EFFECTS OF EXCURSION IN THE TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS

1.1 Introduction

Excursion strategy is a method of teaching which helps to bring about an effective leaning of geography. Excursion is far from just dishing out points to students as in traditional lecture method, where the teacher simply becomes the expositor and drill master while the learner remains the listener and a store house of facts that can be retrieved when a student hear his name called by the teacher (Oganwu, 2004). Excursion involves taking students out of the classroom to places where they can see concrete illustration of classroom theories. Geography is one of the activity based school subject. The effectiveness of teaching in school can be measured by examining the method of teaching applied by teachers and the achievement of students in the school examination. In the measurement of students’ academic achievement in geography as a school subject, various tasks are undertaken within and outside the classroom, the effectiveness of these activities lie in the instructional methods used by the teacher. For the students of geography to achieve the best in the subject, teachers are expected to organize field visitation (fieldwork).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Quality of geography education is of great concern for stakeholders in education including educators, teachers’ parents, students and the Nigerian community at large. The underachievement of students in geography in Numan educational zone over the years has necessitated a series of workshop for geography secondary school teachers organized by the inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Education. Geography is one of the activity based school subject. The effectiveness of teaching in school can be measured by examining the method of teaching applied by teacher and the achievement of students in the school examination. In the measurement of students’ academic achievement in geography as a school subject, various tasks are under taken within and outside the classroom, the effectiveness of these activities lie in the instructional methods used by the teacher.

For the students of geography to achieve the best in the subject, teachers are expected to organize field visitation (Excursion). Educational visits may be organized to suitable places where fundamental concepts, ecological process or events treated in the classroom become clearer to the students with great comprehension. This is because, Excursions generally appeal to the sense of sight, touch and hearing. Organized visits to the river side or any geographical phenomenon make the students to see in practical what was theoretically explained and learnt by them in the classroom. Excursion is an outing by the students to educational places of interest outside the classroom under the guidance of a teacher or an instructor for the purpose of getting firsthand information on people, places and things for purpose of achieving permanency of learning experience.

Excursion is activity-based which offers opportunity for learners to get first-hand information on people, places and things in order to concretize their learning experience. In Numan educational zone, it was observed that teachers dwell extensively on the traditional method of teaching without alternating it with other relevant instructional strategies such as Excursions. This has affected the performance of students in both internal and external examinations as revealed by WAEC chief examiners reports (2004-2010). Excursion strategy is a method of teaching which helps to bring about an effective leaning of geography. Excursion is far from just dishing out points to students as in traditional lecture method, where the teacher simply becomes the expositor and drill master while the learner remains the listener and a store house of facts that can be retrieved when a student hear his name called by the teacher (Oganwu, 2004). This is not to say that the traditional lecture method is completely unproductive but there exists a difference between them.

According to Instructional Strategies Online (2013), a study trip taken outside the classroom to obtain direct experience from the natural setting and to improve student’s interest in learning for collecting data, materials or objects classroom as well as to observe objects or phenomena not possible to bring within the classroom.

The adoption of Excursion strategy in teaching is however cost expensive. The cost of preparation and taking the students to the site of visits requires funding. With the problem of poor funding of schools that has bedeviled the Nigerian educational system, it could be said that probably, teachers in Numan Educational Zone might have shy away from adopting this strategy due to poor funding. Irene and Baguma (2011) stated that the use of constructivist approach to teaching and learning of geography (such as Excursion strategy) can only be effective if the right learning environment is created and provided with adequate learning facilities.

Nsambugwu (2012) added that infrastructure such as library, laboratory resources, internet facilities and appropriate building and places of educational visits are the facilities that maximize the constructivist learning approach. The inadequacy of these facilities in schools is a serious setback to the proper adoption of learner’s centered instructional strategies. What facilities are available for conducting Excursions in Numan Educational Zone? The study would provide an answer to this question.

The use of Excursion as a method of teaching helps to bring about an effective leaning of geography across gender. Excursion is an interactive strategy of teaching which gives both male and female students equal opportunity to widen their practical and cultural experiences by varying their learning environments. Thus, Amosa (2013) remarked that no evidence of superiority is expected to be noticed in academic achievement based on gender, that is, if both male and female students are exposed to learning experience equally. This study however provides a conflicting report to this assertion.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effects of Excursion in the Teaching of Geography in Some Selected Secondary Schools.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that most teachers still rely on the lecture method while neglecting the use of Excursions in their instructional deliveries. Students offering Geography therefore graduate from secondary schools with theoretically based knowledge without being exposed to practical knowledge of geography.

This may affect retention and achievement of students in internal and external examinations. However, there are a few, if any, empirical study that have been carried out in Delta State and in particular on the effect of Excursion strategy on students’ academic achievement in Geography. Most previous studies are theoretical in nature, dwelling extensively on the importance of Excursions in the teaching and learning of geography.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Effects of Excursion in the Teaching of Geography in Some Selected Secondary Schools. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To determine the relationship between excursion and academic performance of geography students;
2. To find out if excursion makes teaching of geography easy in the Okpe Educational Zone;
3. To examine the effect of Excursions Strategy and Conventional Method on students’ academic achievement in Geography; and
4. To determine the influence of gender on academic achievement of students taught Geography using Excursion Strategy.

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does excursion makes teaching of geography easy?
• What is the relationship between excursion and academic performance of geography students?
• What is the effect of Excursions Strategy and Conventional Method on students’ academic achievement in Geography?
• What is the influence of gender on academic achievement of students taught Geography using Excursion Strategy?

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1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant relationship between excursion and academic performance of geography students
• H1: There is significant relationship between excursion and academic performance of geography students

Hypothesis Two

• H0: Excursions does not significantly impact on the teaching of geography
• H1: Excursions significantly impacts on the teaching of geography

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1.7 Significance of Study

This study would be important for the general teaching of geography and improving the academic performance of geography across Nigerian colleges.

This study will help school administrators and principals in in the effective administration of their schools and introduction of effective excursions to improve student’s performances.

This study will also be equally important to educational stakeholders, government, researchers in ensuring that our educational system would not decline.

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1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Effects of Excursion in the Teaching of Geography in Some Selected Secondary Schools using Okpe Educational Zone as a case study.

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1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this project work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
4. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
5. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

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1.10 Definition of Terms

Excursion: a short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure activity.

Decline: a gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, or value.