South African Geography teachers’ perceptions of fieldwork – constraints and benefits of fieldwork practice

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions of Geography teachers in South African secondary schools and the constraints they face in conducting fieldwork with learners. It is based on the notion that fieldwork plays an integral part of the Geography curriculum and that, through the pedagogy of enquiry-based learning, learners in a field context acquire skills needed for the 21st Century workplace. It also evaluates the types of geographical fieldwork conducted and recommends a case for more active practice in a school or local environmental context. In this study, data were collected via an online questionnaire from South African secondary school Geography teachers (n=55). Results of the study show that teachers have variable perceptions of constraints on fieldwork. Learner safety is viewed most negatively and fieldtrip planning and preparation is viewed most positively. Recommendations to overcome constraints to conducting fieldwork include encouraging teachers to carry out enquiry-based fieldwork by adopting a ‘local environment or area’ within the school grounds as a primary space, and outside the perimeter of the school as a walkable location of geographical enquiry.