Abstract

This study was conceived to investigate how University of Buea students perceive Physical Geography in terms of the difficulties they face in learning, the usefulness and interest they find in Physical geography. This study was carried out in the University of Buea located in the Fako Division of the Municipality of Buea in Cameroon. A sample of 100 CST/ Geography undergraduates of the Faculty of Education, University of Buea was used for the study.

The survey design was used and the instrument for data collection was the questionnaires. The results obtained from the data revealed that the learners do not face major difficulties in learning Physical Geography while the lack of practicals in the discipline impedes their understanding of Physical geography. The findings equally show that the students perceive Physical Geography to be very useful and interesting to learn.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction        

This study is based on the University of Buea undergraduate students’ perception of Physical Geography with a case study of CST Geography undergraduate students of the Faculty of Education. This chapter includes the background of the study, a statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, the significance of the study, the research questions, the research hypotheses, the scope, and the definition of key terms as operationally used in the project.

1.1 Background of the Study

The University of Buea provides a suitable environment for learning with qualitative resources such as spacey classrooms, amphitheaters which are regarded to be of universal standard. It also hires qualified and well-trained teaching staff to yield the desired goal for academic excellence in line with MINESUP Law No.005 of 16 April 2001.

However, during the past years, the learners have developed negative perceptions on some subjects like Physical Geography. It has equally been observed that the University of Buea’s undergraduate students performs better academically in other subfields of Geography (like Human Geography) than in Physical Geography as shown in the table below.

Geography is the scientific study of the earth’s surface and its various climates, countries, peoples, and natural resources. Physical Geography is one of the major sub-fields of Geography. It is taught in Cameroon secondary schools in the first and second cycles with more specialization into various branches like Climatology, Meteorology, Geomorphology, Biogeography, and Hydrology in the second cycle to prepare the students for further studies at the university.

Physical Geography deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment like the atmosphere and its various layers. On the other hand, perception is the way you think about or understand something using one or more of your senses (see, feel, hear, smell and taste), Merriam-Webster (2004).

As a magnitude study, this study uses the following indicators to determine Geography student’s perception of Physical Geography: the difficulties, usefulness, and interest learners perceive towards this branch of Geography.

1.2 Statement of Problem

Education as a tool for achieving sustainable economic growth and development is often regarded to be the backbone of every emerging economy or nation. Curriculum designs and policies are formulated by curriculum developers, based on investigations and analysis of the current state of affairs, the needs of the people, and the problems restraining economic growth in a country.

The outcomes of such researches serve as guides in selecting the objectives, subject matter, learning activities, and evaluation and hence the curriculum (content and processes) implemented in schools. In the case of Cameroon, curriculum emphasis is placed on the teaching of Physical Geography in Primary and Secondary Schools whereas, at the level of Higher Education, Curriculum Studies and Training in Geography is equally offered in Cameroon universities to train competent and efficient teachers of Physical Geography and Geography as a whole.

Cameroon possesses a widespread Bio-diversified physical environment made of streams, rivers, and physical landscapes. It equally harbors one of the most active volcanic mountains in Africa (Mt Cameroon 4100km). Her Physical endowment has earned her the popular appellation of Africa in miniature.

Looking at the natural background of Cameroon, the importance of Physical Geography as a field of study in her formal educational system cannot be disputed. Yet the teaching and learning process of Physical Geography is currently posing major challenges and threats to both the teachers and students.

Physical Geography in summary looks at the occurrence of natural phenomenon in (Cameroon and the world). Therefore, the subject matter taught in Physical Geography is subject to constant changes and modifications with time. This further explains why the content and scope of Physical Geography taught in schools is broad and bulky.

This has led to increasing demand for Physical Geography teachers in Cameroon secondary schools, especially in the second cycle, where a majority of the branches taught in Geography fall under Physical Geography (Geomorphology, Meteorology, Hydrology, Climatology, and Biogeography).

Physical Geography connects with current environmental issues affecting the world. For instance, current issues raised in Physical Geography include; Global warming, Climate change, and variability, deforestation, and desertification in Africa. Consequently, it requires a lot of research activities which is a significant challenge for the teachers and learners to finance and keep up with.

The University of Buea is located on a varying number of physical landscapes situated along the slopes of Mt Fako. This location is an advantage to the study of Physical Geography at the University of Buea in that it provides a wide field for observation and practical studies which are indispensable in the teaching and learning process of Physical Geography.

The irony is that little or no efforts have been put in place by the university to exploit the Physical Geography laboratory which the environment in this geographical location has freely provided. Furthermore, the remains of the meteorological station built during the construction of the university years back to promote practical studies in Physical Geography can be seen in the pictures that follow.

Meteorological Station in UB

The station containing instruments like the Stevenson Screen, Rain Gage, and Wind Vain which are vital instruments used in weather forecast and prediction studies, have been neglected and abandoned to feed the eyes of passer-byes.

This research is centered on investigating the perception in terms of the difficulties faced by student teachers in learning Physical Geography, their understanding of the relevance of Physical Geography to themselves and the society in which they live as well as the degree of appreciation they possess towards the subject matter taught in Physical Geography.

1.3 Research Objectives

1.3.1 General Objective

Generally, this study sets out to investigate the ways the UB undergraduate students perceive Physical Geography.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

Specifically, the study is out to determine:

1. The difficulties the students face in learning Physical Geography.
2. The usefulness they attach to Physical Geography as a school subject.
3. The degree of interest the learners portray with regards to the subject matter of Physical Geography.

1.4 Research Questions

From the above objectives, the following research questions have been formulated.

1.4.1 General Research Questions

How do UB’s undergraduate students perceive Physical Geography?

1.4.2 Specific Research Questions

1. What are the difficulties the students face in their study of Physical Geography?
2. How useful is Physical Geography as a study field to the student’s lives?
3. To what extent do learners find interest in Physical Geography?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following hypotheses have been formulated to serve as a tentative answer to the above questions.

1.5.1 General Hypothesis

The students perceive Physical Geography positively.

1.5.2 Specific Hypothesis

H1: Students do not face any particular difficulties in studying Physical Geography.

H2: Physical Geography is useful to the learner’s present and future lives.

H3: The students are interested in Physical Geography.

1.6 Significance of the study

The outcomes of this project will be beneficial theoretically to:

The University’s Department of Geography. The problems affecting the teaching and learning of Physical Geography raised in this research will serve as future guidelines to improve the learning condition of Physical Geography at the University of Buea.

To practitioners like Geography teachers, the research emphasizes the relevance of fieldwork and practice as key learning activities in Physical Geography. As such, Geography teachers will be motivated after going through this research to revise their methodology of teaching in this subject.

To the students, the findings of this research provide relevant information on the importance of Physical Geography to learners as a school subject and the vital role it assumes in today’s modern society. Thus the research findings can go a long way to promote future positive perceptions among the learners of this subject. The findings of this project will be of practical benefit to other practitioners in the field of Physical Geography like (Climatologists, Geologists, and Bio geographers).

 Further Readings

SECONDARY SCHOOLS STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARDS PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY IN THE BUEA MUNICIPALITY