Peer Instruction and Secondary School Students Achievement in Vectors

Abstract

The importance of raising students competence in mathematics in a developing country such as Kenya cannot be overstated. This is because to produce professionals in areas such as engineering, medicine and accounting requires a good score in mathematics. Students that will further their studies in these areas will find that vectors is pre requisite knowledge. The purpose of this study was to document the impact of peer instruction on students achievement in vectors. The study used a modified version of the Solomon four group experimental design. Intact classes were randomly assigned to the four treatment groups in the Solomon four design. The study used both probability and non probability sampling procedures to select 479 form three learners for the study. Two achievement tests were used to collect data. The t-test and ANOVA  were used in data analysis. Results revealed that peer instruction had a marked positive impact on the students achievement in vectors than when conventional methods of instruction were used. It is therefore recommended that where there is need to substantially improve achievement in vectors peer instruction should be used.

Key Words: Achievement, Peer Instruction, Learning vectors