Evaluation of the utilization of instructional resources By secondary school teachers in teaching of Geography in Ugunja Sub-County, Siaya County Kenya

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.