Application of interactive pedagogical approaches in the promotion of academic engagement in primary social studies in Kenya

This study examined the use of interactive pedagogical approaches on learner academic engagement in social studies in Kenya’s primary schools. The study was conducted against the background of declining educational standards partly emanating from pedagogy. Pedagogy is an integral component of curriculum implementation in the education sector. Yet, the literature reviewed revealed that very little research has been undertaken in the area on use of interactive pedagogical approaches in learner academic engagement, especially in social studies. Of the previous studies in social studies, non, the researcher came across, specifically examined the topic. The study followed the qualitative approach and took the relativist interepretivist philosophical paradigm. Its objective were: establish whether teachers cater for interaction in planning for instruction, determine the contribution of interactive pedagogical approaches to learner academic engagement and lastly establish whether the learning environment is conducive for interactive pedagogical approaches in social studies. Data was collected through observation, interviews, focus group interviews and document analysis. The data was analysed qualitatively whereby it was coded and interpreted along themes based on the objectives and findings of the study. The findings generally show that use of pedagogical approaches by teachers has an influence in learner academic engagement in social studies. In view of the findings thereof, suggestions have been made towards the use of interactive pedagogical approaches on learner academic engagement in social studies to various stakeholders. For teachers, it was recommended that they apply interactive pedagogical approaches during the instructional process, they pay attention to differentiation in social studies lessons and explicitly incorporate interaction in the planning process. To the teacher education institutions, they pay more attention during the training programme to use of interactive pedagogical approaches in various stages of the lesson planning and implementation, and that they educate the student teachers on how to cater for differentiation and inclusion in classroom settings. To policy makers in education, they should increase time allocated for social studies instruction, scale down the social studies curriculum and introduce in-service programmes to teachers on use of pedagogical approaches in the subject.