Collaborative Teaching Strategy and Learner Ability Interaction on Students' Academic Achievement, in Physics in Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

The study of the Physics subject continues to play a vital role in industrial development and economic revitalization. For instance, the Physics of the electronic chip has seen tremendous improvements in communication, entertainment, medicine and industry. However, secondary school students continue to achieve dismally. Different factors including the different strategies used in teaching Physics and learner factors have been reported to affect students' achievement in Physics. Based in Nyeri County the study investigated the interactivity between strategies, learner abilities and academic achievement secondary school students in Physics. The Solomon Four group quasi experimental design was used. A sample of 173 form four students in four mixed day secondary schools in Nyeri County participated in the study. The sample was obtained through purposive sampling to obtain a list of mixed day secondary schools that offer the Physics subject at form four. Through random sampling a list of four schools that participated in the study was obtained. The schools were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The research instruments consisted of Physics Pre-test (PPT) and Physics Achievement Test (PAT). The Kuder Richardson test was used to determine the reliability of the PPT and PAT. A reliability coefficient of 0.7 and 0.8 was obtained for the PPT and PAT respectively. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and ANOVA) were used in data analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used for statistical analysis. The hypothesis was tested at α=0.05 level of significance. The study established that Collaborative Teaching Strategy enhanced achievement of students of all abilities in Physics. The study recommended that teachers should expose students to Collaborative Strategy more frequently and teacher training programs to equip teachers with skills for collaboration. The findings of the current study are helpful to the curriculum developers in revising curriculum towards learner centeredness by in cooperating collaborative activities.  Institute of Curriculum Development may find the information useful during in servicing of teachers towards making the curriculum more learner centered. The Instructional material developers may find the information useful while developing materials that enhance learner activity. The findings of the study may be useful to teachers while implementing the competence-based curriculum at secondary school level during and after transition stage.