The main purpose of this study was to explore the factors that affect grade10 students’ academic achievement in science education at Ilu Aba Bora Zone of General Secondary Schools. To attain this objective, descriptive survey research method was employed. The subjects of the study were 360 (172 male and female 155 students, 25 science teachers, 2 laboratory technicians and 6 school principals). Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling (lottery method) technique was employed to select the sample students, purposive sampling technique was used to select the schools and availability sampling method was employed for science subject teachers, laboratory technicians and school principals. To gather the necessary data, questionnaire, and interview, observation and document analysis were used. The gathered information was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis. The result of the study showed that students were stagnantly engaged in traditional methods of teaching science education. Of major teaching science methodologies, small group (one to five) discussion (M=4.0) method was the most dominant approach followed by gapped-lecture and whole class discussion, which are not pedagogically supported in teaching science education of the modern time. Out of laboratory sessions, with statistically no significant difference between male and female students, they favored science education negatively and poorly involved in practicing it. 85.97% of activities in science educations of grade 9 and 10 were absolutely not done in the laboratory, which hinder students’ understanding to handle science education easily. The study also revealed that, non-proficiency in English Language becomes an obstacle for students to grasp the concepts of science education. Although the professional supports of science teachers to their students were relatively fair (M=3.2), they have not used their maximum potential to implement science education effectively. Parental involvement, peer pressure, schools support (regular attendance, providing facilities, evaluating the effectiveness of teaching learning, giving guidance,) and other stakeholders commitment to enhance students’ science education were very near to the ground. Lastly, absence of laboratory chemicals, rooms, apparatuses, technicians and well organized laboratory manuals were negatively affected the effective implementation of science education and students’ academic achievement as well. Thus, based on the findings of the study, recommendations were forwarded to alleviate the aforementioned problems.

Keywords:  Science education, teaching methodology, attitude, practice, instructional media, stakeholders and supports.

The study examined the effect of problem solving strategy on Secondary school students’ achievement in Circle Geometry in Emuhaya district of Vihiga county, Kenya. Two research objectives were used in the study to make the investigation. These were: (i) To determine if there is any significant difference in students’ achievement when taught using a problem solving strategy and conventional methods, and (ii) To determine students’ attitudes towards mathematics when taught using a problem solving strategy and when taught using conventional methods. This study was based on the Constructivist learning theory which originates from works of cognitive scientists like Jean Piaget and John Dewey. Constructivist teaching is based on the belief that learning occurs as learners are actively involved in a process of meaning and knowledge construction as opposed to passively receiving information. According to this theory, learners are the makers of knowledge and meaning. The study was a true experimental research design based on Solomon Four-Fold design. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of using problem solving method on secondary school students’ achievement in mathematics. Since the poor performance in mathematics is as a result of the decimal performance in the key topics, this study used circle geometry to establish any effect of the method. Two mathematics teachers with equal qualifications, teaching experience and considerably equal teaching potential were selected and trained to teach the two groups. Same lesson plans and worksheets were developed and used along with the direct teaching strategies for both groups. The control group was kept under a control condition by providing traditional competitive situation in class while the experimental group was provided with the Problem solving method as a treatment. The academic achievements of the control and experimental groups were examined through a post-test. In the experimental groups, one group was pretested, treated then post-tested while the other one was only treated then post-tested. In the control groups, one group was pretested then post-tested while the other one was only post-tested. Several implications of the findings are highlighted in the study as reported in this paper. The findings showed that problem solving had a significant effect on students’ achievement. It was found out that students taught through problem solving had a better achievement than those taught through the conventional methods. The study also found out that the attitudes of students were positive when taught using problem solving than when taught using conventional approaches. The researcher recommends that teachers should inculcate problem solving skills in their students to help them be better problem solvers in mathematics.

Keywords:  Problem solving, Achievement, Problem solving strategy, Conventional methods, traditional methods, Attitude. Circle geometry.