Influence of Geography Teachers’ Competencies on Students’ Map Reading Achievement in Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

The study examined the influence of geography teachers’ competencies on students’ map-reading achievement in Secondary Schools in Nakuru County, Kenya. The study used a descriptive survey and mixed-methods approach, employing simple random and purposive sampling to select 194 students, 14 geography teachers, and 7 heads of department from 7 public secondary schools. Data were collected through questionnaires, assessment tests, interview schedules, and observation plans. Content analysis was employed to extract qualitative data, central tendency measures were implemented to analyse quantitative data, and descriptive statistics were implemented to review the characteristics of the collected data. Infographics and bar graphs were used to illustrate the findings. The results indicated that geography educators exhibited pedagogical content knowledge, as well as technological content knowledge and high self-efficacy. According to 71.4% of the respondents, the competence of instructors in performing their duties was the determining factor in the success of students in map reading. Nevertheless, 28.6% of the instructors indicated that, although competency was a significant predictor of academic success, it was not the sole factor influencing performance. Classroom environment, instructional material availability, and the attitudes of students and teachers towards outdoor learning were other factors that influence academic achievement. These responses were tested, and the test's P-value (.001) was below the threshold (α=.05), indicating a statistically significant association between instructors' competency and student Map Reading achievement. Gender differences in performance were not statistically significant, as the p-value (0.329) is greater than the significance level (α = 0.05). Therefore, gender did not influence students’ learning achievement in map-reading. The study concluded that the recommended method for teaching map reading to partially theoretical principles, which involves exposing students to outdoor learning, would be advantageous. The research suggests that school administrators should guarantee that geography teachers receive regular seminars, workshops, and in-service map-reading training. Instructional tools should be accessible to facilitate effective learning.