EFFECTS OF FIELD TRIP AND LAND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN POULTRY PRODUCTION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

EFFECTS OF FIELD TRIP AND LAND LABORATORY ACTIVITIES ON STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENT AND INTEREST IN POULTRY PRODUCTION IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

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Abstract

This study was designed to determine the effects of fieldtrip and land laboratory activities on students’ achievement and interest in poultry production in Senior Secondary Schools in Nsukka Local government Area, Enugu State. Six research questions were answered while six null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and was carried out in Nsukka, Enugu State. The population of the study was 1,671 senior Secondary School two students in Nsukka Local Government Area. The sample for the study was 104 students offering agricultural science in senior secondary school II, made up of 50 males and 54 females and is selected using simple random sampling technique. Instruments for data collection were a 53 – item multiple choice Poultry Production Achievement Test (PPAT) and Poultry Production Interest Inventory (PPII).  The Lesson Plans, PPAT and PPII were validated by five experts. The reliability of the PPAT was established using Kuder Richardson 21 (K-R 21) Formular in which a coefficient of 0.85 was obtained; while Cronbach Alpha method was used to determine the internal consistency of the PPII in which a coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. The experiment was carried out during the normal school hour following the school timetable for senior classes. The duration of the experiment was seven weeks,. The data collected for this study were analyzed using mean to answer the research questions and analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study found out that land laboratory activities increased students achievement in poultry production more than the field trip activities. The study also found out that the mean difference in the achievement of students taught poultry production using field trip and land laboratory was 18.42 in favour of land laboratory. The study further found out that field trip had more positive mean effect on male than female students’ achievement while land laboratory had more positive effect on female students than field trip. The study found out that the mean difference in the interest of students taught poultry production using field trip and land laboratory was 0.34 in favour of land laboratory. The study also found out that land laboratory had more positive mean effect on both male and female students’ interest than field trip. The study found out that the interaction effect of treatments and gender on students reduced male’s mean achievement in poultry production but increased that of females. The study also found out that there was a statistical significant difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught poultry production using field trip and land laboratory.

  CHAPTER ONE

                                                           INTRODUCTION                                                          

Background of the Study

 

The success of any educational enterprise is determined by how well a teacher varies the instructional approaches and other intervening variables. Some of such teaching approaches include the use of project, demonstration among others. Wood and Gentile (2003) noted that many of the conventional approaches like lecture do not encourage creative thinking and collaborative participation of teachers and students. Teachers are therefore, more challenged to find effective ways of making teaching more effective in all the school subjects including agricultural science which in this study is the subject of investigation. Agricultural science is taught in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. The curriculum of agricultural science stipulated that for exposure and productive skill development of students, schools offering agricultural science should provide equipment and adequate farm space. In addition to having a farm, each school should keep at least two farm animals, one each from ruminants and non-ruminants (Nigerian Education Research and Development). (NERDC 2008). In Enugu State, Poultry rearing among other livestock enterprises is more popular among the communities and schools, which makes it appropriate for this study.

Poultry refers to all domesticated birds kept for eggs or meat production. Najime (2003) explained the term poultry as domesticated birds that people keep for the purpose of collecting eggs, meat or feathers. Poultry includes birds such as pigeons, doves or birds which are reared for their meat by man. Poultry has remained a major source of protein to man as its products contain the essential amino acids required by human body to synthesize protein. In the view of Banerja (2005), poultry production is a lucrative venture and requires little investment to start. The author further stated that poultry dropping is an excellent organic manure for enriching vegetable gardens, while crop like maize grains are used in preparing feeds which are fed to poultry in a symbiotic farming which enhances efficiency of farm resources to increase outputs. Ezeigbe (2010) reported that poultry production is a very important arm of livestock and enjoys high interest among livestock production farmers and the meat has high demand because of its nutritional facility. Poultry production plays vital roles in human nutrition and employment opportunity which could be in agro-allied industry, poultry marketing, and hatching operations, among others.

Poultry production can be classified into groups. According to Vest and Date (2002) poultry production are grouped into major categories, namely; Egg production and meat production. The author explained egg production as an enterprise which involves raising pullet chicks under good healthy environment to ensure maximum growth into laying hens. Meat production deals with raising broiler production. In the view of Obioha in Kaduna (2012), it is the act of raising chickens for meat production; for a period of usually six to seven weeks. The author stated that broilers are noted for fast growth, high feed conversion ratio with low level of activity. According to All Africa (2009) broilers are the basis for fast food outlets in Nigeria, as they are also noted to be less expensive and time demanding when compared with egg production, thus encouraging farmers to opt for broiler production. Due to the importance of poultry (broiler) in the society, it was  recommended in the curriculum as non-ruminant, to be taught practically to determine students’ achievement.         Achievement can be conceived to mean the attainment of stated objectives successfully by students. According to Bennet(2003) achievement is the extent to which the students acquired the pre-determined educational objectives. The Forum on Education and Technology (2009) stated that achievement is the attainment of articulated objectives by students, measured through a variety of instruments which results in excellence and the ability to thrive in the rapidly changing world. The author also stated that achievement is a measure of what students know or can do at the end of exposure to a particular curriculum content area. Achievement in this study is the measure in percentage of the extent to which students attained the stated objectives in poultry production when taught through either field trip or land laboratory. The scores obtained by each student is dependent on some factors one of which is interest.

Interest is a persistent tendency to pay attention and enjoy some activities. Chukwu (2002) defined interest as emotionally oriented behavioral trait and vigour in tackling educational programmes, or other activities. In the submission of Typhoon International Corp (2004), interest is the attention with a sense of concern, lively sympathy or curiosity and the power to excite or hold such attention for a long period of time. A student that is interested in something pays attention or devotes time to it. Achievement has been observed to correlate with interest. According to Kpolovie (2010), positive interest correlate with high achievement while negative interest correlates with low achievement. However, achievement in a subject could stimulate positive interest, while low achievement produces dislike to learning task. Interest and achievement in agricultural science have been observed to be influenced by many factors. In the view of Egun (2007) students achievement and interest in agricultural science has been low as a result of factors such as; inadequate instructional materials, lack of agricultural laboratory and teaching approaches among others. Asiegbu (2015) stressed that a person’s successful achievement in any activity is based on his interest especially when field trip is included as a teaching approach. To arouse students’ interest and improve achievement of students in external examination in agricultural science, experts had variously recommended the use of field trips and land laboratory activities in the teaching of agricultural science (Osinem, 2008 and WAEC chief examiner’s report (2014).

Field trip is an out of classroom learning where students are guided by the teacher to an environment where objects of learning are observed in their natural setting. Kunloye (2002) defined field trip as an excursion taken outside the classroom for the purpose of making relevant observations and obtaining specific information. The author explained that a well-planned field trip affords the students the opportunity to become actively engaged in observing, collecting, classifying, studying relationships and manipulating objects. Jekeyinfa (2005) stated that field trip is usually planned to take students to places of interest and areas where relevant materials, information or knowledge is available for better teaching and learning of a particular subject matter. Agbulu and Weever (2011) described field trip as a short time out of classroom visits organized by the teacher for the students for a specific educational purpose. The authors noted that field trip gives first hand information as the students observe things and processes in their natural settings. Field trip in the context of this study refers to short visits arranged by the teacher of agricultural science to private poultry farms with the aim of providing first hand information in poultry (broiler) production in order to achieve the stated objectives in the curriculum. Offsted (2008) reported that when field trip activities are well planned and implemented, it significantly improves students’ personal, social and emotional development. However, it has been observed that many teachers have not appreciated the need to relate the topic they teach to day- to-day happenings in their surroundings. For instance, Anderson, Kiesd and Storksdieck (2006) on a survey of teaching and learning approaches in science education found out that a good percentage of teachers, (46%) have never used field trip as a teaching approach. Besides, all the recommendations for the use of field trip in teaching of students are based on personal views and not on empirical evidence. Another teaching approach recommended by experts Agbulu and Idu, 2008 and WAEC Chief Examiner’s report, (2014) in the teaching of agricultural science is land laboratory.

A laboratory as explained by Franklin (2008) is an instructional facility used by teachers to help students learn about science and how scientists investigate the world around them. Yaya (2011) defined laboratory as a room or a building specifically erected for demonstration of theoretical phenomenon in practical terms. Furthermore, the author described laboratory as a place where theoretical concepts and variables are practicalized to involve students in activities such as observing, counting, recording and carrying out field work. Laboratory activities according to Myers (2005) are learning experiences in which students interact with materials and or modes to observe and understand the nature of science and its underlying biological, physical and social components. In agricultural science, laboratory activities are carried out on the land as land laboratory and other indoor laboratory activities.

Land laboratory is a portion of land within the school where students are exposed to the practice of crop production, animal rearing among others. Land laboratory in the view of Ashiegbu (2015) is a selected plot of land in the school premises where students are taught the art and science of farming such as production of crops and husbandry of animals. The author emphasized that land laboratory is an instructional facility used in impacting students on the need to value what they could do or produce by themselves and for themselves. Osinem, (2008) explained that land laboratory is a sizeable farm outlined and established by the school, where students of agricultural science put theoretical knowledge into practice under the guidance of the teacher of agricultural science. This study is focused specifically on land laboratory activities where the teacher guides the students through the process of poultry farm. For effective instruction Osinem (2008) suggested the use of land laboratory in teaching and evaluation. Furthermore, the author reiterated that the statement which says that “what I hear I forget, but what I do I remember” applies to land laboratory activities.

As students are taught through land laboratory activities, they understand better the link between the brain and the hand in such activities, thereby making the auditory,  visual, tactile and body motor functional. In the submission of Myers (2005) land laboratory activity is valuable as it provides students with the first hand experience and knowledge as they see, observe and feel objects, organisms or phenomena in their natural settings. Teachers of agricultural science in secondary schools are expected to use land laboratory and field trip to enhance students achievement and interest in poultry production. One related factor that may influence the achievement of students in the two learning activities (field trip and land laboratory) is gender issue. That is male and female may achieve differently when field trip or land laboratory is used in teaching the students. In the view of Eriba and Sesugh (2006), males achieve higher than females in sciences but Alkhateeb, (2001) and Omoniyi, (2006) found otherwise. Yet another group of scholars (Ilopuaife, 2001 and Eze, 2001) are of the view that achievement in science subjects are not influenced by gender.

Gender can be explained as biological classification of an individual into male and female. Bland (2003) explained gender as a set of characteristics distinguishing male and female particularly, in the cases of men and women which may vary from their social roles. In the submission of Enyi and Odoemenam (2010) gender is a term that describes the behaviours and attitudes expected of an individual on the basis of being either a male or female. Gender in relation to achievement has been an issue of concern to researchers in vocational and technical education. The issue of gender in relation to achievement has been a source of worry to researchers in vocational and technical education.

Bland (2003), reported that with respect to academic achievement and interest, there is a general observed pattern of females performing better than males in most subjects but less so in mathematics and other sciences. In agricultural science achievement, Ibitoye (2006), noted that there were claims of females performing higher or better than males in the subject while others agreed otherwise.  The author concluded that there was no consensus on which gender performed higher that the other in agricultural science. However, according to Ogwo and Oranu (2006) academic achievement and interest can be improved in both boys and girls based on the instructional approach employed by a teacher. This, therefore, underscores the need to determine the extent to which gender as a variable influences students’ achievement and interest in poultry production using field trip and land laboratory.

In Enugu state, despite the stipulation of the curriculum to expose students to practical rearing of at least two animals prevalent in their environment, teachers still teach theoretically. To support the above claim, Ibrahim (2011), observed that teachers of agricultural science avoid the practical aspect of teaching and the use of instructional materials. The author further stated that during senior secondary school certificate agricultural science practical examination, students are required to only identify specimens provided during external examination.  Students from farming communities with some learning experiences in agricultural activities including poultry are expected to practice and transfer some skills and knowledge to their families farms but are not given the opportunity to practice and study with live objects during normal classroom instructions. Orion and Holstein in Rahman and Spafford (2009) observed that this neglect to practical exposure seems to reflect students’ limited knowledge and understanding of outdoor education as an effective learning.

Considering the poor approach to the teaching of agricultural science, including poultry, it is not surprising that performance of students in the state over the years 2008-2014 were not encouraging. The number of students who had pass and failure which disqualifies them for further studies at the tertiary level in the area of agricultural science were not satisfactory. (see Appendix A1 page 91). Furthermore, the Chief Examiner’s report for the years in view (2008-2014) revealed that students’ performance in questions bothering on livestock production were among the area of weakness (Appendix A2 Page 92). The weakness of students in livestock production made the Chief Examiners to recommend that agricultural science be taught as practical oriented subject through field trip and laboratory activities (Appendix A2 Page 92).

Evidence on ground revealed that secondary school students who obtained credits in agricultural science in WAEC in Enugu State Secondary Schools find it difficult to apply what they have learnt in solving real life problems. Parents complain that their children cannot assist in their farm or establish their own farms because they lack the basic skills in the occupation (Onah, 2017). Consequently, the stipulations in the agricultural science curriculum are not achieved. The researcher’s concern over the situation on ground led to a preliminary investigation during the 2015 May/June WAEC marking exercise on the efficacy of field trip and land laboratory in the teaching and learning of Agricultural Science in secondary school (Apendix L, page 184). The result of the interaction revealed that the use of field trip and land laboratory as teaching approaches involve series of planning and preparations. More so, the use of field trip which require long distance visits to farms as recommended in the curriculum is very limited in approach as one or two visits to farms as carried out are not enough. Such approach according to the teachers cannot improve performance of students in examination. The teachers further indicated that the use of land laboratory alone cannot be effective as many teachers do not have farms for practicals. Hence, they resort to theoretical approach, abandoning the two. However, Ashiegbu (2015) submitted that these problems can be surmounted more easily, if the cost, interest and achievement in each of the approaches are determined as it is a question of “where there is a will, there is a way”. Furthermore the reseacher’s experiences as a teacher of Agricultural science over the years revealed that field trip can be incorporated into normal timetable lessons as short series of visits to the learning environment while the use of land laboratory in teaching the content of livestock could be embarked upon by the teachers when motivated, it therefore becomes necessary that empirical investigation be carried out to determine the difference in the performance of students when exposed to the two approaches for decision making.

 Statement of the Problem

The agricultural science curriculum developed by the NERDC (2008) stated that students offering agricultural science in Senior Secondary School should be exposed to practical work in rearing two animals (ruminants and non-ruminants) prevalent in their environment, in addition to their active participation in classroom discussion (Appendix I page 167) and their performance assessed using field trip and land laboratory practicals. The teachers of agricultural science have difficulties in implementing these directives effectively; which affects students knowledge and understanding of outdoor education as an effective learning environment. Teachers therefore, resorted to use of classroom discussion in teaching poultry and other practical oriented concepts. The students were not given the opportunity to interact and manipulate materials of instruction during the normal classroom exercise but are requested to identify them during external examinations only. Consequently, the achievement of the students of Agricultural science has not been encouraging in Enugu state. This is evident by the performance of Enugu State students in the Senior Secondary School certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC). WAEC results from Enugu State show the average percentage passes and total failure for 2008,2009,2010,2011 to 2014 as: 54.14%, 41.81%,49.81%, 46.21%, 45.38%, and 35.88% respectively (Appendix A1, page 91). Furthermore, the WAEC Chief Examiner’s Report revealed that questions on livestock management were part of student’s weakness (Appendix A2, page 92). This could be traceable to Agricultural Science teachers’ approach to the teaching of the subject which is more of “talk-chalk” approach.

The teaching of poultry production as one of the non ruminant animals in the environment requires activity oriented approaches, to enhance achievement. The experience of the researcher as the head of agricultural science and a teacher for more than 28 years, who had the opportunity of making use of resources within the school, show that adoption of appropriate approaches in teaching enhances effectiveness and students achievement, than teacher centered approach. Teacher centered approach resulted to students’ poor interest and low achievement in examination, in addition to inability of the students to acquire needed skills for job. The recommendation on the use of field trip and land laboratory activities for effective teaching of agricultural science was not based on any empirical evidence. While it was agreed that field trip alone cannot make any appreciable impact as one or two of such visits are carried out throughout the students stay in the school, the use of land laboratory are rearly practiced in the school and could not be ascertained whether it can really improve students achievement in Agricultural science. This study therefore sought to determine the effect of the two teaching approaches (field trip and land laboratory) on students achievement and interest in poultry production in senior secondary school in Enugu State.

Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study was to find out the effect of field trip and land laboratory activities on students’ achievement and interest in poultry production in Senior Secondary Schools in Enugu State. Specifically, the study sought to determine the:

• difference in the mean achievement scores of students taught poultry production using field trips and those taught using land laboratory activities.
• effects of field trip and laboratory activities on the mean achievement scores of male and female students in poultry production.
• difference in the mean interest scores of students taught poultry production using field trip and those taught poultry production using land laboratory activities.
• effect of field trip and land laboratory activities on the mean interest scores of male and female students in poultry production.
• interaction effects of field trip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ achievement in poultry production.
• interaction effect of field trip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ interest in poultry production.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study have both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, the study is based on Brunner’s and Gagne’s theories of instructions. Brunner’s theory states that any subject can be taught effectively in some intellectually honest way to a learner at any state of development, provided the teacher knows what to teach and can break the learning experiences to the level of the learner. Gagne’s theory of instruction proposed a rationally based relationship between instructional events, their effects on learning processes and the learning outcomes that are produced as a result of these processes. The theories have a close relationship with the study in that field trip and laboratory activities are patterned in such a way that learners can embark on the activities presented to them in sequential order. The skills in poultry production are arranged in sequence to enable learners acquire the step-by-step activities in an observable manner towards the intended learning outcomes. The result of this study strengthened these theories, guiding the teacher to plan the lesson in sequential order, determine the objectives of instruction and state the objectives in performance terms using one of the standard verbs associated with the particular learning outcomes. The teacher could structure instruction, so that it translates the basic ideas of the subject matter into a language appropriate to the learners and also take cognizance of the sequence in which the idea could be presented so as to sustain the interest of the learner to study.

Practically, the findings of this study could benefit stakeholders concerned with the improvement of teaching and learning of animal production such as teachers, students, authors of text books, school administrators and researchers.

The findings of this study would reveal to teachers on the effect of learner centered teaching approach (field trip and land laboratory). Teachers could use the information to help students acquire conceptual knowledge and practical skills for success in examinations and world of work. Furthermore, the information provided by this study on the effect of gender on achievement and interest of students in poultry production could help teachers improve their instructional delivery by using appropriate approaches such as field trip and land laboratory which is found to bridge the gap between interest and achievement of male and female students in poultry production.

The findings of this study revealed to the students the step by step activities they should be involved in while studying poultry production.

This study provided school administrators with information on a better way to utilize field trip and laboratory activities without much constraints. The administrators could utilize the information in planning and executing learning activities in practical subjects.

The study provided information to future researchers on the effect of fieldtrip and laboratory activities on learning. The information could be used as a model for researchers to design comparative studies in other subject areas with practical activities.

Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study:

• What are the difference between the mean achievement scores of students taught poultry production using field trip and those taught using land laboratory activities?
• What are the effects of field trip and land laboratory activities on the mean achievement scores of male and female students in poultry production?
• What are the difference between the mean interest scores of students taught poultry production using field trip and those taught poultry production using land laboratory?
• What are the effects of field trip and land laboratory activities on the man interest scores of male and female students in poultry production?
• What is the interaction effect of fieldtrip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ achievement in poultry production?
• What is the interaction effect of field trip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ interest in poultry production?

Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated and tested at the probability of P> 0.05 level of significance:

HO₁: There is no significant difference in the mean achievement of scores by the students exposed to field trip and those exposed to land laboratory activities in poultry production.

HO₂: The mean achievement scores of male and female students exposed to field trip and those on land laboratory activities in poultry production did not significantly differ.

HO₃: There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of students exposed to fieldtrip and those exposed to land laboratory activities in poultry production.

HO₄: There is no significant difference in the mean interest scores of male and female students exposed to field trip and those on land laboratory activities in poultry production.

HO₅: There is no interaction effect of field trip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ achievement in poultry production.

HO₆: There is no significant interaction effect of fieldtrip, land laboratory activities and gender on students’ interest in poultry production.

Scope of the Study

secondary schools drawn from Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State. The instrument for data collection was restricted to multiple choice test items and interest inventory scale.

The study was restricted to determining the effect of fieldtrip and laboratory activities on students’ achievement and interest in poultry production. The study was restricted to broilers because the production period of broiler is shorter than other classes of poultry. The study has to be done within the time frame of the secretary school session. The study focused on the topics: concepts of poultry production, requirements for poultry production, routine management practices and poultry production project. Data for the study was obtained from SS II students in two single sex (male) secondary schools and two single sex (female).

 

 

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