Physics teachers’ content mastery and students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Busia County, Kenya

Abstract

Students’ academic performance in Physics remains a concern in secondary education because the subject requires conceptual understanding, mathematical reasoning and the application of scientific principles. This study examined the relationship between Physics teachers’ content mastery and students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Busia County, Kenya. The study was guided by Bandura’s (1986) Social Cognitive Theory, which explains learning through the interaction of personal, behavioural and environmental factors. A correlational survey design was employed within a broader mixed-methods study. The target population comprised 176 secondary schools, 356 Physics teachers, 3,873 Form Three Physics students and school administrators. Stratified random sampling was used to select schools, simple random sampling to select teachers and students, and purposive sampling to select school administrators. The sample comprised 12 secondary schools, 30 Physics teachers, 240 Form Three students and 10 school administrators. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, a Physics Achievement Test, students’ performance records, classroom observations and administrator interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product-moment correlation, while qualitative data provided contextual interpretation. Teachers’ content mastery received a positive composite rating (M = 3.9, SD = 0.6), while students’ Physics Achievement Test scores had a mean of 56.3 (SD = 12.4). Pearson’s correlation revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between teachers’ content mastery and students’ academic performance (r = .62, p < .05). The study recommends strengthening Physics teachers’ subject-content preparation and continuous professional development, particularly in explaining difficult concepts, addressing misconceptions and connecting new knowledge to learners’ prior experiences. The findings suggest that teachers’ content mastery is an important factor associated with students’ Physics achievement, although the correlational design does not establish causation.