Validation of the model used in the skeleton of bachelor of education students: A case study of the Kenyatta University.

Date of Award

7-2002

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Supervisor/Advisor

Prof. Shashi K. Bali

Second Supervisor/Advisor

Dr. Frank Ingule

Abstract

This study investigated the efficiency of the selection of Bachelor of Education (BEu students in Kenyan public universities, a case study of the Kenyatta University. This involved the validation of the statistical model used in combining grades in the selection process. The sample that consisted of the year 2000 graduating cohort of the Bachelor of Education. Arts and Science (n=320 and n=206 respectively. The study was carried out retrospectively, where performance in the university was traced back to the selection examination, the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), done in 1994. The criterion was University Performance which is the cumulative average grade obtained after four years of study at the university. The predictors were the KCSE Aggregate Grade and the KCSE Cluster Grade. The question of whether the KCSE English Grade can add to the prediction efficiency was investigated. The influences of some nonacademic variables, namely gender and high school background of a student on University Performance were also investigated. Data was obtained from the offices of the Joint Admission Board (JAB) at the University of Nairobi and analysed separately in two subsamples, arts and science. Correlation analyses was carried out to explore inherent relationships between various variables. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to determine the degree of relationship between various combinations of university selection criteria with university performance. A one-way Analysis of Variance was done to determine the influence of gender and high school background on University Performance. The significance of results was tested at or=. 05 in all cases. For bon u Arts and Science subsamples, it was found that the KCSE Aggregate Grade had low but significant correlations with University Performance, in the order of.221 and 0 respectively. Again, in both subsamples, the combination of the Aggregate Grade with the KCSE Cluster Grade yielded multiple correlations (R) of .231 and .226 respective Addition of the English Grade raised the value of R to 257 for the Arts subsample, but lowered R to .218 for the Science subsample. The most plausible explanation of these modest gains in R may be the high inter-correlations among the KCSE grades. This led to the conclusion that only the Aggregate Grade was sufficient for use in the selection model. using the Cut-off Score Model. Alternatively, the use of other non-achievement tests in the selection model may serve to increase the predictive power of the selection criteria. On the side of non-academic factors contributing to university performance, the effect of gender was first investigated. It was interesting to note that, in both subsamples female students performed better at the university than their male counterparts. Further analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in university performance when students were grouped by gender. This implied that affirmative measures put in place by the JAB in an effort to bolster female populations were justified, but more needs to be done to raise female participation in the science-based courses. Next the descriptive analysis of students grouped by high school background revealed that there was difference in University Performance. Further analysis showed that these differences were not significant. One of the recommendations put forward here was that conditions in the teaching profession need to be further improved to attract more academically able students.

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