EFFECTS OF EDUCATIONAL FIELD TRIPS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES STUDENTS

 The study examined the Effects of educational field trip on academic performance of JSS social studies students in Kaduna state-Nigeria. The study used quasi-experimental research design and 120 JSSII students of the following schools were used as sample: Government junior secondary school Tudun-Jukun, Zaria, Government junior secondary school, Awai, Government junior secondary school, Aba and Government junior secondary school Muchiya, S/Gari were selected via purposive sampling technique. The study used Social Studies Achievement Test (SOSAT) as data collection instrument.

The study answered three (3) research questions and tested three (3) hypotheses. The data analysis tools were percentage and frequency distribution table used in analysing and presenting the bio-data variables of the participants; mean and standard deviation used in answering the questions raised by the study and t-test independent sample which was used in testing the three null hypotheses postulated by the study. The study revealed that Significant differences existed between the mean academic performance of students taught using Educational Field trip (experimental) and those who were taught with lecture method (control) as their computed mean performances were 68.1833 and 39.3000 for all the experimental and control group students respectively.

The study also discovered no significant difference between Male and Female Experimental group students in their mean academic performance; their calculated mean performances were 67.8333 and 68.5333 for all the male and female experimental students respectively. The study however found out that both urban and rural students’ experimental group did not differ significantly in their academic performance when they were taught with educational field trip technique; their calculated mean performances were 67.9000 and 68.4667 for urban and rural Experimental group students respectively. In the light of the above findings, the study recommended that Social studies teachers in the study area should be encouraged to adopt the technique of educational field trip for their students for optimum academic performance; the need for Government of Kaduna state through ministry of education to provide all the needed funds for conducting regular educational field trip by students and teachers of social studies; the need for Wealthy Corporations and individuals to sponsor Educational Field trips in secondary schools in Zaria educational zone organised by social studies teachers and the need for adequate time to be allotted to social studies lessons in the study area aimed at encouraging teachers to organize field trip for students.

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