Influence of teachers’ perceptions and competences on students’ achievement and perceptions in environmental education in secondary school biology in Gilgil Division Nakuru District, Kenya

Abstract

Environmental Education (EE) is important for changing peoples’ attitudes and values in order to develop and enhance skills for sustainable environmental management. The teachers’ perceptions and competences play a key role on how students learn, retain and apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills in changing their perceptions of the environment. This would also enhance their achievement in environmental education. This study was designed to investigate the influence of teachers’ perceptions and competence on students’ perceptions and achievement in environmental education in Gilgil Division of Nakuru District. A causal comparative survey research design was used for this study. The target population consisted of all the secondary school biology students and biology teachers in Gilgil Division. The accessible population consisted of all the form three biology students and their biology teachers. Purposive sampling was used to identify the secondary school category and the class level that formed the study sample. The sample size was composed of 150 form three biology students who had been taught the topic ecology in biology and 20 biology teachers. Three instruments namely, Students’ Questionnaire (SPEEQ), the Teachers’ Questionnaire (TPCEEQ) and an achievement test (EAT) were used to collect data. Five experts in biology education validated the instruments developed. Reliability of the instruments was computed using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and a value of 0.93 for SPEEQ, 0.80 for TPCEEQ and 0.87 for EAT were obtained. Both inferential and descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of data. The t-test and Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient were used to analyse data. The data collected were analysed with the help of the statistical package for social science (SPSS). The alpha level for the rejection or acceptance of the hypotheses was at 0.05. The findings show that both teachers and students had a good perception in EE. There was no statistically significant relationship between biology students’ perception of their environment and EE and their achievement in EE. There was no statistically significant gender difference in students’ perceptions and achievement in EE. There was no statistically significant relationship between biology teachers’ competence in EE as perceived by students and the students’ achievement in EE. Findings further indicate that teachers have no regular in-service training in EE. It is hoped that the findings of this study would help EE teacher trainers to evaluate the teacher-training curriculum and therefore form a basis for evaluating the present EE teacher-training curriculum. The implications of this study to the current practice have been discussed.