AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF FIELD STUDY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INFLUENCE OF FIELD STUDY ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN NIGERIA

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Field research is the collecting of data outside of a laboratory, library, or workplace context (Okafor, 2017). The tactics and methods utilized in field research differ depending on the discipline. Biologists, for example, may simply witness animals interacting with their settings in the field, whereas social scientists may interview or observe people in their natural environments to learn about their languages, folklore, and social structures. Geographers, on the other hand, do field research on Earth's territories, features, populations, and occurrences (Immam, 2019).

Field research employs a variety of well-defined, albeit variable, methods, including informal interviews, direct observation, participation in the life of the group, collective discussions, analyses of personal documents produced within the group, self-analysis, results from off- or on-line activities, and life histories (Glaser, 1995). Although the approach is commonly referred to as qualitative research, it may (and frequently does) contain quantitative components.

The quality of the results generated from field research is determined by the data collected in the field. In turn, the statistics are dependent on the field worker, his or her level of commitment, and ability to observe and visualize things that other people visiting the area of research may miss. The more open researchers are to new ideas, concepts, and things that they may not have encountered in their own culture, the greater their absorption of such ideas will be. A deeper comprehension of such material implies a better awareness of the forces at work in the region and how they affect the lives of the individuals under investigation (Abu, 1998).

When studying humans, protocols must be developed to eliminate the potential of observer bias and the acquisition of overly theoretical or idealistic interpretations of how cultures operate (Bourdieu, 1999). Field study methods include participant observation, data collecting, and survey research, as opposed to what is commonly referred to as experimental or lab research (Amos, 2000).

Geography, literally "earth description," is a branch of science concerned with the study of the Earth's territories, characteristics, inhabitants, and phenomena. Geographical research has four historical traditions: spatial analysis of natural and human events (geography as the study of distribution), area studies (places and regions), the study of the human-land interaction, and research in the Earth sciences. Nonetheless, contemporary geography is a broad science that strives to comprehend the Earth and all of its human and natural complexities—not only where items are, but how they have evolved and come to be. Geography has been referred to as "the world discipline" and "the link between human and physical science." Human geography and physical geography are the two major areas of geography (Peter, 2019). Field research allows for a thorough examination of these disciplines of geography.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Field study has been shown to provide geography students with a clear physical understanding because it is at the heart of geographical research and includes broad area surveys (including aerial surveys), more localized site surveys (including photographic, drawn, and geophysical surveys, as well as exercises such as field walking), and excavation (Rex, 2010). Field experiments (such as the VORTEX projects) that use in situ instrumentation are referred to as field studies in the Earth and atmospheric sciences (Bush, 2009). Permanent observation networks are also kept up for various purposes, however they aren't always called field studies, nor are permanent remote sensing installations. The purpose of this research is to look at the impact of field study on the academic performance of geography students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of this study:
1. To examine the influence of field study on the academic performance of geography students.

2. To examine the influence of field study in the understanding of geography as a subject.

3. To identify the limitations associated with field study in the field of geography.

 

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the influence of field study on the academic performance of geography students?

2. What is the influence of field study in the understanding of geography as a subject?

3. What are the limitations associated with field study in the field of geography?

 

1.5 HYPOTHESIS

HO: there is no significant relationship between field study and academic performance of geography students

HA: there is significant relationship between field study and academic performance of geography students

 

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of this study:
1. The results from this study will educate the educators in the field of geography, the geography students and the general public on the effect of field study on the academic performance of geography students.
2. This research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.

 

1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will cover the issues of field study and its effect on the academic performance of students studying geography in the University of Benin.

 

LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

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