Teachers’ and learners’ perceptions on the effectiveness of field-based study approach in teaching of history and government in secondary schools in Kericho County, Kenya

Abstract

History and Government is an important subject as it assists in the development of learners’ intemational consciousness and enhances their appreciation of cultures of different societies. Despite its importance, students’ performance in the subject in secondary schools Kenya and Kericho in particular has not been satisfactory. Performance has been associated with factors such as availability of physical facilities and instructional materials, school and classroom environments and teachers’ characteristics. Teaching approaches and the way they are perceived by teachers and leamers have also been associated with students’ academic performance. This study investigated teachers’ and leamers’ perceptions on the effectiveness of Field-Based Study Approach (FBSA) in teaching of History and Govemment in secondary schools in Kericho County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The target population comprised of all secondary school teachers and leamers in public secondary schools in Kericho County. The school was the sampling unit. And the accessible population was 274 History and Govemment teachers and 7,575 form four students. Stratified, proportionate and simple random sampling teclmiques were used to select 163 teachers and 433 form four students who participated in the study. Data was collected using Teachers’ Perceptions Questionnaire (TPQ) and Leamers’ Perceptions Questionnaires (LPQ). The instruments were validated by five research experts in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Educational Management of Egerton University. The two instruments were pilot tested and their reliability coefficients estimated using the Cronbach’s alpha formula. TPQ and LPQ yielded reliability coefficients of 0.926 and 0.856, respectively. The instruments were deemed reliable as their reliability coefficients were above the 0.70 threshold. This is the minimum threshold of reliability coefficient in education and social science. Data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe and summaries data. The results of the study revealed that perceptions of the teachers’ and leamers’ on the effectiveness of FBSA in facilitating learners’ acquisition of History and Government knowledge and skills, were positive. The results also indicated that the teachers and learners’ perceptions on effectiveness of FBSA in deep learning and development of learners’ positive attitude towards the History and govemment were positive. The findings of the study may provide History and Government teachers with an insight of the effectiveness of FBSA, leading to frequent use of the approach. This may enhance teaching and improve academic performance in the subject. The findings may also assist school administrators, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development