EFFECTS OF EXCURSION IN THE TEACHING OF GEOGRAPHY IN SOME SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
We know that excursions and excursion are appreciated by students. Excursions and field study are also important learning tools in geography. Excursions are
based on the idea that the context for learning is made in the particular context where the object for learning takes place and is placed, geography thus
embodies the practice of in situ learning. (Kent et al. 1997). Boyle, (et al., 2007) concludes for instance that excursion in geography are effective in learning since they are active.
Fuller (et al., 2006) and Scott (et al., 2006) also argues that there is a need for rigorous research into this issue. Common arguments used in describing the concern and the effectiveness of learning in field, in terms of understanding of the subject is: providing first-hand experience of the real world, whichever part of the world the students are in; skills development (transferable and technical); and social benefits. Apart from the social aspects, there are other experiences from geography field work that emphasize the dynamics of groups in learning (Brown, 1999). Bringing students into field may
serve as a bridge between the popular and the academic (Smith, 2001)
