IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v6y2022i12p684-688.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Parental influence on students’ choice of computer studies in public and private secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Dr. Rose M. Kithungu (Ph.D)

    (Lecturer South Eastern Kenya University, Kenya)

  • Dr. Gideon Kasivu (Ed.D)

    (Lecturer South Eastern Kenya University, Kenya)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing students’ choice of computer studies in public and private secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. The objective of the study was to establish the parental influence on students’ choice of computer studies in public and private secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County. Related literature was reviewed that provided an overview of computer studies in secondary schools and findings from previous researches on factors which determine students’ choice of computer studies in public and private secondary schools in regard to the research objective. The study used mixed method research design. The study embraced purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques to select the sample size of the computer studies students and parents. Data was collected through questionnaires and focus group discussion schedule. Data analysis was done by use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The audio recorded responses from the focus group discussion were organized into themes and integrated with rest of the data for purposes of triangulation. Data was presented in percentages, frequency distribution tables and verbatim quotations. The study established that parental factors influenced students’ choice of computer studies in both public and private secondary schools though with some variations; and that most of the students in both public and private secondary schools were guided by their parents on their choice of computer studies. The study recommended that parents need to make follow up in order to establish whether their children choose subjects in line with the courses they have been aspiring to pursue. This was due to the finding that in private secondary schools the directors determine the school curriculum. In view of this paper, computer studies should be made compulsory for all the students in the Kenyan education system.

Suggested Citation

  • Dr. Rose M. Kithungu (Ph.D) & Dr. Gideon Kasivu (Ed.D), 2022. "Parental influence on students’ choice of computer studies in public and private secondary schools in Machakos Sub-County, Kenya," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 6(12), pages 684-688, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:6:y:2022:i:12:p:684-688
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-6-issue-12/684-688.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/virtual-library/papers/parental-influence-on-students-choice-of-computer-studies-in-public-and-private-secondary-schools-in-machakos-sub-county-kenya/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John Ashworth & J. Lynne Evans, 2001. "Modeling Student Subject Choice at Secondary and Tertiary Level: A Cross-Section Study," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 311-320, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Barry Reilly & Ray Bachan, 2005. "A comparison of A-level performance in economics and business studies: How much more difficult is economics?," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 85-108.
    2. Hani Mansour & Daniel I. Rees & Bryson M. Rintala & Nathan N. Wozny, 2022. "The Effects of Professor Gender on the Postgraduation Outcomes of Female Students," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 75(3), pages 693-715, May.
    3. Fertig, Michael, 2003. "Educational Production, Endogenous Peer Group Formation and Class Composition – Evidence from the PISA 2000 Study," IZA Discussion Papers 714, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Griffith, Amanda L. & Main, Joyce B., 2019. "First impressions in the classroom: How do class characteristics affect student grades and majors?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 125-137.
    5. Michael Fertig, 2002. "Educational Production, Endogenous Peer Group Formation and Class Composition – Evidence From the PISA 2000 Study," RWI Discussion Papers 0002, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung.
    6. Eric P. Bettinger & Bridget Terry Long, 2005. "Do Faculty Serve as Role Models? The Impact of Instructor Gender on Female Students," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 95(2), pages 152-157, May.
    7. Sophie Hedges & Stefan Speckesser, 2017. "Peer Effects and Social Influence in Post-16 Educational Choice," CVER Research Papers 008, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    8. Holmlund, Helena & Sund, Krister, 2008. "Is the gender gap in school performance affected by the sex of the teacher," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 37-53, February.
    9. Amanda L. Griffith, 2014. "Faculty Gender in the College Classroom: Does It Matter for Achievement and Major Choice?," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 81(1), pages 211-231, July.
    10. Griffith, Amanda L. & Main, Joyce B., 2021. "The role of the teaching assistant: Female role models in the classroom," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Andy Dickerson & Konstantina Maragkou & Steven McIntosh, 2018. "The causal effect of secondary school peers on educational aspirations," CVER Research Papers 017, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    12. Unkovic, Cait & Sen, Maya & Quinn, Kevin M., 2015. "Does Encouragement Matter in Improving Gender Imbalances in Technical Fields? Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial," Working Paper Series rwp15-032, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    13. Fred H. Smith & Christina Zenker, 2014. "Still staying away: Women and the economics major – evidence from two Southern liberal arts colleges," Econometrics Letters, Bilimsel Mektuplar Organizasyonu (Scientific letters), vol. 1(2), pages 1-7.
    14. Griffith, Amanda L., 2010. "Persistence of women and minorities in STEM field majors: Is it the school that matters?," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(6), pages 911-922, December.
    15. Stefan Speckesser & Sophie Hedges, 2017. "Peer Effects and Social Influence in Post-16 Educational Choice," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 483, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    16. Hemelt, Steven W. & Lenard, Matthew A., 2020. "Math acceleration in elementary school: Access and effects on student outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    17. Alice Battiston & Sophie Hedges & Thomas Lazarowicz & Stefan Speckesser, 2020. "Peer Effects and Social Influence in Post-16 Educational Choice," CVER Research Papers 025, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    18. repec:zbw:rwidps:0002 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Patricia M. Flynn & Michael A. Quinn, 2010. "Economics: Good Choice of Major for Future Ceos," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 55(1), pages 58-72, May.
    20. Ray Bachan & Michael Barrow, 2006. "Modelling Curriculum Choice at A-level: Why is Business Studies More Popular than Economics?," International Review of Economic Education, Economics Network, University of Bristol, vol. 5(2), pages 58-80.
    21. Nick Adnett & Peter Davies, 2005. "Competition between or within schools? Re-assessing school choice," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(1), pages 109-121.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:6:y:2022:i:12:p:684-688. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.