Teachers’ perceptions, practices and challenges of active learning strategies utilisation at secondary schools in Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions, practices and challenges of active learning strategies utilisation at secondary schools in Ethiopia. Its specific purposes were to examine the perception of teachers towards active learning strategies utilisation, to explore whether active learning strategies utilisation are being practiced by teachers or not and to identify factors that hinder teachers in implementing active learning strategies in secondary schools. To conduct this study, descriptive survey design was employed. A total of 109 teachers participated in the study through systematic sampling technique. The study was complemented by the mixed method approach that employed both qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, such as observation checklists, questionnaires and interviews. The quantitative data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean value, grand mean and mean ranking, and the qualitative data were analysed by organising, summarising and interpreting narrative description. The findings of the study reported that most of the respondents perceived active learning strategies positively. In spite of their good perceptions, their practices of active learning strategies were low. The major factors affecting the effective implementation of active learning strategies were large class size, students’ lack of interest, shortage of time, teachers’ lack of commitment, students’ beliefs and perceptions  and diversity of student interest, which were among the most influential factors hindering its implementation. Finally, it is recommended that responsible bodies should reorganise the conditions and facilitate necessary inputs for the implementation of active learning strategies.   Keywords: Active learning, challenges, perceptions, practices, secondary schools, strategies, utilisation.