Project – Impact of School Excursion on Students Academic Performance: A Case Study of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the Study

Education is an important instrument for individual development, social transformation, and national progress. Through education, students acquire knowledge, develop practical skills, build positive attitudes, and prepare themselves for future responsibilities. However, effective education requires more than the transmission of information from teachers to students within the classroom. Students also need opportunities to observe real-life situations, interact with their surroundings, and connect theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. School excursions provide one means of achieving these objectives by allowing students to visit educationally relevant places outside the conventional classroom environment. These places may include museums, historical monuments, industries, farms, laboratories, libraries, courts, nature reserves, and other institutions related to school subjects. Research by Whitesell (2016) found that educational field trips to informal science institutions were associated with modest improvements in students’ standardised science examination performance, suggesting that carefully selected educational visits can contribute to classroom learning.

School excursions, also known as educational field trips or educational visits, involve organised visits undertaken by students under the guidance of teachers for educational purposes. Unlike ordinary recreational outings, school excursions are intended to support specific learning objectives and complement classroom instruction. For example, students studying history may visit historical monuments to understand past events, while geography students may visit rivers, coastal environments, or industrial areas to observe geographical processes. Similarly, students studying biology may visit botanical gardens, wildlife centres, or scientific institutions to observe living organisms and their environments. Such activities can make abstract concepts more understandable by providing direct contact with objects, places, and processes discussed during lessons. Sturm and Bogner (2010), in their study of secondary school students learning in a museum and classroom environment, found that students in the museum learning group achieved greater knowledge gains than those in the classroom comparison group. This evidence supports the importance of examining how excursions can supplement conventional teaching methods.

Students’ academic performance refers to the extent to which learners demonstrate their understanding of subject content and achieve the learning outcomes expected of them. It is commonly assessed through examinations, tests, assignments, practical exercises, class participation, and other forms of educational assessment. Academic performance may be influenced by several factors, including teaching methods, students’ motivation, prior knowledge, learning resources, classroom conditions, family background, and opportunities for practical learning. Excursions may influence academic performance by exposing students to learning experiences that reinforce information already taught in class. When students see practical examples of concepts they have studied, they may find it easier to understand, remember, and apply the information. Whitesell (2016) provides empirical support for investigating this relationship, having found positive but modest effects of field-trip participation on middle-school science test scores. Nevertheless, the effect of an excursion may depend on its relevance to the curriculum, the quality of preparation, the activities undertaken during the visit, and the extent to which the experience is connected to subsequent classroom instruction.

One major educational value of school excursions is their potential to promote experiential learning. Experiential learning emphasises the relationship between experience, reflection, the development of ideas, and the application of knowledge. Kolb (1984) explains learning as a process in which knowledge develops through the transformation of experience. From this perspective, excursions can provide students with concrete experiences that help them examine concepts, ask questions, compare observations with classroom explanations, and develop a deeper understanding of what they learn. For instance, a student studying environmental pollution may understand the topic more clearly after observing waste disposal practices or visiting a water treatment facility. However, merely taking students outside the school does not automatically guarantee meaningful learning. The excursion must provide relevant experiences, and teachers must guide students in interpreting what they observe. This makes the educational planning and instructional purpose of an excursion important considerations when examining its impact on students’ academic performance.

Another important contribution of school excursions is the potential to improve students’ interest, attention, and participation in learning. Some students experience difficulties understanding subjects when instruction relies heavily on verbal explanations, textbook reading, and classroom demonstrations. Educational visits can introduce variety into the learning process and expose students to situations that encourage curiosity and active participation. During a well-organised excursion, students may ask questions, take notes, complete observation exercises, discuss what they see, and relate their experiences to previously taught topics. These activities may strengthen their engagement with the subject and encourage them to participate more actively in subsequent lessons. Sturm and Bogner (2010) examined both learning and motivational outcomes in museum and classroom settings, demonstrating the relevance of considering students’ learning experiences beyond the conventional classroom. Consequently, school excursions should be examined not only in relation to examination scores but also in terms of the learning processes that may contribute to improved academic outcomes.

In Nigeria, school excursions are particularly relevant because the secondary school curriculum covers subjects that can benefit from practical observation and real-life examples. Subjects such as geography, biology, agricultural science, business studies, economics, civic education, and history contain concepts that can be illustrated through visits to appropriate institutions and environments. For example, a visit to a farm may help students understand agricultural practices, while a visit to a commercial establishment may help business studies students observe marketing, record-keeping, and customer relations. Timothy and Apata (2014), in their study of field trips and Basic Science achievement among public junior secondary school students in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State, reported that the field-trip strategy was more effective in improving students’ achievement than the comparison teaching approach. Similarly, a study of field trips in Business Studies involving two secondary schools in Lagos found that students who participated in the trips performed better than those who did not participate. These Nigerian studies demonstrate the relevance of examining excursions as a supplementary teaching strategy within the country’s secondary education system.

In Lagos State, school excursions offer opportunities for teachers to connect classroom instruction with the social, cultural, commercial, historical, and natural environments surrounding students. As a major urban and commercial centre, Lagos contains educationally relevant locations such as museums, cultural heritage sites, public institutions, business establishments, industrial facilities, and environmental management centres. Visits to appropriate locations can enable students to observe how classroom concepts apply to practical situations. For example, students studying commerce may benefit from observing business operations, while those studying history or civic education may gain additional insight from visits to cultural institutions and public organisations. Timothy and Apata (2014) provide a locally relevant basis for this investigation because their research examined field-trip effectiveness among Basic Science students in Lagos State. However, findings from a particular subject and local government area should not automatically be generalised to every subject or public secondary school in the state. It is therefore necessary to investigate the impact of school excursions within the selected public secondary schools and the educational circumstances in which their students learn.

Despite the potential benefits of school excursions, their educational effectiveness may depend on how they are planned, implemented, and evaluated. Schools may encounter difficulties relating to transportation costs, permission procedures, safety arrangements, parental consent, staff availability, and access to suitable educational destinations. Furthermore, excursions that are poorly connected to classroom topics may become recreational activities with limited academic value. Students may also forget important observations when teachers fail to provide preparatory lessons, structured activities, or follow-up assignments. Research summarised by the North American Association for Environmental Education indicates that pre-visit preparation and post-visit learning activities are associated with more favourable educational outcomes from field trips. In addition, Whitesell (2016) found that field-trip participation was associated with positive, although modest, improvements in science achievement, reinforcing the need to evaluate excursions in terms of measurable learning outcomes rather than assuming that every visit automatically improves performance. Against this background, the present study seeks to examine the impact of school excursions on students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State, paying attention to their contribution to subject understanding, retention of knowledge, classroom engagement, and academic achievement.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Academic performance is one of the important indicators used to assess the effectiveness of teaching and learning in secondary schools. Students are expected to understand subject content, retain relevant knowledge, apply what they have learned, and demonstrate their understanding through examinations and other assessments. However, classroom instruction based mainly on textbooks, verbal explanations, and note-taking may not always provide sufficient opportunities for students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical experiences. School excursions offer a possible means of addressing this challenge by exposing learners to real-life situations related to their subjects. Whitesell (2016) found that field trips to informal science institutions were associated with modest positive effects on students’ science achievement. Nevertheless, the extent to which school excursions contribute to academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State requires further investigation.

A second problem concerns the inconsistent use of school excursions as a teaching and learning strategy. Although excursions can provide practical learning opportunities, their organisation may require financial resources, transportation, parental consent, appropriate supervision, and careful coordination with the school timetable. Where these requirements are difficult to meet, students may have limited opportunities to participate in educational visits. Moreover, excursions that are not properly connected to classroom lessons may fail to produce the expected academic benefits. Timothy and Apata (2014), in their investigation of field trips among Basic Science students in Lagos State, found that the field-trip teaching strategy was more effective in improving academic achievement than the comparison approach. This finding suggests that excursions deserve consideration as a teaching strategy, but it also raises the need to examine whether they are adequately planned and used to support learning in the selected public secondary schools.

Another problem relates to the uncertainty surrounding the extent to which excursions improve different aspects of students’ academic performance. Although students may enjoy visiting educational sites, enjoyment alone does not establish that their examination scores, subject comprehension, or retention of knowledge have improved. Academic benefits may depend on the relevance of the destination, the subject being taught, students’ participation, teacher guidance, and the activities completed before and after the visit. Onuoha (2018), in a study of field-trip instructional strategy among secondary school Economics students in Enugu State, reported better achievement and retention among students taught using the field-trip strategy than among those taught using the lecture method. However, the findings from a different state and subject cannot be assumed to apply equally to all public secondary schools in Lagos State. There is therefore a need to examine the relationship between school excursion participation and the academic outcomes of students in the selected schools.

Furthermore, while previous research in Nigeria has examined field trips in subjects such as Basic Science, Business Studies, Economics, Geography, and Biology, the availability of evidence relating to selected public secondary schools in Lagos State remains an important consideration. Timothy and Apata (2014) studied Basic Science students in Surulere, while an earlier study documented the effects of field trips on Business Studies performance in two Lagos secondary schools. These studies provide a useful foundation, but the results are specific to their respective subjects, samples, and research settings. The problem addressed by the present study is therefore the need to establish how school excursions relate to students’ academic performance in the selected public secondary schools, including their perceived contribution to understanding subject content, retaining information, and achieving better academic results. The findings are expected to provide evidence that can guide teachers and school administrators in deciding how excursions can be incorporated more effectively into classroom teaching.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of this study is to examine the impact of school excursions on students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the relationship between participation in school excursions and students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

2. Determine the influence of school excursions on students’ understanding of subject content in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

3. Assess the influence of school excursions on students’ retention of knowledge in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

4. Identify the challenges affecting the effective organisation and implementation of school excursions in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What is the relationship between participation in school excursions and students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State?

2. To what extent do school excursions influence students’ understanding of subject content in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State?

3. To what extent do school excursions influence students’ retention of knowledge in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State?

4. What challenges affect the effective organisation and implementation of school excursions in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no statistically significant relationship between participation in school excursions and students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are expected to be useful to students, teachers, school administrators, curriculum planners, education policymakers, parents, and future researchers.

Students: The study may help students understand the educational value of excursions and encourage them to participate actively in learning activities outside the classroom. By identifying how excursions relate to subject comprehension, knowledge retention, and academic performance, the study may encourage students to approach educational visits as opportunities to reinforce their classroom learning.

Teachers: The study may help teachers understand how excursions can supplement conventional teaching methods. Its findings may encourage teachers to connect educational visits with lesson objectives, prepare students before visits, provide structured observation activities, and assess learning after excursions. This may support more meaningful integration of practical experiences into classroom instruction.

School administrators: The findings may provide school principals and administrators with information for planning, approving, supervising, and evaluating educational excursions. The study may also help administrators identify organisational challenges, including transportation, costs, safety, scheduling, and the availability of appropriate destinations.

Curriculum planners and education policymakers: The study may provide evidence that can inform decisions about incorporating educational visits into school programmes. The findings may also help education authorities identify areas where guidance, funding, teacher training, and institutional partnerships could improve the implementation of excursions in public secondary schools.

Parents and guardians: The study may help parents appreciate the educational purposes of school excursions and understand the importance of their involvement in consent, preparation, and other necessary arrangements. The findings may also support informed discussions between parents and schools about the educational benefits, costs, and safety requirements of organised visits.

Researchers and future scholars: The study may contribute to the literature on experiential learning and students’ academic performance in Nigeria. It may provide a basis for further investigations involving other states, school types, subjects, and methods of measuring academic achievement.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on the impact of school excursions on students’ academic performance in selected public secondary schools in Lagos State, Nigeria. The geographical scope is limited to the public secondary schools selected for the research. The specific schools and local government areas will be determined during the sampling process.

In terms of content, the study will examine students’ participation in school excursions, understanding of subject content, retention of knowledge, and academic performance. It will also investigate challenges associated with organising and implementing excursions, including financial constraints, transportation, safety, parental consent, time management, and the availability of suitable educational destinations.

The study will focus on students and, where appropriate, teachers involved in organising or supervising excursions. Academic performance may be assessed using relevant examination or test scores, school records where access is authorised, or another clearly defined measure specified in the research methodology. The study will not attempt to investigate every factor affecting academic achievement; rather, it will concentrate on school excursions and their relationship with the specified academic outcomes.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study may encounter limitations that could affect the collection and interpretation of data. First, the research will cover selected public secondary schools rather than every public secondary school in Lagos State. Consequently, the findings may not be generalisable to all schools in the state or to private secondary schools.

Second, the study may encounter difficulties obtaining complete academic records or information about previous excursions. Some respondents may also provide answers based on their personal experiences and perceptions, which may not always correspond with measurable academic outcomes. To reduce these limitations, the researcher will use clear research instruments and, where possible, compare respondents’ answers with available academic records.

Third, differences in students’ previous academic ability, family background, teacher effectiveness, access to learning materials, and frequency of excursion participation may affect the relationship being investigated. If the study adopts a descriptive survey design, the findings will primarily establish associations and reported experiences rather than conclusively demonstrate causation. These limitations will be considered when analysing and presenting the findings.

1.9 Definition of Key Terms

The following terms are defined according to how they are used in this study.

School Excursion: This refers to an organised educational visit undertaken by students outside the school environment under the guidance of teachers to support classroom learning and achieve specific educational objectives.

Students’ Academic Performance: This refers to the level of achievement demonstrated by students through examinations, tests, assignments, and other assessments used to measure their understanding of subject content.

Educational Field Trip: This refers to a planned visit to a location, institution, or environment outside the classroom to provide students with practical experiences related to their school subjects.

Experiential Learning: This refers to a learning process in which students develop knowledge and understanding through direct experiences, observation, reflection, and the application of what they have learned.

Knowledge Retention: This refers to students’ ability to remember and recall information acquired through teaching, learning activities, and educational experiences over a period of time.

Public Secondary Schools: These are secondary educational institutions established or managed by government authorities to provide formal education to eligible students.

Selected Public Secondary Schools: This refers to the public secondary schools in Lagos State that will be chosen to participate in the present investigation.

Project – Impact of School Excursion on Students Academic Performance: A Case Study of Selected Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State.