This article reports emerging findings from qualitative research in 22 secondary schools in Bungoma District of Kenya. It focuses particularly on the nature and dynamics of students' participation in environmental action within the framework of the established school curriculum. Drawing on in-depth pilot study during the first year of the research, the paper discusses the type of environmental activities in which students frequently participate in their local environments and the mode of such participation. Informed by the relevant literature, it is shown that dynamic qualities, which seem to facilitate environmental action, develop in those students exposed to active environmental education. It is hoped that this paper will lead to further dialogue in this critical area of practice and research.

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The main goal of this study was to determine whether the integration of computer-based technology including computer animations and illustrations in teaching and learning of the gene concept could enhance students' understanding of the gene concept. The population of the study was the entire Form Four biology students who have studied biology for four years at public secondary schools in Kakamega Central District of Kenya. The schools were selected by stratified random sampling to include provincial girls', provincial boys', and district mixed secondary schools. Simple random sampling was used to select 240 Form Four biology students. The control groups (C1, C2 and C3) were taught in a conventional manner whereas the experimental groups (E1, E2 and E3) received instruction that integrated computer animations and illustrations. Gene concept administered was the same for both pre-test and post-test for a period of four weeks. Gene concept Achievement Standardized Test and Gene Concept Multiple Choice Test were used as instruments for data collection. The pre-test and post test scores in the pilot study indicated a positive correlation using Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient (r) of 0.79. Thus the instruments were reliable. With the help of SPSS data analysis was conducted using ANOVA (F-test), and T-test. The results were tested using ANOVA at alpha = 0.05 level of significance. The findings in the study showed that the integration of computer-based technology in teaching and learning improved students' achievement scores and understanding of the gene concept.

Although knowledge of biology is important for the survival of humans, performance in the subject, both in pre-Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (pre-KCSE) assessment and national examinations in Vihiga county has always been below average. Several interventions have been put in place to rectify the situation but in vain. However, the effect of the general computer use has not been investigated. This study investigated the effect of the general computer use on secondary school students' performance in biology. This study used descriptive survey research design. The target population was secondary school biology students of Vihiga county. Data collection was by use of questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis schedule. Sampling was by multistage sampling, purposive sampling, stratified sampling, proportionate sampling and simple random sampling. Sample size was 1003 students. The collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means and inferential statistics such as Pearson's r, using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The significance level of the difference between the data was done at the alpha value of 0.05. This study found that there is no relationship between the general computer use and performance in biology.