The Evaluation of the Teaching of GIS in Senior Secondary School
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the study
- To assess the GIS infrastructural capacity for teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state.
- To determine the level of teacher’s GIS knowledge and skills in application of GIS in teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state.
- To establish the GIS technical support in teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state.
- To establish the school administrative practices that supports the use of GIS in teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Introduction
With respect to the (1974) recommendations made by UNESCO, geography education makes a tremendous contribution to international education (IGU, 1997). This international nature of geography’s contribution is in itself an example of geography’s broad reach across scales of study. To this, Gritzner (2003) adds that “every day of our lives, we live geography” (p. 90).
Naish et al. (1987) stipulate that the inclusion of any subject in a school’s curriculum should be justified through elucidation of not only the body of knowledge with which it is concerned, but also its potential for development of broader capabilities for participation in the world. The manner by which this knowledge can be learned and capabilities developed thus becomes integral to the effective ‘teaching’ of that subject (Gregg et al., 1997).
In this regard, it is important to determine whether the nature of geography is such that its place in the curriculum is justifiable. This constitutes the first of three foci elucidated by this chapter (Figure 1). Specifically, this chapter reviews the literature to argue that Geography:
▪is concerned with a multidisciplinary body of knowledge of global significance;
▪emphasises a range of technical and problem-solving skills; and,
▪encourages its students to develop capabilities to participate actively in the world about which they are learning.
If geography and a geographical education can be shown to be valuable, then the way it is taught requires consideration. Once this has been ascertained, the chapter will move to evaluate published findings about classroom practices and the extent to which they afford teachers confidence that students are learning what is intended.
Associated with the discussion of teaching methods in geography is the chapter’s second focus: investigating the role of Geographic Information Systems in contributing to geographical education
The Nature of Geography Education
Focus I, The Nature of Geography Education, will be explored through investigation of seven elements.
Geography as a discipline is defined at once by its spatial emphases and its reliance upon methodology more so than its content. More specifically, Fernald (2002) states that geography is “the analysis of the areal distribution of a phenomenon [that involves the examination of] the location and distribution of phenomena in space, or place, by means of identifying their density, pattern, diffusion, and dispersion” (p. 126). He continues that geography is “the unique discipline that examines the earth from the spatial point of view” (p. 127).
Because the features that represent the focus of geographical study are dispersed across the surface of the earth, the study of geography encompasses a great deal of interconnectivity. In this regard, its study is about how local, national and international scales interact (Rawling, 2000). Three years earlier, Stoltman (1997) cited the International Charter on Geographical Education which asserts that “geography is the science which seeks to explain the character of places and the distribution of people, features and events as they occur and develop over the surface of the earth” (p. 33). According to Fernald (1996), geography is involved with two sets of spatial activities: location and distribution, and interaction and relationships. The US definition (Geography Education Standards Project, 1994) provides further detail still, delineating geography as an integrative discipline that brings together the physical and human dimensions of the world in the study of people, places and environments. Its subject matter is Earth’s surface and the processes that shape it, the relationships between people and environments, and the connections between people and places (p. 18).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY
Introduction
The chapter describes the methodology of the study. It was presented in research design, locale of the study, target population, study sample, research instruments, validity and reliability of the instruments and the data analysis technique.
Research design
Research design refers to the procedures selected by a researcher for studying a particular set of questions or hypothesis; this includes the researcher’s choice of quantitative or qualitative methodology, and how, if at all, causal relationships between variables or phenomena are to be explored (Orodho, 2009).
Non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to establish the factors that are influencing the integration and the use of GIS in teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state. A survey is a method of collecting information by interviewing or administering a questionnaire to a sample of individuals.
The study aimed at collecting opinions from the teachers and the principals about factors influencing adoption of GIS in teaching geography. The secondary data was collected from literature review from the internet, journals and relevant books while questionnaires, observation and interview schedules enabled the researcher collect the primary data.
Target population
Target population is a set of people or objects the researcher wants to generalize the results of the research (Borg and Gall, 1989). In Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state there are 75 secondary schools, six provincial schools- three girls, another three boys schools, six distrGIS boarding schools-three girls schools and three boys schools, twenty three distrGIS boarding and day while fourty district day schools. There are 463 teachers in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state. All the teachers and the principals made the study population.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION
Introduction
This chapter presents the data analysis procedures employed to Evaluate the teaching of GIS in senior secondary School (geography education). The study sought to assess the extent of GIS infrastructural capacity for teaching geography; to determine the level of teacher’s GIS knowledge and skills in application of GIS in; to establish the GIS technical support in teaching geography and to establish the school administrative practices that supports the use of GIS in teaching geography in secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state.
GIS infrastructure in schools
Use of GIS in education is directly dependent on the availability of necessary GIS infrastructure which include number of computers, electricity grid and internet connectivity. It was observed that most of the secondary schools have computers. Schools also had other GIS infrastructure which includes radio, televisions and DVDs which are mostly used for entertainment.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents the summary of the study findings, discussions, conclusions and recommendation of the research. The chapter also contains suggestions of related studies that may be carried out in the future.
Summary of the study findings
The study findings have revealed that integration and use of GISs in the secondary schools in Jalingo L.G.A, Taraba state is hindered by so many factors. Inadequate infrastructure: this includes inadequate number of computers in the schools, inadequate power supply, limited internet connectivity and inappropriate hardware and software. Teachers have poor pre-service training in GIS because only very few have a diploma in GIS. This is coupled by lack of enough time for in-service training and a high teaching load which leaves them with very little time to prepare the teaching geography materials for use in class. Students on the other hand lack the skills to use computers in their schools.
Technical help is inadequate despite regular computer breakdown of the old computers. This not only wastes time but also leaves the teachers unable to continue using GISs in class. The administrative practices include financing computer programmes in school and facilitating in-service training of the teachers as well as employing teachers to teach computer skills. Most schools lack GIS policies that would enable proper integration of GISs in teaching geography. High cost of GIS maintenance pushes the principals to cut down on the use of GISs in teaching geography.
Conclusion
The GISs have great advantage in improving all sphere of life including education. The researcher therefore concludes that the interplay of factors have negatively influenced and slowed the use of GISs in teaching geography in secondary schools. This includes unavailability and inappropriate GIS infrastructure in the secondary schools; limited GIS knowledge and skills for both the teachers and the students characterized by inadequate time for in-service courses for teachers; limited technical support during teaching geography process and restrGISive administrative practices mainly limited budgetary allocations and lack of proper GIS policies in the secondary schools. Therefore there has been limited use of GISs in class presentation in secondary school.
Recommendations
Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommends that:
The government should invest heavily to provide adequate number of computers in schools and also enhance internet connection in the schools to ensure easy access to teaching learning materials in the web. Electrification should be diversified in the rural areas to enhance the use of computers. Alternative sources of energy can be used in the remote places where it is very expensive to provide adequately. Power back up system can help solve the problem power interruption. The ministry of education should develop pre-service and in-service staff training programmes that are tailored to the school programmes to keep teachers up to date with the technological changes which will promote proper integration of GISs in teaching geography. More teachers should be deployed to the schools to train the students on the use of computers for more to increase the confidence when learning using GISs. There should be GIS technician at the regional education levels to help teachers with the computer hardware or the software they would assist the teachers handle any computer breakdown.
The school administration should familiarize themselves with the national GISs policies and especially in education in order for them to develop school GIS policy that would enable them integrate use of GISs in teaching geography in class. Government should make available avenues in which the schools can acquire computers at a reduced cost. This can be done through tax waiver on computers meant for learning in the secondary schools.
Suggestions for further studies
- This study was carried out in one Local Government Area only; a similar study could be carried out in the other sub-Counties. ii. A study could be carried out to find out the factors that influence the use of GISs in the private secondary schools.
- A study can be carried out to determine the cost- benefit analysis of using GISs in secondary schools. iv. A comparative study can be carried out on the impact of using GISs in secondary school performance.
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