Abstract
The study was undertaken to examine the contributions of field work towards the teaching and learning of Geography in selected Senior High Schools in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The sample population was students and 3 Geography teachers. Both structured questionnaires and interview guides were the instruments used to collect the data for the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data was organized into themes. Findings from the study revealed that the extent to which field work was used by Geography teachers is not frequent though it was affirmed by students and teachers that field work is vital in the teaching and learning of geography. Further, it was recognized that challenges such as lack of financial resources, inadequate time, lack of support from school management and parents and lack of logistics and material resources such as vehicles to convey students to the field in most instances deprived teachers from organizing field work as a method of teaching and learning. The study recommended the following; the Ghana Education Service should organize workshops and seminars to equip teachers in the organization of workshops, availability of videos of field sites that are in line with the geography curriculum for senior high schools, teachers should also explore more on the field work opportunities within their immediate school and community environment and all educational stakeholders should assist in the organization of field work to enhance effective teaching and learning of geography in senior high schools. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-22-03 Publication date: August 31 st 2021
Highlights
The purpose of education is to develop the knowledge, skills and character of students and it is for this reason that the Ghanaian educational system made Geography as a course in the curriculum of Senior High Schools with the purpose of developing the knowledge base of students about their environment
The work interrogating the frequency of the field work organization as in Table 1 identified that 48 (29.9%) and 81 (50%) respondents to questionnaires disagreeing and strongly disagreeing respectively to the fact that field works are frequently organized in the teaching and learning of Geography in Senior High Schools in the municipality
This, coupled with the aforementioned responses from interviewees affirms that though field work is recognized as an important method in teaching Geography its use as a methodology in teaching and learning Geography is very rare in Senior High Schools in the municipality
Summary
The purpose of education is to develop the knowledge, skills and character of students and it is for this reason that the Ghanaian educational system made Geography as a course in the curriculum of Senior High Schools with the purpose of developing the knowledge base of students about their environment. In corroboration is the indication by Knapp (2002) that learning in a hands-on setting is the one of the best ways to reinforce topics learnt in the classroom, to integrate academic and experiential learning This implies that students grasp the meaning of concepts better when they supplement the theoretical lesson taught with a practical experience. Myers and Jones (2004) observed that numerous research studies in science education have documented significant increases in participants’ factual knowledge and understanding after participation in well – planned field work This applies in the discipline of Geography, for instance, taking students to observe the natural environment when treating topics that relate to the environment would cause the students to comprehend both the theories and concepts of the topic.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
