| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of project method QPM) on
leamers' academic achievement in Physics (LAP) in public secondary schools in Kenya.
The specific objectives of the study were to establish if there is any significant
difference in achievement between learners exposed to project method and those who
are exposed to traditional methods( lecture and discussion), find out if gender is a factor
in the use of project method, inquire how school characteristic affects the usage of
project method and to establish the relationship between teachers' characteristics (age,
gender and academic qualification) and learners academic achievement in physics.
Learners' academic achievement was determined by scores obtained by the students on
undertaking the Students Achievement Tests (SAT) immediately after the topic under
investigation was covered. Data relating to teachers' view on the project method were
collected using a questionnaire. This teachers' questionnaire had two sections; section
one was designed to collect demographic data of teachers' age, gender, qualifications
and experience while section two of the questionnaire gathered data on factors affecting
the use of project method in the study of Physics. Stratified random sampling was
applied to select 84 schools comprising boys, girls and mixed schools from seven
provinces of Kenya. Data was analyzed by use of ANOV A, Chi-square and multiple
regressions in order to test the hypotheses. A computer package SPSS. was used to
analyze the data. The key findings of the study were that project m.ethod enhances the
learning of Physics; boys performed better than girls; single sex schools performed
better than mixed schools; and that teachers' age, gender, experience and academic
qualifications did not influence the use of the project method. It was further found that
the type of schools in terms of being single sex or mixed, whether day or boarding were
not factors in the use of project method. However, it was found that the class size,size
of schools, availability of learning resources and physics laboratory influenced the use
of project method. In view of these findings, the researcher recommends that the use of
project method be enhanced in the teaching of Physics. fhat more single sex schools be
established, that Physics teachers to be in serviced in the use of project method and that
more resources be availed to schools so as to enhance the learning of physics. | en_US |
