Influence of Instructional Methods on Girls’ Performance in KCSE Mathematics in Baringo Central Sub County, Kenya.

Abstract

Mathematics is an important subject to achievement of Vision 2030 in Kenya. Unfortunately, girls’ performance in Mathematics has remained dismal over the years at the secondary school level. Such consistent underperformance is attributed to factors like teaching approaches. This paper examines the extent to which instructional methods used in teaching influence girls’ performance in Mathematics in KCSE in Baringo Central Sub-County. The study was guided by the systems approach to teaching and learning developed by Ayot and Patel. The study was carried out through descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 190 subjects was used. It comprised of 18 Mathematics trainers, 6 Mathematics Heads of departments and 166 girls. Purposive sampling was used to select HoDs and Mathematics teachers while simple random sampling was used to select the Form Four girls. Two questionnaires, one for Mathematics teachers and the other for students namely interview schedules for Mathematics HODs and observation checklist were used during data collection. Data was analysed using descriptive statistical techniques like standard deviation, percentages, frequency tables and means. Results indicate that instructional methods have an influence on girls’ performance in mathematics. The teachers approach to teaching mathematics impacts on the way pupils apply, analyse, and synthesize concepts to create knowledge and solve problems. Teaching methods had a low but significant influence ((r=0.210) p<0.05) on girls’ performance in KCSE Mathematics examinations. We recommend that teachers should be given more in-service training in Mathematics to improve performance in mathematics.