Attitude Of Senior Secondary School Teachers Towards Education Field Trip In Biology
[ILORIN METROPOLIS]

According to Brandth (2011), the importance of fieldtrip can be viewed from two perspectives, namely, teachers perspective and students perspective. From teachers perspective, he or she may test some of the biological and ecological hypotheses and theories discussed in class by introducing appropriate filed research methods to students. Students, in turn, will learn how to properly operate certain field instruments and equipment and learn to use with fieldtrip methods with a proper explanation.
From students perspective, field experiences enhance synthesis of information, cognitive reasoning ability, self-confidence, self-efficacy, and research collaboration skill. Being an important member of a research team, with significant contribution, can elevate students-self-confidence and self-efficacy. Other major benefits of traditional field include observing a natural setting first-hand, making learning more interesting and enjoyable, providing opportunities for students to gain field research experiences learning through active participation, and exploring practical or pressing biological and ecological issues on site.
In senior secondary school biology and particularly in ecology topics, students can observed plant and animal communities occurring in natural settings that cannot be duplicated in classrooms laboratories and greenhouses. Students can also observe and appreciate the following naturally-occurring phenomena: The diversity and complexity of local and  regional ecosystems, interaction among living organisms, interaction between organisms and their immediate environments, various stages of ecological succession, how individual organisms and populations respond to environmental stress, how communities respond to various types and intensities of disturbances, as well as why certain species can tolerate or recover from severe disturbance substantially more than others.
Through the principles and application of ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology, students can also witness why plant and animal species are distributed the way they are and can explain why certain species should be protected by law as endangered and threatened species.
Moreover, fieldtrip can allow students and teachers a chance to get out of the classroom and interact with each other in a more informal setting. Strengthening the relationships between the instructor and students and among the students themselves can transfer into more interactive and effective classroom teaching. (Vogel, 2008), as well as can facilitate and maximize student learning. When students actually observe natural events that the class discussed, they reinforce theories the teacher presented to explain the events (Switzer, 2010, 2010).
Since fieldtrips generate students own interests and enthusiasm, it makes the learning of inductive and deductive reasoning, critical thinking, creative thinking, data collecting, problem solving, and research collaboration, a pleasure Mckay, 2013).
Factors Affecting Fieldtrip Exercise
According to Shiley (2012) there are many factors affecting school fieldtrip. Among which are:
(i)    Financial Constraint: The most obvious reason for the decline in fieldtrip in recent years is paucity of fund. Many fieldtrips involve parent volunteers to provide transportation. With rising cost of gas, many parents find it difficult to participate in the task any longer. Fieldtrip is capital intensive, with the increased pressure on school budget extra funding is often not available to embark on fieldtrip.
(ii)    Lackadaisical Attitude of Teachers: Negative attitudes of teachers concerning fieldtrip exercise also serve as impediment to effective implementation of fieldtrip exercise. Teachers skills disparity between theory and practice and perceived teacher inertia.
(iii)    The Consideration: Preparation, fitting into school time table and a considerable amount of time is consumed by students when taking part in fieldtrip.
(iv)    Administrative Insensitivity: Lack of support from school administration for fieldtrip exercise is a big blow that impede the effective execution of fieldtrip exercise. Lack enthusiasm, devotion and dedication on the part of the school administration affect the fieldtrip exercise negatively.
(v)    Curriculum Inflexibility: The rigid nature of all the experiences that the learner have under the guidance of the school is an undeniable factor that negatively affect educational fieldtrip in actualizing the target goal. The programme of activities that is designed so that learners can attain as far as possible the designed educational goals is not flexible and negatively affect f fieldtrip exercise.
Shiley (2012), asserted that the decision to reduce culturally enriching fieldtrip reflects a variety of factors. Financial pressure force schools to make decision about how to make scarce resources, and fieldtrip are increasingly seen as an unnecessary frill. Greater focus on rising student performance in Biology may also lead school to cut fieldtrips. Some school believe that students time would be better spent in the classroom preparing for examination.