The Interactive Effect of Outdoor Activities and School Location on Senior Secondary Students’ Environmental Problem Solving Skills in Biology

Abstract

The traditional lecture method adopted for teaching environmental education by teachers has been adjudged ineffective for acquiring skills in solving environmental problems. Several researches have suggested the need to employ proactive methods for enhancing positive disposition of people towards the environment. This study examined the interactive effect of outdoor activities and school location on secondary school students’ environmental problem solving skills in biology. The study involved 240 Senior Secondary Two (SS II) students selected from four purposively-sampled secondary schools in two Local Government Areas of Oyo State, Nigeria. A pre-test, post-test control group, quasi experimental design with 2x2x2 factorial matrix was used. Four instruments were used. Three hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data was analysed using the ANCOVA. Findings showed a significant main effect of outdoor activities on students’ environmental problem solving skills [F (1,231) =33.215 P<.05] and significant main effect of school location on students’ environmental problem solving skills [F (1,231) =36.230 P<.05]. There was significant interaction effect of treatment and school location on students’ environmental problem solving skills [F (1,231) =3.771 P=0.05]. It is recommended that outdoor activities should be included in the Biology curriculum to bring about effective teaching of environmental education and consequently, acquisition of problem solving skills.

Keywords: outdoor activities, environmental problem solving skills, Environmental Education, school location