An Analysis Of The Factors Influencing Achievement In Mathematics Geometry Among Secondary School Students In Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi County

ABSTRACT

This study investigated thefactorsinfluencing achievement in mathematics geometry among secondary schools student in Makadara sub-county, Nairobi county. The aim of the study was to find out the factors contributing to poor performance in Mathematics and provide a way of improving the students performance specically in geometry. The study was guided by the following objectives: effects of teaching strategies on the students level of achievement in geometry in secondary schools, to examine the effect of student study habits on the level of achievement in geometry, to assess the effect of curriculum implementation on the students level of achievement in geometry, to examine theffects of evaluation on the students level of achievenment on geometry and to determine some of the problems students encounter in learning of geometry. Two hundred and fourty students selected randomly from six schools in the district participated in the study. Student level of geometricalachievement was tested using mathematics geometric achievement test (M.G.A.T), and different teaching and learning strategies explored. The key issues postulated in the study revolved around teaching strategies, student study habit, curriculum implementation, assessment and evaluation criteria on the level of achievement geometry. Data were collected using a questionnaires and the M.G.A.T. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to establish the relationship between the aforementioned factors and the understanding of geometry among the students. The findings of this study showed that teaching strategies, students study habits, curriculum implementation and evaluation had positive and significant relationship with the level of achievement in geometry The finding showed that 79% of the students and teachers in this study indicated poor attitude toward geometry among students was the major problem among students while 65.9% indicated lack of adequate learning resources, 62.7% indicated lack of practical sessions, 55.5% of the respondents indicated poor learning strategies used by teachers. Only 38.6% of the respondents indicated lack of enough trained and experienced teacher. The study concluded that strategies used by teachers in learning/teaching geometry contribute to the level of performance in geometry test. Teachers used strategies that don‟t motivate students to excel in geometry. This study further concluded that the performance of students within the study region in geometry tests was still very poor. This can be attributed to poor attitude among students, lack of adequate learning resources and poor learning strategies used by teachers, lack of practical sessions. Lack of enough trained and experienced teacher was the least problem that affected the learning/teaching of geometry.