Influence Of Availability And Utilization Of Instructional Media On Students’ Academic Performance In Kiswahili In Public Secondary Schools In Vihiga County, Kenya

Abstract

Availability and utilization of instructional media play a significant role in the attainment of educational objectives and the academic performance of students. The teaching and learning process of Kiswahili has been a challenge at secondary school level. This has contributed to dismal academic performance in the subject in KCSE exams. This calls for early intervention through use of a variety of instructional media to enhance high levels of retention of information. Therefore, the study purposed to establish the influence of availability and utilization of instructional media on the academic performance of students in Kiswahili in Public secondary schools in Vihiga County, Kenya. Constructivism theory and ASSURE Model guided this study. The specific objectives were to: analyze the availability of instructional media and its influence on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili; examine the influence of selection of instructional media on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili; establish the utilization of instructional media and its influence on students’ academic performance in Kiswahili; and analyze the challenges encountered during the selection and use of instructional media for teaching Kiswahili. The study was done in public secondary schools in Vihiga County. The study designs adopted were descriptive survey and correlational research. Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were engaged to select 294 from 1120 teachers, 367 from 4480 form three students and 13 from 139 Principals, selected from 42 public secondary schools and 3 from 9 County Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (CQASOs). Two questionnaires were employed to collect data from students and teachers while data from principals and CQASOs was collected through interview schedule. Observation schedules and document analysis were also used to collect more data. The instruments were validated using experts’ help for content and face validity and piloted in two schools. The split half method was used and the data obtained subjected to the Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient (r). The values obtained were r = 0.76 for teachers’ and r = 0.81 for students’ questionnaires. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically based on objectives and presented in narration form. Analysis of quantitative data was done using frequencies, percentages and regression. Presentation of the findings was done through frequency distribution tables and textual presentation. The findings of the study exposed acute shortage of instructional media in schools in Vihiga County. Teachers were unable to improvise alternative media for use. They rarely participated in decision making on matters pertaining selection of instructional media yet they had appropriate knowledge of requirements for instruction. Generally secondary schools encountered several challenges preventing them from providing relevant media to teachers for use. Therefore, the study concluded that unavailability of adequate instructional media influences students’ academic performance in Kiswahili; appropriate selection and utilization of instructional media determines students’ academic performance in Kiswahili and that several challenges are encountered during selection and utilization of instructional media. The study therefore recommends that to realize desirable students’ performance in Kiswahili, instructional media should be availed for use; teachers be encouraged to improvise alternatives where media are not available; teachers be allowed to participate in decision making on matters concerning selection and use of the media and the challenges encountered during the selection and utilization of instructional media be minimized. The study findings are envisaged to guide policy makers in formulation of policies that would ensure appropriate selection and use of instructional media in secondary schools.