EFFECT OF FLIPPED CLASSROOM STRATEGY ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PHYSICS TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KAUMA SUB-COUNTY, KILIFI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Flipped classroom is an innovative teaching strategy that is getting popular day by day in the 21st century. Studies show that the strategy has a positive impact on student achievement in different subjects. Secondary schools’ students in Kauma Sub-County, Kilifi County, Kenya have been scoring dismally in the physics Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations for six consecutive years as reported by the sub-county‘s 2022 KCSE report. This study investigated the effects of the flipped classroom on students' achievement in physics in the sub county. It also assessed the students ‘perception of the strategy towards physics instruction and the challenges they faced when adopting the flipped classroom strategy. The study adopted mixed research methods using the non-equivalent Solomon IV quasi experiment and qualitative designs. The targeted population of this study was 1270 form one students from four secondary schools in Kauma Sub-County. Purposive sampling, stratified sampling and random sampling techniques were used to sample out 182 students from four schools that were involved in the study. Two schools were experimental and the other two were the control group. One experimental and one control group received a pre-test test, thereafter, the four schools were taught electrostatics (I) for a period of two weeks. Teachers observed and recorded the instruction process and recorded observable changes and challenges faced when using the strategy. Perception Likert-scaled questionnaires were administered to the students to rate their perception of the strategy. After the treatment, post-test achievement test was administered to all form ones in the four selected schools to assess effect of the treatment. A comparison of means of the students ‘achievement and perception was done and the differences noted down. The critical value obtained from ANOVA and α-value of 0.05 of the achievement scores was 0.036. Since 0.036< 0.05 leading to a conclusion that flipped classroom strategy significantly improved students' academic achievement in physics. A pared t-test was conducted on the retention data and a p-value of 0.000 was obtained leading to a conclusion that there was statistical difference in retention of concepts between students taught by flipped classroom strategy and those taught using the traditional lecture strategy. MANOVA test was conducted on the perception responses with a confidence level of 0.05, a significance value of 0.000 which was less than 0.05 leading to a conclusion that Students' perceived flipped classroom as an effective strategy for physics instruction. The data on challenges was analysed thematically through content analysis. The study recommends that flipped classroom strategy can be employed as a physics instructional strategy to teach learners who achieve dismally in physics. The study also recommends for similar studies to be conducted on in other subjects other than physics.