Re-Engineering the Teaching and Learning of Geography in Six Selected Secondary Schools of Livingstone District, Southern Province, Zambia

Abstract

The teaching and learning of Geography in Zambian senior secondary schools should be re – engineered if high academic performance should be attained. Academic performance in Geography at School Certificate level, consistently for some time now is neither impressive nor competitive with other subjects at all. The question is how should geography be taught to make it a must do subject by many senior secondary school learners? There is a need therefore, to remodel or restructure how geography content should be taught and learned. The main objective of this study was to explore how best geography could be taught and learned in selected Schools of Livingstone District. This study is anchored on descriptive design, of the qualitative approach. Operant conditioning by Skinner (1971), who believed that ‘changes in behaviour are a result of an individual’s response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment’. The study used heterogeneous purposive sampling technique to select schools and participants respectively. A total of six heterogeneous schools, 30 learners and 18 teachers of Geography were sampled bringing the total number to 48 participants. The selection criteria included schools with diverse range of pupil populations and geography teachers with varying levels of experience. Data was collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) administered to learners of Geography, and semi – structured interview schedule administered to selected learners and teachers. The qualitative data collected from both learners and teachers of geography were analysed thematically by identifying patterns and themes in the data. Teachers and learners experienced challenges/problems, such as inadequate or lack of teaching and learning resources, absenteeism from both teachers and learners, and inadequate or lack of teachers. The main findings were that teachers and learners of geography needed well organised field work excursions; learners wished to be in a driving seat of learning through presentations, discussions, hands – on experiences, continuous assessment, and ‘equal opportunity’ provision from their teachers. The study recommends that learners need to experience ‘equal opportunity provision from their teachers in the way they are taught. The study also recommends removing sub – regional geography from the curriculum and intensify well organised and sponsored field work excursions. Also, that the Ministry of Education should provide adequate teaching and learning resources such as textbooks, models, and Maps.