ISSN: 2226-6348
Open access
This article dealt with methods of teaching Geography in Kenya but also the world over. The importance of Geography in secondary school curriculum cannot be overemphasized. Improving the performance of Geography education is a great societal need in Kenya not only for industrialization of the country as contained in the vision 2030 but also for ensuring food security in the country through practices like land reclamation and irrigation farming The objective of this article was; to find out the teaching methods used by various Geography teachers in secondary schools in Rongo district. The research question was: Which are the teaching methods used by secondary school Geography teachers in Rongo district? This study was guided by the B.F Skinner’s (1971) theory of Operant Conditioning which states that learning is based on consequences-reward. The respondent’s behaviour (R) is under the control of stimulus (S). It is therefore a process through which organisms learn to repeat behaviour that yields positive outcomes. The study adopted the descriptive survey design and targeted students taking Geography in the district. Female students were 302 while male students were 704 in secondary schools in Rongo District, Kenya. The study sample consisted of 308 students and 11 Geography teachers drawn from 11 secondary schools in Rongo district. The eleven schools is equivalent to thirty two per cent of secondary schools in Rongo district, which is considered statistically representative enough. Stratified random sampling was used to choose the schools to be included in the sample by using divisions as units of study. In order to identify the schools to be used from each division, simple random sampling was used. Purposive sampling was used to ensure that there is gender equity. The researcher used a questionnaire, observation and document content analysis as the main instruments for data collection. Data was collected using closed and open ended questionnaires. The questionnaires were pre-tested by being administered to 30 respondents from two schools which were not included in the study. The scores obtained from the first and second tests were 0.76 and 0.77 respectively. The descriptive statistics including percentages mean and frequency tables were used to analyse the data. Data was also analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 15.0 computer programme. The results of the study indicated that the use of question and answer method by teachers is at 85.3% while students’ preference for it is at 48%. The use of field work by teachers is at 56.2% while the students’ preference for it is at 75%. The study recommends that teachers to use the teaching methods which are preferred by students and are recommended by the syllabus.
Abagi, O. (1999). Education for the next millennium in Kenya: Damacation of Imperatives.” In Peter Kimunya, Mbui Wagacha and Okwachi Abagi, Kenya’s Strategic Policies for the 21st Century: Macro Economic and Sectoral choices, Nairobi: IPAR.
Abagi, O., & Olweya, J. (1999). Educational reform in Kenya for the Next Decade: "Implementing Policies for adjustment and Revitalisation" Special Paper services, Nairobi IPAR.
Alcorn, M. D. (2010). Better teaching in secondary schools. Holt Rinehart and Winston. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston.
Alebiosu, K. L. (2002). Methods of teaching in developing countries. Journal of Education Research. 12: 133-140.
Awiti, D. (2010). The Use of Discovery Methods in Our Schools. Daily Nation May 10, 2010 Pg. 10.
Ayoti, H., & Patel, M. (1992). Instructional Methods. Nairobi: Nad Publications
Bloomfield, E. R. (1970). "New roles for case studies in Geography. Geography and education bulletin vol.2, New York.
Eagly, A. H., & Chaiken, S. (1993). The psychology of questioning and attitudes. Fort Worth, Tx: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich college publishers.
Eshiwani, G. S. (1987). Failure and dropouts in secondary schools in Kenya and Zambia: A case study of internal and external cases. Nairobi: UNESCO.
Eshiwani, G. S. (1988). Determinants of school achievements in Kajiado district. Kenyatta University. Nairobi.
Farson, R., & Crichton, M. (1996). Performance of the absurd. New York: Simon and Schuster.
Gitau, P. N. (2008). Mastering PTE education. Nairobi: Kenya. Kenya Literature Bureau.
GOK. (1989) "Sessional Paper No.6 of 1989 on Education and Manpower Training for the next decade and beyond", Nairobi.
GOK. (1998). Master Plan on Education and Training 1997 - 2010" Nairobi.
Jan, K. L., Horst, M. K., Movery, P., & Cruppler, D. (2008). Educational paradigm. Journal of Adventist Education. 13: 14-22.
Jemison, D. & McNally, J.P. (1975). Factors influencing the demand for schooling in Nicaragua. Economic Society. Dallas, TX: Economic Society. McGraw Hill
K. I. E. (2002) Primary education syllabus. Nairobi Kenya Institute of Education
K. I. E. (2008) Secondary school syllabus. Nairobi Kenya Institute of Education
Kamugisha, R., Tanui, S., Koros, M., Ondieki, D. S., & Simiyu, D. (2005). Education system in Kenya: Is there any need for critical review of the system? Journal of Educational Planning. 23(2): 134-145.
KNEC. (2009). Kenya National Examination Council Report. http://www.examscouncil.or.ke/index.php?
Kogola, M. (2010). .Project as a method of teaching in schools. Daily Nation, June 20th pg 12.
Kothari, C. R. (2005). Research methodology: Methods and techniques. Daryaganj, New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd.
Krathwohl, D. R. (2008). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Hand book 1; cognitive domain, McKay. New York
Kyalo, E., Osano, M., Maundu, K., & Kipkemboi, I. (2006). Education in Kenya: Towards the paradigm of shift of quality. Journals of Educational Management. 123: 23-33.
Lardizabal, A. S. (1978). Principles and methods of teaching. 2nd edition. Alemar – phoenix, Manila.
Malusu, J., & Wachira, L. (2008), Distinction education Kenya Literature Bureau. Nairobi.
MKRDEC. (2009). Form four KCSE Examination Analysis. Unpublished report. Migori: Hataro Publisher.
MoEST. (2005). Kenya Education sector support programme 2005-2010. Delivering quality education to all Kenyans. Nairobi: Government Printers.
Moi University. (2004) Research policy for institutional research and ethics committee. Eldoret: Moi University
Mukwa, C. W., & Otieno, J. (1988). General methods. Nairobi: Nairobi University Press.
Mullen, J. B. (2003). Secondary schools teaching methods. Cambridge: Haward University Press.
Nacino, B. (1980). Curriculum and instruction: An interdiction to methods of teaching. New York, Macmillan.
National Economic and Social Council of Kenya (NESC). (2007) Kenya vision 2030. retrieved march17,2009fromhttp:www.investmentkenya/documents/publications/vision 2030 BROCHURE%july2007.pdf.
Ngang’a, K. P. (2010). Investments towards educational attainment in Kenya. Daily Nation, June 8, 2010
Ngaroga, J. (1996). Primary Teacher Education. Nairobi: East African Education Publishers.
Ngaroga, J. (2008). Primary Teacher Education. Nairobi: East African Educational publishers
Ngau, P., & Nyamweru C. (1986) Field work and data analysis in Geography. Nairobi MacMillan Kenya.
Ombok, E. (2007). Kenya’s billion shillings investment retrieved April 3 2008 from http://www.yesweb.org/news/download/kenyas-billion shillings investment.pdf. Accessed 11 April 2009.
Omwoyo F. (2009) Primary social studies standard four secondary schools. Nyanza province. Nairobi. Kenya Literature Bureau.
Quist, D. (2000). Primary teaching methods in Malaysia. New York: MacMillan.
Rongo District Education Office. (2004-2009). Collated performance index of students in various subjects in KCSE exams from the year 2004-2009.
Sewe, P. O. (2006). Teaching methodologies. Teachings New Books: PA.
Siringi, S. (2010a) ‘Female students narrow gap in varsity selection’. Saturday Nation, February 27, 2010.Pg 11, 16-19.
Siringi, S. (2010b) ‘Education takes up lions share’. Friday Daily Nation, June 11, 2010. P. 10.
Siringi, S. (2010c) ‘School heads push for new ranking system’. Monday Daily Nation, June 21, 2010. P. 9.
Siringi, S. (2010d) ‘Teachers call for relevant curriculum’. Daily Nation, June 21, 2010. P. 9.
Skinner, B. F. (1971). Operant Conditioning. http://tip.psychology.org/skinner.html
Sound P. B., & Trowbridge (1973). Teaching science by inquiry in secondary schools. 2nd edition. Charles e Merrill, Columbus, Ohio.
Thungu, J. (2008). Mastering PTE. New York: Oxford University Press.
UNESCO. (1996). International Institute for Educational Planning. http://www.iiep.unesco.org/.
Waka, M., & Ngigi, S. (2008). Evaluation of the revised 8-4-4 primary amd secondary school curriculum. Official Journal of the Kenya Institute of Education. 1(2): 31-32.
Were, N. (2003). Instructional method: teaching across the curriculum. Nairobi: Strong wall Africa.
Whitcombe, L. K., & Tombs, M. R. (2007). Readings in geographical education: Problems and solutions. Journal of Teaching. 99: 3-11.
Yambo, J. M. O. (2012). Determinants of KCSE Examination Performance in SDA Sponsored Schools: A Key to Academic Promotion to the next Level of Learning. Lambert Academic Publishing. Saarbrucken, Germany
Yau, B. L. L. (2005). An analysis of the recent years' Geography essay questions of the Hong Kong certificate of education examinations", "stadium", no. V, journal of the school of education, the Chinese university of Hong Kong.
In-Text Citation: (Benjamin & Nato, 2014)
To Cite this Article: Benjamin, O., & Nato, L. W. (2014). Determining Methods used in Teaching Geography in Secondary Schools in Rongo District, Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 3(1), 234–247.
Copyright: © 2014 The Author(s)
Published by Human Resource Management Academic Research Society (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode