Psychological Factors Associated with Decline in Performance in Mathematics in Kenyan Technical Training Institutes: A Case Study of Machakos Technical Training Institute.
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Date
2011
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences
Abstract
The study focused on psychological factors associated with decline in performance in VatSematics in Kenyan technical training institutes. It paid special attention to Machakos Training Institute (MITI) to represent the 28 technical training institutes in the where the findings would be replicated. It sought to examine the psychological x:ocs that affected levels of performance among technical training institute students who Mathematics in national examinations. Mathematics is taken in the technical institutes as s.porting subject for professional vocational courses at Certificate and Diploma levels. problem in this study was that stakeholders had expressed concern that, despite efforts of students and teachers, performance in Mathematics had continued to decline due to arety of factors, some of which are psychological. The psychological factors that affected *Ziormance in the subject were of critical concern and were worth investigating in order to ase the performance index. The main objectives of the study were to establish the attitudes gudents in technical training institute towards Mathematics, to determine the factors that affected performance in the subject and to determine the z:iznship between the attitudes and student performance. From the literature reviewed, as a clear relationship between performance and student attitudes. Although the generally concentrated on primary and secondary school levels in the learning and :zz.zation of Mathematics, the principles were applicable to technical training institute. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to carry out a—r.ive case study in which a group of engineering students randomly selected answered —s':cnaires and participated in a students' focus group discussion (FGD). A group of—:ES purposively selected were interviewed and others took part in a Mathematics FGD. All the respondents in this research had studied Mathematics at primary, and tertiary levels. They had sat for national examinations at which they hadx various grades. Their performance had been either enhanced or downgraded by a of factors. Such factors included biological, social, spiritual and especially. The key research findings showed that 92.9% of the Institute's students had '*ith grades of between A and C- at Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE).Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) level four years later, the number ofÆä±nts who achieved between D+ and E had increased to 27.2%. By the time the same sat for examinations at the Institute, the number that achieved between D+ and E had increased to 53%. The research findings also showed that 48.5% of the students mt understand the practical value of Mathematics in their chosen vocations. It was also out that 54.3% of students found their Mathematics teachers negatively critical, and a significant 61.4% ofthe students did not consult their Mathematics teachers for help class hours. The load of homework was found to be heavy, making 70% of the c.±nts to spend their free time doing assignments. The research proved that there was a proportion (47.1%) of students who, with a positive attitude towards Mathematics, xö.:rmed averagely throughout their academic life, than those who performed poorly (7.1%) •e a positive attitude. In view of these findings, the researcher recommended the teachers the amount of homework given to students, encourage students with positive provide constant guidance, implement and grade group work as well as class 'Z*'tations, show students the practical relevance of the subject, and co-teach to give of techniques. It also recommended that principals develop and strengthen counsélling zzzments to nurture in students' positive attitudes towards Mathematics; Kenya Institute of E.a=zion (K.I.E.) curriculum developers to integrate the relevance of Mathematics in the life xr- especially in technical training institutes; and the Ministry of Higher Education. CFEST) to limit the number of students per class, provide interest-free loans to technical xito enable students to buy resources such as Mathematical tables, scientificz.üZOtS and textbooks, and deploy trained educational counsellors to institutes.
Description
MASTER OF ARTS in Counselling Psychology.
Keywords
Psychological factors, Performance in VatSematics, Levels of performance
Citation
Obengo, D. M. (2011). Psychological Factors Associated with Decline in Performance in Mathematics in Kenyan Technical Training Institutes: A Case Study of Machakos Technical Training Institute. Daystar University, School of Applied Human Sciences