Baraka Manjale Ngussa¹, Lazarus Ndiku Makewa^2,

This study sought to investigate experiences of constructivism principles in teaching-learning transaction among Adventist Secondary Schools in South Nyanza, Tanzania. A sample of 65 students was randomly selected to fill the questionnaire. T-test, ANOVA and Pearson-product moment correlation coefficient analyzed null hypotheses. Students established that their established their teachers always employ constructivism principles and that student academic performance is influenced by teaching modalities, active participation and classroom setup. High performing students tend to engage in active participation more frequently than their lower performing counterparts. Classroom setups influence performance of students, modalities of teaching and the rate of students’ active participation. It is therefore recommended that classroom sessions should be dominated by activities that lead learners to actively seek solutions to existing problems and discover new information through a varied range of guided activities. School administrations are called upon to ensure that classrooms have sufficient space; teachers are also encouraged to make sure that seating arrangements are well organized to allow students-teacher and student-student interaction. Further study can be conducted on teachers’ demographic characteristics and application of constructivism theory in teaching-learning transaction.

Constructivism, teaching-learning transaction, interaction, Adventist, Secondary Schools, Tanzania