Contextual Enablers and Hindrances of Girl Child Participation in STEM Education in a Kenyan County: A Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17501/26307413.2020.3101Keywords:
Contextualized learning, Girl Child, STEM education, performanceAbstract
In Kenya, student performance in sciences and Mathematics is still low compared to artoriented disciplines. The poor performance has affected not only the Girl child’s interest in these
disciplines but also the number of girls that take STEM-oriented programs at tertiary levels. Several
mitigating measures have been enacted although the situation has not changed much. This paper
reports a study that explored contextual enablers and hindrances of Girl Child participation in STEM
education in a Western Kenyan county. The study employed a case study approach by administering
structured questionnaires, interview schedule and focused group discussion guide for data collection.
The data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods and revealed that: 1) lesson
development that connected science concepts to activities in the local context motivated and
improved girl child’s participation and performance in contextualized learning activities and 2),
familiarity with the materials and tools used in planning and implementing contextualized learning
activities evoked the girl child’s enthusiasm and courage to exchange knowledge and ask more
curiosity focused questions. Also revealed were hindrances including: 1) teachers’ initial training
that did not prepare them for this way of teaching and it was not and has not been modeled for them
during their pre-service education or the ongoing professional development workshops; and 2) the
exam driven nature of the curriculum serving as a hindrance to teacher innovation and creativity in
instructional techniques. The study recommends a more creative and innovative teacher training
system and focused research to monitor girl child participation and performance in STEM education.
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