Combined Influence of Qualification, Experience and Gender Distribution on Quality of Teaching Mathematics

Abstract

Teachers of Mathematics in Kenya have attended in-service program called Strengthening of Mathematics and Science in Secondary Education (SMASSE) INSET for the purpose of enhancing their skills and improving quality of teaching. However, this has not been translated into improved performance as expected. However there has been persistent poor performance in Mathematics in secondary schools in Kisumu County as revealed by the Kenya Certificate of secondary Examination results for  the period 2012-2019 during which the mean score dropped from 34.00 to 20.45.This may deny students admission to scientific and technological professions at university due to low performance in the subject.. The purpose of this study was to establish combine influence of teacher qualification, experience and gender distribution on quality of teaching mathematics. The study was conducted in public secondary schools in Kisumu County and employed descriptive and correlational designs in which the dependent variable was quality of teaching mathematics and independent variables were teachers' qualification, experience and gender distribution. The study sample was 70 teachers representing 30% of the population of teachers found in the category of sub-county schools. Data collection instruments was Lesson Observation Guide (LOG). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the strength and direction of the relationship after which regression analysis was run to show the combined influence of teacher qualification and experience on quality of teaching mathematics. The findings established that 56 teachers have a qualification of B.Ed. /PGDE,48 teachers have experience of over 6 years, majority of teachers (47) are male, quality of teaching mathematics was rated as average. Teacher experience was the most significant variable with a correlation coefficient of .261 at the .05 level (2-tailed) while gender was insignificant at a p-value of .452. When regression analysis was run to show relationship between qualification, experience with quality of teaching mathematics, ANOVA produced a p-value of .039 which implies that the two variables are significant. Based on the results it is advisable that teachers with Master's degree to work hand in hand with the other teachers and those with experience of over 10 years to be assigned to be head of mathematics in their department to advise those with difficulties.