as a method of teaching Geography. Further it was recommended that special programmes for teachers with low levels of teaching skills, which are in harmony with the basic principles of education, to be developed to ensure his/her capacities, are developed. Finally, the teachers should be encouraged to identify the methods of teaching likely to ensure better results in Geography as a subject.