Abstract:
Effective utilization of instructional resources is pivotal in fostering quality teaching
experiences. Despite the acknowledged importance of instructional resources in
enhancing education quality and student performance, there is limited literature on their
effective integration in geography instruction within Ugunja Sub-County. Therefore, this
study aims to evaluate how secondary school teachers use instructional materials in
teaching geography in secondary schools in Ugunja Sub-County. The objectives of the
study were to; find out the available instructional resources for teaching geography;
establish the types of instructional resources used by secondary school teachers in
teaching geography; assess the extent to which teachers utilize the instructional resources
in teaching geography and explore the views of secondary school teachers towards the
utilization of instructional resources in teaching geography. The study was guided by
Edgar Dale's Cone of Experience theory and pragmatic philosophy. It adopted a mixed-
methods approach with a convergent mixed-method research design. The target
population comprised 80 geography teachers and 20 heads of geography subject in
Ugunja Sub-County. The sample size consisted of 66 geography teachers selected using
simple random sampling for the quantitative strand and 15 heads of the geography
subject selected through purposive sampling for the qualitative strand. Data collection
methods included a survey questionnaire for quantitative data and semi-structured
interviews for qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using means and
percentages, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The quantitative results
showed that print materials are highly available (89.77%); other resources (61.84%), non-
projected materials (54.23%), and projected materials (52.30%) are moderately available.
Additionally, the majority of geography teachers utilized print materials (88.73%), other
resources (52%), non-projected materials (48.09%), and few utilized projected materials
(37.86%). Qualitative findings revealed that geography teachers in Ugunja Sub-County
effectively adapt their instructional methods for both practical and theoretical topics,
enhancing student engagement and critical thinking. However, their ability to provide
comprehensive education is hindered by resource constraints, particularly the lack of
specialized materials like maps, globes, and atlases. The study concludes that while print
materials for geography are readily available and heavily utilized in Ugunja Sub-County,
significant shortages in non-projected visual aids, hands-on resources, and multimedia
tools hinder effective teaching and limit experiential learning opportunities. The study
recommends enhancing geography education in Ugunja Sub-County by improving the
availability and utilization of diverse instructional resources, providing ongoing
professional development for teachers, and ensuring adequate resource allocation to
support effective and engaging teaching methods. These findings will benefit Ministry of
Education stakeholders, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), and
basic education policymakers in selecting suitable materials for geography curriculum
development.