The Role of School Culture Through Instructional Management on Learner Performance in Mathematics in Public Secondary Schools in Nyandarua County, Kenya

Abstract

Instructional management as an aspect of school culture is a product of self-supportive approach of thinking in improving learning outcome in Mathematics. This study sought to examine effect of school culture through instructional management on learner performance in Mathematics in public secondary schools in Nyandarua County. Focus was on testing as teaching, instructional supervision and syllabus coverage as determinants of learner performance in Mathematics based on perceptual and self-concept theories of Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) developed by Lev Semenovich Vygotsky. The philosophical foundation of this study stems from constructivist epistemology with an assumption that reality is a subjective product of human perception. Descriptive research design was adopted and questionnaires collect data to sought information from learners in Form Three and Mathematics teachers systematically sampled to ensure comprehensive geographical coverage of Nyandarua County. Findings of the study revealed that testing as teaching (p-value= 0.000) and instructional supervision (p-value = 0.042) were significantly associated with learner performance in Mathematics at 95% CI. The study recommended strengthening of testing as teaching as instructional approach through in servicing for improved learner performance in Mathematics. On further research, exploring the position of syllabus coverage as a component of instructional management in facilitating mastery of Mathematics content for better learner performance in Nyandarua County and beyond, could be investigated.