Effect of Practical Work in Physics on Girls’ Performance, Attitude change and Skills acquisition in the form two-form three Secondary Schools’ transition in Kenya
Amadalo Maurice Musasia, Ocholla Alphayo Abacha, Memba Emmah Biyoyo

Abstract
The form two-form three transition period is important for Kenyan secondary school students who wish to pursue Physics at senior secondary school. The subject enables the students to participate in technology related studies in tertiary institutions. Many students opt out of physics at the end form two. The national enrollment at form three show that Physics is least studied science subject at this level. The number of girls pursuing the subject is even smaller. It has continued to dwindle with time compared to their male counterparts. Additionally, the performance in the subject at the end of secondary school is dismal. Most students lack motivation for engaging in activities related to physics. Few if any useful science process skills are effectively learnt. This study identified practical work as an influencing agent in the process of learning physics. By enabling the girls to carry out practical investigations, theoretical implications are clarified. The study involved two groups of girls from three sampled medium performing schools in Western Kenya. The experimental group was exposed to intensive practical work. The control group was conventionally taught the same content. A performance test of reliability index, rxy = 0.879 was administered to both groups at the end of form two. Comparison in terms of achievement on the test, attitude developed towards physics, science process skills learnt, and relative choice to pursue the subject in form three for the two groups was made. The experimental group outperformed the control group on all the research objectives.

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