Chapter 8: Kenyan Secondary School Students’ Perceptions of Their Science Classroom: Influence of Gender, School Type, and Instructional Context

Development and management of Kenya’s abundant natural resources and outstanding agricultural conditions for and by the Kenyan people require a workforce with considerable scientific skills and knowledge. The Kenyan government has identified science, technology, and innovation as “critical to the socio-economic transformation of the country” (Republic of Kenya, 2007, p. 19) intending to use schools to enhance quality, equity, and access to science and technology. However, like many other countries in the world, Kenya has struggled with attaining needed levels of scientific literacy among their citizens (Keraro, Wachanga, & Orora, 2006; Republic of Kenya, 2012). One possible reason for that struggle is secondary school students’ lack of self-determination in pursuing science education. In this mixed method study, the authors examine students’ motivation to learn science in Kenyan secondary schools and test whether students’ motivation varies by gender, school type, and classroom processes and practices in classrooms serving mainstream (not wealthy or elite) students. This study is designed to fill a need for more studies that specifically examine motivation to learn mathematics and science in the African secondary school system.