EFFECTS OF FIELD TRIP TECHNIQUE ON ATTITUDE AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF UPPER BASIC STUDENTS IN SOCIAL STUDIES IN PANKSHIN, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of field trip technique of teaching on the attitude and academic achievement of Upper Basic Education students in Social Studies in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State. The quasi experimental research design was adopted for the study. Two objectives and two research questions guided the study. The population was made up of 1,202 Upper Basic two students in Pankshin local government area of Plateau State. Purposive sampling technique was used to choose two schools for the study; the sample used was 90 students from two intact classes. The two instruments used for the study are the Social Studies Field Trip Test (SOSFTT) and Social Studies Attitudes Questionnaire Test (SOSAQ). The reliability of the instruments was established using test-retest and Cronbach Alpha methods of reliability which yielded reliability indexes of 0.81 and 0.925 for the SOSFTT and SOSAQ respectively. The statistical tools used in answering the research questions were percentage, mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that field trip technique enhances students’ understanding of the process of learning and improved students’ attitudes towards social studies. It was discovered that field trip technique is effective in improving students’ attitude and achievement. Based on these findings, it was recommended among others that efforts must be made by educational stakeholders to utilize the use of field trip technique in teaching social studies in secondary schools, because the technique will enhance students’ high achievement in the subject.