Analysis of the Influence of Field Trips on the Effective Teaching and Learning of Business Studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Kwara State of Western Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the influence of field trips on effective teaching and learning of business studies in junior secondary schools in Kwara State. The purpose of the study is to determine, if the field trips as supplementary method of teaching will enhance the effective teaching and learning of business studies in Junior Secondary Schools in Offa and Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, the perception of teachers and students on the use of field trip as a supplementary method in teaching and learning of business studies and the difference between the academic performance of students in the schools where teachers use field trips and those where their teachers do not use field trips. Subjects for the study comprised one hundred and sixty (160) students offering business studies and sixteen (16) teachers, teaching business studies from eight (8) junior secondary schools. Data for the study were gathered through the administration of questionnaire and collection of scores of J.S.S. III National Junior Secondary School Examination for 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. The data collected were analyzed, using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while the t-test statistical technique was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.  The result obtained from the analyzes showed that the use of field trips as a supplementary method of teaching will enhance the effective teaching and learning of business studies in junior secondary schools. On the basis of these findings, some recommendations were made that teachers of secondary schools should be encouraged to use field trips as instructional resources to enhance the teaching and learning of business studies, teaching time table should be planned by the school authorities such that they make room for the organization of field trips to promote effective teaching and learning, the teacher education programme should be geared towards the preparation of business studies teachers that will enable them to acquire and maintain appropriate instructional strategy, curriculum planners should formulate policies on the field trips in the teaching of business studies, so that the decision to utilize field trips is not left to the personal discretion of any single individual or individuals and Government though the ministry of education should set aside some founds to support the organization of field trips to enhance effective teaching and learning.