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.

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION

                        Overview

This chapter chronologically presents the background, problem statement, purpose, objectives, research questions, assumptions, significance, delimitation, limitation, theoretical framework, conceptual framework, and operational definition of terms. Therefore, the chapter builds on the study.

                        Background to the Study

The main objective of teaching Mathematics at all levels is to enable the learner develop clear and logical thinking needed for analysis of both academic and everyday life situation (Scopes, 1973) .Thus Mathematics aids in understanding other subjects, especially sciences subjects.Mathematics is necessary for the development of scientific, technical, monetary and commercial activities around the life of an indivdual and the community (Ayot& Patel, 1992).

Education is an element in stimulation of social economic development as advanced by several government policy documents and various scholars (Selina 2012). According to Todaro (2004) a country which is unable to invest in education to develop knowledge and skills of her people and utilize them effectively in national economy will be unable to develop anything else. Hallack (1990) states that education has been identified Worldwide as an important component that determines character and social economic development of any nation.

Developed countries like USA and Japan have a large pool of highly skilled human resources. This has enabled them to not only exploit local natural resources but also to identify and negotiate for other countries resources. Education is fundamental ingredient for creating economic development. In the United States it has been more important than increased capital in accounting for worker productivity and US economic growth (Smith, 2003).

The performance of education is evaluated based on examinations given and attainments of students in such examinations. Examinations have been accepted by educationists and other stakeholders as an important aspect of any education system (Musau, 2015). The importance placed on examination has seen stakeholders come up with strategies aimed at improving learner‟s performance in examinations (Juma, 2011).

Eze, Ezenwafor and Molokwu(2015)noted that to facilitate the process of knowledge transmission, teachers should apply appropriate teaching methods that best suit specific objectives and level exit outcomes. In the traditional epoch, many teaching practitioners widely applied teaching methods to impart knowledge to learners comparative. Adunola (2011) also maintained that teachers need to be conversant with numerous teaching strategies that take recognition of the magnitude of complexity of the concepts to be covered.

Secondary school Mathematics in Kenya is designed to help students in working out  solutions to problems with accuracy, precision and speed both academic and functional life situation. According to Kinyua, Maina&Odera (2003), Mathematics helps the students to improve their skills in measurement, approximation and estimating. Such skills are necessary for any quest be it academic or business. It also aids students in collecting, representing and interpreting data, which they can manipulate and add meaning to Mathematics, therefore

helps the learner to develop investigative and problem solving skills, thus enabling them to understand better and manage their personal and collective life (Costello, 1991).Despite the importance of Mathematics in daily  life, the  student‟s achievement  in Mathematics is very low. Un-attainment of the objectives set for Mathematics is a global issue. Several countries question the Mathematics low attainment of the students in school.

Britain as a country has its share in the great debate that led to Cockcroft inquiry (Costello, 1991). He observed that `anxiety` about standards of achievement in school Mathematics appeared to be a permanent feature of British life with complaints of declining standards made regularly in the press and by government organs for well over hundred years. In Kenya the baseline survey of 1998, revealed that performance in Mathematics and sciences by both boys and girls was generally poor (Maweu, 2005).

In 1998, the Government of Kenya (GoK) launched a project for strengthening of Mathematics and Sciences in Secondary Schools (SMASSE) INSET. SMASSE launch was against a background of poor performance in Kenyan schools in Mathematics and Science subjects. Kenyan Mathematics and Science teachers were to undergo four cycles meant to induct them to active teaching methods with SMASSE strategy of Activity, Students Experimentation, and Improvisation (ASEI) and Plan, Do, See and Improve (PDSI) movement skills in teaching learning process. Despite the training under taken by teachers, the attainment in Mathematics is persistently low. Figure 1.1 shows the national mathematics mean score for the period 2006 to 2009.