CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This chapter comprises the background to the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, and significance of the study, limitation of the study, delimitation of the study, basic assumptions of the study, definition of significant terms and organization of the study.

Background to the problem

Egunyomi (2006) infers that education has been universally recognized as the key to sustainable development, and the enhancement of human welfare. Similarly, the World Bank (2003) as quoted by Egunyomi (2003) observed that; education is development; it creates choices and opportunities for people, reduces poverty and diseases. For nations, it creates a dynamic workforce and well informed citizens able to compete and cooperate globally, opening doors to economic and social prosperity. Physical Geography is one of the subjects learned by students during formal education.

Fellman et al (2005) outlined relevance of physical geography as a discipline of great repute. According to Sifuna and Kiragu (1988), the highest priority in the entire education sector has been the area of secondary education. According to World Bank (1990), secondary education is crucial to development because it provides learners with a bridge to highest education as it prepares them for employment and enables them to continue learning through their life time.

Olouch (1982) observes that elective subjects should be made available as this is one of the best ways of taking care of variations in schools and making education relevant to more people. Geography is one of such subjects in secondary school curriculum, however, it has been noted that, its enrolment in secondary schools has been comparatively declining more especially physical geography in relation with other subjects such as; Religion and History. The primary purpose of this study therefore is to investigate factors which are currently influencing the perception towards physical geography in the Buea municipality.

Thomas (1961) observed that the recipe for making geography and physical geography in specific interesting and even fascinating is simple. All that is required is thoroughly human subject matter presented from child’s point of view, supplemented with as much illustrative materials and spiced with teacher’s enthusiasm. Teacher ability to deliver content depends not only on his qualification but also the in-service courses which keep him up to date with the new development in the subjects, teaching methodology and not limited to information technology.

A study by Douglas (1964) indicated that parental encouragement was the most important single factor that accounts for the improvement of child’s perception towards a subject.

Geography is fundamentally interdisciplinary subject. It is one of the few disciplines that encompass very different ways of knowing from the natural and social sciences and humanities.

This study tries to find out factors which are currently influencing students’ perception towards physical geography in some selected secondary schools in the Buea municipality.

This study is based on the concept that geographical thought develops knowledge and understanding from the three complementary concepts;

The first is the concept of place. Geographers explore what places? How people shape places and how places shape our lives.

The second concept is environment. Geographers investigate biophysical environment encompassing terrestrial, marine and atmospheric systems. These investigations include the nature, dimensions and causes of environmental change.

The third concept is space. Geographers examines how, why and with what effects diverse phenomena vary across the surface of the earth.

Statement of the problem

Physical geography is a branch of geography which is concern with the scientific study of the natural features of the earth surface, especially in the current aspects including land formation, climate, currents and description of flora and fauna. However, the teaching/learning of this branch of geography remains a challenge to both teachers and students, as students do not score well questions in this section of geography. It is noted that, the enrolment is very low as students tend to shy away from this section. This is evidence after a comparison made between other subjects like Religion and History. Could this be probably because the teaching/learning resources influence students’ perception towards physical geography? Could it be as a result of the teachers’ teaching attitude? Could it be as a result of the teaching methods or techniques employed? Or could it be as a result of the learning environment? This study therefore seeks to find out if these factors and others influence students’ perception towards physical geography.

Purpose of the study

The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence secondary school students’ perception towards physical geography in the Buea municipality, Cameroon.

Objectives of the study

The objectives of this study are both general and specific.

General objectives

This study examines secondary schools students’ perception towards physical geography in the Buea municipality.

Specific objectives

This study seeks to;

• Examine ways in which the teaching/learning resources influence students’ perception towards physical geography.
• Determines how teachers’ attitudes influence students’ perception towards physical geography.
• Determine the extent to which teaching methods or techniques influence students’ perception towards physical geography.
• Determines the extent to which the learning environment influences students’ perception towards physical geography.

Research questions

• How do the teaching/learning resources influence students’ perception towards physical geography?
• In what ways does teachers’ teaching attitude influence students’ perception towards physical geography?
• To what extent does teaching methods or techniques influence students’ perception towards physical geography?
• In what ways does the learning environment influence students’ perception towards physical geography?