International Journal of Advancements in Research & Technology, Volume 3, Issue 8, August -2014 13 ISSN 2278-7763 Copyright © 2014 SciResPub. IJOART CHALLENGES FACING LABORATORY PRACTICAL APPROACH IN PHYSICS INSTRUCTION IN KENYAN DISTRICT SECONDARY SCHOOLS PETER KAPTING’EI, DICKSON KIMELI RUTTO. Department of Curriculum Instruction and Educational Media, School of Education, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya. Email: peterkaptingei@yahoo.com dixonkimeli@gmail.com ABSTRACT Over the years, the Kenya National Examination Council’s (KNEC) secondary school Newsletters have repeated- ly pointed out that students need to be exposed to more and more laboratory practical activities in all sciences throughout their secondary school period in order to realize good performance. As such this study aimed at establishing the challenges facing laboratory practical approach in Physics instruction, in the district category of schools in Kenya; in that the newsletters have further shown that most schools in this category perform way below average in Physics examinations. The study was based on constructivist experiential learning theories which explain learning as being constructed through tangible activities. In secondary school Physics instruction these theories focus on laboratory practical activities. The findings of the study provide a bearing on how best to overcome the challenges. Keywords: Challenges: shortcomings, problems encountered. Constructivist experiential learning: an approach to instruction that focuses on practical activities. District schools: schools whose student catchment area is mainly from within the district where the school is located. Instruction: the teaching and learning process. INTRODUCTION Physics is a branch of natural science that deals with the study of matter, energy & motion and their in- terelatioship through space and time. The general goals of learning Physics include: to equipp leaners with basic knowledge on scientific enquiry methods, hence foster their problem solving skills and also to enhance their career development. Advancement in Physics particularly leads to effectiveness in communication, engi- neering, computing, amongst others. With the dynamic trends in science and technology, the Kenyan second- ary school’s Physics curriculum has been reviewed and revised from time to time to include more of practical activities in its instruction. Importance of laboratory practical activities Black, (1993) asserts that sciences (Physics inclusive) are practical subjects hence best learnt through experi- ments, observations, analysis and generalization of conclusion. Kulik, (1992) notes that, for Physics and other sciences to be understood better by all, there is need to emphasis its instruction in secondary schools through practical approach. Hickey et al, (2001) observes that the trend in educational reforms is to teach from a con- IJOART