Supporting Geography Learning In Tanzania: Experiences From The Development Of Elementary Survey Lessons (Esl) Materials For Secondary Schools In Dodoma Municipality

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to support teaching and learning Geography in

secondary schools through designing and developing Elementary Survey Lessons

(ESL) materials in secondary schools in Tanzania. It was noted that teachers had

limited knowledge and practical skills on Elementary Surveying Topic.

Consequently, students‟ performance in the Geography Subject was noted to be poor

compared to other subjects. Again, conflicts over land use are reported in many

regions of Tanzania, despite the fact that many students are completing form IV

having studied Elementary Survey which is intended to provide them with

knowledge and skills for proper land use. Therefore, improving Geography learning

is essential and can be a long term strategy in addressing the problems of poor

performance in ES and the land use conflicts prevailing in many regions of Tanzania.

The study developed the ESL materials through interactive cycles of the action

research methodology. A qualitative research approach with some aspects of

quantitative approach was adopted.. Classroom trials and experts‟ appraisals were

mainly used in scaling up the quality of the materials. A total of 8 experts, three

Geography teachers and 136 students in Dodoma Municipality were involved in this

study. The quasi experimental research design was used during the assessment of the

effectiveness of the developed ESL materials. The data were collected through

classroom observation, focused group discussions, questionnaires, interviews, pretest

and post-test. The data obtained were analyzed mainly qualitatively while

qualitative data were analyzed quantitatively. The findings unveiled that the

involvement of various experts, such as curriculum developers, experienced teachers,

students and the Survey Practitioners contributed to the development of practicable

and effective ESL materials that potentially can develop students‟ knowledge on

surveying and ability to use survey equipment for proper land use. The findings

indicated a significant difference of groups‟ mean scores of students between

intervention school (SA) and Control school (SB) in the post-test, SA having higher

mean score than SB. The findings disclosed that the teachers in SA improved their

competence in teaching ES lessons practically. The study recommends the ESL

materials to be used by Geography teachers to teach ES lessons in Tanzania