Impact of children’s own investigations on performance in preschool science activities in East Division of Isiolo District, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Children’s own investigations on performance in pre-school science Activities in East Division, Isiolo District. A quasiexperimental research design was used to conduct the study. Ten pre-schools in East Division, Isiolo District, were sampled of which five of them were in the experimental group and five in the control group. All the children, aged 5-6 years, in the experimental and control pre-schools were sampled. Data was collected both in classroom and outdoor learning environments. Pre-school science activities tests were administered to the children. Questionnaires for teachers and head teachers in pre-schools, and observation schedule for class activities were administered. The findings established that the difference in performance between children in the control and those in the experimental groups of preschools is statistically significant (t (8) = -4.463, p=.002, two tailed).This suggests that children who are taught science activities using traditional methods and children’ own investigations perform better than children taught science activities using traditional methods only. The difference in performance was due to treatment or interventions done to the experimental group. Children’s own investigations should therefore be used to compliment traditional methods in teaching science activities in pre-schools. The study recommends that pre-school children should be involved in their own investigations in science activities. The Ministry of Education and other stake holders should consider providing adequate resources to pre-schools so that children can be involved in their own investigations in science activities. Pre-school teachers should be trained and provided with pre-school science activities guides so that they can involve children in conducting their own investigations in science activities.