The Biology Teachers’ Training Needs and Competencies in the Use of Technology for Biology Instruction in Kenyan Secondary Schools

Abstract

The study investigated the biology teachers’ training needs and competencies in the use of technology for instruction in Biology in Kenyan secondary schools. The research was based on David Ausubel’s Meaningful Learning Theory and was implemented via a mixed methods approach, using descriptive survey research design as a model. The target population was the 400 fourth year undergraduate Biology education students in the 25 public universities that offer Biology teacher education programmes and 200 of their biology teacher education lecturers. The study’s sample comprised of 400 undergraduate students and 20 lecturers, all selected from 3 public universities in the country. The respondents were selected by purposive, proportionate stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected using the Teachers’ Technological Training Needs’ Questionnaire (TTTNQ), which was validated at the piloting stage two weeks to the actual study, using biology instruction research experts. Reliability of the TTTNQ was also verified during the pilot study, using the test-retest method. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively, using frequencies and percentages whose findings have been presented in form of tables, bar graphs and pie charts. Results revealed that majority of the selected pre-service teachers have numerous technological training needs for effective biology instruction, a revelation that has implications that may affect future policies on the Biology teacher training programmes offered in Kenyan public universities currently.