EFFECT OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING STRATEGY ON ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS IN SUB-COUNTY GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN BUNGOMA COUNTY-KENYA

Abstract

The government of Kenya has invested enormously in educational resources, such as infrastructure development in schools, learning materials and professional development of teachers. Despite the efforts put in place to support access to quality education, enrolment and performance in physics in most sub-county girls’ secondary schools in Bungoma County at Form 3 remain relatively low and poor. The study aimed at investigating the effect of Problem-Based Learning Strategy (PBLS) on achievement in physics using the topic fluid flow. Objectives of the study were to: investigate girls’ ability to derive the equation of continuity, determine the gain in problem solving abilities of girls, establish the effect of PBLS on girls’ motivation, and determine the ability of girls to illustrate Bernoulli’s effects in nature using PBLS. The study adopted constructivist theories of learning. Quasi-Experimental design was used with eight schools targeted in Bungoma County. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select schools, then simple random sampling was applied to assign schools to experimental and control groups. The study sampled Form two students because the topic of fluid flow is taught at form two. The study used motivation questionnaire, Physics Achievement Test (PAT) and observation schedule. Two groups of each n=40 either control or experimental were exposed to pretest and post-test. The reliability coefficient was calculated using KR-Fomulla-20 and Cronbach’s alpha at 0.75 and 0.70 respectively. Results show statistically significant difference in the ability of girls to derive the “equation of continuity”, problem solving abilities, illustrate Bernoulli’s effects in nature using PBLS and its effect on girls’ motivation was relatively higher than conventional methods. The ability to derive continuity equation, problem solving abilities in fluid flow and the ability to illustrate Bernoulli’s effects in nature led to improved girls’ achievements in physics. Similarly, the motivation effect helped in enhancing enrolment of girls in physics at form three. The study recommends the method should be strongly advocated by policy makers, the government, curriculum developers, principals and teachers while teaching science subjects for effective skill development among the learners. The study is significant in bringing total reforms to CBC that call for the use of learner-centered instructional strategies to develop key competencies for skill development.